Beauford Halbert Jester Home
Corsicana, Navarro County, Texas
Marker Inscription
In 1923 Beauford H. Jester (1893-1949) and his wife, Mabel (Buchanan), built this colonial revival home on land that had been his family's dairy farm. A Corsicana attorney, Jester later served as chairman of the University of Texas Board of Regents, as director of the State Bar, and as a member of the Texas Railroad Commission. Elected governor of the state in 1946, he was the first governor to die in office. During his administration he continued to maintain this home. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1983
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Beauford H. Jester and his wife Mabel built this colonial revival house in 1923 on what had been his family's Corsicana dairy farm. A lawyer who rose through the University of Texas Board of Regents, the State Bar, and the Texas Railroad Commission, Jester was elected governor in 1946 — and in 1949 became the only Texas governor to die in office, having kept this home throughout his tenure.
Why it matters
The house grounds a singular moment in Texas political history, the only gubernatorial death in office, in the private life of the man who lived it.
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Related people
- · Beauford H. Jester
- · Mabel Buchanan Jester
Themes & tags
Nearby & related markers
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