Thomas J. Mabry

Thomas Jewett Mabry ( born October 17, 1884 Carlisle County, Kentucky, † December 23, 1962 in Albuquerque, New Mexico) was an American lawyer and politician and from 1947 to 1951 the 14th Governor of the State of New Mexico.

Early years and political rise

After primary school, Thomas Mabry attended the University of Oklahoma. He then studied at the University of New Mexico law. After his admission to the bar he opened in Clovis (New Mexico), a law firm. He also edited a local newspaper.

Mabry was a member of the Democratic Party. In 1910 he was a member of the Constituent Assembly of New Mexico. Between 1912 and 1917 he sat in the Senate from New Mexico. From 1926 to 1927 he was a member of the City Council of Albuquerque. He served 1932-1936 as District Attorney and from 1937 to 1939 as a district judge. In 1939 he was elected chairman of judges ( Chief Justice ) of the New Mexico Supreme Court appointed. This office he held until 1946.

Governor of New Mexico

On 5 November 1946, he was elected with 53:47 percent of the vote against Republican Edward L. Safford for governor of his state. He took up his new post on 1 January 1947. After a re-election in 1948 he was able to exercise it until 1 January 1951. During this time, some new government institutions were created. Among them were a commission that dealt with the alcohol addiction, an aviation authority for civil aviation, a Commission for the fire protection and a commission for the control of employment ( Fair Employment Practice Commission).

After the end of his governorship, Thomas Mabry retired from politics. He devoted himself to his private business, and died in December 1962. He was married three times and had three children.