urn:taro:rice.wrc.00136 Guide to the James Stephen Hogg letter transcriptions and family photographs, 1890-1903 Inventory prepared by Amanda York Focke Woodson Research Center 2004
Rice University, Houston, Texas
Finding aid encoded by Mandy York, Fondren Library 08042004 Finding aid written inEnglish. 08042004 Edited with XMetal 3 by Mandy York, according to instructions in TARO 2 EAD 2002 Editing Instructions. Collection Summary Woodson Research Center, Fondren Library, Rice University, Houston, TX Hogg, James Stephen, 1851-1906 James Stephen Hogg letter transcriptions and family photographs 1836-1906 150 bound volumes, 22 photographs James Stephen Hogg letter transcriptions date from 1836-1906 and were copied from original manuscripts in the Texas State Library through the courtesy of the heirs of James S. Hogg. Family photographs date from circa 1890-1903 and include James S. Hogg, his parents, his wife Sallie Stinson, and various Hogg homes (including Varner-Hogg Plantation) and friends. MS 008 Biographical Note

James Stephen Hogg, the first native governor of Texas, was born near Rusk on March 24, 1851, the son of Lucanda (McMath) and Joseph Lewis Hogg. His father, a brigadier general, died at the head of his command in 1862, and his mother died the following year. Hogg and two of his brothers were left with two older sisters to run the plantation. Hogg spent almost a year in 1866 near Tuscaloosa, Alabama, going to school, but soon returned to Texas to study with Peyton Irving and work as the typesetter in Andrew Jackson's newspaper office at Rusk. Between the years of 1871 and 1873, Hogg ran his own newspapers in Longview and Quitman. During the following years, Hogg would serve as justice of the peace for Quitman, study law and marry Sallie Stinson, who would give birth to four children.

From 1880 to 1884, Hogg served as district attorney for the old Seventh District, where he became known as the most aggressive and successful district attorney in the state. Despite a popular move for Hogg to go to Congress, he declined to run for public office in 1884 and entered private practice in Tyler. In 1886 his friends urged him to run for attorney general. His father's connections with the older political leaders made it easy for Hogg to be admitted to their councils, and he received the Democratic nomination and was elected.

As attorney general, Hogg encouraged new legislation to protect the public domain set aside for the school and institutional funds, and he instituted suits that finally returned over a million and a half acres to the state. He forced "wildcat" insurance companies to quit the state, helped to write the second state antitrust law in the nation, and advocated the establishment of the Railroad Commission, which would serve as his platform during his election to governor in 1890.

While governor, from 1891 to 1895, Hogg did much to strengthen public respect for law enforcement and championed five major pieces of legislation. The "Hogg Laws" included (1) the law establishing the Railroad Commission; (2) the railroad stock and bond law cutting down on watered stock; (3) the law forcing land corporations to sell off their holdings in fifteen years; (4) the Alien Land Law, which checked further grants to foreign corporations in an effort to get the land into the hands of citizen settlers; and (5) the act restricting the amount of indebtedness by bond issues that county and municipal groups could legally undertake. Hogg was ever solicitous for the welfare of the common schools, the University of Texas, and Texas A&M, and also succeeded in obtaining financial aid for a division of state archives. Without any real difficulty Hogg could have become a United States senator in 1896, but he was content to return to private practice.

After his wife died in 1895, he invited his older sister, Mrs. Martha Frances Davis, to come to his home to help rear his children. Though he was in debt when he relinquished the governor's chair to his attorney general, Charles A. Culberson, Hogg was able to build up a sizable family fortune by his law practice and wise investments in city property and oil lands. He successfully inculcated in his children a worthy interest in individual and public welfare as evidenced by numerous gifts to the University of Texas and various services to Texas as a whole, particularly to the cities of Houston and Austin. On March 3, 1906, Hogg died in the Houston home of his partner, Frank Jones, and was buried in Austin.

"HOGG, JAMES STEPHEN." The Handbook of Texas Online. <http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/view/HH/fho17.html> [Accessed Thu Jul 8 10:10:09 US/Central 2004 ].

Scope and Contents

James Stephen Hogg letter transcriptions date from 1836-1906 and were copied from original manuscripts in the Texas State Library through the courtesy of the heirs of James S. Hogg. Family photographs date from circa 1890-1903 and include James S. Hogg, his parents, his wife Sallie Stinson, and various Hogg homes and friends. One photograph is an original; all others are copy prints, with no indictation of the location of the originals.

 Arrangement

This material is arranged in the following 2 series:

Series I: Bound volumes, 1836-1906 Series II: Photographs, 1890-1903 (1 folder) Access Restrictions

This material is open for research.

Bound volumes are stored off-site and require a maximum of 24 hours' retreival time. Please call the Woodson Research Center ahead of your visit to have the volumes retrieved, 713-348-2586.

 Restrictions on Use

Permission to publish from the James Stephen Hogg letter transcriptions and family photographs must be obtained from the Woodson Research Center, Fondren Library, Rice University.

 Index Terms Names Hogg, James Stephen, 1851-1906 - archives Hogg family - archives Subjects Elections - Texas - History - 20th century. Governors -- Texas -- sources. Subjects (Places) Texas - History - 20th century. Varner Plantation (Brazoria County, Tex.) - photographs. Formats Correspondence Photographs Related Materials

See James S. Hogg papers at Center for American History, University of Texas at Austin, and at the Texas State Library for extensive original materials.

Bound volumes featured in this collection also exisit in other libraries, such as Southern Methodist University; Center for American History, University of Texas at Austin; Texas State Library, and others.

See on-line exhibit of photographs in this collection at http://www.rice.edu/fondren/woodson/exhibits/hogg/index.html.

 Preferred Citation

James Stephen Hogg letter transcriptions and family photographs, MS 008, Woodson Research Center, Fondren Library, Rice University

 Acquisition Information

The Gov. James Stephen Hogg Collection was a gift donated in two parts by his daughter, Miss Ima Hogg. The first part of the collection was donated on March 8, 1951 and the second part followed ten years later on January 18, 1961.

Detailed Description of the Collection Series I: Bound volumes (150 volumes), 1836-1906 Subseries A: James Stephen Hogg, Letters Received 1 Jan. 15 – Aug. 31, 1890 1 Feb. 18-Oct. 17, 1890 Craddock 1 Sept. 1-Oct. 31, 1890 1 Nov., 1890 1 Dec. 1 –15, 1890 1 Dec. 15-31, 1890, Undated 1890 1 Jan. – March, 1891 1 Jan. 1-16, 1891 1 Jan. 16-31, 1891 2 Feb. 1-17, 1891 2 Feb. 18-28, 1891 2 Mar.1-15, 1891 2 Mar. 16-31, 1891 2 April, 1891 2 April 1-May 31, 1891 2 May, 1891 2 June-Aug., 1891 3 June, 1891 3 July, 1891 3 August, 1891 3 Sept. – Dec., 1891 3 Sept., 1891 3 Oct., 1891 3 Nov., 1891 3 Dec., 1891, Undated 1891 4 Jan. 1-21, 1892 4 Jan. 21-31, 1892 4 Feb., 1892 4 Mar., 1892 4 April, 1892 4 May, 1892 4 June-July, 1892 4 July, 1892 4 August, 1892 5 Sept., 1892 5 Oct., 1892 (2 vols.) 5 Nov., 1892 (3 vols) 5 Dec. 1-15, 1892 5 Dec. 16-31, 1892, Undated 1892 5 Undated 1890, 1891, and 1892 6 Jan. 1893 6 Jan. 1-16, 1893 6 Jan. 17-31, 1893 6 Feb. 1-16, 1893 6 Feb. 17-Mar. 7, 1893 6 March, 1893 6 Mar. 8-31, 1893 6 April 1-16, 1893 6 April 1-29, 1893 7 April 17-30, 1893 7 May, 1893 7 June, 1893 7 June-Aug., 1893 7 July, 1893 7 Aug., 1893 7 Sept., 1893 7 Oct., 1893 7 Nov. 1 – Dec. 19, 1893 7 Dec. 20-31, 1893, Undated 1893 8 Sept. – Dec., 1893 8 Jan. – April, 1894 8 Jan., 1894 8 Feb., 1894 8 March, 1894 8 April, 1894 8 May, 1894 8 May – July, 1894 9 June, 1894 9 July, 1894 9 August, 1894 9 August – Oct., 1894 9 Sept., 1894 9 Oct., 1894 9 Nov., 1894 9 Dec., 1894 9 Jan, 1895 – Aug 1, 1903 9 Feb. 23 – Dec. 31, 1904 10 Jan. 1, 1905 – Mar. 14, 1906 10 List of Letters Received (includes 1836-1890) Subseries B: James Stephen Hogg, Letters Written 10 April 9, 1887 – April 24, 1891 10 April 25 – May 30, 1891 10 June – July, 1891 10 Aug., 1891 10 Sept., 1891 10 Oct., 1891 10 Nov. – Dec., 1891 11 Jan. – Feb., 1892 11 Mar.-May, 1892 11 June 1 – Nov. 17, 1892 11 Jan. 13, 1893 – Nov. 27, 1894, and Undated Subseries C: James Stephen Hogg Letter Press, Letters Received 11 May 21, 1836 – Aug. 30, 1889 11 Sept. – Dec., 1889 11 Jan. – March, 1890 11 April, 1890 11 May, 1890 12 June, 1890 12 July – Aug., 1890 12 Sept. – Dec., 1890 Subseries D: James Stephen Hogg Letter Press (Letters written) 12 Jan. 22, 1887 – July 30, 1888 12 Aug 3, 1888 – Aug. 8, 1889 12 May 9, 1889-April 30, 1890 13 June 10 – Dec. 6, 1890, Part II 13 May 1 –June 10, 1890 13 June 10 – Dec.6, 1890 Part I 13 Dec. 8, 1890-Jan. 15, 1891 13 Oct. 29, 1891 – Mar 24, 1892 13 Mar. 23 – Sept. 16, 1892, Part I 14 March 25 – Sept. 16, 1892 Part II 14 Jan. 31 – Aug. 30, 1893 14 Dec. 3, 1894 – Apr. 25, 1896 Part II 14 Apr. 27 - Dec. 22, 1896 Part I 14 Apr. 27 - Dec. 22, 1896 Part II 14 Feb. 19, 1896 – July 9, 1897, Part I 14 Feb. 19, 1896 – July 9, 1897, Part II 15 Feb. 19, 1896 – July 9, 1897, Part II 15 Dec. 23, 1896 – Nov. 18, 1897, Part I 15 Dec. 23, 1896 – Nov. 18, 1897, Part II 15 Nov. 20, 1897-Oct. 22, 1898 15 July 9, 1897 – April 1, 1898 15 April 5 – Dec. 24, 1898 15 Nov. 20, 1897 – Oct. 28, 1898, Part II 15 Nov. 1, 1898-Sept. 27, 1899, Part I 16 Nov. 1, 1898-Sept. 27, 1899, Part II 16 Nov. 1, 1898-Sept. 27, 1899, Part III 16 Oct. 9, 1899 – Jan. 29, 1901, Part I 16 Oct. 9, 1899 – Jan. 29, 1901, Part II 16 Oct. 9, 1899 – Jan. 29, 1901, Part III 16 March 18, 1904 – March 26, 1905 Subseries E: James Stephen Hogg Letter Press, Attorney General (Letters Written) 16 Jan. 20 – March 17, 1887 16 March 18 – June 17, 1887 17 June 17 – Aug. 30, 1887 17 Aug. 30 – Dec. 13, 1887 17 Dec. 14, 1887 – March 10, 1888 17 March 11 – June 23, 1888 17 June 23 – Oct. 11, 1888 18 Oct. 11, 1888 – Jan. 22, 1889 Part I 18 Oct. 11, 1888 – Jan. 22, 1889 Part II 18 Jan. 21 - April 3, 1889 18 April 4 – June 1, 1889 18 May 31 – July 23, 1889 18 July 22 – Sept. 24, 1889 Subseries F: James Stephen Hogg, Letter Press, Governor (letters written) 19 Jan. 21-June 1, 1891 19 Sept. 6, 1892 – March 18, 1893 19 Mar. 18-July 25, 1893 19 July 21, 1893 – Feb. 2, 1894 19 Feb. 1 – July 2, 1894 19 July 6, 1894 – Jan. 14, 1895 Series II: Photographs (22 photographs, 1 folder)

See on-line exhibit of photographs in this collection at http://www.rice.edu/fondren/woodson/exhibits/hogg/index.html.

One photograph is an original; all others are copy prints, with no indictation of the location of the originals.

 Joseph Lewis Hogg (father of J.S. Hogg), 1860 (copy print of cased engraving) Lucanda McMath (mother of J.S. Hogg), 1860 (copy print of cased photographic image) Brigadier General Joseph Lewis Hogg, ca. 1862 (photograph of painting) J.S. Hogg in Rusk printing office, ca. 1867 (copy print of cased photographic image) Sallie Stinson (Mrs. J.S. Hogg), 1874 (copy print of photographic image) Home of Sallie Stinson (Mrs. J.S. Hogg), ca. 1874, front view, where Stinson and James S. Hogg were married (copy print of photographic image) Home of Sallie Stinson (Mrs. J.S. Hogg), ca. 1874, side view (copy print of photographic image) Attorney General J.S. Hogg, 1887 (copy print of photographic image) Governor J.S. Hogg, ca. 1891 (copy print of photographic image) Mrs. J.S. Hogg, ca. 1891 (copy print of photographic image) Mrs. J. S. Hogg, ca. 1893 (photograph of painting) J.S. Hogg's second inauguration, 1893, view of theater as set up for celebration "Texas Honors her Native Sons, Hogg, Chilton" (copy print of photograph) Governor J.S. Hogg, 1893 (copy print of photograph) Gov. Hogg & Texas State Militia, ca. 1893, with U.S. General Wheaten in carriage and Adj. Gen. Mabry on horseback (copy print of photographic image) Gov. Hogg, President Harrison, and others at reception for the President, Galveston, TX, ca. 1893 (copy print of photographic image) Gov. Hogg & railroad officials (left to right: T.N. Jones of Tyler, (unidentified), Capt. Dodd, James S. Hogg, Tom Campbell, George Gould) ca. 1893 (copy print of photographic image) Gov. Hogg & U. S. Army officials representing U.S. Government on Honalulu trip, ca. 1897 (copy print of photographic image) Gov. Hogg & hunting party for William Jennings Bryan, after Bryan's first campaign for President, near Austin, ca. 1900 (copy print of photographic image, with possible neg. number "NEC.NO.M7 scratched on lower right) Gov. Hogg & friends (Mack, Hogg, Stewart, Baldwin, Yahn (?), Allen, Ransom) taking mule-drawn carriage ride in Hot Springs, Arkansas trip, April 20, 1903 (copy print of photographic image, with possible neg. number S239 on front right) Portrait of J.S. Hogg, ca. 1900 (photograph of portrait by Robert Jay) Varner-Hogg Plantation, ca. 1900s (original photograph)