DUANE
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Duane's take
The official marker tells it this way, and I'm just the man lucky enough to pass it along. Now, Texas has had its share of governors, but the marker standing here in Tyler County wants you to know about one who held that office longer than anyone else in the state's history. Allan Shivers.
The administration ran from 1949 to 1957, and if you're looking for a man who left fingerprints on just about every corner of Texas government, well, you've found him. Let's start at the beginning, because this story has a beginning worth savoring. Allan Shivers was born October 5, 1907, in Lufkin, out of a pioneer east Texas family.
His parents were Robert A. and Easter Creasy Shivers. He came up attending Woodville schools, then graduated from Port Arthur High School, then went on to the University of Texas, where he earned his B.A. in 1931 and his LL.B. in 1933. By 1935, he was seated in the Texas State Senate, and here's the part that turns heads: he was the youngest man ever seated there up to that time.
And he didn't just show up and observe. He authored the Texas old-age pension law and the unemployment compensation law. The youngest in the room, writing law that would touch the lives of some of the oldest Texans around.
He married Marialice Shary in 1937. They had four children. He served in Europe in World War II.
Then, from 1947 to 1949, he served as lieutenant governor. And then came the big chair. As governor, Shivers took on state hospitals, prisons, schools for the deaf and for exceptional children.
He created agencies to handle higher education, historical preservation, water resources, and even studies of alcoholism. Highway mileage in Texas doubled during his administration. He kept a moderate tax policy and a balanced budget, which, if you know anything about governing a state as big and ornery as Texas, you know that's no small trick.
And then there was the tidelands. The marker calls it a winning fight for the restoration of the tidelands to Texas, and the word winning is doing some heavy lifting there. That was the kind of fight that defines a tenure.
Beyond Texas, Shivers chaired the national governors conference, chaired the southern governors conference, chaired the Interstate Oil Compact Commission, and served as president of the Council of State Governments. The man was not sitting still. The marker calls him progressive, colorful, dynamic.
A lawyer, a rancher, a farmer, an investor, a civic leader. A Baptist and a Mason. Born of pioneer east Texas stock, rose to be one of the strongest governors this state ever produced, and held that office longer than anyone before him had managed to do.
Some records are made to be talked about. This is one of them.
What the marker says
One of Texas' strongest governors, a progressive, colorful, dynamic leader. Administration (1949-1957) -- longest in state's history -- was marked by winning fight for restoration of the tidelands to Texas. In state Senate, 1935, where he was youngest man ever seated up to that time, he was author of Texas old-age pension and unemployment compensation laws. In 1947-1949 he served as lieutenant governor. As governor he made reforms in state hospitals, prisons, schools for deaf and exceptional children; created agencies for higher education, historical preservation, water resources, studies of alcoholism. In his administration highway mileage doubled. He had a moderate tax policy and a balanced budget. He was chairman, national and southern governors conferences, and Interstate Oil Compact Commission; president of the Council of State Governments. Born Oct. 5, 1907, in Lufkin, of pioneer east Texas family. Son of Robert A. and Easter Creasy Shivers. Attended Woodville schools; graduate of Port Arthur High School; University of Texas, B. A., 1931, LL.B., 1933. Married Marialice Shary, 1937. Has four children. Served in Europe in Work War II. Is a Baptist and a Mason; lawyer, rancher, farmer, investor, civic leader.