Ferguson, Miriam Amanda (1875-1961), was the first woman governor in the history of Texas . Ferguson, a Democrat , held the office from 1925 to 1927 and from 1933 to 1935. Her husband, James E. Ferguson, had earlier served as governor of the state.
Miriam Amanda Wallace was born in Bell County, in central Texas, on June 13, 1875. She attended Baylor Female College (now the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor). In 1899, she married James Edward Ferguson, a lawyer who later became a banker. The couple had two children.
James Ferguson was elected governor in 1914, and Miriam became first lady of Texas. James Ferguson won reelection in 1916. In 1917, however, the Texas House of Representatives voted to impeach him on charges that included the misapplication of public funds. The Texas Senate convicted him of several charges. It declared him removed from office and banned him from ever holding any office in the state of Texas. For several years, Ferguson tried unsuccessfully to challenge the ban.
In 1924, James Ferguson attempted to get his name on the ballot for governor but was unsuccessful. Miriam Ferguson then announced her candidacy for the position. She pledged to follow her husband’s advice on political matters. She became known to voters as “Ma” Ferguson, in part because of her initials, and her husband took the nickname “Pa.” “Ma” Ferguson’s campaign condemned the Ku Klux Klan and opposed the prohibition of alcohol. She won the election that November.
As governor, Ferguson got a law aimed at restricting Klan activity passed, but the state courts later declared it unconstitutional. She pardoned thousands of convicts to relieve crowded prison conditions. Critics charged that many of the pardons were granted in exchange for bribes or favors. The charges were never proved, but the accusations hurt her politically. Ferguson was defeated for the Democratic nomination for governor in 1926 and 1930.
In 1932, Ferguson secured the Democratic nomination and won a second term as governor. She took office during the depths of the Great Depression of the 1930’s. Observers credited her for stabilizing the state government and pursuing policies to help Texans suffering from the hard economic times. Ferguson did not seek reelection in 1934. She sought the Democratic nomination once again in 1940, but she was defeated by incumbent W. Lee O’Daniel.
James Ferguson died in 1944. Miriam Ferguson died in Austin on June 25, 1961.
