In this Book
- In the Governor’s Shadow: The True Story of Ma and Pa Ferguson
- Book
- 2014
- Published by: University of North Texas Press
summary
In 1915 Governor James Ferguson began his term in Texas bolstered by a wave of voter enthusiasm and legislative cooperation so great that few Texans anticipated anything short of a successful administration. His campaign was based on two key elements: his appeal to the rural constituency and a temporary hiatus from the effects of the continuous Prohibition debate. In reality, Jim Ferguson had shrewdly sold a well-crafted image of himself to Texas voters, carrying into office a bevy of closely guarded secrets about his personal finances, his business acumen, and his relationship with Texas brewers. Those secrets, once unraveled, ultimately led to charges brought against Governor Ferguson via impeachment. Refusing to acknowledge the judgment against him, Ferguson launched a crusade for regained power and vindication. In 1925 he reclaimed a level of political influence and doubled the Ferguson presence in Austin when he assisted his wife, Miriam, in a successful bid for the governorship. That bid had been based largely on a plea for exoneration but soon degenerated into a scandal-plagued administration. In the Governor’s Shadow unravels this complex tale, exposing the shocking depth of the Fergusons’ misconduct. Often using the Fergusons’ own words, Carol O’Keefe Wilson weaves together the incontestable evidence that most of the claims that Jim Ferguson made during his life regarding his conduct, intentions, achievements, and abilities, were patently false.
Table of Contents
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- Title Page, Copyright Page
- pp. i-vi
- Acknowledgments
- pp. x-xii
- Introduction
- pp. xiii-xiv
- Prologue | A Tainted Victory
- pp. xv-xviii
- Chapter 1: Tangled Family Roots
- pp. 1-14
- Chapter 2: Life Unencumbered
- pp. 15-24
- Chapter 3: Political Plunge
- pp. 25-36
- Chapter 4: Keeping Secrets
- pp. 37-46
- Chapter 5: Guilty Knowledge
- pp. 47-54
- Chapter 6: It Is Good to Be King
- pp. 55-66
- Chapter 9: An Investigation
- pp. 83-90
- Chapter 10 | Testimony Most Telling
- pp. 91-98
- Chapter 11: In His Own Words
- pp. 99-104
- Chapter 12: The Crane Swoops In
- pp. 105-112
- Chapter 13: The Ruling and the Aftermath
- pp. 113-122
- Chapter 14: Let’s Try This Again
- pp. 123-132
- Chapter 15: Seeking Redemption
- pp. 133-138
- Chapter 16 | Optimistic Defeat
- pp. 139-148
- Chapter 17: The Accidental Governor
- pp. 149-158
- Chapter 18: Shadow Governor
- pp. 159-170
- Chapter 19: See Ma Run (Again)
- pp. 171-180
- Chapter 20 | Coming Back (1927–1932)
- pp. 181-190
- Chapter 21: Twice the Vice
- pp. 191-202
- Chapter 22: Sunset
- pp. 203-208
- Chapter 23: Cross, Double Cross
- pp. 209-220
- Chapter 24 | The Last Act
- pp. 221-230
- Chapter 25 | Not Your Average Ma and Pa
- pp. 231-240
- Bibliography
- pp. 279-286
Additional Information
ISBN
9781574415636
Related ISBN(s)
9781574415537
MARC Record
OCLC
874563589
Pages
400
Launched on MUSE
2014-04-22
Language
English
Open Access
No