Martin E. Trapp
Martin E. Trapp
“That Trapp was able to step into the breach and quickly bring order out of chaos, and so conduct the office of Governor for the remaining period of his incumbency, is a tribute to his capacity.”
Biography
Oklahoma Governor Martin Edwin Trapp was born in Kansas and came to Guthrie with his family in 1889. He graduated from Capitol City College in Guthrie in 1898. He herded sheep while attending normal school and spent two summers in an accounting school before beginning his teaching career and role as principal of Coyle School. When his career turned to selling, Trapp traveled across the state for a St. Louis, Missouri, furniture company and bank supply firm. He then took a job at the Guthrie state capitol newspaper and became Logan County clerk in 1904. He served as the first state auditor from 1907 to 1911. In 1914, after obtaining his law degree, he was elected lieutenant governor and served three terms before becoming governor (1923-1927) after the impeachment of Governor Jack Walton. As governor, Trapp was widely commended for his business administration, valuable pardon and parole policies, accomplishments of the highway department, and sound, conservative appointments.
Fun fact
Governor Martin Trapp was often referred to as “a representative of the heart of humanity” because of his humble beginnings on a log cabin farm among 10 siblings. He first found business success when he made several hundred dollars selling maps of Oklahoma Territory in El Reno in 1901.
Oklahoma connections
Trapp came with his family to settle near Guthrie in the Land Run of 1889.