Thursday, April 25, 2024
The gravestone of Jerry Sadler, who gave a speech in Granbury in 1940 during his campaign for governor of Texas, is pictured, from its location in the Texas State Cemetery in Austin. Sadler served the country with two stints in the Army, then went on to be elected to the Texas House of Representatives before being commissioner of the Texas General Land Office from 1961-1971.
LOOKING BACK
Looking Back is a column that highlights articles retrieved from local newspaper archives published in years past.
83 YEARS AGO
MAY 1940
An article published May 23, 1940 in The Hood County Tablet announced that a candidate running for governor of Texas was coming to Granbury and predicted his speech on the courthouse lawn would draw the “largest crowd since dedication of the Brazos River Bridge.”
The article stated that “Thirty-two year old Jerry Sadler, plain talking junior member of the Texas Railroad Commission” and candidate for Texas governor, was scheduled to speak “on the public square on June 1, “in the interest of his candidacy for governor.”
Sadler’s story was that one of his ancestors, Captain W.T. Sadler, “fought for the freedom of Texas in the battle of San Jacinto.” The candidate had noted, “If you believe that the business of this state should continue to be run by a select few millionaires and their minions, promising you the rainbow, and giving you alibis and bitter ashes of disappointment, then Jerry Sadler cannot be your candidate for governor. You have other choices.
“But if you believe that the office of governor should once more be returned to the people of this state and your duly elected representatives, then Jerry Sadler is your candidate. If you believe that the old people of this state should be limited to no pension at all or to a mere pittance as is now the case, then Jerry Sadler is not your man.
“But, if you believe that our deserving old folks should be paid every possible dollar under the laws of this state and the United States, then Jerry Sadler is your candidate.”
According to Wikipedia, Gerald Anthony Sadler served two different stints in the Army — 1927-1929, and in 1942. He was in the Texas House of Representatives from 1955-1961, was with the Texas Railroad Commission from 1938-1942, and was the 23rd commissioner of the Texas General Land Office, from 1961-1971. Unfortunately for Mr. Sadler, he died at age 74 in February of 1982, and his resume did not include being elected governor of Texas.
103 YEARS AGO
JULY 1920
An article published in The Granbury News on Friday, July 2, 1920 had a headline with the wording, “That Glen Rose Road” — reporting that “A delegation of Glen Rose businessmen came up Tuesday to confer with our citizens regarding some needed improvements on the road to Granbury.”
The article noted that the road had “become almost impassable and will result in the cutting out of the mail line unless something is done.”
A judge who was chairman for the meeting had said “that $1,000 had been lying in (a) bank since last February to be used on this road,” according to the article. Two committees were formed, with the following residents named: A.E. Firmin, W.H. Cherry, L.G Waltrip, J.N. Nutt, Dr. Morgan (no first name given), Barney Green, J.T. Price, D.O. Baker, S.H. Cook, H.L. Nutt, and W.E. Fairman.
The committees were to have a “mass meeting of citizens” at the courthouse,” the story noted.
The article concluded, “We believe this move will result in at least putting the Glen Rose road in passable condition, and we should thank our neighbors from that town for stirring up interest in this important matter.”
