Guide to the James Lockhart Autry Papers, 1834-1926

Biographical Note

James Lockhart Autry was born in Holly Springs, Mississippi, on 4 November 1859. Educated in Mississippi schools for most of his life, Autry attended the University of the South on a scholarship before moving to Texas in 1876. He moved to Navarro County to undertake management of a ranch given to his grandfather's heirs for his part in the Texas Revolution.

Once established in Texas, Autry began the study of law in the offices of Judge Sam Frost in Corsicana, and was admitted to the bar in 1880 at the age of twenty-one. While still studying law in 1879, Autry served as enrolling clerk for the House of Representatives of the Texas Legislature and he served again in the sessions of 1880 and 1881. Autry began the practice of law in partnership with Richard Channing Beale; he retired from this partnership, however, to serve two terms as County Judge of Navarro County. He then formed a partnership with W. J. McKie which lasted until Autry left Corsicana to become General Attorney for the Texas Company in Beaumont.

The partnership of McKie and Autry served as counsel to J.S. Cullinan, an oil operator who moved into Corsicana with the oil boom of the area during the 1890's. After the dissipation of oil in the Coriscana area and the discovery of oil in the Spindletop - Beaumont area, Cullinan moved to the coastal town to form the Texas Fuel Company. For several years McKie and Autry continued to serve Cullinan, taking turns on leaving Coriscana to spend one or two weeks at a time in Beaumont. Finally in 1904 the partnership of McKie and Autry was dissolved with McKie staying in Corsicana and Autry moving to Beaumont as general counsel of the Texas Fuel Company.

A reorganization and expansion of the Texas Fuel Company in 1905 resulted in the incorporation of the Texas Company in which Autry was elected a director and became general attorney. The corporate headquarters were moved to Houston in 1908 when Spindletop began to decline and other fields down the Gulf Coast like Humble and Goose Creek began to produce. Autry again moved with the company. He remained with the Texas Company until November of 1913 when a dispute over management of the company became a major issue in a stockholders' meeting and a proxy struggle ensued. Cullinan with the open support of Autry and Will C. Hogg lost the battle and resigned as president and director. Autry and Hogg both resigned at this time.

Autry, Cullinan and Hogg then combined their capital and talents to form the Fidelity Trust Company, Farmers Petroleum Company, American Petroleum Company and Republic Production Company. Autry served as president of Farmers Petroleum Company, president of Fidelity Trust Company and vice-president and general counsel of the last two under the combined name of American Republics Company. In 1915 Autry suffered a stroke and he spent the last five years of his life a semi-invalid seeking rehabilitation and use of his right side. He died on 29 September 1920. He was survived by his wife, the former Allie Kinsloe, whom he married in 1896, a son James Lockhart Autry III, and a daughter Allie May Autry, now Mrs. Edward W. Kelley.

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Scope and Content

The papers, 1834-1922, of James Lockhart Autry consist of twenty shelf feet of business papers and correspondence, family correspondence and family contents and receipts. Among the business papers are correspondence and legal briefs from the terms Autry served as general counsel to the Texas Company, president of Fidelity Trust Company, and vice-president and general counsel of the American Republics Corporation.

The most important group of papers in this collection is Series I: Numbered files. Although the various companies retained most of the correspondence that dealt strictly with the day to day business, there is still a great deal of important business correspondence and personal material in the files. An example of the business files of extreme importance is the correspondence between McKie and Autry while they were still partners and representing the Texas Fuel Company. Also there are files related to Autry's resignation from the Texas Company with personal letters from friends commenting on his actions and there is a great deal of personal business correspondence, especially that dealing with his Navarro County Ranch, since he apparently preferred that his secretary keep up such files.

Not all of Autry's business files are represented in the numbered files. However, there is an important group of files pertaining to Autry's work for the Texas Company. Also among these files is correspondence regarding the building of the Autry residence on Courtlandt Place. Another similar set of files contains personal business correspondence which did not seem to belong to any of the numbered files. This group of files is arranged chronologically. These files should probably be checked by a researcher to make sure no pertinent information is missed.

The family correspondence falls naturally into two sections; one contains old family letters that were saved by Autry's mother and grandmother, the other holds letters between the various members of Autry's immediate family. Many of the old Autry family letters are interesting because they deal with historic events such as the Texas Revolution and the Civil War. Autry's grandfather Micajah Autry (1792-1836) came to Texas to fight in the revolution and died at the Alamo. There are several letters from him to his wife describing his travels to Texas. Autry's father (1830-1862) served as Speaker of the House of Representatives in Mississippi and practiced law in partnership with Lucius Cincinnatus Lamar. A number of papers deal with this aspect of Colonel Autry's career as well as his service in the Confederate Army in which he attained the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and fell at the Battle of Stone's River.

The last portions of the Autry papers deal with the administration of Autry's estate by his son and wife and personal accounts, receipts and check stubs of the Autry family. The papers about the estate seem to end about the time of the death of James L. Autry, III in 1922.

All files except the numbered files have been placed in a basic chronological order as there was no evident order to them. Only the receipts and accounts were not carefully placed in some order.

An addendum to this collection of an additional 42 boxes (MS 412) is listed in a guide available in the Woodson Research Center.

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Administrative Information

Acquisition Information

The papers were a gift of Mrs. Edward W. Kelley and her daughter Allie Autry Kelley Dittmar. Date Received: Summer 1959.

Processing Information

Finding aid written by Beth Wray, 1975.

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Detailed Description of the Collection

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