Texas Governor Allan Shivers:

An Inventory of Records: Campaign Files at the Texas State Archives, 1946-1956 (bulk 1950-1954)

Agency History

The governor of Texas is the chief executive officer of the state, elected by the citizens every four years. The duties and responsibilities of the governor include serving as commander-in-chief of the state's military forces; convening special sessions of the legislature for specific purposes; delivering to the legislature at the beginning of each regular session a report on the condition of the state, an accounting of all public money under the governor's control, a recommended biennial budget, an estimate of the amounts of money required to be raised by taxation, and any recommendations he deems necessary; signing or vetoing bills passed by the legislature; and executing the laws of the state. The governor can grant reprieves and commutations of punishment and pardons, upon the recommendation of the Board of Pardons and Paroles, and revoke conditional pardons. He appoints numerous state officials (with the consent of the Senate), fills vacancies in state and district offices (except vacancies in the legislature), calls special elections to fill vacancies in the legislature, fills vacancies in the United States Senate until an election can be held, and serves as ex officio member of several state boards.

The office of governor was first established by the Constitution of 1845 and superseded the office of president of the Republic of Texas. The position now exists under authority of Article IV, Section 1 of the Constitution of 1876 and Texas Government Code, Chapter 401. To be elected governor, a person must be at least thirty years old, a United States citizen, and a resident of Texas for at least five years preceding the election. In 1972, the term of office was extended from two to four years, effective in 1975. Since 1856 the governor has had the use of the Governor's Mansion.

In 1949 the Office of the Governor had less than 30 full-time equivalent employees. The office was not formally organized into divisions or departments.

Allan Shivers Biographical Sketch

Allan Shivers was born on October 5, 1907, in Lufkin, Texas. Shivers attended high school in Port Arthur and college at the University of Texas. He practiced law in Port Arthur before winning election to the Texas Senate in 1934, at age 27 the youngest member ever to sit in that body. He entered the army during World War II and served in North Africa, Italy, France, and Germany. He was discharged as a major, with five battle stars and the Bronze Star. In 1946 he was elected lieutenant governor and worked closely with Beauford Jester on an ambitious modernization program. He became governor upon Jester's death in 1949.

Shivers set the stage for the emergence of Texas as a powerful modern state. He helped create the Legislative Council and Legislative Budget Board to put the making of laws on a more professional footing. He was able to pass tax increases to upgrade state services across the board.

The most important issue faced by Shivers was his defense of state claims to the Tidelands, off-shore oil reserves in the Gulf of Mexico. Texas had held title to the submerged lands of the Gulf since the Republic of Texas days, and had dedicated its revenues to the public school fund. After oil was discovered offshore, federal officials tried to seize the Tidelands of Texas and other oil-producing states. This action precipitated a crisis between state and federal authority. In 1952, Shivers broke with the national Democratic party over the issue and helped deliver the state's electoral votes to Dwight Eisenhower, the first Republican to carry the state since Reconstruction. Finally, the Tidelands were returned to the states through federal legislation.

After leaving office in January 1957, Shivers managed business enterprises in the Rio Grande Valley and served as an executive for a number of banks. He served on and chaired the University of Texas Board of Regents in the 1970s. He died January 14, 1985.

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Scope and Contents of the Records

These records consist of general, personal, campaign, and clipping files of Allan Shivers in his capacities as Texas state senator, lieutenant governor, and governor of Texas; most of the files are gubernatorial. The gubernatorial records consist of correspondence files and general files including reports of Governor Shivers. Shivers served from July 11, 1949 when he succeeded to the office upon the death of Governor Beauford Jester, to January 15, 1957 when he completed his third elected term. The records date from 1937 to 1964, 1968, undated (bulk 1949-1956). Texas governors work with all state agencies, with the judiciary, and with local and federal governments. Governors make appointments to governing boards and fill some judicial and legislative vacancies. Correspondents include the citizens of Texas, local, state and federal officials, and private organizations as well. Issuing proclamations, deciding on clemency petitions, and reviewing extradition orders are other facets of governors' duties documented in governors' records. Notable subjects in Governor Shivers' records include the Tidelands case, segregation, drought, and Communism.

These records have not been processed. The folder inventory is an almost exact transcription (some typographical errors were corrected) of an earlier one based on existing box and folder titles. Rough, non-exclusive groupings by title and date were formed to comply with the TARO project's file size restrictions. Researchers are advised to review all the finding aids for subjects of interest. Inconsistent titles and dates are evident. Misidentifications and misfilings are possible.

This finding aid describes one series of the Allan Shivers records. See Texas Governor Allan Shivers, Recordsfor more records series and especially Personal files.

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Related Material

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Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

(Identify the item), Campaign files, Records, Texas Governor Allan Shivers. Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State Library and Archives Commission.

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Detailed Description of the Records