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. Mabry
at ''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