Fred J. Agnich Papers, AR350, Box Number, Folder Number, The University of Texas at Arlington Library Special Collections.
Fred J. Agnich was born on July 19, 1913, in Eveleth, Minnesota. He attended the University of Minnesota where he took a Bachelor of Arts in Geology in 1937. That same year he came to Texas and began working as a geophysicist for Geophysical Services, Inc. (which would become Texas Instruments, Inc.). Mr. Agnich spent many years at Geophysical in exploration for petroleum, abroad and throughout the United States. In 1951 he became Executive Vice President of Texas Instruments; in 1956 President; retiring from the board in 1961.
Mr. Agnich worked in fund raising for a number of years, successfully campaigning for the Republican Party during the 1950s. In 1960 he chaired fund raising activities for Richard Nixon and in 1964 for Barry Goldwater. Agnich accepted the position of Dallas County Republican Party Chairman in 1966 and in 1972 was elected Republican National Committeeman by his fellow Texas Republicans.
In 1969 Fred Agnich was approached with the suggestion of running for the Texas legislature. He accepted the challenge and won easily in 1970 on a Republican ticket from District 33-R, Dallas. He ran for and successfully won that legislative seat until stepping down in 1988. While in the Texas House of Representatives he served on a variety of committees, though most often on Appropriations and Finance, chairing the Environmental Affairs Subcommittee on Wildlife throughout his legislative career.
Agnich's interest in the environment grew out of his experiences in building and managing his 3500 acre ranch, located southeast of Athens, Texas, during the 1960s. Not only was it a working ranch, he used his considerable engineering and geological expertise to build a 3000 foot dam which filled a 500 acre lake. Agnich turned this area into a huge wildlife refuge which he used to research conservation strategies; experience to be utilized later in his political work.
During his career in Austin, Fred Agnich served in the 63rd Legislature, which had been entrusted by the citizens of Texas to rewrite the Texas Constitution, unaltered since 1876. Agnich served on the Finance Committee. Conducting research and preliminary studies during 1973, the Constitutional Convention was held in 1974. Although eventually rejected by the voters, the work of the 63rd Legislature remains a landmark event in Texas history.
Mr. Agnich retired in 1986 to his home in Dallas, where he lives with his wife, Brooksie. Of his three children, William, Richard and James, Richard resides in the Dallas area.
Series I., Election Campaigns (1970-1986), includes correspondence, financial records, and campaign material. The material is organized chronologically within each separate folder; folders have been maintained in the order in which they were received from the Agnich office.
Series II., Constitutional Convention (1973-1974), contains a prodigious volume of material detailing Agnich's involvement with the 63rd Legislature and the Constitutional Convention. Files are listed by topic and range from General Provisions through various specific issues in the text of the Texas Constitution. The material has been organized in a chronological or numerical order where possible within each separate file. Files are arranged alphabetically by subject within this series.
The third series, Legislative Duties, includes files from Agnich's terms of office (1971-1986). Files include material on specific issues such as abortion and bussing and specific House bills through general topics such as school finance, energy, and conservation. Included are files of correspondence. The material has been organized in a chronological or numerical order where possible within each separate file. Files have been organized by subject within this series.
Series IV., Wildlife and Conservation Projects, concerns Agnich's involvement with wildlife and conservation (1970-1983). Files include proposed legislation, reports, correspondence, and committee reports. The material has been organized within separate files in a chronological order where possible. Files have been organized by subject.
The Fred J. Agnich Papers were donated in
Open for research.
Permission to publish, reproduce, distribute, or use by any and all other current or future developed methods or procedures must be obtained in writing from Special Collections, The University of Texas at Arlington Library. All rights are reserved and retained regardless of current or future development or laws that may apply to fair use standards.
Finding aid prepared by Woodley Oren Truitt III and Laura Foss, January 24, 1994.
Some materials have been discarded from the Fred J. Agnich Papers, including duplicates, form letters, canceled checks, random mailing lists, and expense receipts for copies, postage, signs, printing, American flags, and campaign events.
These materials are indexed under the following headings in the catalog of The University of Texas at Arlington Library. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons or places should search the catalog using these headings.
The Fred J. Agnich Papers are organized in four series:
Correspondence and memos regarding Agnich's entry into politics.
Income and expense statement.
Payroll records.
Bank account records.
Correspondence, letters of solicitation and thanks.
Budget, record of budgeted campaign expenditures.
Record of expenses.
Strategy of how the campaign was to be conducted.
Swing precincts, demographic data, strategy in swing precincts.
List of invitations to breakfast meeting 6-15-70.
Confidential report on voter attitude toward Agnich.
Digest of political biography of rival candidate Joe Ratcliff.
Record and text of television and radio commercials.
Cards and letters endorsing Agnich.
Fish Fry, invitation list and correspondence pertaining to fish fries held in June and July, 1970.
Records of invitations and attendance at campaign reception held Oct. 21, 1970 at the Dallas Petroleum Club.
List of those endorsing Agnich.
Mailers, advertisements.
News Clippings.
Post-campaign documents, victory party invitation list, voter analysis, certificate of election.
Letters of congratulation.
Correspondence.
Questionnaires, 'thank you's, endorsements, congratulations, requests, invitations.
Flyers, clippings, mail-outs.
Letters of contribution from both individuals and political action committees.
Resolutions and committee reports on convention budgets.
Statements, clippings, memos, press releases from the office of Price Daniels, Jr. to delegates.
List of representatives and their individual group responsibilities.
Information releases for the press, public, and delegates.
Plans, agenda, facilities, budget, and correspondence concerning preliminary plans.
Proposed work schedule for delegates during convention.
Actual work schedule for delegates during convention.
Various sampling by district of voter opinion regarding the Constitutional Convention.
List of submission resolutions, voting records.
Letters and memos to and from delegates.
Information, history, and guidelines on style, drafting of constitutions, with notes taken on subject.
Weekly status report on progress of proposals.
Correspondence, questionnaires, requests, and information sent to Agnich, and his handwritten notes on these.
Constituents' letters and Agnich's responses on specific subjects.
Information and guidelines on procedure and format of proposal submission.
Physical example of proposal form.
Memos, reports, summaries of Constitutional Convention activities including a breakdown of WATS line usage.
Agnich's own; summary and 10 returned examples from his district.
Goals and objectives for constitutional revision.
Information on constitutional revision prepared for delegates by Legislative Reference Library.
Correspondence, random requests, proposals, information, from the public regarding changes in the constitution.
Press releases, statements, correspondence, schedules for activities, updates on progress.
Proposals and resolutions.
Planning, procedures and forms; Rules of Procedure and Procedures Manual.
Correspondence, memos, and history of submission.
Article by article comparison of tentatively approved Constitution to Constitution of 1876.
Constitutional mandate; funding of public education, colleges.
Governor's term and powers.
Disputes and compromise.
Taxes and funding, bonds.
Reform, schedule changes, special interests, personalities.
Specific issues: environment, gambling, initiative.
Judiciary reform; terms and powers.
Salaries, sessions, powers.
County home rule.
Opinions, proposals, prospects.
Conflicts and discussions: labor issues.
Committee Submission (
The Texas Constitution-An Annotated and Comparative Analysis.
Proposals of committee, correspondence concerning subjects under general provisions.
Proposals for amendments.
Beaches, correspondence concerned with public access to beaches, petition supporting minority report to be added to Article 10, section 22, report on public beach access rights.
Branch Banking, correspondence.
Child Care Centers, correspondence concerning constitutional convention proposal 156.
Environment, proposals, for amendments to Article 10, memos on environmental protection, notes on proposals, vote record on environmental amendments.
Environment, background and research material, correspondence.
Gambling, correspondence on para-mutual gambling.
Medical Practitioners, correspondence on regulation of practice of medicine, background material.
Public Employees Retirement, recommendations for amendment, correspondence.
Separate and Community Property, proposed amendments, to Article 10, section 8, background material on property rights.
Right to Work, constitutional text concerning right to work, memos, pro, anti right to work issue propaganda.
Right to Work, correspondence, lists of addresses and form letters.
Right to Work, correspondence.
Public Trust Doctrine, photo-copies of Law Review and notes for constitutional revision.
General Provisions, Versions of Amendment 10, copy of Sierra Club press release concerning constitutional environmental provisions.
General Provisions, Correspondence.
Various proposals for constitutional amendments.
Correspondence.
Committee Report, Committee on the Legislature, recommendations for constitutional amendments.
Committee Action, report of committee with recommendations for constitutional articles.
Proposals for changes in articles of Bill of Rights.
Correspondence.
Committee Report on Article 1 and preamble.
Committee report, proposals for revision of Article 4.
Proposals for amendments.
Correspondence.
Committee report, committee on Article 5, supplemental report, material on structure and powers of judiciary.
Proposals for amendment of Article 5.
Correspondence.
General recommendations for changes concerning public education.
Proposals for amendment of Article 7.
Committee Action, report of committee on education, proposals for amendment.
Permanent University Fund, correspondence.
Aid to non-public schools, correspondence.
General Correspondence.
Committee report, impact reports, position report with recommendations for amendments.
Proposals for amendments of Article 9.
Correspondence.
Committee report on Article 8.
Comments on committee report, report of committee on submission and transition, submissions for amendment of articles concerning finance and taxation, reports of committee action.
Research and background material, opinion survey, recommendations by various state departments, staff memo on issue questions, correspondence.
Testimony before committee.
Proposals for amendment of Article 8.
State debt, specific information on Texas state debt, documents defining state debt, recommendations for amendment.
Background of Texas state debt.
Research data on state debt and constitutional provisions in states other than Texas.
Correspondence concerning the committee on finance.
Dedicated road funds, research data.
Correspondence concerning dedicated road funds.
Ad Valorem taxes, research information on revision of ad valorem tax provision.
Correspondence concerning ad valorem taxes.
Equal and Uniform, staff paper on equal and uniform taxation.
Correspondence concerning equal and uniform.
Welfare ceiling, correspondence.
Veterans organizations exemptions, correspondence.
General correspondence on tax issues.
Texas legislature in perspective, articles by Agnich.
Funny, rude, unusual correspondence.
Correspondence.
Office finance records, bank statements, invoices.
Office payroll records.
Plan for legislative session.
Correspondence, press releases, memos, news clippings.
Correspondence.
School desegregation, correspondence.
Correspondence and clippings concerning alternative energy sources and possible solutions.
Correspondence, clippings, information regarding subjects such as wildlife preserves and nuclear energy.
Correspondence concerning Agnich's retirement from the legislature.
Information, correspondence, and legislation relating to feasibility of citizen's rights to civil suit.
Correspondence regarding Agnich's position on Regional Export Expansion Councils.
Constituent file.
General file, letters, clippings, intact as taken from Agnich office file.
Correspondence.
Correspondence.
Correspondence.
Text of legislation introduced or sponsored by Agnich: H.B. 1, 1375, 1435, 1789, 1131, 481, 475, 267, 432, H.R.116, H.C.R.180, S.B.666.
Wildlife Conservation, text of bill, memos, list of representatives for and against.
Commission agenda item, amendments to hunting and fishing proclamation 1983-84.
Report of House Environmental Affairs Committee concerning the Wildlife Conservation Act of 1983.
Report of Sub-committee on the Uniform Regulatory Act.
Documents from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Dept. on changes resulting from WCA.
Proposed rules for statewide hunting and fishing.
Texans for Wildlife Conservation, letters and materials by the TWC supporting the WCA of 1983.
Clippings for the WCA.
Clippings against the WCA.
Correspondence for the WCA.
Correspondence against the WCA.
Information, correspondence, and legislation; site studies for radioactive waste.
Information, correspondence, and legislation regarding hotel occupancy tax.
Correspondence, legislation and three bound studies on "the case against".
Examples of legislation submitted by Agnich.
Letters of support from constituents and contributors, 'thank you's for support from Agnich's office; complaints, requests, notes and cards.
Poetry written by Agnich; his photograph; biographical data; clippings; certificates.
Issues dealt with during the 67th Legislature, including repeal of ad valorem property tax.
Documents from special session.
Documents from special session.
Documents from special session.
News clippings.
Documents from regular session.
Seating chart.
List of legislation sent to governor.
Correspondence.
Correspondence.
Farm Workers Insurance, Text of proposed legislation, correspondence, documents giving overview and background on issue.
Correspondence.
Text of H.B. 95, 113, 403, 470, 572, 573, 1061, 1843.
Correspondence.
Document defining board and its functions.
Correspondence.
Correspondence.
Hunting Information.
Committee reports.
Text of H.B. 1435.
Documents prepared by and for.
House Interim Committee on Energy, correspondence, related legislation.
Report on Operations of Texas Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Authority.
Interstate Oil Compact Commission, documents defining commission, correspondence.
Special House Committee on Alternatives to Public School Financing, document defining committee, meeting report 8-24-76, meeting report 10-19-76, draft of bill for public school finance.
Evidentiary documents B,C,D,E,F,H,I.
Background and research materials.
Material from Texas Education Agency.
Recommendations by Texas Research League and Texas Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations.
Austin public hearing.
Houston public hearing.
Edinburgh public hearing.
Dallas public hearing.
Necogdoches public hearing.
San Angelo public hearing.
Austin public hearing.
Haskell public hearing.
Canyon public hearing.
San Antonio public hearing.
Austin public hearing.
Report of Comptroller of Public Accounts.
Committee meeting.
Interim staff report.
Correspondence.
Documents from the Texas Conservation Foundation and the Texas Conservation Coalition.
Documents dealing with conservation of natural resources.
Correspondence.
Committee on Environmental Affairs, memos, letters, and documents prepared by and for.
News clippings.
Correspondence, studies, and reports regarding wildlife protection.
Correspondence between Agnich and the Texas Wildlife Department.
Studies, reports, and legislation directed specifically to the Wildlife Subcommittee.
Subject of land use; correspondence and copy of speech given by Agnich.
Reports, clippings, statistical listings, testimony, and legislation regarding the Uniform Wildlife Regulatory Act.
Correspondence and background from Heritage Conservation regarding Houston Project.
Support letters regarding repeal of fish and game laws to be reworked in the Uniform Wildlife Regulatory Acts.