Eugene Lorton
Eugene Lorton
“The outstanding characteristic of the Tulsa World is that there is never any doubt where it stands on controversial subjects worthy of attention and discussion.”
Biography
Eugene Lorton was born in Missouri, but moved with his parents to Kansas before starting school. He was educated in the public schools of Kansas and Missouri and graduated from Shell City High School in 1885. As a very young boy in Kansas, he learned the trade of printer and began his career in owning and publishing several newspapers in Idaho, Kansas, and Washington. After making his way to Oklahoma, he spent six years at the Tulsa Daily World before becoming sole owner of World Publishing Company. Under Mr. Lorton’s direction, the Tulsa World became a metropolitan daily newspaper. With only a brief experience as mayor of Mound City, Kansas behind him, Mr. Lorton ran for the Republican nomination for U. S. Senator from Oklahoma in 1924, but was defeated in the primary. Mr. Lorton was considered a forceful figure in Oklahoma journalism and politics for more than three decades.
Fun fact
Mr. Lorton’s colorful career included work as a telegraph operator, actor, politician, railroad worker, rancher, and farmer, as well as newspaperman.
Oklahoma connections
Lorton came to Tulsa, Oklahoma, in the fall of 1911 as part owner, editor, and publisher of the Tulsa Daily World newspaper.