Pat Morris Neff
28th Governor of Texas
In office
January 18, 1921 – January 20, 1925
LieutenantLynch Davidson
Thomas Whitfield Davidson
Preceded byWilliam P. Hobby
Succeeded byMiriam A. Ferguson
Texas Railroad Commissioner
In office
1929–1932
Succeeded byErnest O. Thompson
Member of the Texas House of Representatives
from the 68th district
In office
January 13, 1903 – January 10, 1905
Preceded byJohn Hemphill
Succeeded byGeorge W. Barcus
Member of the Texas House of Representatives
from the 66th district
In office
January 10, 1899 – January 13, 1903
Preceded byJames Sluder
Succeeded byEdward English
Personal details
Born(1871-11-26)November 26, 1871
Coryell County, Texas, U.S.
DiedJanuary 20, 1952(1952-01-20) (aged 80)
Waco, Texas, U.S.
Resting placeOakwood Cemetery
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse
Myrtle Mainer
​
(m. 1899)​
Children2
Alma materBaylor University (AB)
University of Texas at Austin (LLB)[1]
Profession

Pat Morris Neff (November 26, 1871 – January 20, 1952) was an American politician, educator and administrator, and the 28th Governor of Texas from 1921 to 1925, ninth President of Baylor University from 1932 to 1947, and twenty-fifth president of the Southern Baptist Convention from 1944 to 1946. He served as Grand Master of Masons in Texas in 1946.

Early life

Born on his family ranch near the Eagle Springs community in Coryell County, Texas, to Isabella Neff and her husband Noah, Pat Neff grew up on the Texas frontier and attended local schools. He graduated from McGregor High School. He received his bachelor's degree from Baylor University in Waco.

He worked for the next two years teaching at Southwestern Academy in Magnolia, Arkansas, to earn money to go to law school. Among his students was Harvey C. Couch, who would later become a successful entrepreneur in Arkansas.

Upon returning to Texas, Neff studied and received his law degree from the University of Texas School of Law in Austin. There, he developed a close friendship with Tom Connally and Morris Sheppard of Texas, who both became politicians and were later elected as U.S. senators from the state.

After receiving his law degree and passing the bar, on May 31, 1899, Neff married Baylor classmate Myrtle Mainer in her hometown of Lovelady. In 1901, they had a daughter, whom they named Hallie Maude. They also had a son, Pat M. Neff, Jr.

Public office in Texas

Neff joined the Democratic Party and entered politics, being elected in 1898 to the Texas House of Representatives, and serving from 1899 to 1905. He was elected to one term as Speaker. After returning to his law practice in Waco, Neff served for six years as the assistant county attorney and then as county attorney for McLennan County.

Considered a progressive Democrat, Neff defeated former U.S. Senator Joseph Weldon Bailey, a former populist, in the party primary for governor in 1920. This defeat effectively ended Bailey's political career. Neff handily won the general election and started his term in 1921.

Neff was a strong supporter of prohibition. He was instrumental in the development of the Texas State Parks Board. Neff and his mother, Isabella Neff, donated the land which would become the first state park in Texas. It was named Mother Neff State Park. During the resurgence of the Ku Klux Klan during his administration, Neff was criticized for not taking a stronger stance. Neff is notable for his pardon of folk singer Lead Belly in his last days as governor.

Neff was reelected in 1922 but did not seek a third term in 1924. At the time, it was "understood" that no governor should run for a third term, although Texas did not have official term limits for the office.

In 1924 Miriam Wallace "Ma" Ferguson, wife of controversial former Governor James E. Ferguson, won the general election. The Republican nominee, George C. Butte, an American jurist who had opposed James Ferguson's line item veto of the 1917 University of Texas appropriations bill, had a stronger than usual showing. Many voters crossed party lines to vote for him, as they were unhappy with the corruption associated with "Pa" Ferguson.

President of Baylor University

After the death of Samuel Palmer Brooks, Neff was nominated to replace him as President of Baylor University. He resigned the post of President of the Board of Trustees, a position that he had held since it was vacated by B. H. Carroll in 1907, upon the nomination as President. In 1947, Neff was asked to stay on as the President by the staff at Baylor University.

Pat Neff Hall at Baylor University
Illustration of Neff and handwritten signature from 1933 Baylor University "Roundup" yearbook

President of the Southern Baptist Convention

Neff was president of the Southern Baptist Convention from 1944 to 1946.

Legacy

Pat Neff Elementary School in Houston and Pat Neff Middle School of San Antonio (Northside Independent School District) are named for Neff, as is Pat Neff Hall at Baylor.

Neff died in Waco and is interred there at Oakwood Cemetery. His papers, including those from his time as governor, are housed in The Texas Collection at Baylor University.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Turner, Thomas E. "Neff, Pat Morris". Retrieved November 20, 2023.
  • Dorothy Blodgett, Terrell Blodgett, and David L. Scott, The Land, the Law, and the Lord: The Life of Pat Neff (2007).
  • Stanley, Mark. "Booze, boomtowns, and burning crosses: The turbulent governorship of Pat M. Neff of Texas, 1921—1925," M.A. thesis, University of North Texas, 2005, 138 pages; AAT 1430156 in PROQUEST
  • Neff (Pat Morris) Collection, The Texas Collection, Baylor University
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