urn:taro:utexas.cah.01487 A Guide to the Will Reid Wilson Jr. Papers, 1922-1982 This collection processed by Richard King, December 1988, and Angela Olivera, February 1989. Subsequent revisions made by Evan Usler, October 2011. Finding aid written in English. Descriptive Summary Wilson, Will Reid Jr. Wilson, Will Reid Jr. Papers 1922-1982 Materials are written in English. 74-33; 82-184; 89-108 86 ft., 3 in. Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, The University of Texas at Austin Correspondence, reports, statements, legal papers, speeches, scrapbooks, photographs, and printed material comprise the Wilson Papers, documenting Wilson’s legal and political career Biographical Note

William Reid Wilson Jr. (1912-2005) was born to Will and Kate Wilson in Dallas, Texas. After graduating from the University of Oklahoma and Southern Methodist University Law School, and serving in the Pacific theater during World War II, he served as Dallas County District Attorney (1947-1950), Texas Supreme Court Justice (1951-1956), and Texas Attorney General (1957-1963). After running unsuccessfully for the Senate seat vacated by Lyndon Baines Johnson (1961) and for the Texas governorship (1962), he practiced law from 1963-1969 and was a U.S. Assistant Attorney General from 1969 to 1971.

Scope and Contents

Correspondence, reports, statements, legal papers, speeches, scrapbooks, photographs, and printed material comprise the Will Reid Wilson, Jr. Papers, 1922-1982, documenting Wilson’s legal and political career.

 Access Restrictions

Unrestricted access.

 Index Terms Subjects (Persons) Wilson, William Reid, Jr., 1912-2005 -- Archives. Estes, Billie Sol Johnson, Lyndon Baines Sharp, Frank W. Tower, John G. Wilson family Subjects (Organizations) Democratic Party (Tex.) -- History -- 20th century. Republican Party (Tex.) -- History -- 20th century. Subjects Banks and banking -- Texas -- History -- 20th century. Politics, Practical -- Texas -- History -- 20th century. Speeches, addresses, etc., American -- 20th century. Political campaigns -- Texas -- History -- 20th century. Sharpstown stock fraud scandal Places Galveston (Tex.) -- History -- 20th century. United States -- Politics and government -- 20th century. Texas -- Politics and government -- 20th century. Preferred Citation

Will Reid Wilson Jr. Papers, 1922-1982, Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, The University of Texas at Austin.

 Processing Information

This collection processed by Richard King, December 1988, and Angela Olivera, February 1989. Subsequent revisions made by Evan Usler, October 2011.

Detailed Description of the Papers Inventory 4V1 Correspondence classified by county: 4V1 Anderson -- Bell, 1949-1962 4V2 Bexar, 1948-September, 1959 4V3 Bexar, October 1959 -- Bowie, 1962 4V4 Brazoria -- Brown, 1949-1962 4V5 Burleson -- Carson, 1949-1962 4V6 Cass -- Collin, 1949-1962 4V7 Colorado -- Dallas, 1948-1962 4V8 Dallas, May 1950 - May 1956 4V9 Dallas, June - October, 1956 4V10 Dallas, October 1956 - May 1958 4V11 Dallas, June 1958 - February 1960 4V12 Dallas, February 1960 - March 1961 4V13 Dallas, March 1961 -- Denton, 1949-1962 4V14 Denton -- El Paso, 1947-1962 4V15 El Paso -- Foard, 1949-1962 4V16 Fort Bend -- Galveston, 1949-1962 4V17 Galveston -- Gregg, 1948-1962 4V18 Gregg -- Harris, 1948-1962 4V19 Harris, 1953-1956 4V20 Harris, 1957-1959 4V21 Harris, 1960-1961 4V22 Harris -- Hidalgo, 1949-1962 4V23 Hidalgo -- Hunt, 1949-1962 4V24 Hutchinson -- Jefferson, 1949-1962 4V25 Jefferson -- Kerr, 1949-1962 4V26 Kimble -- Lavaca, 1949-1962 4V27 Lee -- Lubbock, 1949-1962 4V28 Lynn -- Matagorda, 1949-1962 4V29 Matagorda -- Moore, 1949-1962 4V30 Morris -- Nueces, 1949-1962 4V31 Nueces -- Parmer, 1949-1962 4V32 Pecos -- Potter, 1949-1962 4V33 Presidio -- San Augustin, 1948-1962 4V34 San Jacinto -- Stephens, 1949-1962 4V35 Sterling -- Tarrant, 1949-1961 4V36 Tarrant -- Terrell, 1949-1961 4V37 Terry -- Travis, 1949-1961 4V38 Travis, June 1956 - March 1958 4V39 Travis, April 1958 - August 1960 4V40 Travis -- Victoria, 1949-1962 4V41 Walker -- Wichita, 1949-1961 4V42 Wichita -- Zavala, 1949-1961 4V43 Classified constituent files: 4V43 By person: 4V43 A-Mc, undated 4V44 M-T, undated 4V45 U-Z, undated 4V45 By county: 4V45 Anderson -- McMullen, undated 4V46 Nacogdoches -- Zavala, undated 4V46 Dallas -- Harris, undated 4V47 By precinct: 4V47 A-Z 4V48 A-E, 1958-1961 4V49 A-E, 1958-1962 4V50 By persons, countries, and organizations: 4V50 A-Z 4V50 Anderson -- Zavala 4V50 Lists: 4V50 Anderson -- Zavala 4V51 By county: 4V51 Anderson -- Dallas 4V52 Dallas -- Harris 4V53 Harrison -- Montgomery 4V192-196 Anderson -- Zavala 4V54 Anderson -- Zavala (carbons): 4V54 C-E 4V55 G-K 4V56 O-S 4V57 Women's files by county: 4V57 Anderson -- Dallas 4V58 DeWitt -- Zavala 4V59 Conservatives file: 4V59 Dallas County and Travis County 4V60 Political files 4V60 Anderson County -- Zavala County 4V60 Out-of-state 4V61 Bexar County -- Zavala County 2.325/V42 Precinct lists, No. 1 - No. 122, undated 2.325/V42 Sample ballots, 1956 2.325/V42 Lists of persons, undated 2.325/V42 Election returns, August 28, 1950, November 4, 1958 2.325/V42 Senate campaign, publicity statements, 1950-1961, undated 4V62 Lists: 4V62 Miscellaneous, 1957-1960 4V62 Mailing lists, by county: Anderson -- Zavala, 1955-1956, undated 4V62 Congressional districts No. 1 - No. 22, Anderson -- Zavala, undated 4V62 Requisitions, by county: Anderson -- Maverick, 1960-1961 4V63 Correspondence: 4V63 General and personal, A-H, 1940-1965 4V64-67 General and personal, I-Z, 1940-1955 4V68-70 Dallas County District Attorney files, 1946-1950 4V68-70 Texas Supreme Court Justice files, 1951-1956 4V71-76 Texas Supreme Court Justice files, 1951-1956 4V71-76 Texas Attorney General files, 1951-1960 4V77-95 Texas Attorney General files, 1954-1959 4V96-98 U. S. senatorial campaign files, 1959-1961 4V99 Texas gubernatorial campaign files, 1959-1962 4V100-101 Private legal practice files, 1963-1968 4V102-117 U. S. Assistant Attorney General files 4V118-128 Unprocessed correspondence and other miscellany, 1937-1965 4V129-131 Classified files, by organizations: Correspondence and miscellany, 1954-1965 4V132 Democratic Party files, 1955-1961 4V132 Republican Party files, 1967-1968 4V133 Republican Party files, 1967-1969 4V134 Student literary productions: 4V134 Baylor law class, 1952-1955 4V134 University of Texas law seminar, 1952-1955 4V135 University of Texas law seminar, 1964 4V136-4V141 Speeches and speech materials, 1950-1971 4V142-4V144 Media presentations: Radio and television ads, press releases, miscellaneous advertising, 1946-1962 4V145-4V146 Yearbook, guest books and notebooks, picture place mats 4V147-4V159 Financial and legal materials, 1922-1963 4V160-4V174 Printed materials 2.325/V43-44 Newspaper clippings, 1946-1971 4V175-4V179 Scrapbooks, 1960-1971 2.325/V43-44 Scrapbooks: Billie Sol Estes 4V180-4V191 Sharpstown stock fraud files: Correspondence, legal materials, printed materials, calendars, etc., 1954-1982 3T6-3T8 Photographic materials: 3T6-3T8 Prints 3Y336-3Y341 Film clips OD 1277 Oversize materials: Maps, certificates, political cartoons, 1934-1941 2.325/S Sound archives: Records and tapes