Maury Maverick
Encyclopedia
Fontaine Maury Maverick was a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives
from Texas
from January 3, 1935, to January 3, 1939. He is best remembered for his independence from the party and for coining the term "gobbledygook
" for obscure and euphemistic bureaucratic language. Maverick was born in San Antonio, Texas
, the son of Albert and Jane Lewis (Maury) Maverick. His grandfather was cattle rancher Samuel Maverick
, one of the signers of the Texas Declaration of Independence
and the source of the word "maverick". He studied at Texas Military Institute, the Virginia Military Institute
and the University of Texas
. He was admitted to the bar in 1916 and practiced law in San Antonio. He was a first lieutenant in the infantry in World War I
and earned the Silver Star
and the Purple Heart
. In the 1920s, he was involved in the lumber and mortgage businesses. From 1929 to 1931, he was the elected collector of taxes for Bexar County
.
He was elected to the Seventy-fourth Congress in 1934 with support from the Hispanic population of his district, and re-elected to the Seventy-fifth. During his 1934 campaign, Maverick enlisted Lyndon Johnson, a then little-known congressional secretary, to work for him during the Democratic primary. In the House, he was an ardent champion of Franklin Delano Roosevelt's New Deal
. He angered the conservative Democrats running the party back in Texas, including John Nance Garner
. He was defeated in the primary for a third term in 1938. He returned to Texas where he was elected Mayor of San Antonio, again with support from minority voters, serving from 1939 to 1941, when he was labelled a Communist and defeated. During World War II
, he worked for the Office of Price Administration
, the Office of Personnel Management
, and served on the War Production Board
and the Smaller War Plants Corporation. After the war, he practiced law in San Antonio
.
He was a cousin of congressmen Abram Poindexter Maury
and John W. Fishburne
of Virginia
and nephew of congressman James Luther Slayden
of Texas
who married Ellen (Maury) at a Maury home called, "Piedmont", in Charlottesville, Virginia which is now a part of U.Va. They are related to Matthew Fontaine Maury
, Dabney Herndon Maury and the early and prominent Fontaine, Dabney, Brooke, Minor, Mercer, Herndon, Slaughter and Slayden families of Virginia, Tennessee, and Texas. He married Terrell Dobbs and had a daughter and son, San Antonio newspaper editorialist Maury Maverick, Jr.
, who died in 2003 at the age of 82.
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
from Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
from January 3, 1935, to January 3, 1939. He is best remembered for his independence from the party and for coining the term "gobbledygook
Gobbledygook
Gobbledygook or gobbledegook is any text containing jargon or especially convoluted English that results in it being excessively hard to understand or even incomprehensible...
" for obscure and euphemistic bureaucratic language. Maverick was born in San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...
, the son of Albert and Jane Lewis (Maury) Maverick. His grandfather was cattle rancher Samuel Maverick
Samuel Maverick
Samuel Augustus Maverick was a Texas lawyer, politician, land baron and signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence...
, one of the signers of the Texas Declaration of Independence
Texas Declaration of Independence
The Texas Declaration of Independence was the formal declaration of independence of the Republic of Texas from Mexico in the Texas Revolution. It was adopted at the Convention of 1836 at Washington-on-the-Brazos on March 2, 1836, and formally signed the following day after errors were noted in the...
and the source of the word "maverick". He studied at Texas Military Institute, the Virginia Military Institute
Virginia Military Institute
The Virginia Military Institute , located in Lexington, Virginia, is the oldest state-supported military college and one of six senior military colleges in the United States. Unlike any other military college in the United States—and in keeping with its founding principles—all VMI students are...
and the University of Texas
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...
. He was admitted to the bar in 1916 and practiced law in San Antonio. He was a first lieutenant in the infantry in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and earned the Silver Star
Silver Star
The Silver Star is the third-highest combat military decoration that can be awarded to a member of any branch of the United States armed forces for valor in the face of the enemy....
and the Purple Heart
Purple Heart
The Purple Heart is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those who have been wounded or killed while serving on or after April 5, 1917 with the U.S. military. The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor is located in New Windsor, New York...
. In the 1920s, he was involved in the lumber and mortgage businesses. From 1929 to 1931, he was the elected collector of taxes for Bexar County
Bexar County, Texas
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,392,931 people, 488,942 households, and 345,681 families residing in the county. The population density was 1,117 people per square mile . There were 521,359 housing units at an average density of 418 per square mile...
.
He was elected to the Seventy-fourth Congress in 1934 with support from the Hispanic population of his district, and re-elected to the Seventy-fifth. During his 1934 campaign, Maverick enlisted Lyndon Johnson, a then little-known congressional secretary, to work for him during the Democratic primary. In the House, he was an ardent champion of Franklin Delano Roosevelt's New Deal
New Deal
The New Deal was a series of economic programs implemented in the United States between 1933 and 1936. They were passed by the U.S. Congress during the first term of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The programs were Roosevelt's responses to the Great Depression, and focused on what historians call...
. He angered the conservative Democrats running the party back in Texas, including John Nance Garner
John Nance Garner
John Nance Garner, IV , was the 32nd Vice President of the United States and the 44th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives .- Early life and family :...
. He was defeated in the primary for a third term in 1938. He returned to Texas where he was elected Mayor of San Antonio, again with support from minority voters, serving from 1939 to 1941, when he was labelled a Communist and defeated. During 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...
, he worked for the Office of Price Administration
Office of Price Administration
The Office of Price Administration was established within the Office for Emergency Management of the United States government by Executive Order 8875 on August 28, 1941. The functions of the OPA was originally to control money and rents after the outbreak of World War II.President Franklin D...
, the Office of Personnel Management
Office of Personnel Management
The United States Office of Personnel Management is an independent agency of the United States government that manages the civil service of the federal government. The current Director is John Berry.-History:...
, and served on the War Production Board
War Production Board
The War Production Board was established as a government agency on January 16, 1942 by executive order of Franklin D. Roosevelt.The purpose of the board was to regulate the production and allocation of materials and fuel during World War II in the United States...
and the Smaller War Plants Corporation. After the war, he practiced law in San Antonio
San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...
.
He was a cousin of congressmen Abram Poindexter Maury
Abram Poindexter Maury
Abram Poindexter Maury was an American politician, who represented Tennessee's eighth district in the United States House of Representatives.-Biography:...
and John W. Fishburne
John W. Fishburne
John Wood Fishburne Virginia Congressman and cousin to Congressmen Fontaine Maury Maverick and James Luther Slayden of Texas. All three of these men are related to the oceanographer, Matthew Fontaine Maury of Virginia....
of Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
and nephew of congressman James Luther Slayden
James Luther Slayden
James Luther Slayden , uncle of Fontaine Maury Maverick and maverick in politics; United States Representative from Texas; son of Thomas A. and Letitia E. Slayden, was born in Mayfield, Graves County, Kentucky, on June 1, 1853...
of Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
who married Ellen (Maury) at a Maury home called, "Piedmont", in Charlottesville, Virginia which is now a part of U.Va. They are related to Matthew Fontaine Maury
Matthew Fontaine Maury
Matthew Fontaine Maury , United States Navy was an American astronomer, historian, oceanographer, meteorologist, cartographer, author, geologist, and educator....
, Dabney Herndon Maury and the early and prominent Fontaine, Dabney, Brooke, Minor, Mercer, Herndon, Slaughter and Slayden families of Virginia, Tennessee, and Texas. He married Terrell Dobbs and had a daughter and son, San Antonio newspaper editorialist Maury Maverick, Jr.
Maury Maverick, Jr.
Maury Maverick, Jr. was an American lawyer, politician, activist, and columnist from the U.S. state of Texas...
, who died in 2003 at the age of 82.