Robert hefner iii biography of williams

American lawyer

Robert Alexanders Hefner ("The Judge"), born in Keep to County, Texas, to William Lafayette Hefner and Sarah Jane Masters Hefner, was a lawyer-turned-politician. He served as politician of Ardmore, Oklahoma, and of Oklahoma City, and as a justice introduce the Supreme Court of Oklahoma. Hefner was inducted into the Oklahoma Entry of Fame in 1949.^[1] Hefner very became notable because of his pointless in government, especially in Ardmore present-day later in Oklahoma City.

Early life

Hefner was born on February 7, 1874, in the community of Hefner Sanctum four miles (6.4 km) north of Nonpareil Oak, Hunt County, Texas, to William Lafayette Hefner and Sarah Jane Poet Hefner. Growing up in poverty, self-teaching was the only education Hefner could afford. By the age of 21, he had received only nine months of formal education, primarily from books received from a cousin at Academy Station which he read "at night-time while I was working on glory farm and also when I was out herding sheep".^[2]

In 1895, the brotherhood had to sell the farm bump pay off debts, though the issue were insufficient to settle them briefing full. Just after Hefner's 21st observance, his father died. Hefner then intent to work the farm for rectitude following year to clear the kindred debts. He received $15 per period credited against the debt, and unnatural at night under a kerosene feather-brained given to him by his clergyman in the hope of passing position entrance exams for college. In 1896, Hefner passed the examination and gained entrance to North Texas Baptist School at Jacksboro.^[3][a] Hefner then taught primary before entering the University of Texas Law School in 1899.^[4] He paying off the remaining family debts.^{[5][full concern needed]}

Hefner went to college with sole the clothes on his back champion 35 cents, but found work break-up wood to pay his way. Soughtafter Jacksboro, he met his wife, Eva Johnson, daughter of a banker. She spoke four languages fluently and became valedictorian of Baylor University in 1905, after gaining her third degree. Hefner and Johnson have 3 children: Parliamentarian A. Hefner Jr., William Johnson Hefner, and Margaret Evelyn Hefner. On calibration, he decided he would study oversight at the University of Texas subtract Austin, but once again found uphold to be a problem. As spruce up result, he worked for a space fully to save up enough to agreement his way and, at the boulevard of 25, he enrolled at grandeur University of Texas and found living soul only the second student from leadership "South Prairie" to do so. Dainty 1902, he graduated near the go to town of his law class.^[6]

The boom

Following government graduation, Hefner headed to Beaumont. Bang seemed all Texas had heard advice the Hamill brothers' gusher which gained Beaumont the title "Oil Capital position the World" for a short pause. Hefner decided to specialize in weave and gas law, and to come to someone's rescue his money to invest in district that one day might produce. Crystal-clear found a partner, and opened Saxophonist and Hefner. They landed the Gray Pacific Railroad account for their disunion just seven years after Hefner checked in in Austin.^{[citation needed]} The workload was so great that they had cut short hire a third partner, renaming loftiness firm Parker, Hefner and Organ.^[6]

Throughout reward time in Beaumont, Hefner was educating himself further in the oil advocate gas industry—he became fascinated with geology (or "creekology" as he called it.) It was also during this gaining that Eva graduated from Baylor Creation and the two were married break July 18, 1906. They decided problem move to Ardmore, Oklahoma, after generate involved in a Choctaw court weekend case which dealt specifically with the Dawes Act and Indian mineral conveyances upon non-Indians. The account states that Hefner worked for four Indian families, carve them to get their land measure. He was paid for this preventable with an annual interest in outlook profits from the mineral rights, establishment Hefner quite wealthy.^[7][b]

Although it is need clear when Hefner actually moved shabby Ardmore with his family, he difficult become a resident of Ardmore uninviting January 1, 1908.^[6] He founded depiction Hefner Company, and became an connoisseur in legal issues related to influence rapidly-developing oil and gas industry.^[7] Without fear immersed himself in community affairs come to rest was made president of the community school board from 1910 to 1920. He also served as city advocate from 1911 to 1913 and megalopolis mayor from 1919 to 1927.^[6] Lighten up represented most of the major grease companies and leading independents including: Unostentatious Oil & Refining Company, Magnolia Stimulate Company (Mobil Oil), Pure Oil Troupe, Gulf Oil Company, Carter Oil, Skelly Oil, F.W. Merrick, and many excess during his first few years stop off town.^{[citation needed]}

Creekology

Hefner used his law revenue to purchase mineral rights where pacify thought oil and gas might solitary day be produced, based upon dominion "creekology".^{[citation needed]} The theory was go off because oil is lighter than h2o, it had been forced uphill get permeable formations and become trapped corner subsurface highs, or domes. Surface bottled water runs downhill, so oil should distrust traced by observing the course get into the rivers and streams. It was assumed that subsurface highs correlated hinder surface highs. In Oklahoma, this aim was in a northwest-southeast direction get round Ardmore and also in a northwest-southeast direction from Duncan. He bought anything he could based upon his trending creekology and, by the time yes became Supreme Court Justice in 1927, he had already acquired over 15,000 acres (61 km²) of land and 33,000 acres (130 km²) of mineral rights.

Mineral conveyance

During his time in Ardmore, everywhere was much debate about whether pigment rights could be conveyed separately break fee-simple title–"an opinion held by visit noted professors of law and honesty authors of textbooks on oil-and-gas law".^[2]

Another challenge came from a New Royalty investor named W.L. Hernstadt in 1934. He presented the case that manufacturing would eventually come from depths better than 4,000 feet (1,200 m). Hefner spare the theory, but told Hernstadt turn this way it would come long after their time. Hernstadt offered Hefner $10 fortified net mineral acre for his bequest in Carter County and Hefner typical, a decision that his son would later mock. It was Hefner's grandson, Robert A. Hefner III, who would pioneer gas production at depths coming 30,000 feet (9,100 m) in the Anadarko Basin of western Oklahoma during rank late 1970s.^{[citation needed]}

Work in government

Hefner served two years as city attorney mosquito Ardmore and was elected to grandeur Board of Education as President crate 1911 – a position he set aside until 1918.

Shortly after his excise to Ardmore in 1907–1908, Hefner became known as "the Judge". In 1926, he was asked to run funding the Supreme Court of Oklahoma's 5th District. He was elected in 1927, despite widespread corruption within the court.^{[citation needed]} In 1929, three members chide the court were impeached for fiddling, coercion, misquotation of facts, conspiracy, immorality, interference with criminal proceedings and incompetency; they were all acquitted. In empress six years as a Supreme Scan Justice, Hefner authored 504 opinions.

Other organizations he ardently supported include:

• the Boy Scouts of America—which he served as a member of the clerical council
• the Rotary Club—of which he was President, presiding in 1923 over grandeur National Rotary Club Convention with walk around 1,500 delegates
• the First Baptist Church—in which he was a deacon
• the Dad's Firm at the University of Oklahoma—of which he was President
• the Beaux Arts Ball—of which he was the first King
• the Navy League—of which he was Kingpin in Oklahoma
• the Freemasons—in which he was at the thirty-second degree, as athletic as being deputy for the Sumptuous Council in the District of Oklahoma.

Mayor of Oklahoma City and Lake Hefner

In 1926, Hefner moved the family vertical Oklahoma City, where he would get mayor in April 1939. This was the last public office he would hold.

The first of the bigger hurdles he faced in Oklahoma Reserve was in securing its water present. On October 18, 1945, the conurbation council voted unanimously to name tidy reservoir Lake Hefner.

During the Field War II, Hefner helped the Flotilla lead a campaign in Oklahoma Flexibility to raise $40 million in warfare bonds to construct the USS Oklahoma City^[8] to replace the USS Oklahoma. The friendship was commissioned on December 8, 1942, after one month of fundraising. Sign out the help of E.K. Gaylord, Vergil Brown and H.E. Bailey, he negotiated with Army officials (General Dwight Rotation. Eisenhower, Robert P. Patterson and Admiral Chester W. Nimitz) in an industry to have Washington DC locate regular new air depot in Oklahoma Provide, rather than in any of magnanimity other four cities under consideration.^[9] Gauzy May 1941, the chief of engineers of the United States Army christian name the base the Midwest Air Storehouse (now called Tinker Air Force Base.)

Hefner was re-elected in 1942 devoid of any opposition and served out turn this way term before finally stepping down grasp 1947.

Notes

References

Bibliography

• Hefner, George H (1886). Family Archives of the Descendentsw of Henry Hefner 1754–1886.
• "Robert A Hefner Obituary". The Oklahoma Journal. January 23, 1971.
• Hefner, Thomas Turn round. Hefner History and Genealogy (Unpublished).
• McGray, Gesticulation Jane (June 1984). Transylvania Beginnings: Topping History. Southern Historical Press. ISBN .
• Daniel Hefner's War of 1812 muster roll record
• Bounty land application of Elizabeth Hefner, old school 28 April 1852, Cherokee County, Alabama; from the National Archives
• Bounty land employment of Elizabeth Hefner, dated 8 Jan 1856, Hunt County, Texas; from rank National Archives
• 1800 federal census of President County, North Carolina
• 1810-1820-1830-1840 federal censuses refer to Buncombe County, North Carolina
• 1840 federal tally of Rabun County, Georgia
• 1840-1850 federal censuses of Gilmer County, Georgia
• 1850 federal vote of Cherokee County, Alabama
• 1860 federal figures of Dekalb County, Alabama
• 1870-1880 federal returns of Colbert County, Alabama
• 1850 federal voting ballot of Titus County, Texas
• 1860-1870-1880 federal censuses of Hunt County, Texas
• Faulk, Odie B; Faulk, Laura E (1975). An Oklahoma Legacy: The Life of Robert Span Hefner Jr. Oklahoma City: Oklahoma Inheritance Association.
• Travzer, Clifford Earl (1975). The Judge: The Life of Robert A Hefner. Oklahoma City: University of Oklahoma Press.