J.R. Hunnicutt:

An Inventory of the J.R. Hunnicutt Collection at the Texas State Archives, 1882-1966, undated, bulk 1913-1966

Biographical Sketch

J.R. Hunnicutt was born on July 4, 1894, in Marlin, Texas. He graduated from Marlin High School in 1915 and distinguished himself in athletic competition as a member of its baseball, football, and track teams. He was a chainman on the Capitol Lands Resurvey project from 1915 to 1916. In 1917 he joined the Texas Rangers and was stationed for a time in Glenn Springs in west Texas. He was promoted to sergeant in 1919 and after strike duty in Aransas Pass, Texas, he resigned to become the purchasing agent for the France and Canada Oil Transport Company, also in Aransas Pass. He attended Texas A&M University from 1921 to 1923 before transferring to Baylor University for one year. He worked in various capacities, including night supervisor and purchasing agent at hospitals throughout Texas, and later he was a sales representative for medical and surgical supplies. During this time he was an active member of the Shriners.

In the early 1930s he joined the United States Treasury Department Customs Service and became one of its first pilots (the force consisting entirely of impounded aircraft refurbished by customs personnel). In 1937 he transferred to the Alcohol Tax Unit of the Internal Revenue Service and served as an agent and investigator, except for periods of leave for Army Reserve training and active duty, until his retirement from federal service in 1954. He began active duty on March 5, 1941 with the U.S. Army Medical Administrative Corps. He served in Texas, Illinois, and other stations in the U.S., and served with the 103rd General Hospital in England between 1944 and 1945. He was reassigned to Brook Army Hospital in San Antonio in April 1946. In May 1946 he resumed investigatory work for the Alcohol Tax Unit while maintaining reserve status in the Army, eventually attaining the rank of major.

After his retirement in 1954, he concerned himself with family and his ranch while maintaining life-long interests including Masonry and campaigning for a Texas Ranger Pension Act. He died on March 3, 1973 in Waco, Texas.

(Source: the collection itself.)

Scope and Contents of the Records

The J.R. Hunnicutt collection primarily documents Hunnicutt's education and career, especially his service as a Texas Ranger, U.S. Customs Service Agent, and in the U.S. Army Medical Administrative Corps. Records consist of personal papers and photographs including correspondence, financial and legal documents, literary productions, printed materials, scrapbook materials, photographs, postcards, greeting cards, and newspaper clippings dating 1882-1966 and undated, bulk 1913-1966. Correspondence and photographs make up the bulk of the collection. Hunnicutt's family is also represented, especially in photographic images and in the papers of his sister, Helen Mar Hunnicutt and materials relating to the administration of her estate. A few documents concerning his brothers, Walter Scott (W.S.) Hunnicutt and Robert Jasper (R.J.) Hunnicutt are also present.

Records include correspondence, financial and legal documents, and various printed materials from each stage of Hunnicutt's career, including his tenures with the Texas Rangers, Boyd-Hunnicutt Company, U.S. Customs Service, IRS Alcohol Tax Unit, and U.S. Army. Hunnicutt typed his letters and maintained file copies so two sides of many conversations are preserved in the records. Correspondents include political figures: U.S. Senator Tom Connally, Arthur C. Perry, Morris Sheppard, Maury Maverick, and Harry M. Wurzbach. A personal friend of Connally and his son, Ben, Hunnicutt frequently corresponded with Connally, seeking his aid and counsel. He also accumulated newspaper clippings and memorabilia documenting the senator's career.

A number of letters of recommendation for Hunnicutt are included. Other correspondence related to Hunnicutt's career and official duties reflects routine administrative matters, details of his duties and investigations, and departmental politics. Investigation diaries and memo books are also included, but these are fragmentary and the legibility is poor.

Snapshot images make up the bulk of the photograph collection, but there are also studio portraits, panoramic photographs, photographic postcards, greeting cards, newspaper clippings, printed material, copy prints, and other formats. Many of the photographs were originally pasted to scrapbook pages. Some of these have been unmounted and are filed separately, but a number remain adhered to black scrapbook paper. Copy prints were made of many photographs to increase their size and to preserve the images. Copy negatives exist for each of these images.

The photograph collection documents many events and individuals from Hunnicutt's life, including a number of his ancestors, friends, and family, his involvement in athletics at Marlin High School, the Capitol Lands Resurvey Project, his service with the Texas Rangers, his education at Texas A&M University, his participation in Shriner and Masonic activities, his aviation training with the Customs Service, and his service in England in World War II.

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

Under the Copyright Act of 1976 as amended in 1998, unpublished manuscripts are protected at a minimum through December 31, 2002 or 70 years after the author's death. The term of copyright for published material varies. Researchers are responsible for complying with U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17 U.S.C.).

Technical Requirements

Researchers are required to wear gloves provided by the State Archives when reviewing photographic materials.

Related Material

Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

(Identify the item and cite the series), J.R. Hunnicutt collection. Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State Library and Archives Commission.

Accession Information

Accession number: 1968/029

These papers and photographs were donated to the Texas State Library and Archives Commission by Martha Jean Stevens on September 29, 1967.

Processing Information

Collection processed and a draft finding aid created by John Anderson, 1985

EAD, DACS elements, and XML coding by student volunteer Russell Holley-Hurt, University of Texas School of Information, June 2012

Appraisal Information

State Archives staff completed an appraisal of the J.R. Hunnicutt collection at accession. The papers and photographs were determined to be archival.

Detailed Description of the Records