Alternate History The Rancher's Journey to the TX Governor's Mansion: Story of Dolph Briscoe

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COMING SOON....
7:00 PM CST, Tuesday, January 16th, 1973
Austin, TX



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49ersfootball

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Tidbits on the TL:
Chapter 1
1.) Segment on Dolph Briscoe
2.) Segment on Janey Slaughter Briscoe
3.) The Sharpstown Scandal explodes in TX politics
4.) Segment on TX Governor Preston Smith (D)
5.) Segment on TX Lieutenant Governor Ben Barnes (D)
6.) Segment on TX House of Representatives Speaker Gus Mutscher (D-Brenham)
 
49ersfootball

49ersfootball

Well-known member
Other tidbits of the TL:
Chapter 2:
1.) The 1972 campaign kicks off
2.) Ramifications of the Sharpstown Scandal on TX politics
3.) Segment on Barbara Jordan & her history-making campaign for Congress
4.) Segment on TX State Attorney General Crawford Martin (D)
5.) Segment on TX Commissioner of General Land Office Bob Armstrong (D)
 
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Chapter 1: Dolph's backstory
2:32 PM CST, Monday, January 18th, 1971
Uvalde, TX
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Dolph Briscoe, Jr., was born on April 23rd, 1923 in Uvalde, TX to Dolph, Sr., & Georgie Briscoe. Attending public school in the Uvalde Independent School District, he graduated from Uvalde High School as a valedictorian in 1939 & furthered his education at the University of Texas at Austin. He was active in many campus organizations such as the Friars & the Chi Phi Fraternity, & was also the editor of the Cactus Yearbook. While in college, he met fellow student, Janey Slaughter of Austin. They got married in 1942 & would have three children: daughters Janey Briscoe Marmion & Cele Briscoe Carpenter & son, Dolph Briscoe, III.

Following his graduation from the University of Texas at Austin in 1943 with a Bacehlor of Arts Degree, he enlisted as a private in the United States Army during World War II; serving in the China-Burma-India Theater & advanced in rank to become a commissioned officer, serving as a Second Lieutenant.

Once he was honorably discharged from the United States Army in 1945, he returned home to Uvalde & the ranching business. He soon renkindled his interest in politics. Briscoe was first attracted to politics at an early age; thanks to his father's relationship with then-Governor Ross Sterling, the young Briscoe traveled to Austin & the Governor's Mansion in 1932 when he was just nine years old. Governor Sterling invited the young Briscoe to stay at the mansion & sleep in Sam Houston's bed. Briscoe later recalled "I sort of liked the place, & I always wanted to go back." Briscoe counted among his political mentors: Vice President John Nance Garner, President Lyndon Baines Johnson, US House Speaker Sam Rayburn (D-TX) & Governor Sterling.

In 1948, Briscoe was elected to a seat on the TX House of Representatives from Districts 77 & 79 & was reelected in 1950, 1952 & again in 1954, serving from 1949 to 1957 for 4 2-year terms. He became first known as the author of the Colson-Briscoe farm-to-market road system. He also held key chairmanships for the Agriculture & Highway Committees. Briscoe was recognized by many as an effective legislator during his four terms in the TX State Legislature; when his father passed away in 1954, Briscoe decided to return home to heading the family ranching business in Uvalde instead of seeking reelection to a 5th 2-year term in 1956.

Following the death of his father in 1954, Briscoe became the owner & manager of one of the largest & most diverse ranches in the State of TX. By 1972, he was the state's largest individual landowner. As the youngest person to become President of the Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association in 1960, Briscoe & the organization raised $3 million in voluntary contributions to encouraging the federal & state governments to launching a screwworm eradication program in TX & the Southwest. Livestock growers considering the program to be the most important & beneficial development in the history of the industry, saving livestock producers millions of dollars annually. Briscoe was active in all phases of cattle ranching & serving as senior chairman of the board of the First State Bank in Uvalde.

In 1968, Briscoe attempted to reenter the political arena by joining a large field of candidates seeking to replace the retiring three-term Governor John Connally (D). Briscoe finished fourth in the May 4th, 1968 Democratic Gubernatorial Primary election. Despite this setback, there was a strong, ramification-style bombshell which would alter state government.
 
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