Joe C. Carrington (1895-1983) was born in Tunis, Burleson County, Texas. His father, E. E. Carrington, was a Baptist minister. Although his formal education ended with the seventh grade, he attended night school, took correspondence and law courses, and read extensively on subjects that helped him in his many enterprises. He married Ethel Lankford in 1915. They had four children. Carrington worked for the Santa Fe and the Sugarland railroads, was Secretary-Manager of the Cuero Chamber of Commerce, and started the San Jacinto Shippers Service Bureau in Houston. In 1928 he became Secretary-Manager of the Texas Bus Owners Association with offices in Austin, where he lived for the rest of his life. He later became Secretary-Manager of the Texas Truck Owners Association. During this time, the bus and trucking industry began to flourish. He also organized the Motor Carrier Insurance Agency and the Highway Insurance Underwriters.
As he became involved in issues affecting his work and the community, Carrington decided to run for the Texas Legislature. He was elected to the 47th Legislature in 1941 and to the 48th in 1943. He was unsuccessful in a bid for the state senate in 1944.
Carrington's interest in agriculture motivated him to set up two dairy farms. He served as President of the Austin Chamber of Commerce, Community Chest, and Red Cross. He was a Trustee of the First Baptist Church, a 32nd degree in Mason, and a member of the Texas Commission on Alcoholism for many years. He was also active in the Boy Scouts and served on the National Committee of Rural Scouting and on the National Committee on Protestant Relationships, as well as in many other organizations. Joe C. Carrington was a successful business executive, politician, and farmer and rancher, as well as a concerned and active citizen.
From the guide to the Joe C. Carrington Papers, 1922-1982., (Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, The University of Texas at Austin)
