Beasley, John R., 1882-1970

Beasley was a Bee County attorney whose avocation was the study of the Texas Gulf Coast and the protection of its waters and marine life; was Beeville's first mayor after incorporation in 1908 and who, in the 1960s, campaigned against the construction of a bypass around Beeville. As founder and sole member of the organization Independent Texas Coastal Research for the Common Good, he corresponded with elected officials, government agencies, marine biologists, sportsmen, and outdoor editors of major Texas newspapers espousing his causes. He wrote briefs in protest of applications for shell dredging permits and lobbied against all forms of commercial interests that he believed were detrimental to the ecosystems of the Gulf of Mexico. In the course of his work, he amassed this large collection of research materials, most of which he meticulously indexed.

From the guide to the John R. Beasley Papers 91-311., 1884-1981, (Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, The University of Texas at Austin)

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