The first native Texan to become governor, James S. Hogg, had strong connections with Tyler and East Texas before he served as governor from 1891 to 1895.

Hogg was born at Mountain Home, the family estate near Rusk, on March 4, 1851.

He began work as a typesetter in Rusk, later worked on a newspaper in Tyler and edited newspapers in Longview and Quitman, according to records of Texas State Archives.

Hogg began his political career when he served as justice of the peace in Quitman from 1873 to 1875.

Hogg studied law, became a lawyer and was elected county attorney for Wood County in 1878 and served as district attorney for the old Seventh District from 1880 to 1884.

“He became known as the most aggressive and successful district attorney in the state,” states historical information from the Texas State Historical Association.

Later, Hogg entered private law practice in Tyler, but in 1886, Hogg was elected attorney general of Texas.

As attorney general, Hogg encouraged legislation to protect the public domain set aside for the school and institutional fund. He filed lawsuits that returned 1.5 million acres of fraudulently acquired public land, broke up a major railroad price-fixing scheme and aided in crafting the nation’s second anti-trust law, according to Texas Archival Resources Online.

Hogg was elected to his first term as governor in 1890 with his campaign based largely on a pledge to create a railroad commission.

While serving as governor, according to the Texas State Historical Association, Hogg pushed for the law establishing the Railroad Commission and supported legislation reducing watered stock, forcing land corporations to sell their holdings in 15 years.

Hogg supported passage of the Alien Land Law, which checked further grants to foreign corporations in an effort to get the land into the hands of citizen settlers, and the act restricting the amount of indebtedness by bond issues that county and municipal groups could legally undertake.

Acccording to Texas Archival Resources Online, Hogg encouraged educational institutions at all levels.

To encourage businesses settling in Texas, Hogg went to New York, Boston and Philadelphia explaining to business men and chambers of commerce the laws and advantages of the state.

Railroads, banking and business opposed Hogg’s reelection in 1892, but he was supported by farmers and newspapers and won a second term, stated Texas Archival Resources Online.

After leaving office, Hogg established a legal firm in Houston and acquired a substantial fortune when oil was discovered on land that he held, according to the National Governors Association web site.

Hogg died in 1906 in Houston at the age of 54 and was buried in Austin.