James Callan Graham
Encyclopedia
James Callan Graham generally referred to as Callan Graham, was an attorney in the Texas Hill Country
, a pilot in World War II
and a member of the Texas House of Representatives
.
on October 2, 1914 to John Coburn Graham and Margaret Callan Graham, he moved with his family to a Kimble County ranch in 1923. Graham graduated from Junction High School and attended the University of Texas at Austin
for a short time.
, beginning what was to be a lifelong career in public service. During the next few years, as Graham built his law practice, he began pursuing the hobby of flying. As a boy in Del Rio in the early 1920s, he earned his first plane ride from a barnstormer by sweeping out hangars. After obtaining his pilot’s license he bought his first plane, a canvas-covered Taylorcraft
, and was the first person to land a private plane on a dirt strip now known as Kimble County’s “Callan Graham Field.” His father, then Kimble County Sheriff, didn’t think too highly of his son’s hobby, remarking that he should spend more time on the ground, tending to business.
When World War II
broke out, Graham used his hobby to serve his country, first serving as a flying instructor in Uvalde
, teaching raw recruits the basics of flying and preparing them for the extreme pressures of combat. Once the need for new pilots had been met, Mr. Graham was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the Army Air Corps
. He was assigned to the Air Transport Command
and was first stationed in Dallas, ferrying planes to and from points across the United States. He later flew across the Atlantic Ocean and Africa to a duty station in India, leaving his wife at home, pregnant with their first child. He flew The Hump
across the Himalayan mountains between India and Burma, delivering planes, troops and cargo in support of the effort to defeat the Japanese.
In 1936, at the age of 22, Graham was elected County Attorney for Kimble County and was later appointed District Attorney for the 112th Judicial District. After completing his military obligation, Graham returned home in 1945 to resume his law practice. During this time he also wrote and obtained the charter for the First State Bank of Junction, which was granted on November 8, 1947. In 1948, Callan ran for and won election to the House of Representatives of the Texas Legislature, representing a ten county district around Kimble County. He served two terms, and while in the legislature he became known as a “bill killer,” espousing the view that less government was a good thing. During the infamous primary race for the U.S. Senate between Gov. Coke Stevenson and Lyndon Johnson, Graham was sent to the Rio Grande Valley
by Coke Stevenson to investigate allegations of voter fraud and ballot box tampering. Graham discovered a number of irregularities; however, not enough proof was gained in the short time required to contest the primary results, and LBJ went on to win the seat in the general election. Graham maintained to his death that Gov. Stevenson should have won the election, but he also was adamant that LBJ had no direct knowledge of any wrongdoing.
Among Mr. Graham’s accomplishments during his time in the legislature, perhaps the one that most affected the people of Kimble County was the passage of a bill establishing the Texas A&M University
Center at Junction in March 1949 (Now the Texas Tech University Center at Junction
). Another legislative action taken by Graham that directly affected the people of Kimble County was preventing the closure of the Kerrville State Hospital, a facility that has served not only this community, but many others as well. While in the legislature, Graham also drafted and sponsored an anti-abortion bill. Later, as an influential lobbyist he wrote and helped pass the first minimum wage law in Texas.
On November 2, 1950, Graham and a partner were granted a permit to operate Junction’s first radio station, thus KMBL Radio was born on Flat Rock Lane near the South Llano River. Following his two terms in the Texas House, Callan and Maude moved their family to San Antonio where he took a position with a law firm. In 1954, he accepted the position of General Counsel for the Texas Manufacturers’ Association, an organization designed to promote productivity and business. This began a long career as a lobbyist in Texas politics. In 1956, the Graham family moved to Austin where Callan took the position of Executive Director of the Texas Good Roads Association, lobbying for highway improvement and construction.
In 1963, Callan resigned his position with the TGRA and accepted an offer from the Catholic Bishops of Texas to organize and head up the Texas Catholic Conference. This organization was established to foster cooperation between and to coordinate the efforts of the separate Catholic dioceses of Texas. The importance that Callan placed on this position is underscored by the fact that he took a substantial cut in salary when he accepted the job. Ten years later, Callan “retired” to the family ranch in 1973, to raise a few cattle and renew old friendships. In recognition of his faithful service to the church, Callan was made a Knight in the Order of the Holy Sepulchre
.
Duty called again however, and in 1986 Callan was asked to fill an unexpired term as Kimble County Attorney, the office that he was first appointed to fifty years earlier. He was re-elected twice more, and retired for good in 1998. In 1996 the people of Kimble County honored him with the Lifetime Achievement Award. Callan was also a past president and long time member of the Junction Rotary Club, and was honored with the club’s Paul Harris
Fellowship in 2005.
on July 31, 1935, the same church and date as Callan’s parents were married in 1913. This was the first Catholic Church in what is now the Diocese of San Angelo, and the land for the church was donated by Callan’s grandfather, J.J. Callan, a founding pioneer of both Coleman and Menard counties. In all Callan and Maude had five children, Michael Callan in 1944, John Stephen in 1946, James Timothy in 1948, Margaret Mary in 1954 and Patrick Boone in 1958.
Texas Hill Country
The Texas Hill Country is a vernacular term applied to a region of Central Texas featuring tall rugged hills consisting of thin layers of soil atop limestone or granite. It also includes the Llano Uplift and the second largest granite monadnock in the United States, Enchanted Rock, which is located...
, a pilot in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and a member of the Texas House of Representatives
Texas House of Representatives
The Texas House of Representatives is the lower house of the Texas Legislature. The House is composed of 150 members elected from single-member districts across the state. The average district has about 150,000 people. Representatives are elected to two-year terms with no term limits...
.
Early life and education
Born in Del Rio, TexasDel Rio, Texas
Del Rio is a border city in and the county seat of Val Verde County, Texas, United States.. Del Rio is connected with Ciudad Acuña via the Lake Amistad Dam International Crossing and Del Río-Ciudad Acuña International Bridge...
on October 2, 1914 to John Coburn Graham and Margaret Callan Graham, he moved with his family to a Kimble County ranch in 1923. Graham graduated from Junction High School and attended the University of Texas at Austin
University of Texas at Austin
The University of Texas at Austin is a state research university located in Austin, Texas, USA, and is the flagship institution of the The University of Texas System. Founded in 1883, its campus is located approximately from the Texas State Capitol in Austin...
for a short time.
Career
In February 1935, he passed the State Bar Examination and opened a law practice in Junction, TexasJunction, Texas
Junction is a city in and the county seat of Kimble County, Texas, United States. The population was 2,618 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
, beginning what was to be a lifelong career in public service. During the next few years, as Graham built his law practice, he began pursuing the hobby of flying. As a boy in Del Rio in the early 1920s, he earned his first plane ride from a barnstormer by sweeping out hangars. After obtaining his pilot’s license he bought his first plane, a canvas-covered Taylorcraft
Taylorcraft Aircraft
-Bibliography:* Fromow, Lt-Col. D.L. Canada's Flying Gunners, Air Observation Post Pilot's Association, Ottawa, Canada. 2002. ISBN 0973005505* Simpson, R.W Airlife's General Aviation, Airlife Publishing, England, 1991. ISBN 1 85310 104 X-External links:...
, and was the first person to land a private plane on a dirt strip now known as Kimble County’s “Callan Graham Field.” His father, then Kimble County Sheriff, didn’t think too highly of his son’s hobby, remarking that he should spend more time on the ground, tending to business.
When World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
broke out, Graham used his hobby to serve his country, first serving as a flying instructor in Uvalde
Uvalde, Texas
Uvalde is a city in and the county seat of Uvalde County, Texas, United States. The population was 14,929 at the 2000 census.Uvalde was founded by Reading Wood Black in 1853 as the town of Encina. In 1856, when the county was organized, the town was renamed Uvalde for Spanish governor Juan de...
, teaching raw recruits the basics of flying and preparing them for the extreme pressures of combat. Once the need for new pilots had been met, Mr. Graham was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the Army Air Corps
United States Army Air Corps
The United States Army Air Corps was a forerunner of the United States Air Force. Renamed from the Air Service on 2 July 1926, it was part of the United States Army and the predecessor of the United States Army Air Forces , established in 1941...
. He was assigned to the Air Transport Command
Air Transport Command
Air Transport Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its mission was to meet the urgent demand for the speedy reinforcement of the United States' military bases worldwide during World War II, using an air supply system to supplement surface transport...
and was first stationed in Dallas, ferrying planes to and from points across the United States. He later flew across the Atlantic Ocean and Africa to a duty station in India, leaving his wife at home, pregnant with their first child. He flew The Hump
The Hump
The Hump was the name given by Allied pilots in the Second World War to the eastern end of the Himalayan Mountains over which they flew military transport aircraft from India to China to resupply the Chinese war effort of Chiang Kai-shek and the units of the United States Army Air Forces based in...
across the Himalayan mountains between India and Burma, delivering planes, troops and cargo in support of the effort to defeat the Japanese.
In 1936, at the age of 22, Graham was elected County Attorney for Kimble County and was later appointed District Attorney for the 112th Judicial District. After completing his military obligation, Graham returned home in 1945 to resume his law practice. During this time he also wrote and obtained the charter for the First State Bank of Junction, which was granted on November 8, 1947. In 1948, Callan ran for and won election to the House of Representatives of the Texas Legislature, representing a ten county district around Kimble County. He served two terms, and while in the legislature he became known as a “bill killer,” espousing the view that less government was a good thing. During the infamous primary race for the U.S. Senate between Gov. Coke Stevenson and Lyndon Johnson, Graham was sent to the Rio Grande Valley
Rio Grande Valley
The Rio Grande Valley or the Lower Rio Grande Valley, informally called The Valley, is an area located in the southernmost tip of South Texas...
by Coke Stevenson to investigate allegations of voter fraud and ballot box tampering. Graham discovered a number of irregularities; however, not enough proof was gained in the short time required to contest the primary results, and LBJ went on to win the seat in the general election. Graham maintained to his death that Gov. Stevenson should have won the election, but he also was adamant that LBJ had no direct knowledge of any wrongdoing.
Among Mr. Graham’s accomplishments during his time in the legislature, perhaps the one that most affected the people of Kimble County was the passage of a bill establishing the Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University is a coeducational public research university located in College Station, Texas . It is the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System. The sixth-largest university in the United States, A&M's enrollment for Fall 2011 was over 50,000 for the first time in school...
Center at Junction in March 1949 (Now the Texas Tech University Center at Junction
Texas Tech University Center at Junction
Texas Tech University Center at Junction is an official off campus teaching site of Texas Tech University in Junction, Texas. It hosts undergraduate and graduate courses in an intensive three-week period format from May through July. Additionally, an Intersession is held in May; this allows...
). Another legislative action taken by Graham that directly affected the people of Kimble County was preventing the closure of the Kerrville State Hospital, a facility that has served not only this community, but many others as well. While in the legislature, Graham also drafted and sponsored an anti-abortion bill. Later, as an influential lobbyist he wrote and helped pass the first minimum wage law in Texas.
On November 2, 1950, Graham and a partner were granted a permit to operate Junction’s first radio station, thus KMBL Radio was born on Flat Rock Lane near the South Llano River. Following his two terms in the Texas House, Callan and Maude moved their family to San Antonio where he took a position with a law firm. In 1954, he accepted the position of General Counsel for the Texas Manufacturers’ Association, an organization designed to promote productivity and business. This began a long career as a lobbyist in Texas politics. In 1956, the Graham family moved to Austin where Callan took the position of Executive Director of the Texas Good Roads Association, lobbying for highway improvement and construction.
In 1963, Callan resigned his position with the TGRA and accepted an offer from the Catholic Bishops of Texas to organize and head up the Texas Catholic Conference. This organization was established to foster cooperation between and to coordinate the efforts of the separate Catholic dioceses of Texas. The importance that Callan placed on this position is underscored by the fact that he took a substantial cut in salary when he accepted the job. Ten years later, Callan “retired” to the family ranch in 1973, to raise a few cattle and renew old friendships. In recognition of his faithful service to the church, Callan was made a Knight in the Order of the Holy Sepulchre
Order of the Holy Sepulchre
The Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem is a Roman Catholic order of knighthood under the protection of the pope. It traces its roots to Duke Godfrey of Bouillon, principal leader of the First Crusade...
.
Duty called again however, and in 1986 Callan was asked to fill an unexpired term as Kimble County Attorney, the office that he was first appointed to fifty years earlier. He was re-elected twice more, and retired for good in 1998. In 1996 the people of Kimble County honored him with the Lifetime Achievement Award. Callan was also a past president and long time member of the Junction Rotary Club, and was honored with the club’s Paul Harris
Paul P. Harris
Paul Percy Harris was a Chicago, Illinois, attorney best known for founding Rotary International in 1905, a service organization that currently has well over one million members worldwide.-Biography:...
Fellowship in 2005.
Marriage and children
Callan married his high school sweetheart, Maude Rowena Boone, in the old Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Menard, TexasMenard, Texas
Menard is a city in and the county seat of Menard County, Texas, United States. The population was 1,653 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
on July 31, 1935, the same church and date as Callan’s parents were married in 1913. This was the first Catholic Church in what is now the Diocese of San Angelo, and the land for the church was donated by Callan’s grandfather, J.J. Callan, a founding pioneer of both Coleman and Menard counties. In all Callan and Maude had five children, Michael Callan in 1944, John Stephen in 1946, James Timothy in 1948, Margaret Mary in 1954 and Patrick Boone in 1958.