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'''William Harrison Bledsoe''', also known as '''W. H. Bledsoe''' (December 23, 1869 – March 30, 1936), was an [[Lawyer|attorney]] and [[business]]man from [[Lubbock, Texas|Lubbock]], [[Texas]], who served as a [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]] from 1915 to 1929 in both houses, consecutively, of the [[Texas State Legislature]]. In 1923, as a [[Texas Senate|state senator]] for [[Texas Senate, District 29|District 29]], which encompassed a large portion of [[West Texas]], he co-authored legislation to establish what became [[Texas Tech University]].
'''William Harrison Bledsoe''', also known as '''W. H. Bledsoe''' (December 23, 1869 – March 30, 1936), was an [[Lawyer|attorney]] and [[business]]man from [[Lubbock, Texas|Lubbock]], [[Texas]], who served as a [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]] from 1915 to 1929 in both houses, consecutively, of the [[Texas State Legislature]]. In 1923, as a state senator for District 29, which encompassed a large geographic portion of West Texas, he co-authored legislation to establish what became [[Texas Tech University]].
==Background==
Bledsoe was born in Cleburne in Johnson County south of [[Fort Worth]], the fifth of six children of Willis Scott Bledsoe (1837–1877), a Democratic member of the Texas House for District 23 with service from 1873 to 1874.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lrl.state.tx.us/legeLeaders/members/membersearch.cfm|title=W. S. Bledsoe|publisher=Texas Legislative Reference Library|accessdate=May 31, 2020}}</ref> His mother, the former Susan Frances Harrison (1840-1909), a native of Overton County, [[Tennessee]], and known as Sue F. Bledsoe,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=18987771|title=Susan Francis Harrison Bledsoe|publisher=findagrave.com|accessdate=May 31, 2020}}</ref> was widowed when he was eight years of age; his oldest living sibling, a sister, Nellie Bledsoe Templeton (1864–1941), was then thirteen. His younger brother, Albert Sydney Bledsoe (1871–1913), was born and died in Cleburne and was married to the former Nettie McQueen.<ref name=findagrave>{{cite web|url=http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=7854482|title=William Harrison Bledsoe|publisher=findagrave.com|author=David Sifford|date=September 9, 2003|accessdate=May 31, 2020}}</ref>
Bledsoe was born in Cleburne in Johnson County south of [[Fort Worth]], the fifth of six children of Willis Scott Bledsoe (1837–1877), a Democratic member of the Texas House for District 23 with service from 1873 to 1874.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lrl.state.tx.us/legeLeaders/members/membersearch.cfm|title=W. S. Bledsoe|publisher=Texas Legislative Reference Library|accessdate=May 31, 2020}}</ref> His mother, the former Susan Frances Harrison (1840-1909), a native of Overton County, [[Tennessee]], and known as Sue F. Bledsoe,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=18987771|title=Susan Francis Harrison Bledsoe|publisher=findagrave.com|accessdate=May 31, 2020}}</ref> was widowed when he was eight years of age; his oldest living sibling, a sister, Nellie Bledsoe Templeton (1864–1941), was then thirteen. His younger brother, Albert Sydney Bledsoe (1871–1913), was born and died in Cleburne and was married to the former Nettie McQueen.<ref name=findagrave>{{cite web|url=http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=7854482|title=William Harrison Bledsoe|publisher=findagrave.com|author=David Sifford|date=September 9, 2003|accessdate=May 31, 2020}}</ref>