urn:taro:tslac.40019 Texas Governor Oran Milo Roberts: An Inventory of Records at the Texas State Archives, 1861-1883 (bulk 1878-1883) Finding aid by Tonia J. Wood, March 1996 This EAD finding aid was created in part with funds provided by the Texas Telecommunications Infrastructure Fund Board for the Texas Archival Resources Online project. Texas State Library and Archives Commission Text converted and initial EAD tagging provided by Apex Data Services, January 2001. Finding aid written inEnglish. July 22, 2003. Finding aid converted from EAD 1.0 to 2002 by TARO using the conversion stylesheet v1to02.xsl, April 2001. Corrections and further encoding to TARO project standards by Tonia J. Wood, Overview Texas State Archives Texas. Governor (1879-1883 : Roberts) Records 1861-1883 (bulk 1878-1883) Types of records are correspondence, telegrams, printed messages, petitions, reports, letterpress books, clippings, and other materials dating from 1861 to 1883, with the bulk dating from 1878 to 1883. Documents are records of Oran Milo Roberts' tenure as governor of Texas from 1879 to 1883. 8.46 cubic ft. English. Restrictions on Access

None.

 Restrictions on Use

None.

 Technical Requirements

None.

 Biographical Sketch

Oran Milo Roberts served as governor of Texas from January 21, 1879 to January 16, 1883. Born in South Carolina in July 1815, Roberts was raised in Alabama from the age of three. By the time he graduated in 1836, he was librarian of the University of Alabama. Roberts was admitted to the bar the next year, and served a term in the Alabama Legislature. In 1841 Roberts moved to San Augustine, Texas, where he became district attorney (1844) and district judge (1846-1851). He was a member of the board of trustees and the faculty of the University of San Augustine when he was appointed to the Supreme Court of Texas (1857). Roberts was elected president of the Secession Convention of 1861, led an infantry regiment during the Civil War, and briefly served as chief justice of the Supreme Court (1864-1865). After serving in the Constitutional Convention of 1866, he was elected to the U.S. Senate, but was refused his seat by that radical Republican body. Roberts practiced law in Tyler and Gilmer until he was reappointed to the Supreme Court in 1874.

In 1878 Roberts was unanimously chosen candidate for governor by the Democratic state convention after a week of deadlocked ballots. His motto was pay as you go, and to reduce the state debt inherited from the Davis and other administrations, he reduced pensions to veterans of the Revolution. Roberts also discontinued the payment of rewards for capture of criminals, liberally granted pardons to relieve the overcrowded prisons, and reduced appropriations for the public school system to save money. Despite this latter measure, he helped found two normal schools (Sam Houston State and Prairie View), revitalized Texas A&M, and helped create the University of Texas, where classes began in 1883. An unexpected added expense was the need to build a new state capitol building after the old one burned in 1881. After his second gubernatorial term ended in 1883, Roberts taught law at the University of Texas for ten years. In addition to writing several books, he helped create and lead the Texas State Historical Association. Roberts died in Austin on May 19, 1898.

 Scope and Contents of the Records

Types of records are correspondence, telegrams, printed messages, petitions, reports, letterpress books, clippings, and other materials dating from 1861 to 1883 (bulk 1878-1883). Documents are records of Oran Milo Roberts' tenure as governor of Texas from 1879 to 1883. Most letters from 1878 and 1879 are requests and recommendations for appointment to office, as well as letters of resignation. Subjects include the sale of bonds to reduce state debt, education, school lands, railroads, and requests for pardons and rewards. Included is correspondence which relates to quarantines against yellow fever (particularly in Brownsville) and cholera, and the creation of a commission to settle the boundary between Texas and the United States along the Red River. Materials dating from 1861 to 1877 include papers of Dr. John L. Carter, superintendent of the Deaf and Dumb Asylum in Austin.

 Arrangement of the Records

Arrangement is by type of material, then chronological.

 Index Terms

The terms listed here were used to catalog the records. The terms can be used to find similar or related records.

Personal Names: Roberts, Oran Milo, 1815-1898. Corporate Names: Texas. Office of the Governor. Subjects: Governors--Texas. Quarantines--Texas. Yellow fever--Texas--Brownsville. School lands--Texas. Education--Texas. Bonds--Texas. Railroads--Texas. Places: Texas--Politics and government--1865-1950. Texas--Boundaries. Texas--Officials and employees--Selection and appointment. Document Types: Correspondence--Texas--Governors--1861-1883 (bulk 1878-1883). Reports--Texas--Governors--1878-1883. Letterpress copybooks--Texas--Governors--1878-1883. Proclamations--Texas--Governors--1878-1883. Functions: Appointing. Related Material

The following materials are offered as possible sources of further information on the agencies and subjects covered by the records. The listing is not exhaustive.

Texas State Archives

Texas Secretary of State, Executive record books, 1835-1917, 14 reels of microfilm Texas Secretary of State, Executive clemency records, 1840, 1845-2002, 103.62 cubic ft., 168 reels of microfilm (originals), 22 reels of microfilm (duplicates) Preferred Citation

(Identify the item), Records, Texas Governor Oran Milo Roberts. Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State Library and Archives Commission.

 Processing Information

June 1984

Tonia J. Wood, December 1995, March 1996

 Accession Information

No accession information for these records was located.

 Detailed Description of the Records Records, 1861-1883 (bulk 1878-1883), 8.46 cubic ft. 301-105 1. Correspondence, December 1861 301-105 2. Correspondence, August 1873 301-105 3. Correspondence, September & October 1876 301-105 4. Correspondence, January 1877 301-105 5. Correspondence, January 1878 301-105 6. Correspondence, May-June 1878 301-105 7. Correspondence, July 1878 301-105 8. Correspondence, August 1878 301-105 9. Correspondence, September 1878 301-105 10. Correspondence, October 3-15, 1878 301-105 11. Correspondence, October 17-30, 1878 301-105 12. Correspondence, November 1-12, 1878 301-105 13. Correspondence, November 13-30, 1878 301-105 14. Correspondence, December 1-15, 1878 301-105 15. Correspondence, December 16-27, 1878 301-105 16. Correspondence, December 28-31, 1878 301-106 17. Correspondence, 1878 & undated 301-106 18. Correspondence, January 1-7, 1879 301-106 19. Correspondence, January 8-15, 1879 301-106 20. Correspondence, January 16-23, 1879 301-106 21. Correspondence, January 24-31, 1879 301-106 22. Correspondence, February 1-6, 1879 301-106 23. Correspondence, February 7-15, 1879 301-106 24. Correspondence, February 16-21, 1879 301-106 25. Correspondence, February 22-25, 1879 301-107 26. Correspondence, February 26-28, 1879 301-107 27. Correspondence, March 1-3, 1879 301-107 28. Correspondence, March 4-5, 1879 301-107 29. Correspondence, March 6-9, 1879 301-107 30. Correspondence, March 10-15, 1879 301-107 31. Correspondence, March 16-19, 1879 301-107 32. Correspondence, March 20-25, 1879 301-107 33. Correspondence, March 26-31, 1879 301-107 34. Correspondence, April 1-4, 1879 301-107 35. Correspondence, April 5-7, 1879 301-108 36. Correspondence, April 8-9, 1879 301-108 37. Correspondence, April 10-12, 1879 301-108 38. Correspondence, April 13-16, 1879 301-108 39. Correspondence, April 17-18, 1879 301-108 40. Correspondence, April 19-21, 1879 301-108 41. Correspondence, April 22-30, 1879 301-108 42. Correspondence, May 1-5, 1879 301-108 43. Correspondence, May 6-8, 1879 301-108 44. Correspondence, May 9-12, 1879 301-109 45. Correspondence, May 13-18, 1879 301-109 46. Correspondence, May 19-31, 1879 301-109 47. Correspondence, June 2-14, 1879 301-109 48. Correspondence, June 16-30, 1879 301-109 49. Correspondence, July 1-7, 1879 301-109 50. Correspondence, July 8-11, 1879 301-109 51. Correspondence, July 12-15, 1879 301-109 52. Correspondence, July 16-18, 1879 301-110 53. Correspondence, July 19-22, 1879 301-110 54. Correspondence, July 23-25, 1879 301-110 55. Correspondence, July 26-28, 1879 301-110 56. Correspondence, July 29-31, 1879 301-110 57. Correspondence, August 1-2, 1879 301-110 58. Correspondence, August 3-8, 1879 301-110 59. Correspondence, August 9-13, 1879 301-110 60. Correspondence, August 14-17, 1879 301-110 61. Correspondence, August 18-21, 1879 301-111 62. Correspondence, August 22-26, 1879 301-111 63. Correspondence, August 27-29, 1879 301-111 64. Correspondence, August 30-31, 1879 301-111 65. Correspondence, September 1-5, 1879 301-111 66. Correspondence, September 6-20, 1879 301-111 67. Correspondence, September 21-30, 1879 301-111 68. Correspondence, October 1-18, 1879 301-111 69. Correspondence, October 20-31, 1879 301-111 70. Correspondence, November 1-15, 1879 301-112 71. Correspondence, November 16-31, 1879 301-112 72. Correspondence, December 2-16, 1879 301-112 73. Correspondence, December 20-31, 1879 301-112 74. Correspondence, 1879 & undated 301-112 75. Correspondence, 1879 & undated 301-112 76. Correspondence, January 2-31, 1880 301-112 77. Correspondence, February 1-12, 1880 301-112 78. Correspondence, February 14-28, 1880 301-112 79. Correspondence, March 1-18, 1880 301-112 80. Correspondence, March 19-31, 1880 301-113 81. Correspondence, April 1-15, 1880 301-113 82. Correspondence, April 16-30, 1880 301-113 83. Correspondence, May 1-11, 1880 301-113 84. Correspondence, May 12-15, 1880 301-113 85. Correspondence, May 17-31, 1880 301-113 86. Correspondence, June 1-14, 1880 301-113 87. Correspondence, June 15-30, 1880 301-113 88. Correspondence, July 1880 301-113 89. Correspondence, August 2-30, 1880 301-114 90. Correspondence, September 1880 301-114 91. Correspondence, October 1880 301-114 92. Correspondence, November 1-9, 1880 301-114 93. Correspondence, November 10-20, 1880 301-114 94. Correspondence, November 21-30, 1880 301-114 95. Correspondence, December 1-6, 1880 301-114 96. Correspondence, December 7-14, 1880 301-114 97. Correspondence, December 15-31, 1880 301-114 98. Correspondence, 1880 301-114 99. Correspondence, January 2-12, 1881 301-114 100. Correspondence, January 13-30, 1881 301-115 101. Correspondence, February 1-10, 1881 301-115 102. Correspondence, February 11-16, 1881 301-115 103. Correspondence, February 17-19, 1881 301-115 104. Correspondence, February 21-24, 1881 301-115 105. Correspondence, February 25-28, 1881 301-115 106. Correspondence, March 1-9, 1881 301-115 107. Correspondence, March 10-15, 1881 301-115 108. Correspondence, March 16-24, 1881 301-115 109. Correspondence, March 26-30, 1881 301-115 110. Correspondence, April 1-12, 1881 301-115 111. Correspondence, April 13-17, 1881 301-115 112. Correspondence, April 18-24, 1881 301-116 113. Correspondence, April 25-30, 1881 301-116 114. Correspondence, May 1-21, 1881 301-116 115. Correspondence, May 26-31, 1881 301-116 116. Correspondence, June 1-10, 1881 301-116 117. Correspondence, June 12-20, 1881 301-116 118. Correspondence, June 21-30, 1881 301-116 119. Correspondence, July 1-15, 1881 301-116 120. Correspondence, July 16-30, 1881 301-116 121. Correspondence, August 1-8, 1881 301-116 122. Correspondence, August 9-18, 1881 301-117 123. Correspondence, August 19-31, 1881 301-117 124. Correspondence, September 1881 301-117 125. Correspondence, October 1881 301-117 126. Correspondence, November 1881 301-117 127. Correspondence, December 1881 301-117 128. Correspondence, 1881 301-117 129. Correspondence, 1881 & undated 301-117 130. Correspondence, January 1882 301-117 131. Correspondence, February 1882 301-117 132. Correspondence, March 1882 301-117 133. Correspondence, April 1882 301-118 134. Correspondence, May 1882 301-118 135. Correspondence, June 1882 301-118 136. Correspondence, July 1882 301-118 137. Correspondence, August 1882 301-118 138. Telegrams, August 1882 301-118 139. Correspondence & Telegrams, September 1882 301-118 140. Correspondence & Telegrams, October 1882 301-118 141. Correspondence, & Telegrams, November 1882 301-118 142. Correspondence, December 1882 301-118 143. Correspondence, 1882 301-118 144. Correspondence, 1882 & undated 301-118 145. Correspondence, 1883 301-118 146. Printed Messages, 1879 301-119 147.-150. Printed Messages, 1881 301-119 151. Printed Messages, 1882 301-119 152.-154. Printed Messages, 1883 301-119 155. Reports, 1883 301-120 156. Reports, 1883 301-120 157.-166. Miscellaneous, undated 301-121 Letterpress, January 21, 1879-August 16, 1879 301-121 Letterpress, February 14, 1879-March 19, 1880 301-121 Letterpress, March 19, 1880-November 3, 1880 301-121 Letterpress, November 3, 1880-September 29, 1881 301-122 Letterpress, September 29, 1881-January 9, 1883 301-122 Letterpress, April 7, 1882-October 18, 1882 301-122a Letterpress, 1882