Texas Governor James V Allred:

An Inventory of Records at the Texas State Archives, 1931-1939 (bulk 1935-1938)

Biographical Sketch

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 ( "Pappy") O'Daniel, who had succeeded him as governor, and returned to Houston to practice law. In 1943 Senator O'Daniel opposed Allred's appointment to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. In 1949 President Harry Truman reappointed Allred to the federal bench where he remained until his death in 1959.

Allred died on September 24, 1959 and was buried in Wichita Falls.

Scope and Contents of the Records

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.

Restrictions

Restrictions on Access

None.

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

None.

Related Material

Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

(Identify the item and cite the series), Records, Texas Governor James V Allred. Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State Library and Archives Commission.

Accession Information

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.

Processing Information

T. Matthew De Waelsche, March 2001

Tonia J. Wood, May 2002, July 2004

Detailed Description of the Records