W. Arthur Combs Collection: An Inventory of Records at the Houston Metropolitan Research Center, Houston Public Library


Descriptive Summary
	Creator	Combs, W. Arthur
	Title	W. Arthur Combs Collection
	Inclusive Date	1935-1972
	Identification	MSS 59
	Extent	5 boxes
	Language	Materials are in English.
	Repository	Houston Metropolitan Research Center, Houston Public Library

Biographical Note

W. Arthur Combs has been called the "Dean of Houston Labor Attorneys". He established his law practice in Houston in 1919 after passing the bar examination in 1915 at age eighteen. He specialized in labor problems; in 1951 he argued the case for the largest personal injury case in history. Mr. Combs served as a state Democratic Party committee member from Houston. He was a governor of the American Trial Lawyer's Association and a founding member of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers and the Texas Trial Lawyers Association.

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Scope and Contents

The W. A. Combs collection consists of Mr. Combs' papers and the records of two firms with which he was associated in the early 1950's. Correspondence and photographs including prominant political figures provide information of Democratic party activities. Clippings folders concentrating on the NAACA convention in 1952, the Democratic Party chairmen's convention in 1949, and the Sam Rayburn Rally in 1949 are included.

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Arrangement
	The organization of the collection begins with Mr. Combs' correspondence which is divided into incoming and outgoing and within those divisions, by type: political, professional, and personal. Various materials such as Combs' Labor Messenger columns, NAACA proceedings, and photographs follow the correspondence. The last box contains firm records.

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Restrictions

Access Restrictions

None.

Use Restrictions

Permission to publish or reproduce materials from the W. Arthur Combs Collection must be obtained from the Houston Metropolitan Research Center or the appropriate copyright holder.

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Index Terms

	Subjects
		Lawyers--Texas--Houston
		Democratic Party (Tex.)--History--20th century
	Subjects (Persons)
		Combs, W. Arthur
	Places
		Texas--Politics and government--1865-1950
		Texas--Politics and government--1951-

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Correspondence
		Incoming
Box	Folder
1	1		Political: Lyndon B. Johnson, 1949-1970; Hubert Humphrey, 1967; Edmund Muskie, 1971
	2		Political: Albert Thomas, 1949-1963; Ralph Yarbrough, 1955-1972; Sam Rayburn, 1950
	3		Political: Tom Connally, 1949-1951; Maury Maverick, 1951-1954; Allan Shivers, 1950-1951; Roy Hofheinz, 1954; Price Daniel, 1952-1954
	4		Miscellaneous Political
	5		General Democratic Party
	6		Professional, 1949-1953
	7		Professional, 1954
	8		Professional, concerning $200,000 verdict
	9		Business, 1949-1955
	10		Clubs, Charities, Associations
	11		Personal
		Outgoing
Box	Folder
1	12		Political, 1949-1954
	13		Professional, 1949-1954
	14		Business, 1949-1953
	15		Personal, 1942-1958

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Miscellaneous
Box	Folder
1	16	Miscellaneous notes, cards, memos; History of the descendents of Enoch Combs
Box	Folder
2	17	Photostatic copies of settlement checks; Papers relating to State Bar Grievance committee censure
	18	Papers concerning Bar Examination, 1915; Military certificates and cards; copies of Family wills
	19	Correspondence concerning the Houston Labor Journal and Labor Messenger; Manuscripts of Combs' column, "Briefing the Case"
	20	Clippings: "Briefing the Case", January 20, 1943; 1953-1955
	21	Articles, Papers by Combs, 1964-1977
	22	Invitations, programs; Seating list for Governor Hobby dinner, 1951; Rayburn rally contributors; List of Elks Lodge #151, 1953

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National Association of Claimants' Compensation Attorneys Convention, 1952
Box	Folder
2	23	Proceedings
	24	Proceedings
	25	Proceedings
	26	Proceedings
	27	Clippings
	28	Photographs

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Photographs
Box	Folder
3	29	Sam Rayburn Reception, November 1949
	30	Combs and Ralph Yarbrough; Combs and partners with check from largest settlement; Portraits of Combs and Ethel Combs Roeller
	31	Lyndon B. Johnson, Edmund Muskie, Melvin Belli, others
	32	Mary J. Conners, personal injury case; Property at Scott and McGregor, 1947; Office snapshots

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Clippings

Box

Folder

Sam Rayburn Reception, Democratic County Charimen Convention, 1949; Profile of Combs

Miscellaneous

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Combs' Business and Legal Papers
Box	Folder
4	35	W. A. Combs: Records and papers relating to investment properties
	36	Combs, Brown and Brock: Incoming Correspondence, 1949-1954
	37	Combs, Brown and Brock: Outgoing Correspondence, 1949-1954
	38	Combs, Brown and Brock: Financial records
	39	Combs, Brown and Brock: Case lists
	40	Combs, Brown and Brock: Dockets; Claims not in suit; Pooled cases; Settlements
	41	Combs, Brown and Brock: Advances on cases; List of appealed compensation cases
	42	Combs, Brown and Brock: Office rules; Office incentory; Firm dissolution
	43	Combs, Brock, Forney and Mitchell: Correspondence, 1955-1956; Account with Dr. Martin A. Zionts
	44	Miscellaneous legal papers

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Addenda: Materials donated by Mr. Combs after processing
Box	Folder
5	45	Incoming correspondence: Personal and family business, 1935-1940
	46	Incoming correspondence: Personal and family business, 1940-1948
	47	Outgoing correspondence: Personal and family business, 1935-1940
	48	Outgoing correspondence: Personal and family business, 1941-1949
	49	Materials relating to estate of Philip Ford Combs
	50	Miscellaneous materials regarding stock and real estate
	51	Miscellaneous family legal documents
	52	Deeds; indentures; Plat of Brazos Coast Investment Co.
	53	W. A. Combs: Transcribed Speeches
	54	W. A. Combs: Transcribed Speeches
	55	W. A. Combs: Transcribed Speeches
	56	W. A. Combs: "Maritime Personal Injuries", Houston Bar Association Institute, 1965
	57	W. A. Combs: Published articles

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