27. Texas and local history

Correspondence, memos, oral history interviews, political pamphlets, broadsides, and clippings, relating to Hall's involvement with the Texas and national Democratic parties and soil and water conservation and improvement. Correspondents include Minnie Fisher Cunningham, Hubert H. Humphrey, Lyndon B. Johnson, Sam Rayburn, Jim Wright, and Ralph Yarborough.

This collection documents Dr. Martin Friedland’s research and writing of his book, "The Death of Old Man Rice" (published 1994), and includes rough working notes, manuscript drafts, subject files, and photocopies of the original trial manuscript.

Business and personal records of J. Russell Wait, Director of the Port of Houston from 1930-1947, offering a comprehensive history of the Port of Houston's construction, facilities, finances, clients and operations from 1931-1962. During this time, the Port of Houston grew from the nation's twelfth largest port to its third largest. Materials also relate to the Brazos River Harbor Navigation District, Houston Ship Channel maps, and scrapbooks on WWII and Japan.

Correspondence, contracts, credit reports, and leases in this collection document the business of Houston, Texas based Merchants & Planters Oil Company, particularly during the last period of its existence, 1930 through 1941. This company was owned by William Marsh Rice and associated with Rice Institute after Mr. Rice's death.

Judge Harris Masterson’s papers relate almost exclusively to his legal practice and real estate dealings after he moved from Brazoria County, Texas, to Houston, dating from 1860-1942, bulk 1880-1920.

The collection consists of correspondence, college materials, pamphlets and programs, materials related to the construction of Sewall residence and the Sewall's Japan trip. The dates for this collection range from 1847 to 1959 with the bulk of the material ranging from 1935 to 1948.