Texas Governor Pat M. Neff:
An Inventory of Governor Pat M. Neff Records at the Texas State Archives, 1920-1925
Overview | ||
| Creator: | Texas. Governor (1921-1925 : Neff) | |
| Title: | Governor Pat M. Neff records | |
| Dates: | 1920-1925 | |
| Abstract: | Pat Morris Neff served as governor of Texas from January 18, 1921 to January 20, 1925. These records document Governor Neff's two terms in office. Types of records are correspondence, letterpress books, index cards, financial records, messages, and telegrams, dating from 1920 to 1925. Subjects covered are free textbooks, reforms of the prison system, requests and recommendations for appointment to office and to represent Texas at various conferences, animal quarantines, and military training camps. | |
| Quantity: | 2.84 cubic ft. | |
| Language | These materials are written in English. | |
| Repository: | Texas State Archives | |
Biographical Sketch
Pat Morris Neff served as governor of Texas from January 18, 1921 to January 20, 1925. Neff was born near McGregor, Texas on November 26, 1871. He worked on his father's farm and ranch, attended a country school when time would allow, and then went to McGregor High School. Neff graduated from Baylor University in 1894. He taught school in Arkansas for two years and then entered the University of Texas Law School, receiving a degree in 1897. Neff began practicing law at Waco in 1897 while pursuing a Master of Arts degree at Baylor University. He was a McLennan County representative from 1899 to 1905, and was speaker of the house for the 28th Legislature. From 1906 to 1912, Neff was prosecuting attorney of McLennan County. From 1912 to 1919, he practiced law in Waco and worked on civic, religious, and educational projects.
In 1920 and 1922 Neff won the gubernatorial elections. The first day Neff was in office, he abolished the Board of Pardon Advisors. He called for economy in government, lower taxes, and improved education. Although he had problems with the legislature, he worked for sizable appropriations for conservation, helped develop a State Parks Board, and recommended the creation of a State Historical Board. During his administration Neff also helped develop medical facilities, including the American Legion Hospital, and advanced education in rural areas. When Neff completed his service as governor, he resumed his law practice in Waco. President Calvin Coolidge appointed Neff to the United States Board of Mediation (1927-1929). In 1929 Governor Dan Moody asked Neff to serve on the Railroad Commission of Texas, a position he held until June 1932. He became president of Baylor University, serving from 1932 to 1947. Neff married Myrtle Mainer on May 31, 1899 at Lovelady, Texas. They had two children. Pat Neff died on January 19, 1952.
(Sources: Handbook of Texas Online, s.v. "Neff, Pat Morris" http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/NN/fne5.html (accessed October 28, 2008); documentation received from Terrell Blodgett, 2001)
Scope and Contents of the Records
Pat Morris Neff served as governor of Texas from January 18, 1921 to January 20, 1925. These records document Governor Neff's two terms in office. Types of records are correspondence, financial records, letterpress books containing messages and telegrams, and index cards, dating from 1920 to 1925. Subjects covered are free textbooks, reforms of the prison system, requests and recommendations for appointment to office and to represent Texas at various conferences, animal quarantines, and military training camps. Index cards abstract information about Neff's incoming correspondence for 1923 and 1924. Messages to the legislature include requests for legislation to be considered during special sessions, state of the state addresses, and issues of concern to the governor.
Most records concerning Neff's terms as governor are located at Baylor University's Texas Collection.
Organization of the Records | ||
| These records are organized into three series by State Archives staff: | ||
| Correspondence and financial records, 1921-1925, bulk 1922-1924, 0.25 cubic ft. | ||
| Letterpress books, 1920-1925, 0.71 cubic ft. | ||
| Index cards, 1923-1924, 1.89 cubic ft. | ||
Restrictions
Restrictions on Access
Materials do not circulate, but may be used in the State Archives search room. Materials will be retrieved from and returned to storage areas by staff members.
Restrictions on Use
Most records created by Texas state agencies are not copyrighted and may be freely used in any way. State records also include materials received by, not created by, state agencies. Copyright remains with the creator. The researcher is responsible for complying with U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17 U.S.C.).
Technical Requirements
Letterpress volumes may be too fragile for photocopying.
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: | ||
| Neff, Pat Morris, 1871-1952. | ||
| Corporate Names: | ||
| Texas. Office of the Governor. | ||
| Texas. Livestock Sanitary Commission. | ||
| Subjects: | ||
| Governors--Texas. | ||
| Quarantines--Texas. | ||
| Military training camps--Texas. | ||
| Places: | ||
| Texas--Politics and government--1865-1950. | ||
| Texas--Officials and employees--Selection and appointment. | ||
| Document Types: | ||
| Correspondence--Texas--Governors--1920-1925. | ||
| Letterpress copybooks--Texas--Governors--1920-1925. | ||
| Financial records--Texas--Governors--1921-1925. | ||
| Index cards--Texas--Governors--1923-1924. | ||
| 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 clemency records, 1840, 1845-2006, 110.68 cubic ft., 168 reels of microfilm (originals), 22 reels of microfilm (duplicates) | ||
| The Texas Collection, Baylor University, Waco, Texas | ||
| The archives division is open Monday-Friday from 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Research appointments are recommended. A box content listing of the Neff Papers is available from The Texas Collection. | ||
| Pat Morris Neff Papers, 1890s-1950s, 351 5 in. document boxes, 5 flat newspaper boxes, and 56 scrapbooks. | ||
| University of North Texas Archives, Denton, Texas | ||
| Oral History Collection, 1,100+ bound volumes of interview transcripts. [Transcripts from The Texas Political History Project concerning Neff include interviews of Fred H. Minor, H. Grady Perry, and Ghent Sanderford]. | ||
| Publications | ||
| Blodgett, Dorothy Jean, Terrell Blodgett and David L. Scott. The Land, the Law and the Lord: The Life of Pat Neff, Governor of Texas 1921-1925; President of Baylor University 1932-1947. Austin: Home Place Publishers, 2007. | ||
Administrative Information
Preferred Citation
(Identify the item and cite the series), Texas Governor Pat M. Neff records. Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State Library and Archives Commission.
Accession Information
Accession number: 1936/002
Three of Neff's letterpress books were transferred to the Archives and Information Services Division of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission by the Texas Governor's Office on October 8, 1936. No accession data was located for the remainder of the records.
Processing Information
Archives staff, October 1985
Finding aid edited for cataloging by Tonia J. Wood, January 1996
Corrections and further encoding to TARO project standards by Tonia J. Wood, April 2001
Finding aid converted from EAD 1.0 to 2002 by TARO using the conversion stylesheet v1to02.xsl, July 22, 2003
Finding aid edited for biographical sketch corrections and DACS compliance by Tonia J. Wood, October 2008
Detailed Description of the Collection