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'''Marshall Clinton Formby, Jr.''' (April 12, 1911 – December 27, 1984), was a [[Texas]] [[attorney]], [[newspaper]][[ publisher]], [[radio]] executive, and a [[Democratic Party|Democratic]] [[politician]] who served a term from 1941 to 1945 in the Texas]] State Senate for District 30. He was a defender of West Texas interests and entitled a 1962 book, ''These Are My People.''

'''Marshall Clinton Formby, Jr.''' (April 12, 1911 – December 27, 1984), was a [[Texas]] [[attorney]], [[newspaper]] [[publisher]], [[radio]] executive, and a [[Democratic Party|Democratic]] [[politician]] who served a term from 1941 to 1945 in the Texas State Senate for District 30, which includes twenty-four mostly [[rural]] counties in West Texas. He was a defender of regional interests and entitled a 1962 book, ''These Are My People.''

Formby was a maternal [[uncle]] of former state Senator [[Robert Duncan]], a [[Moderate Republican]] from [[Lubbock]] who formerly held the  District 28 seat until he was appointed as the chancellor of the [[Texas Tech University]] System.​

Formby was a maternal uncle of former state Senator [[Robert Duncan]], a [[Moderate Republican]] from [[Lubbock]] who formerly held the  District 28 seat until he was appointed as the chancellor of the [[Texas Tech University]] System.​

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==Background==

==Background==

Formby was born in the same house as his father, Marshall Formby, Sr. (1877–1957),<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=32028450|title=Marshall C. Formby|publisher=findagrave.com|accessdate=November 18, 2019}}</ref> a [[farmer]] and school board member in the Bethel community near [[rural]] Como in Hopkins County in East Texas. His mother was the former Rosa Mae Freeman (1882–1971).<ref name=plainview>{{cite web|url= http://www.centennialcircleofhonorplainviewtexas.com/13.html|title=Marshall Formby|publisher=centennialcircleofhonorplainviewexas.com|accessdate=December 18, 2009}}</ref>​

Formby was born in the same house as his father, Marshall Formby, Sr. (1877–1957),<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=32028450|title=Marshall C. Formby|publisher=findagrave.com|accessdate=November 18, 2019}}</ref> a [[farmer]] and school board member in the Bethel community near [[rural]] Como in Hopkins County in East Texas. His mother was the former Rosa Mae Freeman (1882–1971).<ref name=plainview>{{cite web|url= http://www.centennialcircleofhonorplainviewtexas.com/13.html|title=Marshall Formby|publisher=centennialcircleofhonorplainviewexas.com|accessdate=December 18, 2009}}</ref>​

When Marshall was five years of age, the family relocated to McAdoo in Dickens County in West Texas. As a child, he was nicknamed "Potts" because he frequently played in an iron wash pot. Young Formby attended public schools in McAdoo through his junior year of high school. In 1928, he received his diploma from Spur High School, also in Dickens County.<ref name=plaque>{{cite web|url=http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~txdicken/markers/marshall_formby.html|title=Marshall Formby Historical Plaque Dedication|publisher=rootsweb.ancestry.com|accessdate=December 18, 2009}}</ref>

When Marshall was five years of age, the family relocated to McAdoo in Dickens County in West Texas. As a child, he was nicknamed "Potts" because he frequently played in an iron wash pot. Young Formby attended public schools in McAdoo through his junior year of high school. In 1928, he received his diploma from Spur High School, also in Dickens County.<ref name=plaque>{{cite web|url=http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~txdicken/markers/marshall_formby.html|title=Marshall Formby Historical Plaque Dedication|publisher=rootsweb.ancestry.com|accessdate=December 18, 2009}}</ref>

In 1937, Judge Formby received a [[Master of Arts]] in journalism  from the [[University of Texas at Austin]]. While at UT, he was a correspondent covering the state legislature for ''The Amarillo Times'' in [[Amarillo]], the largest city in the Texas Panhandle.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.depts.ttu.edu/masscom/alumni/halloffame/mformby.php|title=Texas Tech University:College of Mass Communications|publisher=depts..ttu.edu|accessdate=December 18, 2009}}</ref>​

In 1937, Judge Formby received a [[Master of Arts]] in journalism  from the [[University of Texas at Austin]]. While at UT, he was a correspondent covering the state legislature for ''The Amarillo Times'' in [[Amarillo]], the largest city in the Texas Panhandle.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.depts.ttu.edu/masscom/alumni/halloffame/mformby.php|title=Texas Tech University:College of Mass Communications|publisher=depts..ttu.edu|accessdate=December 18, 2009}}</ref>​

Soon a state senator, his legislative service was interrupted by [[World War II]], in which he served in [[Europe]] in the [[United States Army Corps of Engineers]]. He was discharged as a captain. Formby married the former Sharleen Wells (1918-2010), later Sharleen Rhoads of [[Midland]] after Formby's death. The couple, who met in [[Austin]], had two children, Frances Formby Seales of Lubbock (born 1955) and David W. Formby (born 1957) of Plainview, and two grandchildren. A native of Barberton, [[Ohio]], Sharleen graduated as an [[English]] major from a junior college. She married Formby on September 8, 1946, in Seale, [[Alabama]]. (Coincidentally, their daughter married a man named "Seales.") Sharleen taught at the United States Army War College in [[Washington, D.C.]], and later attended graduate school at the [[University of Texas]], at which she studied radio communication. In August 1947, the Formbys moved to Plainview in Hale County north of Lubbock.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~txdicken/swcoll.htm|title=Southwest Collection at Texas Tech for Dickens County|publisher=rootsweb.ancestry.com|accessdate=December 18, 2009}}</ref>​

As a state senator, his legislative service was interrupted by [[World War II]], in which he served in [[Europe]] in the [[United States Army Corps of Engineers]] and was discharged as a captain. Formby married the former Sharleen Wells (1918-2010), later Sharleen Rhoads of [[Midland]] after Formby's death. The couple, who met in [[Austin]], had two children, Frances Formby Seales of Lubbock (born 1955) and David W. Formby (born 1957) of Plainview, and two grandchildren. A native of Barberton, [[Ohio]], Sharleen graduated as an [[English]] major from a junior college. She married Formby on September 8, 1946, in Seale, [[Alabama]]. (Coincidentally, their daughter married a man named "Seales.") Sharleen taught at the United States Army War College in [[Washington, D.C.]], and later attended graduate school at the [[University of Texas]], at which she studied radio communication. In August 1947, the Formbys moved to Plainview in Hale County north of Lubbock.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~txdicken/swcoll.htm|title=Southwest Collection at Texas Tech for Dickens County|publisher=rootsweb.ancestry.com|accessdate=December 18, 2009}}</ref>​

For a time Formby operated the weekly ''Aspermont Star'' in rural Aspermont in Stonewall County in West Texas and later  ''The Plainview Tribune.'.<ref name=plainview/> In the late 1940s,Formby pursued his [[Juris Doctor]]ate degree, which he received in 1951 from [[Baylor University]] Law School in [[Waco, Texas|Waco]], Texas.<ref name=formby>{{cite web|url= http://www.lib.utexas.edu/taro/ttusw/00098/tsw-00098.html|title=Marshall Formby: An Inventory of His Papers, 1883-1989 and undated, at the Southwest Collection/Special Collections Library|publisher=lib.utexas.edu|accessdate=December 18, 2009}}</ref>​

For a time Formby operated the weekly ''Aspermont Star'' in rural Aspermont in Stonewall County in West Texas and later  ''The Plainview Tribune.'.<ref name=plainview/> In the late 1940s,Formby pursued his [[Juris Doctor]]ate degree, which he received in 1951 from [[Baylor University]] Law School in [[Waco, Texas|Waco]], Texas.<ref name=formby>{{cite web|url= http://www.lib.utexas.edu/taro/ttusw/00098/tsw-00098.html|title=Marshall Formby: An Inventory of His Papers, 1883-1989 and undated, at the Southwest Collection/Special Collections Library|publisher=lib.utexas.edu|accessdate=December 18, 2009}}</ref>​

===1962 gubernatorial campaign===

===1962 gubernatorial campaign===

From 1967 to 1971, he was a member of the Texas Tech regents under original appointment of Governor [[John Connally|John B. Connally, Jr.]] In 1962, Formby had been among the intra-party rivals defeated by Connally for the Democratic [[Governor|gubernatorial]] nomination. ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' termed Formby "a [[conservative]]" in the primary contest but did not elaborate on what were his slim chances of winning the nomination. The other contestants were sitting Governor Marion Price Daniel, Sr., who sought an unprecedented fourth two-year term; Don Yarborough, a [[liberal]] lawyer and supporter of [[organized labor]] from [[Houston, Texas|Houston]]; former state Attorney General [[Will Wilson]], later a Republican convert, and retired Army [[General]] Edwin Anderson Walker (1909-1993) of Dallas, known for his staunch [[Communism|anti-communism]]. Connally went on to defeat the Republican Jack Cox (1921-1990), himself a former Democratic member of the Texas House of Representatives in West Texas and then an oil-equipment executive in Houston.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,896085,00.html|title=Nation: Talking in Texas|publisher=''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'|date=April 22, 1962|accessdate=November 18, 2019; under pay wall}}</ref><ref>

From 1967 to 1971, he was a member of the Texas Tech regents under original appointment of Governor [[John Connally|John B. Connally, Jr.]] In 1962, Formby had been among the intra-party rivals defeated by Connally for the Democratic [[Governor|gubernatorial]] nomination. ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' termed Formby "a [[conservative]]" in the primary contest but did not elaborate on what were his slim chances of winning the nomination. The other contestants were sitting Governor Marion Price Daniel, Sr., who sought an unprecedented fourth two-year term; Don Yarborough (1925-2009), a [[liberal]] lawyer and supporter of [[organized labor]] from [[Houston, Texas|Houston]]; former state Attorney General [[Will Wilson]], later a Republican convert, and retired Army [[General]] Edwin Anderson Walker (1909-1993) of Dallas, known for his staunch [[Communism|anti-communism]]. Connally went on to defeat the Republican Jack Cox (1921-1990), himself a former Democratic member of the Texas House of Representatives in West Texas and then an oil-equipment executive in Houston.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,896085,00.html|title=Nation: Talking in Texas|publisher=''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'|date=April 22, 1962|accessdate=November 18, 2019; under pay wall}}</ref><ref>

Two other former state highway directors who lost gubernatorial races during this period of history were [[Fred Preaus]] in [[Louisiana]] in 1956 and Henry Ward in [[Kentucky]] in 1967.</ref> John Connally, meanwhile, served three two-year terms as governor from 1963 to 1969, the only office to which he was ever elected.​

Two other former state highway directors who lost gubernatorial races during this period of history were [[Fred Preaus]] in [[Louisiana]] in 1956 and Henry Ward in [[Kentucky]] in 1967.</ref> John Connally, meanwhile, served three two-year terms as governor from 1963 to 1969, the only office to which he was ever elected.​

​The historical plaque at Formby's grave in McAdoo says that he "exemplifies the hard working, never say quit character of West Texans whom he so vividly portrayed in . . . ''These Are My People'' (1962). . . in politics, in business, and in community affairs. Formby represented the small town, rural character of [[Great Depression|Depression]]-era Texas west of the 100th meridian, a place where it seldom rained, the wind always seemed to blow, and settlers met obstacles head on with a gritty spirit and a will to succeed."<ref name=plaque/>​

​The historical plaque at Formby's grave in McAdoo says that he "exemplifies the hard working, never say quit character of West Texans whom he so vividly portrayed in . . . ''These Are My People'' (1962). . . in politics, in business, and in community affairs. Formby represented the small town, rural character of [[Great Depression|Depression]]-era Texas west of the 100th meridian, a place where it seldom rained, the wind always seemed to blow, and settlers met obstacles head on with a gritty spirit and a will to succeed."<ref name=plaque/>​

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==References==

==References==

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