First Ladies and Gentlemen of Texas

The first ladies and gentlemen of Texas, both under the Republic of Texas and the State of Texas, have been a wide spectrum of personalities and abilities. The position of first spouse has been defined by individual achievements and perspectives of official spouses for over 75 years. Some enjoyed their positions and seized the opportunity to help shape the state's history. Others were there reluctantly.

Margaret Lea Houston can arguably be called the original first lady of Texas. Hannah Estey Burnet's husband David G. Burnet was ad interim Republic president before Sam Houston became the official first president. During Houston's first term, he was unmarried. Mirabeau B. Lamar followed Houston and was a widower. Margaret campaigned with her new husband when Houston ran for a second term as president, and rode in the presidential parade, in spite of her dislike of politics. There was no government housing for the family of the president of the Republic. The Houstons divided their time among properties they owned. No role model existed for Margaret. She saw herself not as a political wife, but as a homebody who was responsible for the health, welfare and religious education of her husband and her children. She became a virtual recluse when Sam Houston was elected Governor of Texas and refused any visitors inside the mansion except her own relatives.[1] Margaret Lea Houston's great-great granddaughter Jean Houston Baldwin Daniel also served as First Lady of Texas 1957–1963.

Frances Cox Henderson, wife of the state's first governor James Pinckney Henderson, was an outgoing supporter of women's suffrage, and a multi-linguist who had been a book translator before she met Henderson.[2]

The only first gentleman the state has had was James E. Ferguson, who first served as governor. He was impeached on charges of misapplication of public funds, and failing to respect and enforce the banking laws of the state and resigned from office in 1917.[3] When his wife Miriam A. Ferguson won two non-consecutive terms as governor, James Ferguson became the state's only first gentleman.[4]

Mildred Paxton Moody had been a newspaper columnist and a professor at Hardin-Simmons University before she married Dan Moody. She used her influence as a former first lady to get the Texas State Legislature to create the Board of Mansion Supervisors to oversee the finances of maintaining the official residence.[5] Rita Crocker Clements not only restored the Governor's Mansion, but had been a mover and shaker in politics decades before she married Bill Clements.[6] Former first lady Anita Thigpen Perry has a background in nursing and two nursing educational endowments bear her name.

Republic of Texas
First Ladies of the Republic of Texas
Name Image Birth–Death Term President Ref(s)
Hannah Burnet (1800–1858) March 16 – October 22, 1836 David G. Burnet [7]
— — — October 22, 1836 – December 10, 1838 Sam Houston [8]
— — — December 10, 1838 – December 13, 1841 Mirabeau B. Lamar [FN 1]
Margaret Lea Houston (1819–1867) December 13, 1841 – December 9, 1844 Sam Houston [8]
Mary Smith Jones (1819–1907) December 9, 1844 – February 19, 1846 Anson Jones [10]

State of Texas
First Ladies and Gentlemen of the State of Texas
Name Image Birth–Death Term Governor Ref(s)
Frances Cox Henderson (1820–1897) February 19, 1846 – December 21, 1847 James Pinckney Henderson [11]
Martha Evans Gindratt Wood (d. 1861) December 21, 1847 – December 21, 1849 George T. Wood [12]
— — — December 21, 1849 – November 23, 1853 Peter Hansborough Bell [13]
Laura A. Hooker Henderson (d.1856) November 23, 1853 – December 21, 1853 James W. Henderson [14]
Lucadia Christiana Niles Pease (1813–1905) December 21, 1853 – December 21, 1857 Elisha M. Pease [FN 2]
— — — December 21, 1857 – December 21, 1859 Hardin Richard Runnels [16]
Margaret Lea Houston (1819–1867) December 21, 1859 – March 18, 1861 Sam Houston [8]
Martha Melissa Evans Clark March 18, 1861 – November 7, 1861 Edward Clark [17]
Adele Baron Lubbock (1819–1882) November 7, 1861 – November 5, 1863 Francis R. Lubbock [18]
Sue Ellen Taylor Murrah (b. 1835) November 5, 1863 – June 17, 1865 Pendleton Murrah [19]
— — — June 11, 1865 – June 16, 1865 Fletcher Summerfield Stockdale [20]
Mary Jane Bowen Hamilton (1828–1916) June 17, 1865 – August 9, 1866 Andrew J. Hamilton [21]
Ann Rattan Throckmorton (1828–1895) August 9, 1866 – August 8, 1867 James W. Throckmorton [22]
Lucadia Christiana Niles Pease (1813–1905) June 8, 1867 – September 30, 1869 Elisha M. Pease [15]
Anne Elizabeth Britton Davis (b. 1838) January 8, 1870 – January 15, 1874 Edmund J. Davis [23]
Mary Evans Horne Coke (1837–1900) January 15, 1874 – December 21, 1876 Richard Coke [24]
Janie Roberts Hubbard (1848–1887)December 21, 1876 – January 21, 1879 Richard B. Hubbard [25]
Frances Wickliffe Edwards Roberts (1819–1883) January 21, 1879 – January 16, 1883 Oran Milo Roberts [26]
Anna Maria Penn Ireland (1833–1911) January 16, 1883 – January 20, 1887 John Ireland [27]
Elizabeth Dorothy Tinsley Ross (1846–1905) January 18, 1887 – January 20, 1891 Lawrence Sullivan Ross [28]
Sarah Ann Stinson Hogg (1854–1895) January 20, 1891 – January 15, 1895 James Stephen Hogg [29]
Sallie Harrison Culberson (1861–1926) January 15, 1895 – January 17, 1899 Charles A. Culberson [30]
Orline Walton Sayers (1851–1943) January 17, 1899 – January 20, 1903 Joseph D. Sayers [31]
Sarah Beona Meng Lanham (1845–1908) January 20, 1903 – January 15, 1907 S. W. T. Lanham [32]
Fannie Bruner Campbell (1856–1934) January 15, 1907 – January 17, 1911 Thomas Mitchell Campbell [33]
Alice Murrell Colquitt (1865–1949) January 17, 1911 – January 19, 1915 Oscar Branch Colquitt [34]
Miriam A. Ferguson (1875–1961) January 19, 1915 – August 25, 1917 James E. Ferguson [35]
Willie Cooper Hobby (d. 1929) August 25, 1917 – January 18, 1921 William P. Hobby [36]
Myrtle Mainer Neff January 18, 1921 – January 20, 1925 Pat Morris Neff [37]
James E. Ferguson (1871–1944) January 20, 1925 – January 17, 1927 Miriam A. Ferguson [35]
Mildred Paxton Moody (1897–1983) January 17, 1927 – January 20, 1931 Dan Moody [38]
Maud Gage Sterling (1874–1963) January 20, 1931 – January 17, 1933 Ross S. Sterling [39]
James E. Ferguson (1871–1944) January 17, 1933 – January 15, 1935 Miriam A. Ferguson [35]
Joe Betsy Miller Allred (1905–1993) January 15, 1935 – January 17, 1939 James V. Allred [40]
Merle Estella Butcher O'Daniel Unknown January 17, 1939 – August 4, 1941 W. Lee O'Daniel [41]
Fay Wright Stevenson (1896–1942) August 4, 1941 – January 2, 1942 Coke Stevenson [FN 3]
Mable Buchanan Jester Unknown January 21, 1947 – July 11, 1949 Beauford H. Jester [43]
Marialice Shary Shivers (1910–1996) July 11, 1949 – January 15, 1957 Allan Shivers [44]
Jean Daniel (1916–2002) January 15, 1957 – January 15, 1963 Price Daniel [45]
Nellie Connally (1919–2006) January 15, 1963 – January 21, 1969 John Connally [46]
Ima Mae Smith (1911–1998) January 21, 1969 – January 16, 1973 Preston Smith [47]
Betty Jane Slaughter Briscoe (1923–2000) January 16, 1973 – January 16, 1979 Dolph Briscoe [48]
Rita Crocker Clements (1931-2018) January 16, 1979 – January 18, 1983 Bill Clements [6]
Linda Gale White (b. 1942) January 18, 1983 – January 20, 1987 Mark White [49]
Rita Crocker Clements (1931-2018) January 20, 1987 – January 15, 1991 Bill Clements [6]
— — — January 15, 1991 – January 17, 1995 Ann Richards [FN 4]
Laura Bush (b. 1946) January 17, 1995 – December 21, 2000 George W. Bush [51]
Anita Thigpen Perry (b. 1952) December 21, 2000 – January 20, 2015 Rick Perry [52]
Cecilia Phalen Abbott (1960–) January 20, 2015 Greg Abbott [53]

Notes

Footnotes
  1. Lamar was widowed in 1830 and did not remarry until 1851.[9]
  2. Elisha and Lucadia Pease were the first occupants of the official Governor's Mansion.[15]
  3. Fay died January 1942[42]
  4. Richards was divorced in 1984.[50]

Citations
  1. Seale, William (1992) [1970]. Sam Houston's Wife: A Biography of Margaret Lea Houston. University of Oklahoma Press. pp. 64, 65 194, 195. ISBN 978-0806124360.
  2. Farrell, Mary D. "France Cox Henderson". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved 1 March 2012.
  3. "Pa Ferguson". Texas State Library and Archives Commission. Retrieved 11 March 2012.
  4. "Miriam A. Ferguson". Texas State Library and Archives Commission. Retrieved 11 March 2012.
  5. McQueary, Carl (2003). Dining at the Governor's Mansion. Texas A & M University Press. pp. 131, 132, 134. ISBN 978-1-58544-254-6.
  6. "Rita Crocker Clements Personal Papers". TAMU. Retrieved 11 March 2012.
  7. "Hannah Este Burnet". Dress Collection. Texas Woman's University. Retrieved January 9, 2016.
  8. Alvarez, Plocheck (2011). p. 481; Malone, Anne Righton (Winter 1995). "Reviewed Works: Star of Destiny: The Private Life of Sam and Margaret Houston by Madge Thornall Roberts; The Raven's Bride: A Novel of Eliza Alien and Sam Houston by Elizabeth Crook". Western American Literature. University of Nebraska Press. 29 (4): 370–371. JSTOR 43021400.
  9. Gambrell, Herbert. "Mirabeau Buonaparte Lamar". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved 11 March 2012.
  10. "Mary (Mrs. Anson) Jones Letters". Texas Archival Resources Online. University of Houston. Retrieved January 9, 2016.
  11. Biles (2014), pp. 85–88
  12. Alvarez, Plocheck (2011). p. 481; Vincent, Louella Styles (January 1917). "Governor George Thomas Wood". The Southwestern Historical Quarterly. Texas State Historical Association. 20 (3): 269–276. JSTOR 30234713.
  13. Hooker, Anne W. "Peter Hansborough Bell". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved 11 March 2012.
  14. Kemp, L. W. "James W. Henderson". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved January 9, 2016.
  15. "Lucadia Christiana Niles Pease". Dress Collection. TWU. Retrieved January 9, 2016.Smyrl, Vivian Elizabeth. "Governor's Mansion". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved 11 March 2012.; Alvarez, Plocheck (2011). p. 481
  16. Harper Jr., Chris. "Hardin Richard Runnels". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved 11 March 2012.
  17. Alvarez, Plocheck (2011). p. 481; "Martha Melissa Evans Clark". Dress Collection. TWU. Retrieved January 9, 2016.
  18. Alvarez, Plocheck (2011). p. 481; "Adele Baron Lubbock". Dress Collection. TWU. Retrieved January 9, 2016.
  19. Alvarez, Plocheck (2011). p. 481; "Sue Ellen Taylor Murrah". Dress Collection. TWU. Retrieved January 9, 2016.
  20. "Fletcher Summerfield Stockdale". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved January 9, 2016.
  21. Alvarez, Plocheck (2011). p. 481; "Mary Jane Bowen Hamilton". Dress Collection. TWU. Retrieved January 9, 2016.
  22. Alvarez, Plocheck (2011). p. 481; "Ann Rattan Throckmorton". Dress Collection. TWU. Retrieved January 9, 2016.
  23. Alvarez, Plocheck (2011). p. 481; "Ann Davis Gown". Texas Woman's University. Retrieved January 9, 2016.
  24. Alvarez, Plocheck (2011). p. 481; "Mary Evans Horne Coke". Texas Woman's University. Retrieved January 9, 2016.
  25. Alvarez, Plocheck (2011). p. 481; "Janie Roberts Hubbard". Texas Woman's University. Retrieved January 9, 2016.
  26. Alvarez, Plocheck (2011). p. 481; "Frances Wickliffe Edwards Roberts". Texas Woman's University. Retrieved January 9, 2016.
  27. Alvarez, Plocheck (2011). p. 481; "Anne Maria Penn Ireland". Texas Woman's University. Retrieved January 9, 2016.
  28. Alvarez, Plocheck (2011). p. 481; "Elizabeth Dorothy Tinsley Ross". Texas Woman's University. Retrieved January 9, 2016.
  29. Alvarez, Plocheck (2011). p. 481; "Sarah Ann Stinson Hogg". Texas Woman's University. Retrieved January 9, 2016.
  30. Alvarez, Plocheck (2011). p. 481; "Sallie Harrison Culberson". Texas Woman's University. Retrieved January 9, 2016.
  31. Alvarez, Plocheck (2011). p. 481; "Orline Walton Sayers". Texas Woman's University. Retrieved January 9, 2016.
  32. Alvarez, Plocheck (2011). p. 481; "Sarah Beona Meng Lanham". Texas Woman's University. Retrieved January 9, 2016.
  33. Alvarez, Plocheck (2011). p. 481; "Fannie Irene Bruner Campbell". Texas Woman's University. Retrieved January 9, 2016.
  34. Alvarez, Plocheck (2011). p. 481; "Alice Fuller Murrell Colquitt". Texas Woman's University. Retrieved January 9, 2016.
  35. Alvarez, Plocheck (2011). p. 481; "Miriam Amanda Wallace Ferguson". Texas Woman's University. Retrieved January 9, 2016.
  36. Alvarez, Plocheck (2011). p. 481; "Willie Chapman Cooper Hobby". Texas Woman's University. Retrieved January 9, 2016.
  37. Alvarez, Plocheck (2011). p. 481; "Myrtle Mainer Neff". Texas Woman's University. Retrieved January 9, 2016.
  38. Alvarez, Plocheck (2011). p. 481; "Mildred Paxton Moody". Texas Woman's University. Retrieved January 9, 2016.
  39. Alvarez, Plocheck (2011). p. 481; "Maude Abbie Gage Sterling". Texas Woman's University. Retrieved January 9, 2016.
  40. Alvarez, Plocheck (2011). p. 481; "Joe Betsy Miller Allred". Texas Woman's University. Retrieved January 9, 2016.
  41. Alvarez, Plocheck (2011). p. 481; "Merle Estelle Butcher O'Daniel". Texas Woman's University. Retrieved January 9, 2016.
  42. Alvarez, Plocheck (2011). p. 481; "Texas Governor Coke Stevenson". Texas State Library and Archives Commission. Retrieved 11 March 2012."Coke Stevenson". Texas State Library and Archives Commission. Retrieved 11 March 2012.Fay Wright Stevenson at Find a Grave
  43. Alvarez, Plocheck (2011). p. 481
  44. Alvarez, Plocheck (2011). p. 481; "Marialice Shary Shivers". Texas Woman's University. Retrieved January 9, 2016.
  45. Alvarez, Plocheck (2011). p. 481; "Jean Houston Baldwin Daniel". Texas Woman's University. Retrieved January 9, 2016.
  46. Alvarez, Plocheck (2011). p. 481; "Idanell Brill Connally". Texas Woman's University. Retrieved January 9, 2016.
  47. Alvarez, Plocheck (2011). p. 481; "Ima Mae Smith Smith". Texas Woman's University. Retrieved January 9, 2016.
  48. Alvarez, Plocheck (2011). p. 481; "Betty Jane Slaughter Briscoe". Texas Woman's University. Retrieved January 9, 2016.
  49. Alvarez, Plocheck (2011). p. 481; "Linda Gale White". Texas Woman's University. Retrieved January 9, 2016.
  50. "Ann Richards". Texas State Library and Archives Commission. Retrieved 11 March 2012.
  51. Alvarez, Plocheck (2011). p. 481; "Laura Welch Bush, 1995–2000". Texas Woman's University. Retrieved January 9, 2016.
  52. Alvarez, Plocheck (2011). p. 481; "Anita Perry, 2000 to 2015". Texas Woman's University. Retrieved January 9, 2016.
  53. "Cecilia Abbot, 2015 to Present". Texas Woman's University. Retrieved January 9, 2016.

References
  • Alvarez, Elizabeth Cruce; Plocheck, Robert (2011). Texas Almanac 2012–2013. Texas A & M University Press. ISBN 978-0-87611-247-2.
  • Biles, Stephen P. (2014). Encyclopedia of Early Texas History: A Compendium of Texas Antiquity for the Inquisitive Mind. Charleston, SC: The History Press. ISBN 978-1-62619-454-0.

Further reading
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