Peter "Pete" Hanraty was an American politician, union leader, and Scottish immigrant who served as the first elected Oklahoma Chief Mine Inspector from 1907 to 1911.

Pete Hanraty
1st Chief Mine Inspector of Oklahoma
In office
November 16, 1907 – November 16, 1911
GovernorCharles N. Haskell
Preceded byPosition established
Succeeded byEd Boyle
President of the Twin-Territories Federation of Labor
In office
1903–1906
Personal details
Born
Peter Hanraty

1864
Scotland, United Kingdom
Died1932
McAlester, Oklahoma
Resting placeMemorial Park Cemetery, Oklahoma City
Political partyDemocratic Party

Early life

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Pete Hanraty was born in Scotland in 1864. At age nine, he began working in the Scottish coal mines. By eighteen, he immigrated to the United States and found work as a coal miner, but was blacklisted from the coal industry in Pennsylvania and Ohio for union organizing. After being blacklisted, he moved to Indian Territory to find work and unionize miners. At the time, Indian Territory was not regulated by any state or federal law making mining in the territory exceptionally dangerous. He led a successful strike in 1898. At some point in his life, he lost both legs in a mining accident.[1] He was elected president of the Twin-Territories Federation of Labor in 1903, and served in the position until the organization merged into the Oklahoma State Federation of Labor in 1906.[2][3]

Political career

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Hanraty was elected to the Oklahoma Constitutional Convention in 1907 and served as the vice-president of the convention. He contributed most of the sections related to worker's rights.[1] He successfully ran for Oklahoma Chief Mine Inspector in 1907, but lost his 1910 re-election campaign to a primary challenge by Ed Boyle.[4]

Death and legacy

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He died in 1932 in McAlester, Oklahoma and was buried at Memorial Park Cemetery in Oklahoma City.[1] He was posthumously inducted into the Oklahoma Labor Hall of Fame.[5]

Electoral history

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1907 Oklahoma Chief Mine Inspector election[4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Pete Hanraty 132,821 54.8 New
Republican David Halstead 99,596 41.1 New
Socialist David Henderson 9,610 3.9 New
Democratic gain from Swing N/A
1910 Oklahoma Chief Mine Inspector Democratic primary[4]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Ed Boyle 51,394 51.8%
Democratic Pete Hanraty 47,726 48.1%
Turnout 99,120  

Reference

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  1. ^ a b c Dunbar, Fred W. "Hanraty, Peter (1864–1932)". okhistory.org. The Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture. Retrieved 24 September 2023.
  2. ^ Bieri, Alvena (September 3, 2000). "Barnard, Hanraty: Oklahoma's champions of labor". The Oklahoman. Retrieved 24 September 2023.
  3. ^ Kite, Steven. "Twin-Territories Federation of Labor". okhistory.org. The Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture. Retrieved 24 September 2023.
  4. ^ a b c "1907–1912 Results" (PDF). oklahoma.gov. Oklahoma State Election Board. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
  5. ^ Sanger, Lillie-Beth (January 1, 1992). "State Coal Miner Made Sacrifices, Biography Says". The Oklahoman. Retrieved 24 September 2023.