EX-GOVERNOR RICHARD B. HUBBARD, Smith County, TX

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Submitted by Leroy Booker Butler, leroybutler@hotmail.com 
16 May 2001
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EX-GOVERNOR RICHARD B. HUBBARD,  "Some Biographies of Old Settlers."
Historical, Personal and Reminiscent. Volume I
By Sid S. Johnson, 1900: Sid S. Johnson, Publisher, Tyler, Texas
Chapter XXIX - Pages 151-154
Photograph of the Hon. Richard B. Hubbard on page 153

   Hon. Richard B. Hubbard, Ex-Governor of Texas, Chairman of the 
Democratic National Convention of 1884, and the United States Minister 
to Japan, 1885 to 1889, is a citizen of Tyler.

   Gov. Hubbard is a native of Georgia; was born in Walton county, in 
that state, on the 31st of November, 1836. He was educated and 
graduated at Mercer University, Georgia, and received the degree of 
L.L.B. at the Law Department of the University of Virginia, and Harvard 
University of Massachusetts. In 1853, he came to Texas and settled in 
Tyler and commenced the practice of law with the Hon. B.T. Selman, 
(afterwards State Senator from Smith county). In 1856, he was elected 
one of the delegates to the National Democratic Convention of that 
year, at Cincinnati, Ohio, and voted for Franklin Pierce and last for
James Buchanan for President. On the inauguration of President 
Buchanan, he was appointed United States District Attorney for the 
Western District of Texas; he served two years with distinction, and 
resigned to represent his county in the State legislature. In 1859,
1860, and 1861, was a member of the House, and when the unfortunate 
civil war commenced was commissioned Colonel of the 22nd Texas Infantry 
and served faithfully and gallantly up to the surrender.

   At the close of the war, he was forced to private life by the 
Disability Act of the Federal Congress. In 1872 he was elected elector 
from the State-at-large on the Greely ticket. In 1874, he was elected 
president of the State Democratic Convention and unanimously nominated 
for Lieutenant Governor on the ticket with Gov. Richard Coke; was 
elected by 50,000 majority, served as ex-officio President of the 
Senate, and in 1876 became Governor of Texas and served until February, 
1879. During the time he was Governer, he delivered the Centenial 
Oration for Texas at the World's Centenial Fair, at Philadelphia, in 
1876. The oration was translated into many languages and distributed
by hundreds of thousands by the State and Railroad companies and Texans 
generally, and brought a vast stream of emigrants to Texas.

   In 1884, he was temporary chairman of the National Democratic 
Convention, and was the earnest advocate of the nomination of Grover 
Cleveland and Thomas A. Hendricks. He campaigned by special request of 
Governor Hendricks and the National Democratic 
Committee, in Indiana and Illinois. He was appointed by President 
Cleveland Envoy Extraordinary and Minister of Plenipotentiary to Japan, 
where he served with distinction, great credit and honor to the 
country, and the administration from 1885 to 1889.

   Since Governor Hubbard's return home, he has devoted himself to 
private pursuits, until the months of September and October, 1892, 
when, by the earnest request and invitation of the National Democratic 
Committee, and the State Democratic Committees of Indiana and Illinois 
and Missouri, he canvassed these states for Cleveland and Stevenson. 
The press at that time spoke of his brilliant canvas, and the Chairman 
of the State Democratic Committees of Indiana, Illinois, and Missouri 
warmly congratulated Governor Hubbard, by letter, on his success in 
those States for the democracy. He received the hearty endorsement and 
congratulation, in writing, of the National Committee, and of the 
Chairman, especially, of the Western Division of the National 
Committee at Chicago, was well as earnest letters of congratulations 
from Gov. Matthews, of Indiana; Gov. Stone of Missouri; Senator 
Voorhies and Turpie, of Indiana; Vice-President Stevenson, of Illinois, 
and others of prominence.

   On pages 449-50-51, of the volume of "Distinguished American Lawyers 
and Statesmen", is found a most interesting and graphic sketch of 
Governor Hubbard's life and services, written by the Hon. Henry W. 
Scott, the author of the Kansas City Bar, that is a truthful statement 
of the eminent services of Governor Hubbard as a distinguished 
American citizen.

   Governor Hubbard is a remarkably preserved man in physical health 
and mental vigor, and has had a long and distinguished career, and 
still has a bright future.