William Carey Graves was a DemocraticTexas State Senator for 4 terms and Majority Leader & Senate President for two of those terms. Graves was Governor of Texas for a day, a self-educated man, a patriot; Graves was an example of men, not classically educated, coming to the early days of Texas with a quality of willingness: to work, achieve and improve life for his family and country.
Education and Early Years
Carey Graves was educated in the public school system of Washington Parish, Louisiana. Graves' first job was that of farmer on his father's land. After graduating from High School, he married Elois Richardson Graves. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy as a Radio Operator on the U.S. Battleship New Jersey. In his spare time, he read the requirements to pass the Bar in the State of Texas. Elois and Cary Graves had one child, a daughter named Maxine Graves Price.
Legal and political career
Known politically as Bill Graves, Carey Graves arrived in Texas looking for every advantage a young state offered. Worked as a Locomotive Fireman on the New Orleans and Northern Railroad, while waiting on results from Texas State Bar Association. Graves passed the Bar Exam the first time he sat for it. As an attorney, he worked on Bills for Old Age Assistance, Teacher Retirement, and Aid for the Blind, Aid for Dependent Children.
October 5–14, 1946, Texas Governor Coke R. Stevenson was called away from the State of Texas & on October 14, 1946 the Lieutenant Governor, John Lee Smith, was called away from the State of Texas; October 14, 1946 Senator Graves, as Majority Leader, was called to act as Texas Governor.
49th R.S. - 1945 Commerce and Manufacturing Constitutional Amendments Finance Highways and Motor Traffic Insurance Internal Improvements Military Affairs Penitentiaries Public Health State Affairs Veterans' Affairs 48th R.S. - 1943 Assignment and Employment, Special Commerce and Manufacturing Constitutional Amendments Contingent Expense Counties and County Boundaries Criminal Jurisprudence Feed Shortage, Investigation, Special Finance Insurance Judicial Districts Military Affairs State Departments and Institutions State Penitentiaries 47th R.S. - 1941 Civil Jurisprudence Commerce and Manufactures Counties and County Boundaries Highways and Motor Traffic Insurance Labor Penitentiaries Public Health Public Printing State Affairs State Institutions and Departments 46th R.S. - 1939 Civil Jurisprudence Commerce and Manufacturing Federal Relations Highways and Motor Traffic Insurance Internal Improvements Nominations of Governor Privileges and Elections Rules State Affairs Towns and City Corporations
