L. DeWitt Hale

Full Name: Louis DeWitt Hale
Date of birth: June 10, 1917
Date of death: February 20, 2018

Terms of Service
Biographical Notes
Committee Information
Legislation

Terms of Service top

Chamber	District	Dates of Service	Legislatures	Party	City/County	Note	Counties in District
H	48-C	Jan 11, 1977 - Sep 30, 1978	65th ⁽¹⁾ ⁽²⁾	Democrat	Corpus Christi / Nueces		Nueces
H	48-1	Jan 14, 1975 - Jan 11, 1977	64th	Democrat	Corpus Christi / Nueces		Nueces
H	48-1	Jan 9, 1973 - Jan 14, 1975	63rd	Democrat	Corpus Christi / Nueces		Nueces
H	45-4	Jan 12, 1971 - Jan 9, 1973	62nd	Democrat	Corpus Christi / Nueces		Kleberg, Nueces
H	45-4	Jan 14, 1969 - Jan 12, 1971	61st	Democrat	Corpus Christi / Nueces		Kleberg, Nueces
H	46-F	Jan 10, 1967 - Jan 14, 1969	60th	Democrat	Corpus Christi / Nueces		Kleberg, Nueces
H	36-4	Jan 12, 1965 - Jan 10, 1967	59th ⁽³⁾	Democrat	Corpus Christi / Nueces		Nueces
H	36-3	Jan 10, 1961 - Jan 8, 1963	57th	Democrat	Corpus Christi / Nueces	Speaker Pro Tem, 3rd C.S., 1/17/1962.	Nueces
H	36-3	Jan 13, 1959 - Jan 10, 1961	56th	Democrat	Corpus Christi / Nueces		Nueces
H	36-3	Jan 8, 1957 - Jan 13, 1959	55th	Democrat	Corpus Christi / Nueces		Nueces
H	36-3	Jan 11, 1955 - Jan 8, 1957	54th	Democrat	Corpus Christi / Nueces		Nueces
H	36-3	Jan 13, 1953 - Jan 11, 1955	53rd	Democrat	Corpus Christi / Nueces		Nueces
H	43	Jan 10, 1939 - Dec 14, 1940	46th ⁽⁴⁾	Democrat	Farmersville / Collin		Collin

(1) Hale resigned 10/4/1978. Members of the Texas Congress 1836-1845; Members of the Texas Legislature 1846-2004, 2005.
(2) Hale resignation letter dated 9/28/1978, effective midnight, 9/30/1978. Texas House of Representatives, Chief Clerk's Office.
(3) Sworn 11/23/1964. Oaths of Office.
(4) Hale resigned 12/14/1940. Members of the Texas Congress 1836-1845; Members of the Texas Legislature 1846-2004, 2005.

Terms of Service top

House District 48-C
Jan 11, 1977 - Sep 30, 1978
Legislatures: 65th ⁽¹⁾ ⁽²⁾
Party: Democrat
Home City/County: Corpus Christi / Nueces
Counties in district: Nueces

House District 48-1
Jan 14, 1975 - Jan 11, 1977
Legislatures: 64th
Party: Democrat
Home City/County: Corpus Christi / Nueces
Counties in district: Nueces

House District 48-1
Jan 9, 1973 - Jan 14, 1975
Legislatures: 63rd
Party: Democrat
Home City/County: Corpus Christi / Nueces
Counties in district: Nueces

House District 45-4
Jan 12, 1971 - Jan 9, 1973
Legislatures: 62nd
Party: Democrat
Home City/County: Corpus Christi / Nueces
Counties in district: Kleberg, Nueces

House District 45-4
Jan 14, 1969 - Jan 12, 1971
Legislatures: 61st
Party: Democrat
Home City/County: Corpus Christi / Nueces
Counties in district: Kleberg, Nueces

House District 46-F
Jan 10, 1967 - Jan 14, 1969
Legislatures: 60th
Party: Democrat
Home City/County: Corpus Christi / Nueces
Counties in district: Kleberg, Nueces

House District 36-4
Jan 12, 1965 - Jan 10, 1967
Legislatures: 59th ⁽³⁾
Party: Democrat
Home City/County: Corpus Christi / Nueces
Counties in district: Nueces

House District 36-3
Jan 10, 1961 - Jan 8, 1963
Legislatures: 57th
Speaker Pro Tem, 3rd C.S., 1/17/1962.
Party: Democrat
Home City/County: Corpus Christi / Nueces
Counties in district: Nueces

House District 36-3
Jan 13, 1959 - Jan 10, 1961
Legislatures: 56th
Party: Democrat
Home City/County: Corpus Christi / Nueces
Counties in district: Nueces

House District 36-3
Jan 8, 1957 - Jan 13, 1959
Legislatures: 55th
Party: Democrat
Home City/County: Corpus Christi / Nueces
Counties in district: Nueces

House District 36-3
Jan 11, 1955 - Jan 8, 1957
Legislatures: 54th
Party: Democrat
Home City/County: Corpus Christi / Nueces
Counties in district: Nueces

House District 36-3
Jan 13, 1953 - Jan 11, 1955
Legislatures: 53rd
Party: Democrat
Home City/County: Corpus Christi / Nueces
Counties in district: Nueces

House District 43
Jan 10, 1939 - Dec 14, 1940
Legislatures: 46th ⁽⁴⁾
Party: Democrat
Home City/County: Farmersville / Collin
Counties in district: Collin

Biographical Information top

Selected newspaper articles

Resolutions and Journal entries

53rd Legislature, R.S., HSR 32. Resolutions - Congratulatory and Honorary.
59th Legislature, 1st C.S., HSR 43. Resolutions - Congratulatory and Honorary.
61st Legislature, R.S., HSR 52. Resolutions - Congratulatory and Honorary.
62nd Legislature, 1st C.S., HSR 30. Resolutions - Congratulatory and Honorary.
65th Legislature, 2nd C.S., HCR 20. Resolutions - Congratulatory and Honorary.
67th Legislature, R.S., HR 295, honoring former speakers and certain members on the occasion of Speaker's Day. Resolutions - Congratulatory and Honorary.
81st Legislature, R.S., HR 1242. Resolutions - Congratulatory and Honorary.
81st Legislature, R.S., SR 649. Resolutions - Congratulatory and Honorary.

Biographical Sketches

Oral history interviews available in Oral History Collection, University of North Texas.
Hale, L. DeWitt. Texas State Cemetery.

Military Service Notes

United States Air Force, 1st Lieutenant; Air Force Reserve, Lieutenant Colonel. Description of military service, L. DeWitt Hale general biographical material, 9/1/1971. Legislative Clipping Service.
United States Army Air Forces, 1st Lieutenant, 1943-1946, World War II; awarded Army Commendation Medal; Air Force Reserve. 81st Legislature, R.S., HR 1242. Resolutions - Congratulatory and Honorary.

Other Resources

Delegate to the Texas Constitutional Convention, 1974. Record of Proceedings, Texas Constitutional Convention: Official Journals, January 8 - July 30, 1974, 1975.
Notice of death, 2/23/2018. Speaker of the House.

Texas Monthly's Best and Worst Legislators

Named one of 'The Worst'. Best and Worst Legislators 1977.
Named one of 'The Best'. Best and Worst Legislators 1973.

Photographs

Photograph. L. DeWitt Hale, 65th Legislature, State Preservation Board
Photograph. L. DeWitt Hale, 64th Legislature, State Preservation Board
Photograph. L. DeWitt Hale, 63rd Legislature, State Preservation Board
Photograph. L. DeWitt Hale, 62nd Legislature, State Preservation Board
Photograph. L. DeWitt Hale, 61st Legislature, State Preservation Board
Photograph. L. DeWitt Hale, 60th Legislature, State Preservation Board
Photograph. L. DeWitt Hale, 59th Legislature, State Preservation Board
Photograph. L. DeWitt Hale, 56th Legislature, State Preservation Board
Photograph. L. DeWitt Hale, 56th Legislature, Texas Yearbook, 56th Legislature
Photograph. L. DeWitt Hale, 55th Legislature, State Preservation Board
Photograph. L. DeWitt Hale, 54th Legislature, State Preservation Board
Photograph. L. DeWitt Hale, 53rd Legislature, State Preservation Board
Photograph. L. DeWitt Hale, 46th Legislature, State Preservation Board

Composite Photographs on Display in the Capitol

46th session composite photo of House members (3rd floor back hall, west wall. 3W.C1). State Preservation Board.
53rd session composite photo of House members (Ground floor corridor, south wall. GW.C1). State Preservation Board.
54th session composite photo of House members (Ground floor corridor, south wall. GW.C1). State Preservation Board.
55th session composite photo of House members (Ground floor corridor, south wall. GW.C1). State Preservation Board.
56th session composite photo of House members (Ground floor corridor, south wall. GW.C1). State Preservation Board.
57th session composite photo of House members (Ground floor corridor, south wall. GW.C1). State Preservation Board.
59th session composite photo of House members (Ground floor corridor, south wall. GW.C1). State Preservation Board.
60th session composite photo of House members (Ground floor corridor, south wall. GW.C1). State Preservation Board.
61st session composite photo of House members (Ground floor corridor, south wall. GW.C1). State Preservation Board.
62nd session composite photo of House members (Ground floor corridor, south wall. GW.C1). State Preservation Board.
63rd session composite photo of House members (Ground floor corridor, south wall. GW.C1). State Preservation Board.
64th session composite photo of House members (Ground floor corridor, south wall. GW.C1). State Preservation Board.
65th session composite photo of House members (Ground floor corridor, south wall. GW.L1). State Preservation Board.

Committee Information top

65th R.S. - 1977 Elections General Investigating (Chair) Grand Juries, House Joint Select Judiciary (Vice Chair)
64th R.S. - 1975 Board of Managers (Chair) Functions of the Judiciary, Select (Chair) Impeachment, Select (Chair) Judicial Qualifications Commission Study, Special (Chair) Judiciary (Vice Chair) Local and Consent Calendars (Vice Chair) State Affairs
63rd R.S. - 1973 Calendars Constitutional Convention Planning (Co-Chair) Judiciary (Chair)
62nd R.S. - 1971 General Investigating, Special House Rules and Procedures Judiciary (Chair) Liquor Regulation Penitentiaries Public Education Rules
61st R.S. - 1969 Banking Study Higher Education Judiciary (Chair) Livestock Preschool Education Standards Rules
60th R.S. - 1967 Education Judiciary (Vice Chair) Liquor Regulation Public Lands and Buildings (Chair) Rules
59th R.S. - 1965 Conservation and Reclamation Education General Investigating Judiciary (Vice Chair) Liquor Regulation Rules of the House (Chair) State Hospitals and Special Schools
57th R.S. - 1961 Education General Investigating, Special Judiciary (Chair) Liquor Regulation (Vice Chair) Rules State Affairs
56th R.S. - 1959 Aeronautics Education Federal Relations Liquor Regulation Public Printing
55th R.S. - 1957 Commerce and Manufacturer's Judiciary Liquor Regulation (Chair) Public Lands and Buildings Public School System (Hale-Aikin Committee of Twenty-Four) (Vice Chair) Rules
54th R.S. - 1955 Conservation and Reclamation Constitutional Amendments Judiciary (Vice Chair) Liquor Regulation Public Printing
53rd R.S. - 1953 Judiciary Labor Liquor Regulation (Vice Chair) Oil, Gas and Mining Penitentiaries
46th R.S. - 1939 Counties Federal Relations House Rules Revision Judicial Districts Municipal and Private Corporations State Eleemsoynary and Reformatory Institutions

This website is a work in progress. Information on this website is provided as a public service by the Legislative Reference Library. The Legislative Reference Library makes no representation as to its completeness or accuracy and makes no warranty in regard to its use. Users assume all risk of reliance on the information included on this site.

Party information is not available for the 1st-11th Legislatures.

Have a question, comment or contribution? Email the Library or call 512-463-1252.

Many photos in Texas Legislators: Past and Present are used with permission of the Texas State Preservation Board. For permission to reproduce these photos, please contact the Texas State Preservation Board graphics coordinator at 512-475-3060.