None.
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.).
None.
James V (V was his middle name, not an initial) Allred served as Governor of Texas for two terms during the Great Depression from 1935 to 1939. He was born in Bowie, Texas on March 29, 1899, graduated from Bowie High School in 1917 and enrolled at Rice Institute (now Rice University) in Houston but was forced to withdraw after one semester for financial reasons. He worked for the United States Immigration Service and later enlisted in the Navy during World War I. After the war he worked as a law clerk in a Wichita Falls law office. He received an LL.B. from Cumberland University in Lebanon, Tennessee in 1921 and returned to Wichita Falls to practice law.
In 1923 Governor Pat Neff appointed Allred to fill an unexpired term as district attorney for the Thirtieth Texas District, encompassing Archer, Wichita and Young counties. He earned a reputation as "the fighting district attorney" for his outspoken opposition to the Ku Klux Klan. He ran for state attorney general in 1926 but lost in a close election and ran again successfully in 1930. As attorney general he gained public approval campaigning against monopolies and the influence of big businesses on state taxation and fiscal policies.
In 1934 he successfully ran for governor. Issues in his platform included regulation of public utilities, a graduated tax on large chain stores to preserve competitive balance for small independent operators, and opposition to a state sales tax as a revenue generating device with more of an emphasis on property valuations instead. During his first term he worked closely with agencies of the federal government to provide relief from the Depression. Legislation during his first term provided for additional highway construction, educational support, old age pensions and expanded state welfare services. Governor Allred supported law and order issues. He helped to create the Board of Pardons and Paroles in 1935 and reformed the parole system which had been abused under earlier administrations. He convened the First Southwestern States Parole Conference in Galveston in September 1936 to discuss issues and share ideas with high ranking law enforcement officials from Arizona, Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico and Oklahoma. He also oversaw the creation of the Texas Department of Public Safety in 1935, which took over responsibility of the Texas Rangers from the Adjutant General's Office and ran the Highway Patrol.
During this time Allred rose to national prominence. In large part because of his support for President Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal national relief measures, the National Junior Chamber of Commerce named him its "Outstanding Young Man in America in 1935." At the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia in June 1936 he gave the nominating speech for his friend, Vice President John Nance Garner.
Allred easily won reelection in 1936 with the enthusiastic endorsement of President Roosevelt. Accomplishments of his second term included the establishment of a state teacher retirement system, the repeal of pari-mutuel betting in the state, and the use of the Texas Rangers to suppress labor unrest around the state. He continued to push for increased funding for social security and welfare programs and the expansion of state services but had difficulties in getting the state legislature to cooperate in funding his programs.
Towards the end of Allred's second term as governor President
Roosevelt nominated him to a federal district judgeship. He was confirmed and
after he left office in January 1939 served on the federal bench until 1942
when he resigned to run for the U.S. Senate. He was defeated by W. Lee (
Allred died on September 24, 1959 and was buried in Wichita Falls.
These records from the office of Texas Governor James V Allred include correspondence, proclamations, reports and printed materials, and one reel to reel audio tape from 1931 to1939 (bulk 1935-1938). They reflect many of the constitutional duties and responsibilities of the office of governor. Subject files include instances where Allred acted as Commander-in-Chief of military forces by mobilizing the Texas Rangers to scenes of strikes and social unrest. Legislative files include correspondence regarding special sessions the governor called to address issues such as old age pensions and pari-mutuel gambling, as well as the signing and vetoing of legislative bills. Correspondence with the Board of Pardons and Paroles includes proclamations signed by the governor granting reprieves and commutations of punishments and pardons, and revoking pardons and paroles. Subject files also include appointments of federal judges and district attorneys; a judicial appointment of particular interest is the 1935 appointment of the first female district court judge in Texas state history, Judge Sarah T. Hughes of the Dallas District Court. Most of the correspondence regarding state agencies concerns appointments to state boards and commissions.
Much of the correspondence is from the general public dealing with people seeking financial relief from the Great Depression and reflects on how people survived during the Depression. More than half of the collection consists of correspondence and printed materials from state and federal agencies, most dealing with the administration of Depression relief programs and applications and endorsements for government jobs. Other records reflect Governor Allred's interest in law and order issues. Included in state agency files is information on the creation of the Board of Pardons and Paroles and the Department of Public Safety which oversaw the functions of the Texas Rangers and the State Highway Patrol. Included with the Board of Pardons and Paroles records is information on the First Southwestern States Parole Conference, a special conference called by Governor Allred in Galveston in September of 1936, and attended by high-level representatives from five other Southwestern states to discuss law enforcement issues. Additional correspondence with the public deals with the Texas Centennial celebration in Dallas in 1936 and state legislation from 1935 to 1938 on issues such as educational support, expanded welfare services, taxes, old age pensions and gambling.
These records are organized into 10 series:
(Identify the item and cite the series), Records, Texas Governor James V Allred. Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State Library and Archives Commission.
T. Matthew De Waelsche, March 2001
Tonia J. Wood, May 2002, July 2004
Accession numbers: 1962/235, 1974/153, 1985/023, 1985/024
These records were transferred to the Archives and Information Services Division of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission by the Records Management Division of the Texas State Library in 1957 and 1961, by the Secretary of State on August 25, 1963, and by Dave Allred on June 26, 1974.
This series of records includes two files of general and personal correspondence related to James V Allred's duties as Texas Attorney General in 1931 and 1933-1934, and materials on his 1934 campaign for Texas governor including: correspondence with campaign organizers and supporters; data on political opponents; newspaper articles from around the state on the campaign; and a breakdown of votes cast in the election by counties. Records on his opponents include speeches made by them and newspaper articles about them. All of the materials date from before Allred was elected governor.
These records are arranged alphabetically by subject and then chronologically.
(Identify the item), Pre-gubernatorial records, Records, Texas Governor James V Allred. Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State Library and Archives Commission.
These records consist of unsolicited suggestions; opinions and ideas; compliments and complaints, and printed materials, including poetry and songs; and general applications and endorsements for state jobs sent to Governor Allred's office from the general public, covering the years 1935-1939 (bulk 1935-1938). Also included is correspondence from the public directed specifically to the Governor's secretaries (1935-1939) and the Secretary of State's office (1937-1938). Correspondence related to relief efforts includes letters from both the general public and administrators of local relief boards.
These records are arranged chronologically then alphabetically by addressee.
(Identify the item), General correspondence, Records, Texas Governor James V Allred. Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State Library and Archives Commission.
These records consist of correspondence with the general public, printed materials and reports related to a wide variety of topics addressed by Governor Allred's office from 1935-1939 (bulk 1935-1938) such as appointments of delegates to conferences; correspondence with district attorneys; interviews with the Governor; invitations; judicial appointments; labor unrest and strikes; law enforcement issues, and expressions of support for the governor's law enforcement efforts; and reaction to the 1937 New London school explosion. A judicial appointment of particular interest is the 1935 appointment of the first female district judge in state history, Judge Sarah T. Hughes, to the Dallas District Court.
These records are arranged alphabetically by subject then chronologically and alphabetically by correspondent.
(Identify the item), Subject files, Records, Texas Governor James V Allred. Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State Library and Archives Commission.
[Michigan child custody claim]
[San Antonio minister indicted for perjury]
These records include correspondence from the public asking Governor Allred for general information, legal advice and assistance, personal loans and donations, and autographs and pictures from the years 1935 to 1939 (bulk 1935-1938).
These records are arranged chronologically, then alphabetically by correspondent.
(Identify the item), Requests, Records, Texas Governor James V Allred. Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State Library and Archives Commission.
This series of records is comprised of correspondence from the general public, lists, newspaper articles and reports from 1935 to 1937 relating to the Texas Centennial Celebration in Dallas in 1936. It includes applications, endorsements and general correspondence with the Centennial Commission (1935) which ran the Centennial Celebration; general correspondence about the Centennial, including controversies over a proposed nudist colony (1935) and a bullfight (1936); newspaper clippings (1935); lists of out of state people requesting information on the Centennial and Texas in general (1936); and reports by the Advisory Board of Texas Historians (1937).
These records are arranged chronologically.
(Identify the item), Texas Centennial, Records, Texas Governor James V Allred. Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State Library and Archives Commission.
[Lists nos. 10 and 11 are missing]
These records consist of correspondence (1935-1938), articles and printed materials (1932-1935), reports (1936-1937), memos to the press (1937), and veto proclamations (1935, 1937) dealing with state legislation from the 44th (1935-1936) and 45th (1937-1938) Texas State Legislatures, including both regular and called sessions. Correspondence is from the general public and deals with legislation in general and specific legislative topics such as taxes, old age pensions and gambling.
General correspondence is arranged in chronological order and then alphabetically by correspondent. Correspondence dealing with specific legislative issues is arranged alphabetically by subject. Press memos and veto proclamations are arranged chronologically.
(Identify the item), State legislation, Records, Texas Governor James V Allred. Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State Library and Archives Commission.
These records from the office of Texas Governor James V Allred, consisting of correspondence, speeches, reports and printed materials from various state agencies, departments, boards and commissions, from 1932 to 1938, (bulk 1935 to 1938), comprise the largest series in the collection. Much of the correspondence is from the general public and deals with applications and endorsements for state jobs. Additional correspondence is with the administrators of agencies. The largest subseries in this group relates to the Board of Pardons and Paroles which Allred established to address some of the transgressions of his predecessors in the office of Governor. Included is information on the First Southwestern States Parole Conference held in Galveston in 1936 called by Governor Allred to discuss parole issues and share ideas with governors, attorneys general and other high ranking law enforcement officials from Arizona, Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico and Oklahoma. Correspondence with the Board of Pardons and Paroles and the Texas Prison System also includes proclamations signed by the governor relating to furloughs, pardons, paroles, commutations of sentences and other criminal justice system matters. Other agencies of note include the Board of Control, which oversaw the Texas Relief Commission and administered pension and welfare programs, the Texas Planning Board, which coordinated federal and state relief programs and promoted the conservation and development of natural resources in the state, and the Department of Public Safety, which was created in 1935 and took over responsibility for the Texas Rangers from the Adjutant General's Office and also oversaw the Highway Patrol. Individual conservation and reclamation districts, such as the Colorado River Authority and Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority, are filed under the State Reclamation Department.
These records are arranged alphabetically by agency then chronologically. General correspondence is arranged chronologically and then alphabetically by correspondent.
(Identify the item), State agencies, Records, Texas Governor James V Allred. Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State Library and Archives Commission.
These records from the office of Texas Governor James V Allred consist of correspondence, reports and orders from agencies and departments of the federal government from 1934 to 1939. Many of the agencies, such as the Civilian Conservation Corps, Public Works Administration and Works Progress Administration, were created specifically to administer relief programs during the Great Depression. Of special interest is correspondence with cabinet level officials, such as U.S. Secretary of State Cordell Hull, Harry Hopkins, Administrator of the Works Progress Administration and Harold Ickes, Administrator of the Public Works Administration and one of President Roosevelt's closest advisors; correspondence with Lyndon Johnson, who was the Texas coordinator for the National Youth Administration, and addresses and speeches of FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover. Included with records from the U.S. Treasury Department are deeds, blueprints and plans for new post office sites around the state.
These records are arranged alphabetically by agency then chronologically.
(Identify the item), Federal agencies, Records, Texas Governor James V Allred. Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State Library and Archives Commission.
These records include correspondence with the Governor's office about ceremonial proclamations, press releases related to proclamations and copies of proclamations signed by Governor Allred from 1935 to 1938. Ceremonial proclamations relate to topics such as recognition of state and federal holidays and organizations promoting social issues and various agricultural products. Correspondence includes requests from individuals and organizations asking the governor for proclamations and letters from individuals thanking and commending him for making proclamations. Also included are proclamations received from other states from 1937 and 1938.
Correspondence and press releases are arranged in chronological order. Numbered proclamations are filed in numerical order.
(Identify the item), Ceremonial proclamations, Records, Texas Governor James V Allred. Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State Library and Archives Commission.
This series of records is comprised of addresses, speeches, press releases and articles, and one reel to reel audio tape from 1935 to 1938. It consists of Governor Allred's messages to the 44th (1935-1936) and 45th (1937-1938) State Legislatures, including public response to his messages and requests for copies; legislative proclamations; speeches (1936); press releases and publicity files (1935-1936); and newspaper and journal articles (1935-1937). Speeches include a draft of Governor Allred's re-nomination speech for Vice-President John Nance Garner at the 1936 Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia and a copy of the National Broadcasting Corporation's recording of the speech.
These records are arranged in chronological order.
(Identify the item), Public relations files, Records, Texas Governor James V Allred. Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State Library and Archives Commission.