Thomas Terry Connally Papers, # 0123 1 Descriptive Summary: Creator: Thomas Terry Connally Title: Thomas Terry Connally Papers Inclusive Dates: 1896-1969, Bulk Dates: 1934-1963 Abstract: The Thomas Terry Connally Papers include the Senator s personal correspondence, Congressional speeches, newspaper clippings, and photographs. The collection focuses mainly on Connally s political career. Accession #: 0123 Extent: 0.45 linear feet (1 document box) Language: Collection is in English. Repository: The Texas Collection, Baylor University, Waco, Texas. Biographical Note: Thomas Terry Connally, more commonly referred to as Tom Connally, was a powerful legislator who represented the state of Texas during the 1920s, the Great Depression, and the World War II eras. Connally was born in McLennan County near Eddy, Texas, on 1877 August 19. He was the son of Jones and Mary Ellen (Terry) Connally. Jones had fought for the Confederacy during the Civil War. Even as a young adult, Connally was deeply involved in the public sphere. Connally received an A.B. degree from Baylor University in 1896 and a law degree from the University of Texas in 1898. Yet Connally set aside his legal ambitions to serve in the U.S. military during the conflict with Spain. In 1898, he joined the 2 nd Texas Volunteer Infantry. Due to the short length of the war, Connally did not fight overseas. Upon returning to civilian life, Connally was admitted to the Texas Bar and established a law firm in Marlin, Texas. He entered politics a few years later. From 1901 to 1904, Connally served in the Texas House of Representatives. As a progressive politician, Connally fought against powerful monopolies by co-authoring the Texas Anti- Trust Law in 1903. After serving in the state legislature, Connally once again turned his focus to his legal career in Marlin. On 1904 November 16, he married Louise Clarkson of Marlin. They had one son, Benjamin C. Connelly, who would later serve as a Texas district judge (1949-1975). Tom s wife Louise died in 1935. Seven years later, Tom married Louise Sanderson Sheppard, a widow of former Texas Senator Morris Sheppard. From 1906 to 1910, Tom Connally served as the prosecuting attorney for Falls County. Connally returned to politics in 1916 when he won the House seat for the 11 th Congressional District of Texas. After voting in favor of declaring war against Germany, Connally resigned his office and joined the 22 nd Infantry Brigade. However, he did not serve overseas. When the war was over, Connally returned to the U. S. House of Representatives. He was appointed to the Committee on Foreign Affairs where he encouraged his fellow legislators to abandon isolationism. He earnestly fought for American adoption of the League of Nations and served as the U.S. delegate to the Inter-parliamentary Union in Geneva, Switzerland.
Thomas Terry Connally Papers, # 0123 2 After serving in the House for twelve years, Connally was elected to the Senate in 1928. His reputation for oratory quickly grew. He served on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for most of his tenure. He was active in creating the Charter of the United Nations in 1945 as well as garnering American support for the organization. As a Democrat, Connally supported the New Deal, but opposed President Roosevelt s attempts to pack the Supreme Court. He is also known for proposing the Connally Act, a piece of legislation that prohibited the interstate sale of oil that had been refined in violation of state quotas. Overall, Connally served six terms as a U.S. Senator before retiring in 1953. In 1954, with the help of Alfred Steinberg, Connally composed his memoir. This work was entitled My Name is Tom Connally. Connally died of pneumonia in Washington, D.C. on 1963 October 29. He was subsequently buried in Marlin, Texas. Sources: Connally, Tom. My Name is Tom Connally. New York: Thomas Y. Crowell Company, 1954. Green, George N. Tom Connally. Handbook of Texas Online. http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/fco36. Accessed 2012 March 8. Kelley, Dayton, ed. The Handbook of Waco and McLennan County, Texas. Waco, TX: Texian Press, 1972. Scope and Content: The Thomas Terry Connally Papers range from 1896 to 1969. This small collection focuses on Connally s personal and political life. The photographic materials include pictures of from adolescence to the end of his life. The correspondence series is comprised of letters that Connally wrote to his mother, his sister, and his niece. The literary productions focus more on Connally s political life. The Congressional speeches written by Connally and other famous legislators (George Mahon, Lyndon B. Johnson, Tom Pickett) are included. The majority of the collection includes newspaper clippings that range from the 1930s to the 1960s and chronicle Connally s political achievements. Organization and Arrangement: This small collection has been organized into four series: I. Correspondence, II. Literary Productions, III. Photographic Materials, and IV. Artifacts. The correspondence is organized chronologically. The literary productions are divided according to the type of material. Restrictions: The collection is open for research. Literary Rights Statement: Unpublished materials authored or otherwise produced by the creator (s) of this collection are in the public domain. There are no restrictions on use. Copyright status for other collection materials is unknown. Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.) beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. Works not in the public domain
Thomas Terry Connally Papers, # 0123 3 cannot be commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owners. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user. All requests for copying of materials must be submitted to The Texas Collection in writing. Please use the Request Form for Copying Materials sheet. Index Terms: Connally, Tom, 1877-1963. Johnson, Lyndon B. (Lyndon Baines), 1908-1973. New Deal, 1933-1939. United States. Congress. House. United States. Congress. Senate. World War, 1939-1945--United States. Related Materials: Anthony Garland Adair Papers, # 0506. Leon Jaworski Papers, # 2442. William Markham Sleeper Papers, # 2675. Separated Materials: None. Custodial History: Acquisition: This collection was given in three gifts in 1971, 1982, and 1983. Gift from Judge Ben C. Connally, 1971 June 7. Gift from Frances McKay Andrews, 1982 May 24. Gift from Frances McKay Andrews, 1983 April 5. Citation: Thomas Terry Connally Papers, Accession #0123, Box #, Folder #, The Texas Collection, Baylor University. Processing Information: Finding aid completed by Thomas A. DeShong, 2012 March 9. Container List: Series I: Correspondence, 1917-1959,, 1 folder. This series contains personal letters of correspondence exchanged between Thomas Connally and his mother, his sister Lila McKay, and his niece Frances Andrews. The series is in good condition. BOX FOLDER 1 1 Correspondence: Personal 1917-1959,
Thomas Terry Connally Papers, # 0123 4 Series II: Literary Productions, 1896-1969,, 33 folders. This series contains newspaper clippings pertaining to Connally s life in politics, Congressional speeches made by Connally and other legislators, and other literary productions. A yearbook picture and profile from Connally s time at Baylor University is included in the folder marked biographical materials. These materials are in average to good condition. BOX FOLDER 1 2 Literary Productions: Clippings: General 1934-1936, 3 Literary Productions: Clippings: General 1940-1945 April 4 Literary Productions: Clippings: General 1945 November- 1949 5 Literary Productions: Clippings: General circa 1940-1949 6 Literary Productions: Clippings: General 1950 7 Literary Productions: Clippings: General 1951-1952 8 Literary Productions: Clippings: General 1953-1958 9 Literary Productions: Clippings: General: circa 1950-1959 (1 of 2) 10 Literary Productions: Clippings: General: circa 1950-1959 (2 of 2) 11 Literary Productions: Clippings: General 1960-1964 12 Literary Productions: Clippings: General circa 1960-1969 13 Literary Productions: Clippings: General: (1 of 4) 14 Literary Productions: Clippings: General: (2 of 4) 15 Literary Productions: Clippings: General: (3 of 4) 16 Literary Productions: Clippings: General: (4 of 4) 17 Literary Productions: Clippings: 1963 Obituaries: (1 of 2) 18 Literary Productions: Clippings: 1963 Obituaries: (2 of 2) 19 Literary Productions: Art: Obituary 1963 20 Literary Productions: Biographical 1896 Materials: 21 Literary Productions: Programs and Invitations 1950-1963, 22 Literary Productions: Speeches: Congress: 1924-1928 February 6 23 Literary Productions: Speeches: Congress: 1928 February 9-1937
Thomas Terry Connally Papers, # 0123 5 BOX FOLDER 1 24 Literary Productions: Speeches: Congress: 25 Literary Productions: Speeches: Congress: 26 Literary Productions: Speeches: Congress: Lindley Beckworth 27 Literary Productions: Speeches: Congress: Ed Gossett 28 Literary Productions: Speeches: Congress: Lyndon B. Johnson 29 Literary Productions: Speeches: Congress: George Mahon 30 Literary Productions: Speeches: Congress: Tom Pickett 31 Literary Productions: Speeches: Congress: Olin E. Teague 32 Literary Productions: Speeches: Congress: R.E. Thomason 33 Literary Productions: Speeches: Congress: General 34 Literary Productions: Speeches: E.B. Germany 1939-1943 1944-1952 1940-1947 1947 1945-1947 1945-1947 1947 1947 1940-1945 1947-1950 1941 November 7 Series III: Photographic Materials, 1935-1960,, 1 folder. This series contains photographs of Tom Connally from his adolescence to his later years. The materials are in good condition. BOX FOLDER 1 35 Photographic Materials: Photos: Thomas Connally 1935-1960, Series IV: Artifacts,, 1 folder. This series contains three dimensional artifacts including Senator Tom Connally s name plate for the Senate Finance Committee and a pin in support of Connally s senatorial campaign. BOX FOLDER 1 36 Artifacts: Pin and Name Plate
Thomas Terry Connally Papers, # 0123 6 Notes: A small file of materials concerning Connally s 1928 Senate campaign, kept by his secretary Leon Jaworksi, is included among the Leon Jaworski Papers. Tom Connally is not to be confused with John Connally, Jr. The latter was the governor of Texas who was wounded during the Kennedy assassination approximately one month after Tom Connally had passed away. Connally donated his private library to the Library of Congress. A register of these materials can be found on World Cat.