Allan Shivers

Throughout Texas history, there have been a number of men and women to serve in their government that have stood out from the rest. Allan Shivers has been one of those men who have stuck out not only as a sore thumb, but even more as one of Texas greatest politicians. Even though his come down from politics was a rough road, his accomplishments more than equal out a bad reputation. From rags to riches, he is a landmark in the lone star state.

Allan Shivers was born Robert Allan Shivers on October 7, 1907 in Lufkin, Texas. He grew up in an area known as the Magnolia Hills near a little town called Woodville where he attended primary school. The Woodville school system only went up to the eighth grade. When Shivers finished school in Woodville, he started working at the local sawmill. Shortly thereafter, his family relocated to Port Arthur where he attended high school and graduated in 1924. Eager to learn, Shivers was accepted to the University of Texas and went to school there for one year. Expenses for college had become too much for the Shivers family to afford. He was forced to drop out of school and returned to Port Arthur. He worked in an oil refinery to make some money and eventually made enough to be able to return to school. He actively participated in extracurricular activities such as his fraternity Delta Theta Phi, a law frat. His senior year, he was elected president of the Students Association, thus marking the beginning of his political career.

Two years after graduating with a B.A., he acquired his license to practice law and opened up a private practice with his law school buddy, Quentin Keith. After only a year of practicing law, Shivers decided to run of office of the State Senate. Elected in 1934, he was the youngest member ever to sit in the Senate. He held a seat in senate for twelve years, however was enlisted in the army part time between 1943 and 1945. This was only possible because being in the senate did not pay enough as a result of a biennial meeting salary base. In 1946, after inheriting a millionaire’s fortune via his wife, he ran and was elected Lieutenant Governor. In the three years of being Lt. Governor, he showed the state what he could do in a position of power. He initiated a practice of appointing senators to specific committees with daily agendas subsequently jumpstarting legislation. He was able to re-organize the public school system, appropriate funds for higher education, and increase funds for improving hospitals and highways among many other things. Shivers was re-elected in 1948 and assumed governorship in 1949. His governor and party ally, Beauford H. Jester, had died of a fatal heart attack.

As governor, he was able to accomplish more than when he was in the senate and the lieutenant governorship combined. He pushed tax increases but initiated higher teacher salaries, raised aid funds for the elderly and created councils and boards to help the efficiency of the legislation process. However, there were conflicts between and former Presidents Truman and Eisenhower in addition to a split from the Democratic Party because of these conflicts. This marked a turning point in his career in which his public support started to wane. Many criticized him for becoming too conservative after inheriting his father-in-law’s fortune. This