William P. Hobby

William P. Hobby

William Pettus Hobby (born March 26, 1878 in Moscow , Polk County , Texas , † June 7, 1964 in Houston , Texas) was an American politician and governor of the state of Texas from 1917 to 1921 .

Early years and political advancement

After moving to Houston with his parents in 1893, William Hobby attended Houston High School . In 1895 he embarked on a lifelong career in the newspaper business. Initially he was the delivery agent for the Houston Post newspaper . From 1901 he wrote his own articles in this newspaper. Around this time he began to be politically active. Hobby became a member of the Democratic Party . In Houston he founded a youth organization of the Democrats, in 1904 he was in Texas on the executive committee of the party. In 1907 he acquired the Beaumont Enterprise newspaper .

Texas Governor

In 1914 and 1916 he was elected lieutenant governor of Texas as his party's candidate . After Governor James E. Ferguson resigned shortly before his certain impeachment, Hobby had to end the term of office as his deputy. After a re-election in 1918 against the future federal judge Charles Albert Boynton , William Hobby was able to rule as governor of his state between August 25, 1917 and January 18, 1921. At the beginning of his tenure, the First World War was still in full swing. The governor supported the war efforts of the federal government and monitored the war-related processes such as the recruitment of soldiers or compliance with the rationing of food and fuel. After the end of the war in November 1918, the returning soldiers had to be reintegrated into society and the invalids and the bereaved of the dead had to be cared for. In addition, production was switched back to civilian needs.

Independently of this, the farmers were helped after a drought. In 1917 the Highway Commission was established . The education sector was also promoted under Governor Hobby. It was then that free textbooks were introduced in Texas. The administration was expanded to include a control committee, which primarily monitored the budget.

Another résumé

After the end of his governorship, Hobby returned to the newspaper business. Over the years he acquired several papers and later also got into the radio and television business. Among other things, he became president of the Houston Post Company . Since 1955 he was its chairman. William Hobby was married twice. His second wife, Oveta Culp Hobby , made a political career of her own, culminating as the first minister for health, education and welfare . She held this office from 1953 to 1955 in the cabinet of Republican President Dwight D. Eisenhower . Son William , born in 1932, was Lieutenant Governor of Texas between 1973 and 1991. William Hobby Sr. died in Houston in 1964 and was buried there.

Honors

• The oldest commercial airport in Houston was named after him William P. Hobby Airport .

Web links

• William P. Hobby in the National Governors Association (English)
• William P. Hobby in the Handbook of Texas (English)

• William P. Hobby in the database of Find a Grave (English)