Mary Lucy Kyle Hartson
Mary Lucy Kyle Hartson | |
|---|---|
| Mayor of Kyle, Texas | |
| In office 1937–1941 | |
| Mayor of Kyle, Texas | |
| In office 1944–1946 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Mary Lucy Kyle December 6, 1865 Hays County, Texas |
| Died | March 20, 1956 (aged 90) Wichita Falls, Texas |
| Resting place | Kyle, Texas |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | George Dorr Hartson |
| Residence(s) | Hays County, Texas |
| Alma mater | Sam Houston Normal Institute, Huntsville, Texas |
| Occupation | teacher, postmistress |
Mary Lucy Kyle Hartson (December 6, 1865 - March 20, 1956) was a teacher and postmistress who served two terms as the first female Mayor of Kyle, Texas.[1]
Early Life
[edit]Mary Lucy Kyle was born on December 6, 1865, in Hays County, Texas the daughter of former Confederate captain and future Texas Legislator Fergus Kyle and his wife Anna Elizabeth née Moore. Mary was one of nine children, including Texas A&M administrator, Edwin Jackson Kyle.[1][2]
She attended Sam Houston Normal Institute in Huntsville, Texas, and began teaching in Taylor, Texas.[1][2] In 1891 she married George Dorr Hartson. Hartson was killed in an industrial accident in Mexico in 1901, leaving Mary a widow to raise three children.[1] Later that year, through the influence of her cousin, Albert S. Burleson,[3] Hartson was appointed postmistress of Kyle, a position she held until 1925.[1][2]
Politics
[edit]She was first elected Mayor of Kyle in 1937 as a 72-year-old great grandmother[4] and served a total of six years as mayor.[2] She was an early booster and supporter of Lyndon B. Johnson, who represented her district.[5] During the election of 1940 she stated, "Lyndon is the best man we've ever had in Congress, Cousin Albert notwithstanding."[6] For part of the 1940s, the city council was majority female.[7][8]
Later Years
[edit]Mrs. Hartson lived out her remaining years with one of her children in Wichita Falls, Texas. She died at age 90 on March 20, 1956, in Wichita Falls,[9] and is buried in the Kyle cemetery.[1]
Legacy
[edit]Kyle honored her in an International Women's Day proclamation [10] and also named one of its more significant city parks, Mary Kyle Hartson Park, in her honor.[11]
See Also
[edit]- Mayor Mary Kyle Hartson in driver's seat of fire truck Digital Image by Neal Douglass, 1940, Portal to Texas History.
- Mrs. Mary Kyle Hartson of Kyle, Texas, Digital Image, 1952, University of Texas at Arlington
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f "Mary Lucy Kyle Hartson]". Handbook of Texas Online.
- ^ a b c d "Ladies who Led". Austin-American Statesman. May 17, 2019. Retrieved 26 May 2025.
- ^ "Grand Lady of Politics Visits Here". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. 9 Jan 1952. Retrieved 4 June 2025.
- ^ "Lady Mayor, Pictures to the Editor". Life Magazine. May 10, 1937. p. 80.
- ^ "FDR Is Topic When Mayors of Kyle and Austin Meet; 'There isn't Willkie Button in Sight Around There'". Austin American-Statesman. 1 Nov 1940.
- ^ "Roosevelt Isn't the Only One The Voters Want to Draft for Re-Election; Woman Mayor of Kyle Urged to Re-Enter". Austin American Statesman. 31 Mar 1940. p. 1,4.
- ^ "City and School Trustee Elections". The Kyle News. Vol. 41, no. 52. April 7, 1944.
- ^ "Kyle". Historical Marker Database. Retrieved 26 May 2025.
- ^ "North Texas Pioneer and Mayor Dies at 90". Denton Record-Chronicle. Vol. 53, no. 198. Associated Press. March 21, 1956. Retrieved 26 May 2025.
- ^ "International Women's Day Proclamation". City of Kyle, Texas. Retrieved May 1, 2022.
- ^ "Historic Mary Kyle Hartson Park Receives Lone Star Legacy Designation". City of Kyle Texas. Retrieved February 28, 2025.
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