Governor James Edward Ferguson_Governor Miriam A. Ferguson
Austin, Travis County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Governor James Edward Ferguson (August 31, 1871 - September 21, 1944) Governor Miriam A. Ferguson (June 13, 1875 - June 25, 1961) James Ferguson, son of a Methodist preacher, and Miriam Wallace, daughter of a wealthy farmer, were Bell County natives. They married in 1899 and later settled with their two daughters in Temple. James, running as "Farmer Jim", won the governorship in 1914. His first term saw improvement of rural schools and the prison system, and relief for tenant farmers. In 1917 he began a second term, but within months he was impeached on charges that included mishandling of state funds; convicted by a special session of the 35th Legislature; and removed from office. In 1924 the Texas Supreme Court upheld a law barring him from state office. So Miriam ran for governor in his place. Called "Ma" by the press, Miriam campaigned under the slogan "Two Governors for the Price of One". She beat the Ku Klux Klan candidate and in her first term (1925-1927) supported an anti-mask bill that broke Klan power. Critics attacked her liberal pardoning policy. She defeated Gov. Ross S. Sterling to win her second term (1933-35), In the midst of the Depression. After losing the 1940 Democratic primary, the Fergusons retired from long and colorful political careers. (1977)
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
James "Farmer Jim" Ferguson won the Texas governorship in 1914 on rural-reform promises but was impeached and removed from office in 1917 amid charges of misusing state funds, and later barred from holding state office. So in 1924 his wife Miriam ran in his place, and "Ma" Ferguson became the first woman elected governor of Texas, campaigning on "Two Governors for the Price of One." She defeated a Ku Klux Klan-backed candidate and backed an anti-mask law that broke the Klan's power.
Why it matters
The Fergusons' intertwined careers mark a milestone for women in American politics and a decisive moment in Texas's fight against the Klan.
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Related people
- · James Edward Ferguson
- · Miriam A. Ferguson
Themes & tags
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