Thomas Jewett Mabry (October 17, 1884 December 23, 1962) was an American attorney, politician and judge, who was chief justice of the
New Mexico Supreme Court
The New Mexico Supreme Court is the highest court in the U.S. state of New Mexico. It is established and its powers defined by Article VI of the New Mexico Constitution. It is primarily an appellate court which reviews civil and criminal decisio ...
(1939–46) and the
14th governor of New Mexico (1947–51).
Career
Mabry attended the
University of Oklahoma
, mottoeng = "For the benefit of the Citizen and the State"
, type = Public research university
, established =
, academic_affiliations =
, endowment = $2.7billion (2021)
, pr ...
and the
University of New Mexico School of Law
The University of New Mexico School of Law (UNM Law or New Mexico Law) is the law school of the University of New Mexico, a public research university in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Founded in 1947, it is the first and only law school in the state.
...
. He settled in
Clovis, New Mexico
Clovis is a city in and the county seat of Curry County, New Mexico. The city had a population of 37,775 as of the 2010 census, and a 2019 estimated population of 38,319. Clovis is located in the New Mexico portion of the Llano Estacado, in the ...
, where he practiced law and published the local newspaper. He was a member of the New Mexico Constitutional Convention in 1910.
Mabry held numerous political and judicial posts, including serving in the
New Mexico Senate
The New Mexico Senate ( es, Senado de Nuevo México) is the upper house of the New Mexico State Legislature. The Senate consists of 42 members, with each senator representing an equal number of single-member constituent districts across the stat ...
(1912–17); on the
Albuquerque
Albuquerque ( ; ), ; kee, Arawageeki; tow, Vakêêke; zun, Alo:ke:k'ya; apj, Gołgéeki'yé. abbreviated ABQ, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of New Mexico. Its nicknames, The Duke City and Burque, both reference its founding in ...
City Commission (1926–27); as
District Attorney of Albuquerque (1932–36); and as a state district judge (1937–39). From 1939 to 1946, he was chief justice of the New Mexico Supreme Court. He was elected Governor as a
Democrat
Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to:
Politics
*A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people.
*A member of a Democratic Party:
**Democratic Party (United States) (D)
**Democratic ...
in 1946 and reelected in 1948. In 1917, during his time at the New Mexico Senate, his second wife
Katherine Mabry became the one of the first female lawyers in New Mexico.
During Mabry's time as governor, the state was active in several post-
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
initiatives, including creation of state commission on alcoholism and a fair employment practice commission.
Mabry's governorship was notable for his involvement in the
"Brushy" Bill Roberts hearing. "Brushy" Bill Roberts claimed to be the outlaw William H. Bonney, a.k.a. Billy the Kid, and applied for a pardon from crimes Bonney had committed in New Mexico. Mabry announced the meeting, which was covered by the press. Mabry announced that he did not believe Roberts' story, and denied the pardon application. The press attention and the trip from his home in
Hico, Texas ''For other instances of Hico, see: Hico (disambiguation)''
Hico (, ) is a small city located in Hamilton County in central Texas, United States.
Named for its founder's hometown of Hico in southwestern Kentucky, Hico's original location was o ...
to Santa Fe had a negative effect on the elderly Roberts' health, and he died soon afterwards.
In retirement, Mabry was a resident of Albuquerque. He died there on December 23, 1962, and was buried at Fairview Memorial Park in Albuquerque.
External links
Thomas J. Mabryat ''National Governors Association''
*
at ''Oklahoma Cemeteries''
at ''Political Graveyard''
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mabry, Thomas J.
1884 births
1962 deaths
People from Carlisle County, Kentucky
New Mexico state court judges
Democratic Party New Mexico state senators
Democratic Party governors of New Mexico
University of Oklahoma alumni
New Mexico lawyers
Justices of the New Mexico Supreme Court
University of New Mexico School of Law alumni
American Presbyterians
20th-century American judges
People from Hico, Texas
People from Clovis, New Mexico
Chief Justices of the New Mexico Supreme Court
20th-century American politicians
20th-century American lawyers