Inaugural Impressions
Ethel Littleton Johnston (1888–1977)
Ethel Littleton was born in Erie, Kansas, on May 24, 1888, to MacKendree and Emma Littleton. Ethel’s mother was a Swedish emigrant, and her father died when she was six years old. She did not attend a formal school or college but learned to read and write well enough to land a position as a stenographer for the First Oklahoma Legislature in 1907.
Ethel married Henry S. Johnston in Guthrie on June 26, 1909, and enjoyed a brief honeymoon in Kansas City, Missouri. Ethel was 21 years old at the time, while Henry was 40. The couple adopted four children.
Henry was elected governor in November 1926 and took office in January 1927. He was the first governor to open his inauguration with a prayer. Nearly 20,000 people attended the inauguration, which was broadcast on radio. Known for her love of art and interior design, Ethel assisted in selecting furnishings for the Governor’s Mansion, which was completed in October 1928. Their time in the house was short-lived. In 1929, Henry was impeached and removed from office after months of disputes with the state legislature.
Ethel and Henry moved to Perry, Oklahoma, after their time in the Governor’s Mansion. Henry practiced law into his nineties, passing on January 7, 1965. Ethel was active in many organizations, including the American Red Cross, Order of the Eastern Star, Camp Fire Girls, and Noble County Art Association. She died on December 27, 1977, at 89. Governor Henry Bellmon was a pallbearer at her funeral. She is buried in Grace Hill Cemetery in Perry.
Ethel Littleton Johnston
(19413.75.179.70, Cherokee Strip Museum Collection, OHS)
