Politician. He is remembered for being a Texas politician serving as Lieutenant Governor from 1895 to 1899. During the American Civil War, he served in the Confederate Army joining John Bell Hood's Fourth Texas Regiment in 1865, but the war was over before he saw much action. After the war, he became a successful businessman before entering politics. Starting in 1890 as a Democrat, he was elected to the Texas State House of Representatives in the 22nd Congress, serving on the State Affairs; Revenue and Taxation; Roads, Bridges, and Ferries; Insurance, Statistics and History; and Stock and Stock raising committees. He was a main force in forming the Railroad Commission Bill. He was a stockholder in the Corsicana State Railway Company. Starting in 1892, he served the Texas State Senate in the 23rd Congress and was the chairman of the Finance Committee. Upon leaving politics, he returned to banking. He was a self-made man. When he was eleven years old, his father died, leaving a widow with six children on a farm. At that point, his mother moved the family to Texas in a two-horse wagon, joining his grandfather. With little formal education, he studied law books on his own. He was a dependable worker, practiced being thrifty, and made good business decisions. After being a clerk in a dry good store, he began to deal in cotton. From 1870 to 1881 he worked as a merchandiser, buying cotton from farmers and using the railroad, shipping the cotton directly to manufacturers in the eastern United States, thus omitting the middle man. He successfully raised cattle and horses. In 1881 he and his two brothers embarked on a banking career. By 1887 their bank was Corsicana National Bank and he was the president. In 1890 he began his political career. He was a religious man, who was active in church. He was one of five citizens to subscribe $5,000 to the campaign to build the Corsicana YMCA and one of the founders of Southern Methodist University. He married twice, taking two brides from Mississippi, and had two daughters and three sons. He died at home. His son Beauford Halbert Jester, entered politics serving as the 6th Texas governor from 1947 until his death in office in 1949.
Politician. He is remembered for being a Texas politician serving as Lieutenant Governor from 1895 to 1899. During the American Civil War, he served in the Confederate Army joining John Bell Hood's Fourth Texas Regiment in 1865, but the war was over before he saw much action. After the war, he became a successful businessman before entering politics. Starting in 1890 as a Democrat, he was elected to the Texas State House of Representatives in the 22nd Congress, serving on the State Affairs; Revenue and Taxation; Roads, Bridges, and Ferries; Insurance, Statistics and History; and Stock and Stock raising committees. He was a main force in forming the Railroad Commission Bill. He was a stockholder in the Corsicana State Railway Company. Starting in 1892, he served the Texas State Senate in the 23rd Congress and was the chairman of the Finance Committee. Upon leaving politics, he returned to banking. He was a self-made man. When he was eleven years old, his father died, leaving a widow with six children on a farm. At that point, his mother moved the family to Texas in a two-horse wagon, joining his grandfather. With little formal education, he studied law books on his own. He was a dependable worker, practiced being thrifty, and made good business decisions. After being a clerk in a dry good store, he began to deal in cotton. From 1870 to 1881 he worked as a merchandiser, buying cotton from farmers and using the railroad, shipping the cotton directly to manufacturers in the eastern United States, thus omitting the middle man. He successfully raised cattle and horses. In 1881 he and his two brothers embarked on a banking career. By 1887 their bank was Corsicana National Bank and he was the president. In 1890 he began his political career. He was a religious man, who was active in church. He was one of five citizens to subscribe $5,000 to the campaign to build the Corsicana YMCA and one of the founders of Southern Methodist University. He married twice, taking two brides from Mississippi, and had two daughters and three sons. He died at home. His son Beauford Halbert Jester, entered politics serving as the 6th Texas governor from 1947 until his death in office in 1949.
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