William Pettus Hobby (March 26, 1878–June 7, 1964) was the publisher of the Houston Post and the 27th Governor of the U.S. state of Texas from 1917 to 1921.
Born in Moscow, Texas, Hobby became a circulation clerk for the Post in 1895 and was promoted to business writer in August 1901. In 1907 he left the Post to become manager and part owner of the Beaumont Enterprise, and he acquired the entire paper shortly thereafter.
Hobby was elected Lieutenant Governor of Texas in 1914 and after James Edward Ferguson was removed from office in 1917, he became the youngest governor in the history of the state up to that point. He returned to the Enterprise after leaving office and was asked in 1924 to take over as the president of the Houston Post.
In 1931 he married Oveta Culp Hobby, who would later become the first Secretary of the Department of Health, Education and Welfare. In August 1955 Hobby became chairman of the board of the Houston Post Company, which also included the radio station, KPRC, and the television station, KPRC-TV, with Mrs. Hobby as president and editor.
Hobby also served as a member on the Board of Directors of Texas Technological College.[1]
The William P. Hobby Airport and Hobby Elementary in Houston, Texas and Hobby Middle School in San Antonio, Texas are named in his honor.
His son, William P. Hobby, Jr., also served as lieutenant governor of Texas from 1973 to 1991. His daughter, Jessica, was married to Henry E. Catto, Jr., the former US Ambassador to Great Britain. His grandson, Paul Hobby, narrowly lost the election for comptroller of Texas in the 1998 general election.
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by William Harding Mayes |
Lieutenant Governor of Texas 1915–1917 |
Succeeded by Willard Arnold Johnson |
| Preceded by James E. Ferguson |
Governor of Texas 1917–1921 |
Succeeded by Pat Morris Neff |
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