The Hoggs of Texas

Tuesday was the 158th anniversary of the birth of a man named James "Big Jim" Hogg.

If you have never lived in Texas, that name may not mean much to you. But Jim Hogg was governor of the state in the late 19th century.

Hogg was a populist who spoke on behalf of William Jennings Bryan in 1896 and 1900. He wasn't a wealthy man when he left office, but land and oil deals in his post-gubernatorial years permitted him to acquire a sizable fortune.

Hogg's distant cousin, Sid McMath, was governor of Arkansas from 1949–1953.

Hogg may be best remembered for naming his daughter Ima. It's an unusual name, which supposedly came from a poem written by his brother.

Hogg had four children. The other three were all boys.

Ima was the second oldest of the Hogg children. For as long as I can remember, there was a tall tale that Hogg had another daughter who was named "Ura," but that, apparently, is merely an urban legend.

After her father died in 1906, Ima Hogg became one of the most respected Texas women of the 20th century. She studied music in Vienna for two years, then established the Houston Symphony Orchestra upon returning to Texas. She was a philanthropist and art collector, who owned works by Picasso and Matisse. She made hundreds of contributions to Houston's Museum of Fine Arts.

Ima Hogg never married and died in 1975, having lived into her 90s.