DUANE
Duane's take
Here's my telling of what the official marker has to say about a man Uvalde County knew long before the rest of the country caught on. Pull up a chair — or just keep both hands on the wheel — because this one covers some ground. The man's name was John Nance Garner, and if that doesn't ring a bell right off, maybe the nickname will: Cactus Jack.
The marker says he earned that handle for his unique western individualism, and friend, if a marker ever undersold a detail, that might be the one. Cactus Jack. You don't get called that for being ordinary.
He started right here — Uvalde County Judge, 1893 to 1896. Not a bad way to open a career. Then the Texas Legislature called him, and he answered from 1898 to 1902.
Then Washington came knocking, and John Nance Garner walked into the United States Congress in 1904 and didn't walk back out until 1932. That's not a career, that's a tenure. And in that final term — the last one before he hung up his congressional hat — he was Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Speaker of the whole House. From Uvalde County. Let that land for a second.
But the story wasn't finished, because right behind the Speaker's gavel came something bigger still: Vice President of the United States, 1933 to 1941. The marker also wants you to know he was an able trial lawyer, a rancher, a banker, and a benefactor of Southwest Texas Junior College — because apparently holding every significant office in two governments left him a little spare time. He married Ettie Rheiner.
They had a son named Tully, and a grandchild named Genevieve G. Currie. A family man, a public man, a Uvalde man through and through.
Cactus Jack Garner — one of those figures where you read the whole list of what he did and you think, surely that's two or three different people. It wasn't. Just one man from right here on the Texas plain, with a nickname sharp enough to match.
What the marker says
Vice President of U.S. 1933-1941. Began career as Uvalde County Judge 1893-1896. Served in Texas Legislature 1898-1902; in U.S. Congress 1904-1932, where he was, in last term, Speaker of House of Representatives. Also an able trial lawyer, rancher, banker, and benefactor of Southwest Texas Junior College. Married Ettie Rheiner. Had a son, Tully; one grandchild, Genevieve G. Currie. Known as "Cactus Jack" for his unique western individualism. Recorded--1968.