Claude Pollard
Encyclopedia
Claude Pollard was Attorney General
of Texas from 1927 - 1929. During his service in public office he defended laws aimed at the disenfranchisement of black voters.
, he graduated its public schools. He became a teacher, but left the job when he entered the University of Texas at Austin to obtain a law degree.
County Attorney, a position he held until 1898. He was appointed United States Attorney
by President William McKinley
in 1900. In 1905, he was chosen as assistant Attorney General of Texas, serving under Attorney General Robert V. Davidson from 1905 to 1909.
In 1909, Pollard became counsel for St. Louis, Brownsville and Mexico Railway
in Kingsville, Texas
, where the railroad had recently run a line through the King Ranch
. With the arrival of the SLB&M Railway, Kingsville began to grow and citizens sought to form a new county out of southern Nueces County. Pollard was one of the men responsible for the formation of Kleberg County, which mostly consisted of the King Ranch.
Even though Pollard had left behind his teaching career, he remained active in education, serving as regent of South Texas State Teachers College (now Texas A&I University). In 1916, Pollard went into private practice of law helping to found the Houston, Texas
law firm of Vinson, Elkins, Wood and Pollard. Pollard was elected president of the State Bar of Texas
in 1920.
nomination for Attorney General, defeating James V. Allred narrowly, which meant that his election in the General Election was practically assured. Upon taking office, Pollard defended the Texas white primary law in the United States Supreme Court case of Nixon v. Herndon
. The Texas White Primary Law prohibited blacks from voting in the Texas Primary. Because of the almost complete control of the Texas government by Democrats, the primary election was the more important election to participate in. "Pollard invited the Court to ignore reality contending that, 'a nominating primary of the Democratic Democratic Party is not a public election under the constitution of the state'". The Court found otherwise and struck down the Texas law.
Although Pollard was reelected to his post, he did not complete his second term, choosing instead to resign in September 1929 so that he could serve the Railway General Managers' Association of Texas as its counsel. Following his death on November 25, 1942 in Austin, Texas
, he was buried in the Texas State Cemetery
.
Attorney General
In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general, or attorney-general, is the main legal advisor to the government, and in some jurisdictions he or she may also have executive responsibility for law enforcement or responsibility for public prosecutions.The term is used to refer to any person...
of Texas from 1927 - 1929. During his service in public office he defended laws aimed at the disenfranchisement of black voters.
Early life
Pollard was born to Hamilton and Sarah Jane (Davis) Pollard on February 14, 1874. A native of Carthage, TexasCarthage, Texas
Carthage is a city in Panola County, Texas, United States. The population was 6,664 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Panola County, and is situated in East Texas near the Louisiana state line.-Geography:...
, he graduated its public schools. He became a teacher, but left the job when he entered the University of Texas at Austin to obtain a law degree.
Legal career
Immediately after his admittance to the Texas Bar in 1895, Pollard was elected PanolaPanola County, Texas
As of the census of 2000, there were 22,756 people, 8,821 households, and 6,395 families residing in the county. The population density was 28 people per square mile . There were 10,524 housing units at an average density of 13 per square mile...
County Attorney, a position he held until 1898. He was appointed United States Attorney
United States Attorney
United States Attorneys represent the United States federal government in United States district court and United States court of appeals. There are 93 U.S. Attorneys stationed throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands...
by President William McKinley
William McKinley
William McKinley, Jr. was the 25th President of the United States . He is best known for winning fiercely fought elections, while supporting the gold standard and high tariffs; he succeeded in forging a Republican coalition that for the most part dominated national politics until the 1930s...
in 1900. In 1905, he was chosen as assistant Attorney General of Texas, serving under Attorney General Robert V. Davidson from 1905 to 1909.
In 1909, Pollard became counsel for St. Louis, Brownsville and Mexico Railway
St. Louis, Brownsville and Mexico Railway
The St. Louis, Brownsville & Mexico Railway was a 200-mile railroad that operated from Brownsville, Texas to Gulf Coast Junction in Houston. It passed through small southeast Texas communities such as Robstown, Corpus Christi, Bay City, and Harlingen as well as the Rio Grande Valley.-History:Uriah...
in Kingsville, Texas
Kingsville, Texas
As of the census of 2000, there were 25,575 people, 8,943 households, and 6,134 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,848.8 people per square mile . There were 10,427 housing units at an average density of 753.8 per square mile...
, where the railroad had recently run a line through the King Ranch
King Ranch
King Ranch, located in south Texas between Corpus Christi and Brownsville, is one of the world's largest ranches. The ranch, founded in 1853 by Captain Richard King and Gideon K. Lewis, includes portions of six Texas counties, including most of Kleberg County and much of Kenedy County, with...
. With the arrival of the SLB&M Railway, Kingsville began to grow and citizens sought to form a new county out of southern Nueces County. Pollard was one of the men responsible for the formation of Kleberg County, which mostly consisted of the King Ranch.
Even though Pollard had left behind his teaching career, he remained active in education, serving as regent of South Texas State Teachers College (now Texas A&I University). In 1916, Pollard went into private practice of law helping to found the Houston, Texas
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
law firm of Vinson, Elkins, Wood and Pollard. Pollard was elected president of the State Bar of Texas
State Bar of Texas
The State Bar of Texas is an agency of the judiciary under the administrative control of the Texas Supreme Court. The Texas Bar is responsible for assisting the Texas Supreme Court in overseeing all attorneys licensed to practice law in Texas...
in 1920.
Political career
In 1926, Pollard secured the DemocraticDemocratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
nomination for Attorney General, defeating James V. Allred narrowly, which meant that his election in the General Election was practically assured. Upon taking office, Pollard defended the Texas white primary law in the United States Supreme Court case of Nixon v. Herndon
Nixon v. Herndon
Nixon v. Herndon, 273 U.S. 536 , was a United States Supreme Court decision in which the Court struck down a Texas law which forbade blacks from voting in the Texas Democratic primary. Because Texas was a one-party state, the Democratic Party primary was the only competitive process and chance to...
. The Texas White Primary Law prohibited blacks from voting in the Texas Primary. Because of the almost complete control of the Texas government by Democrats, the primary election was the more important election to participate in. "Pollard invited the Court to ignore reality contending that, 'a nominating primary of the Democratic Democratic Party is not a public election under the constitution of the state'". The Court found otherwise and struck down the Texas law.
Although Pollard was reelected to his post, he did not complete his second term, choosing instead to resign in September 1929 so that he could serve the Railway General Managers' Association of Texas as its counsel. Following his death on November 25, 1942 in Austin, Texas
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
, he was buried in the Texas State Cemetery
Texas State Cemetery
The Texas State Cemetery is a cemetery located on about just east of downtown Austin, the capital of Texas. Originally the burial place of Edward Burleson, Texas Revolutionary general and Vice-President of the Republic of Texas, it was expanded into a Confederate cemetery during the Civil War...
.