Texas. Governor (1941-1947 : Stevenson)

The governor of Texas is the chief executive officer of the state, elected by the citizens every four years. The duties and responsibilities of the governor include serving as commander-in-chief of the state's military forces; convening special sessions of the legislature for specific purposes; delivering to the legislature at the beginning of each regular session a report on the condition of the state, an accounting of all public money under the governor's control, a recommended biennial budget, an estimate of the amounts of money required to be raised by taxation, and any recommendations he deems necessary; signing or vetoing bills passed by the legislature; and executing the laws of the state. The governor can grant reprieves and commutations of punishment and pardons, upon the recommendation of the Board of Pardons and Paroles, and revoke conditional pardons. He appoints numerous state officials (with the consent of the Senate), fills vacancies in state and district offices (except vacancies in the legislature), calls special elections to fill vacancies in the legislature, fills vacancies in the United States Senate until an election can be held, and serves as ex officio member of several state boards.

The office of governor was first established by the Constitution of 1845 and superseded the office of president of the Republic of Texas. The position now exists under authority of Article IV, Section 1 of the Constitution of 1876 and Texas Government Code, Chapter 401. To be elected governor, a person must be at least thirty years old, a United States citizen, and a resident of Texas for at least five years preceding the election. In 1972, the term of office was extended from two to four years, effective in 1975. Since 1856 the governor has had the use of the Governor's Mansion.

In 1942 the Office of the Governor had less than 30 full-time equivalent employees. The office was not formally organized into divisions or departments.

Coke Robert Stevenson was born in Mason County on March 20, 1888, son of Robert Milton and Virginia Stevenson.

Stevenson received seven years of formal schooling and as a teenager he went into the freight business. He studied history and bookkeeping, became a janitor in the Junction State Bank, did its bookkeeping, and by the age of twenty, he was a cashier. He studied law at night and passed the State Bar in 1913. He practiced law and organized the First National Bank in Junction, serving as its president. He soon became involved in numerous small businesses in Junction.

Stevenson served as the county attorney of Kimble County from 1914 to 1918 and as county judge from 1919 to 1921. In 1928 he was elected to the Texas House of Representatives, serving from 1929 to 1939. He served as the Speaker of the House from 1933 to 1937. In 1939 he was elected Lieutenant Governor. He held that office until 1941.

Stevenson became governor when Governor W. Lee O'Daniel resigned in 1941 to enter the United States Senate. In 1942 Stevenson was elected governor on his own. He was reelected in 1944. Some high points and issues of his administration include a concern for soil conservation laws; the expansion of, and a permanent financing policy for, the state highway system, an enlarged building program at the University of Texas; and teacher salary increases. He was against the centralization of governmental power, and he opposed some of President Franklin Roosevelt's domestic policies. He emphasized conservative financial policies, beginning his administration with a State Treasury deficit, and ending with a surplus in the Treasury.

Stevenson ran for the U. S. Senate in 1948 and was defeated by Lyndon B. Johnson by eighty-seven votes. This was a highly controversial race, and the loss of it took Stevenson out of political life. He became disenchanted with the Democratic Party and supported Republican presidents Dwight D. Eisenhower and Richard M. Nixon.

Coke Stevenson married Fay Wright on December 24, 1912 and they had one son. She died in January 1942. In 1954 he married a widow, Marguerite (King) Heap and they had one daughter. Governor Stevenson died on June 28, 1975.

From the guide to the Records (part 2), 1941-1948, (Texas State Archives)

The governor of Texas is the chief executive officer of the state, elected by the citizens every four years. The duties and responsibilities of the governor include serving as commander-in-chief of the state's military forces; convening special sessions of the legislature for specific purposes; delivering to the legislature at the beginning of each regular session a report on the condition of the state, an accounting of all public money under the governor's control, a recommended biennial budget, an estimate of the amounts of money required to be raised by taxation, and any recommendations he deems necessary; signing or vetoing bills passed by the legislature; and executing the laws of the state. The governor can grant reprieves and commutations of punishment and pardons, upon the recommendation of the Board of Pardons and Paroles, and revoke conditional pardons. He appoints numerous state officials (with the consent of the Senate), fills vacancies in state and district offices (except vacancies in the legislature), calls special elections to fill vacancies in the legislature, fills vacancies in the United States Senate until an election can be held, and serves as ex officio member of several state boards.

The office of governor was first established by the Constitution of 1845 and superseded the office of president of the Republic of Texas. The position now exists under authority of Article IV, Section 1 of the Constitution of 1876 and Texas Government Code, Chapter 401. To be elected governor, a person must be at least thirty years old, a United States citizen, and a resident of Texas for at least five years preceding the election. In 1972, the term of office was extended from two to four years, effective in 1975. Since 1856 the governor has had the use of the Governor's Mansion.

In 1942 the Office of the Governor had less than 30 full-time equivalent employees. The office was not formally organized into divisions or departments.

Coke Robert Stevenson was born in Mason County on March 20, 1888, son of Robert Milton and Virginia Stevenson.

Stevenson received seven years of formal schooling and as a teenager he went into the freight business. He studied history and bookkeeping, became a janitor in the Junction State Bank, did its bookkeeping, and by the age of twenty, he was a cashier. He studied law at night and passed the State Bar in 1913. He practiced law and organized the First National Bank in Junction, serving as its president. He soon became involved in numerous small businesses in Junction.

Stevenson served as the county attorney of Kimble County from 1914 to 1918 and as county judge from 1919 to 1921. In 1928 he was elected to the Texas House of Representatives, serving from 1929 to 1939. He served as the Speaker of the House from 1933 to 1937. In 1939 he was elected Lieutenant Governor. He held that office until 1941.

Stevenson became governor when Governor W. Lee O'Daniel resigned in 1941 to enter the United States Senate. In 1942 Stevenson was elected governor on his own. He was reelected in 1944. Some high points and issues of his administration include a concern for soil conservation laws; the expansion of, and a permanent financing policy for, the state highway system, an enlarged building program at the University of Texas; and teacher salary increases. He was against the centralization of governmental power, and he opposed some of President Franklin Roosevelt's domestic policies. He emphasized conservative financial policies, beginning his administration with a State Treasury deficit, and ending with a surplus in the Treasury.

Stevenson ran for the U. S. Senate in 1948 and was defeated by Lyndon B. Johnson by eighty-seven votes. This was a highly controversial race, and the loss of it took Stevenson out of political life. He became disenchanted with the Democratic Party and supported Republican presidents Dwight D. Eisenhower and Richard M. Nixon.

Coke Stevenson married Fay Wright on December 24, 1912 and they had one son. She died in January 1942. In 1954 he married a widow, Marguerite (King) Heap and they had one daughter. Governor Stevenson died on June 28, 1975.

From the guide to the Records (part 1), 1941-1948, (Texas State Archives)