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MR.
AMBASSADOR
Edward
Aubrey Clark of San Augustineby
Archie P. McDonald | |
East
Texas has produced two remarkable men named Ed Clark. Today's subject is Edward
Aubrey Clark of San Augustine
and Austin.
I knew "Mr. Ed"
primarily from our years of service together on the Executive Council of the Texas
State Historical Association. One would never have guessed his wealth or political
power from his appearance, but by then he was senior partner in one of Texas'
leading law firms and a board member of Texas Commerce Bank and could dress just
as he wished. Mr. Ed was born in San
Augustine and proud of it. When one met him, it took about two minutes for
him to learn if you had ever even visited San
Augustine.
Mr. Ed attended Southwestern University and Tulane, then
received a law degree from the University of Texas. He began a legal practice
in San Augustine,
served two terms as county attorney, then moved to Austin in 1932 to become an
assistant attorney general. In 1935 Mr. Ed joined the staff of Governor James
Allred, who later appointed him secretary of state in 1937. Mr. Ed formed the
firm of Clark, Thomas, and Winters in 1938, and it quickly became one of the most
influential firms in Texas, partly because of his participation on Texas politics.
Mr. Ed became the person to see in Austin
about access to the state's political leaders, including Lyndon Baines Johnson.
Clark represented the future president in litigation stemming from Johnson's
controversial victory over Coke Stevenson for a US Senate seat in 1948. Clark
also was involved with the political careers of Governor
Allan Shivers, Senator and later Governor
Price Daniel, and other conservative Democrats from the 1930s through the
1980s.
President Johnson appointed Clark ambassador to Australia in 1965,
and Mr. Ed was charmed by the Aussies and they were by him. He found them much
like the East Texans he had known all his life.
Mr. Ed spoke with a slight
lisp, and I can hear it now, from 1985, as we were moving from a TSHA luncheon
at which James A. Michener had heaped praise on a little monograph I had written
titled The Trail To San Jacinto. My good friend, and at that point green-eyed
friend Ben Procter, kept asking, "What did you do to get him to say all that?"
I said, "We fed him dinner."
From the back of the elevator came Mr.
Ed's comment: "Iąd say you got your money's worth!"
© Archie P.
McDonald
All
Things Historical > July
13, 2004 column
A syndicated column in over 70 East Texas newspapers
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