Maverick, Maury, Sr.

Maury Maverick, lawyer, Congressman, businessman, public official, was born in San Antonio, Texas, October 23, 1895. He attended Virginia Military Institute in 1912-1913 and the University of Texas in 1913-1916; in 1937 he took a special course in Economics at St. Mary’s University. He practiced law in San Antonio for several years. He also formed and served as Vice-President of the Kelley-Maverick Lumber Company in San Antonio.

Maverick was very active in civic affairs, and organized the Citizens’ League of San Antonio, Texas, in 1929. He served as tax collector of Bexar County, Texas in (1929, 1931) and as a Representative to the United States Congress (1935-1939), where he served on the Military Affairs Committee and the Sub-Committee on Aviation. In Congress, Maverick was known for his participation in passing and strengthening New Deal programs. Maverick was elected Mayor of San Antonio in 1939 and served until 1941; he is credited with bringing reform the to local government and led the restoration of La Villita, the historic Spanish village in modern San Antonio. During World War II he was a member of the War Production Board and chairman of the Smaller War Plants Corporation. Maverick was also an author and wrote the books A Maverick American (1937) and In Blood and Ink: The Life and Documents of American Democracy (1939), as well as numerous articles. He died in San Antonio, Texas, on June 7, 1954.