Hobby, William Pettus

Hobby, William Pettus

(1878–1964) publisher, governor; born in Moscow, Texas. Starting as a clerk at the Houston Post, he became managing editor by 1905. Democratic lieutenant governor of Texas (1914–17) he became governor mid-term (1917–20). He updated the highways, regulated gas and oil, and supported women's voting rights, but also got 90% of Texas to prohibit alcohol. He returned to publishing afterward, becoming president (1924) then owner (1939) of the Houston Post.