Descriptive Summary
Barnhart, John N.
Barnhart, John N. Papers
1950-1961,
1992
Materials are written in English.
92-339; 92-361; 93-302
2 ft., 8 in.
Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, The
University of Texas at Austin
John Newhall Barnhart, from Beeville,
Bee County, Texas, represented district 70 in the 52nd session of the Texas House of
Representatives from 1951 to 1953. The papers include correspondence, legal
documents, financial records, clippings, and printed materials created by Barnhart
during his years in the Texas House of Representatives.
Biographical Sketch
John Newhall Barnhart, from Beeville, Bee County, Texas, represented district 70 in
the 52nd session of the Texas House of Representatives from 1951 to 1953. He entered
a solo vote in the 52nd Legislature opposing the Red Scare resolution demanding the
firing of Dr. Clarence Ayres at the University of Texas. An economics professor,
Ayres held anti-capitalism views that led to conflicts with Texas legislators as
well as University of Texas administrators. Barnhart’s solo vote went against 130
votes in the Texas House to dismiss Ayres from his position.
Barnhart collected material related to a campaign against Bee County Sheriff Vail
Ennis, who killed seven people. Additionally, Barnhart played a role in the
organization of a committee for the Democratic Party when faced with competition
from the Republican Party beginning in 1952.
Sources: Legislative Reference Library of Texas. Members of the 52nd Legislature (1951).
http://www.lrl.state.tx.us/legis/members/roster.cfm (accessed August 6, 2010).
Handbook of Texas Online, s.v. Ayres, Clarence Edwin,
http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/AA/fay4.html (accessed August 6,
2010).
Handbook of Texas Online, s.v. Democratic Party,
http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/DD/wad1.html (accessed August 6,
2010).
Scope and Contents
The John N. Barnhart Papers, 1950-1992, include correspondence, legal documents,
financial records, clippings, and printed materials created by Barnhart during his
years in the Texas House of Representatives. The collection contains two letters
from Maury Maverick, Sr., to Barnhart (1951) related to communism and a news
clipping (1992), pertaining to the Communist Control Act of 1954. Additionally, the
papers include correspondence concerning his solo vote in the 52nd Legislature
opposing the Red Scare resolution; various correspondence and data on legislative
activities; and a folder of material on a campaign against Bee
County sheriff, Vail Ennis. Finally, the collection contains documentation related to the
efforts of creating a Texas Democratic Organizing Committee when the Republican
Party took over the Texas Democratic Party.
Access Restrictions
The collection is open for research.
Index Terms
Subjects (Persons)
Barnhart, John Newhall--Archives.
Maverick, Maury, 1895-1954
Ayres, Clarence Edwin, 1891-1972
Ennis, Vail
Subjects (Organizations)
Texas. Legislature. House of Representatives
Subjects
Communism--Texas--History
Places
Texas
Preferred Citation
John N. Barnhart Papers, 1950-1961, 1992, Dolph Briscoe Center for American History,
The University of Texas at Austin.
Related Material
See also the Ayres (Clarence Edwin) Papers, 1891-1972.
See also the Maverick (Maury, Jr.) Papers, 1941-1983.
See also the Rainey (Homer Price) Papers, 1938-1946.
Processing InformationThis collection was processed by Jessi Fishman, August 2010, and Stacey Helmerich, January 2011.
Basic processing and cataloging of this collection was supported with funds from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC) for the Briscoe Center’s History Revealed: Bringing Collections to Light project, 2009-2011.
Detailed Description of the Papers
Inventory
2.235/A82
Political correspondence 1951
2.325/A83
Answered letters on Dr. Ayres-Bell resolution
2.325/A83
Publicity- sheriff's race 1952
2.325/A83
Texas Democratic Organization Committee
2.325/A83
Legislature-52nd session, subsequent sessions
2.325/A83
Legislature- 52nd session, finished mailMay 3, 1951
2.325/B23a
Personal correspondence
2.325/B23a
Presidential campaign1956
2.325/B23a
Legislature
2.325/B23a
Form letters/legislature
2.325/B23a
Episcopal Men’s Club
2.325/B23a
Workbooks
2.325/B23b
Date sheets, 1958,1959,1954
2.325/B23b
Journal entries, 1952,1953,1954
2.325/B23c
Journal entries, 1955,1958
2.325/B23c
Date sheets, 1960
2.325/B23c
Sheriff trial, investigation
2.325/B23c
Political material, 1959
2.325/B23c
Political correspondence, 1960
2.325/B23d
Bee County Democratic Executive Committee
2.325/B23d
Christian Citizens Group, 1953
2.325/B23d
District No.11 Financial Committee quotes, 1957
2.325/B23d
Sheriff’s race, Vail Ennis controversy
2.325/B23d
General Democratic Party material
2.325/B23d
Nokes, George
2.325/B23d
Political campaigns
2.325/B23d
Sheriff’s race, endorsements
2.325/B23d
Texas Democratic Advisory Committee
2.325/B23d
Texas Democratic Women’s State Committee
2.325/B23e
Vail Ennis case documents
2.325/B23e
Maverick, Maury: senatorial campaign
2.325/B23e
Organizational correspondence
2.325/B23e
Personal correspondence
2.325/B23e
State Democratic Executive Committee