Robert Crawford Cotner (1906-1980) began his career as an historian, author, and teacher in 1928 when he completed his B.A. degree at Baylor University. Dr. Cotner began his teaching career as a debate coach at Midland High School in 1929. He earned his M.A. degree from Brown University and his Ph.D. from Harvard University. He came to the University of Texas in 1940. As a professor of history, he developed courses in social and intellectual history and American biography. As an author, Robert Cotner is best known for his monumental work, James Stephen Hogg: A Biography (1959). An authority on Southern and Southwestern history, Dr. Cotner remained professionally active throughout his long career, serving as book review editor for the Southwestern Historical Association Quarterly from 1966 to 1969 and as president of the East Texas Historical Association in 1971-1972. He was a member of many committees of various historical associations including the Western Historical Association, the Southern Historical Association, and the Southwestern Social Science Association. He retired from the University of Texas in 1977.
From the guide to the Robert Crawford Cotner Papers 61-35; 62-39; 63-16; 63-144; 66-159; 68-42; 68-121; 80-7; 81-15; 2008-171., 1767-1981, 1995, (Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, The University of Texas at Austin)
From the description of Cotner, Robert C., papers, 1767-1981, 1995. (University of Texas Libraries). WorldCat record id: 244930074
