A Guide to the James W. Truitt Papers, 1806-1918 (bulk 1840-1887)
Descriptive Summary | ||
| Creator: | Truitt, James W., 1845-1922 | |
| Title: | Truitt, James W., Papers | |
| Dates: | 1806-1918 (bulk 1840-1887) | |
| Abstract: | Comprising correspondence, legal documents, a broadside, and a newspaper clipping, the James W. Truitt Papers, 1806-1918 (bulk 1840-1887), relate to Truitt’s career as a lawyer, businessman, legislator, and political advisor as well as his personal and family life. | |
| Extent: | 1 ft., 1 in. | |
| Language: | Materials are written in English. | |
| Repository: | Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, The University of Texas at Austin | |
Biographical Note
Lawyer and legislator, James W. Truitt (1845-1922) was born to A. M. and Johanna Todd (Goodbread) Truitt near Shelbyville, Texas. After serving four years with the Confederate Army, he married a Miss Bryan, with whom he had three children and later divorced. During the administrations of Oren M. Roberts and James Stephen Hogg, Truitt served as a member of the Texas legislature and acted as a trusted advisor to the governors. Active in the creation of the Texas Railroad Commission, Truitt also supported prohibition. After his legislative career, he practiced law with a particular interest in the state’s penal problems and unjust convictions. Truitt later established a paper with his brother called The Laborer’s Champion (1877), had a Fort Worth lumber business (1880s), and served as private secretary to U. S. Congressman H. L. Brooks (1906).
Source:
Allen, Ruth A. “Truitt, James W.” Handbook of Texas Online. Accessed March 8, 2011.
Scope and Contents
Comprising correspondence, legal documents, a broadside, and a newspaper clipping, the James W. Truitt Papers, 1806-1918 (bulk 1840-1887), relate to Truitt’s career as a lawyer, businessman, legislator, and political advisor as well as his personal and family life. Composed primarily of letters, the collection’s correspondents include his sister Susan E. Morris, with whom he discusses family affairs, and politicians Horace Chilton, Richard Coke, Charles Allen Culberson, “Rip” Ford, William P. Hobby, James S. Hogg, George T. Jester, John H. Reagan, and Morris Sheppard.
Restrictions
Access Restrictions
This collection is open for research use.
Index Terms | ||
| Subjects (Persons) | ||
| Truitt, James W., 1845-1922 – Archives | ||
| Morris, Susan E. | ||
| Chilton, Horace, 1853-1932 | ||
| Coke, Richard, 1829-1897 | ||
| Culberson, Charles A. (Charles Allen), 1855-1925 | ||
| Ford, John S. (John Salmon) | ||
| Hobby, William Pettus, 1878-1964 | ||
| Hogg, James Stephen, 1851-1906 | ||
| Jester, George Taylor, 1847-1922 | ||
| Reagan, John H, (John Henninger), 1818-1905 | ||
| Sheppard, Morris, 1875-1941 | ||
| Truitt family | ||
| Subjects (Organizations) | ||
| Texas. Legislature – History – 19th century | ||
| Subjects | ||
| Governors – Texas – History – 19th century | ||
| Places | ||
| Texas – Politics and government – 19th century | ||
Administrative Information
Preferred Citation
James W. Truitt Papers, 1806-1918 (bulk 1840-1887), Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, The University of Texas at Austin.
Processing Information
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: | |||||||||||||
| box | |||||||||||||
| 2H81 | Letters, 1806, 1840 | ||||||||||||
| Correspondence, 1880-1882 | |||||||||||||
| Newspaper clipping | |||||||||||||
| box | |||||||||||||
| 2H82 | Correspondence: | ||||||||||||
| 1890-1905 | |||||||||||||
| box | |||||||||||||
| 2H83 | 1906-1918 | ||||||||||||
| Houston letter, 1840 | |||||||||||||
| Broadside, 1906 | |||||||||||||
| Legal documents | |||||||||||||