Finding Aids for seven of our collections have recently been released and are available via the W. R. Poage Legislative Library website. Ray Kirkpatrick, Bob Poage, and Caso March can be found in the State and Local Leaders holdings while Charles W. Barrow, Bob L. Thomas, and Bill Vance can be found under Bench and Bar. The papers of Sam B. Hall, Jr. are under Congressional Collections. A brief biography follows for each collection; click on the links to read expanded biographies and full finding aids.
Ray Kirkpatrick represented the 41st District in the Texas House of Representatives during the 50th, 51st, and 52nd Legislatures from 1947 to 1952. He served on several committees, including Contingent Expenses, Federal Relations, and Military and Veterans Affairs. He was also a member of the Appropriations Committee and appointed Chairman, a record-setting accomplishment reached at the age of 26. His papers include certificates, diplomas, photographs, scrapbooks, news clippings, correspondence, and subject files. Topical items and photographs highlight the work he did while serving in the Texas House of Representatives.
The papers of Caso March, 1927-1985, include personal files, campaign materials, news clippings, photographs, and scrapbooks. Correspondence with his family and his wife Hattie Mae during their courtship is also present. After his Army service during WWII, March began work as a faculty member in the Baylor School of Law, a position from which he resigned to run his third (unsuccessful) campaign for Texas Governor.
The W. R. “Bob” Poage State Legislative papers are primarily dated 1933-1936 and cover his tenure as Texas State Senator in the 43rd and 44th Legislatures. Materials are comprised of correspondence, topical files, campaign files, and newspaper clippings which cover issues such as horse racing, alcohol taxation, and regulation of chain stores in the 13th State Senate district which included McLennan, Falls, Milam, and Limestone counties. Materials from his 1934 and 1936 U.S. House of Representatives campaigns are also present.
Charles W. Barrow served as District Judge of the 45th Judicial District Court, on the 4th Court of Civil Appeals, on the Texas Supreme Court, Dean of the Baylor School of Law, and as a Senior District Judge in San Antonio. The Barrow papers, dated 1939-2006, include campaign materials, photographs, scrapbooks, newspaper clippings, and memorandums. Throughout his career, Judge Barrow wrote over 700 court opinions, some of which can be found in this collection.
Bob L. Thomas papers, dated 1952-1996, include personal papers such as correspondence, biographical information, and clippings peeking into Thomas’ life prior to contracting Polio, and several obituaries and memorials written upon his death. Handwritten notes and research materials are also included and were most likely used as Judge Thomas was preparing his Court Opinions. The bulk of this collection consists of Court Opinions prepared for both Civil and Criminal Cases while Thomas served as Justice of the Tenth Court of Appeals.
The William R. “Bill” Vance papers are dated 1972-2009 and cover a portion of Vance’s public life as a court justice and candidate for state office. Press clippings, correspondence, campaign materials, several awards and honors Vance earned over the course of his career in the 10th Court of Appeals and bid for the Texas Criminal Court of Appeals are present.
The Sam B. Hall, Jr. papers are focused on the period in which he served as a United States House of Representatives, 1976-1985. Materials present include correspondence, campaign materials, subject files, project files, research materials, itineraries, committee materials, radio transcripts, and speeches. Hall was active on the Judiciary and Veterans’ Affairs Committees and the Select Committees on Narcotics Abuse Control and Ethics. Because of these appointments, Hall traveled on several committee trips to Lebanon, Germany, France, and Southeast Asia. Hall served the 1st Congressional District until 1985, when he was appointed United States District judge for the Eastern District of Texas by President Ronald Reagan.
Make sure to check back as we continue to add new finding aids.