Autry, James Lockhart

James Lockhart Autry was born in Holly Springs, Mississippi, on 4 November 1859. Educated in Mississippi schools for most of his life, Autry attended the University of the South on a scholarship before moving to Texas in 1876. He moved to Navarro County to undertake management of a ranch given to his grandfather's heirs for his part in the Texas Revolution.

Once established in Texas, Autry began the study of law in the offices of Judge Sam Frost in Corsicana, and was admitted to the bar in 1880 at the age of twenty-one. While still studying law in 1879, Autry served as enrolling clerk for the House of Representatives of the Texas Legislature and he served again in the sessions of 1880 and 1881. Autry began the practice of law in partnership with Richard Channing Beale; he retired from this partnership, however, to serve two terms as County Judge of Navarro County. He then formed a partnership with W. J. McKie which lasted until Autry left Corsicana to become General Attorney for the Texas Company in Beaumont.

The partnership of McKie and Autry served as counsel to J.S. Cullinan, an oil operator who moved into Corsicana with the oil boom of the area during the 1890's. After the dissipation of oil in the Coriscana area and the discovery of oil in the Spindletop - Beaumont area, Cullinan moved to the coastal town to form the Texas Fuel Company. For several years McKie and Autry continued to serve Cullinan, taking turns on leaving Coriscana to spend one or two weeks at a time in Beaumont. Finally in 1904 the partnership of McKie and Autry was dissolved with McKie staying in Corsicana and Autry moving to Beaumont as general counsel of the Texas Fuel Company.

A reorganization and expansion of the Texas Fuel Company in 1905 resulted in the incorporation of the Texas Company in which Autry was elected a director and became general attorney. The corporate headquarters were moved to Houston in 1908 when Spindletop began to decline and other fields down the Gulf Coast like Humble and Goose Creek began to produce. Autry again moved with the company. He remained with the Texas Company until November of 1913 when a dispute over management of the company became a major issue in a stockholders' meeting and a proxy struggle ensued. Cullinan with the open support of Autry and Will C. Hogg lost the battle and resigned as president and director. Autry and Hogg both resigned at this time.

Autry, Cullinan and Hogg then combined their capital and talents to form the Fidelity Trust Company, Farmers Petroleum Company, American Petroleum Company and Republic Production Company. Autry served as president of Farmers Petroleum Company, president of Fidelity Trust Company and vice-president and general counsel of the last two under the combined name of American Republics Company. In 1915 Autry suffered a stroke and he spent the last five years of his life a semi-invalid seeking rehabilitation and use of his right side. He died on 29 September 1920. He was survived by his wife, the former Allie Kinsloe, whom he married in 1896, a son James Lockhart Autry III, and a daughter Allie May Autry, now Mrs. Edward W. Kelley.

From the guide to the James Lockhart Autry Papers MS 003., 1834-1926, (Woodson Research Center, Fondren Library, Rice University, Houston, TX)