William Macklin Cross
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Purdy, Tennessee
William Macklin Cross | |
|---|---|
 Charles Haskell (left) and William Macklin Cross (right) in 1910 | |
| 1st Oklahoma Secretary of State | |
| In office November 16, 1907 – August 3, 1910 | |
| Governor | Charles N. Haskell |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Thomas Smith |
| Personal details | |
| Born | July 4, 1847 Purdy, Tennessee |
| Died | August 3, 1910 (aged 63) |
| Political party | Democratic Party |
William Macklin Cross (July 4, 1847 – August 3, 1910) was an American politician who served as the first Oklahoma Secretary of State from November 16, 1907, to August 3, 1910.
William Macklin Cross born on July 4, 1847, in Purdy, Tennessee. At fourteen he joined Confederate States Army, serving in the 154th Tennessee Infantry Regiment as a drummer in Company K. He fought alongside his father at the Battle of Shiloh where his father was killed and he was captured. After a prisoner of war exchange, Cross returned to service under Gen. Joseph E. Johnston. After the war he attended Kentucky University in Lexington, but dropped out after a year due to being unable to afford tuition. He eventually became a travelling salesman and moved to Oklahoma.[1]