Oscar Branch Colquitt
Encyclopedia
Oscar Branch Colquitt was the 25th Governor of Texas from January 17, 1911 to January 19, 1915. He was a member of the Democratic Party
. Gov. Colquitt defended the actions of the Texas Rangers who allegedly crossed into Mexico in pursuit of the body of Clemente Vergara in March 1914.
to Thomas Jefferson Colquitt and Ann Elizabeth (Burkhalter) Colquitt. His family had a long tradition of political service, and two of his uncles served as U.S. Senators, with one of them, Alfred H. Colquitt
, also the Governor of Georgia. Colquitt's father served in the Confederate States Army
as an officer, and after the Civil War
, he attempted to farm using freed slaves as laborers. The weather destroyed the family's crops, and they lost everything.
Eager to start over, Colquitt's family moved to Morris County, Texas
, arriving in Daingerfield
on January 8, 1878. For three years he worked as a tenant farmer, walking the 2 miles (3.2 km) to school after the crops were in. Colquitt then spent one term at the Daingerfield Academy, where he boarded with the family of state legislator John A. Peacock. After leaving school, Colquitt unsuccessfully attempted to get a job as a brakeman or fireman with the East Line and Red River Railroad. Instead, he worked briefly as a porter at the Daingerfield train station and then spent several months working at a turning lathe in a local furniture factory.
In 1881, Colquitt became a printer's devil
for the Morris County Banner. Several months after beginning his job his employer opened a new paper at Greenville
, and Colquitt worked there until he purchased his own paper in 1884, the Pittsburg
Gazette. Within two years Colquitt had purchased two newspapers in Terrell
and combined them into one newspaper, the Times-Star.
During this time, Colquitt married and began a family. Alice Fuller Murrell of Minden, Louisiana
became his wife on December 9, 1885. The couple went on to have four sons and a daughter. His sons included Oscar Branch, Jr, Rawlins M., and Sidney B.
and vigorously supported the election of Jim Hogg
as governor. He was elected to the Texas Senate in 1895 and served for four years, authoring several delinquent-tax laws. He served as the state revenue agent for the last eight months of 1898 and wrote a report for the special tax commission that was submitted to the legislature in 1900. For the 1899 and 1901 legislative sessions, Colquitt worked as a paid lobbyist. He was admitted to the bar in 1900, and practiced law when the legislature was not in session.
He was elected to the railroad commission in 1902, and again in 1908, succeeding John H. Reagan. During his two terms on the commission, he "was instrumental in promoting the construction of the Galveston Causeway."
In 1906, Colquitt ran for governor, but, in part due to his opposition to Prohibition
, he failed to win the Democratic nomination. He ran again in 1910, still opposing Prohibition, with the slogan "Political Peace and Legislative Rest." Although his opponents referred to him as "Little Oscar" for his diminutive stature, Colquitt won both the primary and the general election. He was not present for the Democratic convention which nominated him for the position, as his youngest son died in Austin
at roughly the same time.
After taking office, Colquitt resigned his position on the railroad commission and was able to appoint his own successor to the post. The Prohibition party had been elected to a majority in each house of the legislature, and following the election, the public was allowed to vote on whether to enact a statewide prohibition on alcohol sales; this was defeated by 6,000 votes.
Colquitt had an uneasy relationship with the legislature during his time as governor, and their disagreements often bled into issues that had nothing to do with prohibition. In the first legislative session over which he presided, Colquitt vetoed half of the bills that were sent to him.
Twice during his term in office Colquitt sent the Texas Rangers
to the border with Mexico to maintain order. The Rangers had some success, but were accused of mistreating peaceful Mexican-American citizens. Federal troops eventually arrived to replace the Rangers.
During his term, the legislature passed laws reforming the penal system and enacted several laws benefitting labor. One law limited the number of hours women could work, while another provided regulations for child workers and a third dealt with factory working conditions. The legislature also passed a worker's compensation act. Colquitt attempted to block some of these bills, but did sign all of them into law. In 1912, he called a meeting of Southern governors to work out a plan to stabilize the cotton market. The conference recommended the creation of state warehouses and acreage reduction. The Farmers' Union in Texas promoted those ideas, and over 2 million fewer acres of cotton was planted in 1912. This caused cotton prices to increase, and Colquitt took the credit.
Despite a campaign promise to never obstruct the support of education, he vetoed some public school appropriations. With labor support, he won reelection in late 1912 by almost 40,000 votes, giving him a second term as governor.
cause. He tried to purchase the New York Sun
, which he intended to use to disseminate German propaganda, but was not successful. He ran for U.S. Senate in 1916, but was defeated in the general election by the incumbent, former governor Charles Allen Culberson
.
Following his defeat, Colquitt became president of an oil company in Dallas. From 1928 until 1929 he served on the U.S. Board of Mediation. In 1935, he became a field representative for the Reconstruction Finance Corporation
.
Colquitt suffered a slight stroke in the late 1930s but remained active in his work. After a ten-day battle with influenza
, Colquitt died on March 8, 1940. He is buried in the Oakwood Cemetery
in Austin, Texas
.
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
. Gov. Colquitt defended the actions of the Texas Rangers who allegedly crossed into Mexico in pursuit of the body of Clemente Vergara in March 1914.
Early years
Oscar Branch Colquitt was born December 16, 1861 in Camilla, GeorgiaCamilla, Georgia
As of the census of 2000, there were 5,669 people, 1,994 households, and 1,405 families residing in the city. The population density was 929.4 people per square mile . There were 2,128 housing units at an average density of 348.9 per square mile...
to Thomas Jefferson Colquitt and Ann Elizabeth (Burkhalter) Colquitt. His family had a long tradition of political service, and two of his uncles served as U.S. Senators, with one of them, Alfred H. Colquitt
Alfred H. Colquitt
Alfred Holt Colquitt was a lawyer, preacher, soldier, 49th Governor of Georgia and two term U.S. Senator from Georgia where he died in office. He served as an officer in the Confederate army, reaching the rank of major general....
, also the Governor of Georgia. Colquitt's father served in the Confederate States Army
Confederate States Army
The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
as an officer, and after the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, he attempted to farm using freed slaves as laborers. The weather destroyed the family's crops, and they lost everything.
Eager to start over, Colquitt's family moved to Morris County, Texas
Morris County, Texas
As of the census of 2000, there were 13,048 people, 5,215 households, and 3,749 families residing in the county. The population density was 51 people per square mile . There were 6,017 housing units at an average density of 24 per square mile...
, arriving in Daingerfield
Daingerfield, Texas
Daingerfield is a city in Morris County, Texas, United States. The population was 2,517 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Morris County....
on January 8, 1878. For three years he worked as a tenant farmer, walking the 2 miles (3.2 km) to school after the crops were in. Colquitt then spent one term at the Daingerfield Academy, where he boarded with the family of state legislator John A. Peacock. After leaving school, Colquitt unsuccessfully attempted to get a job as a brakeman or fireman with the East Line and Red River Railroad. Instead, he worked briefly as a porter at the Daingerfield train station and then spent several months working at a turning lathe in a local furniture factory.
In 1881, Colquitt became a printer's devil
Printer's devil
A printer's devil was an apprentice in a printing establishment who performed a number of tasks, such as mixing tubs of ink and fetching type...
for the Morris County Banner. Several months after beginning his job his employer opened a new paper at Greenville
Greenville, Texas
Greenville is the county seat, and the largest city, of Hunt County, Texas, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 25,557....
, and Colquitt worked there until he purchased his own paper in 1884, the Pittsburg
Pittsburg, Texas
Pittsburg is a city located in Camp County, Texas. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 4,347. It is the county seat of Camp County. It is best known as the home of the giant poultry producer Pilgrim's Pride and the home of racing legend Carroll Shelby...
Gazette. Within two years Colquitt had purchased two newspapers in Terrell
Terrell, Texas
Terrell is a city in Kaufman County, Texas, United States, and a southeastern suburb of Dallas. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 13,606...
and combined them into one newspaper, the Times-Star.
During this time, Colquitt married and began a family. Alice Fuller Murrell of Minden, Louisiana
Minden, Louisiana
Minden is a city in the American state of Louisiana. It serves as the parish seat of Webster Parish and is located twenty-eight miles east of Shreveport, the seat of Caddo Parish. The population, which has been stable since 1960, was 13,027 at the 2000 census...
became his wife on December 9, 1885. The couple went on to have four sons and a daughter. His sons included Oscar Branch, Jr, Rawlins M., and Sidney B.
Politics
In 1890, Colquitt campaigned in favor of the creation of the Railroad Commission of TexasRailroad Commission of Texas
The Railroad Commission of Texas is the state agency that regulates the oil and gas industry, gas utilities, pipeline safety, safety in the liquefied petroleum gas industry, and surface coal and uranium mining .Established by the Texas Legislature in 1891, it is the state's oldest regulatory...
and vigorously supported the election of Jim Hogg
Jim Hogg
James Stephen "Big Jim" Hogg was a Texas lawyer, doctor and statesman, and the 20th Governor of Texas. He was born near Rusk, Texas. Hogg was a follower of the conservative New South Creed which became popular following the U.S. Civil War, and was also associated with populism. He was the first...
as governor. He was elected to the Texas Senate in 1895 and served for four years, authoring several delinquent-tax laws. He served as the state revenue agent for the last eight months of 1898 and wrote a report for the special tax commission that was submitted to the legislature in 1900. For the 1899 and 1901 legislative sessions, Colquitt worked as a paid lobbyist. He was admitted to the bar in 1900, and practiced law when the legislature was not in session.
He was elected to the railroad commission in 1902, and again in 1908, succeeding John H. Reagan. During his two terms on the commission, he "was instrumental in promoting the construction of the Galveston Causeway."
Prohibition
Prohibition of alcohol, often referred to simply as prohibition, is the practice of prohibiting the manufacture, transportation, import, export, sale, and consumption of alcohol and alcoholic beverages. The term can also apply to the periods in the histories of the countries during which the...
, he failed to win the Democratic nomination. He ran again in 1910, still opposing Prohibition, with the slogan "Political Peace and Legislative Rest." Although his opponents referred to him as "Little Oscar" for his diminutive stature, Colquitt won both the primary and the general election. He was not present for the Democratic convention which nominated him for the position, as his youngest son died in Austin
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
at roughly the same time.
After taking office, Colquitt resigned his position on the railroad commission and was able to appoint his own successor to the post. The Prohibition party had been elected to a majority in each house of the legislature, and following the election, the public was allowed to vote on whether to enact a statewide prohibition on alcohol sales; this was defeated by 6,000 votes.
Colquitt had an uneasy relationship with the legislature during his time as governor, and their disagreements often bled into issues that had nothing to do with prohibition. In the first legislative session over which he presided, Colquitt vetoed half of the bills that were sent to him.
Twice during his term in office Colquitt sent the Texas Rangers
Texas Ranger Division
The Texas Ranger Division, commonly called the Texas Rangers, is a law enforcement agency with statewide jurisdiction in Texas, and is based in Austin, Texas...
to the border with Mexico to maintain order. The Rangers had some success, but were accused of mistreating peaceful Mexican-American citizens. Federal troops eventually arrived to replace the Rangers.
During his term, the legislature passed laws reforming the penal system and enacted several laws benefitting labor. One law limited the number of hours women could work, while another provided regulations for child workers and a third dealt with factory working conditions. The legislature also passed a worker's compensation act. Colquitt attempted to block some of these bills, but did sign all of them into law. In 1912, he called a meeting of Southern governors to work out a plan to stabilize the cotton market. The conference recommended the creation of state warehouses and acreage reduction. The Farmers' Union in Texas promoted those ideas, and over 2 million fewer acres of cotton was planted in 1912. This caused cotton prices to increase, and Colquitt took the credit.
Despite a campaign promise to never obstruct the support of education, he vetoed some public school appropriations. With labor support, he won reelection in late 1912 by almost 40,000 votes, giving him a second term as governor.
Later years
After leaving office, Colquitt became sympathetic to the GermanGermany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
cause. He tried to purchase the New York Sun
New York Sun
The New York Sun was a weekday daily newspaper published in New York City from 2002 to 2008. When it debuted on April 16, 2002, adopting the name, motto, and masthead of an otherwise unrelated earlier New York paper, The Sun , it became the first general-interest broadsheet newspaper to be started...
, which he intended to use to disseminate German propaganda, but was not successful. He ran for U.S. Senate in 1916, but was defeated in the general election by the incumbent, former governor Charles Allen Culberson
Charles Allen Culberson
Charles Allen Culberson was an American political figure and Democrat who served as the 21st Governor of Texas from 18951899, and as a United States Senator from Texas from 18991923....
.
Following his defeat, Colquitt became president of an oil company in Dallas. From 1928 until 1929 he served on the U.S. Board of Mediation. In 1935, he became a field representative for the Reconstruction Finance Corporation
Reconstruction Finance Corporation
The Reconstruction Finance Corporation was an independent agency of the United States government, established and chartered by the US Congress in 1932, Act of January 22, 1932, c. 8, 47 Stat. 5, during the administration of President Herbert Hoover. It was modeled after the War Finance Corporation...
.
Colquitt suffered a slight stroke in the late 1930s but remained active in his work. After a ten-day battle with influenza
Influenza
Influenza, commonly referred to as the flu, is an infectious disease caused by RNA viruses of the family Orthomyxoviridae , that affects birds and mammals...
, Colquitt died on March 8, 1940. He is buried in the Oakwood Cemetery
Oakwood Cemetery (Austin, TX)
Oakwood Cemetery, originally called City Cemetery, is the oldest city-owned cemetery in Austin, Texas. Situated on a hill just east of I-35 that overlooks downtown Austin, just north of the Swedish Hill Historic District and south of Disch-Falk Field, the once-isolated site is now in the center of...
in Austin, Texas
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
.
External links
- Message of Governor O. B. Colquitt to the thirty-second legislature of Texas., hosted by the Portal to Texas History