克里文·卡德·莱格特

Judge, Attorney, Civic Leader, Founder 和 Charter HSU Trustee

凯文·卡德·莱格特, 法官, 律师, 公民领袖, 牧场主, 和农民, 出生在蒙蒂塞洛, 阿肯色州, 11月6日, 1857, 给凯文·凯德和明蒂·莱格特. 他在克莱本大学学习法律, 德州, 检察官办公室, 1879年, 搬到了边境小镇布法罗峡, 德州. When the railroad tracks that were expected to go through Buffalo Gap passed 15 miles to the north, Legett joined those who followed the tracks to found Abilene in 1881. 他参加了城镇土地的第一次拍卖, 很快就成为了社区领袖, 和 became known as the most promising young lawyer in West 德州.

In 1884, 26岁时, Legett was the youngest of the 14 Democratic presidential electors representing 德州. He later led a crusade in West 德州 for statewide prohibition, 和 he personally persuaded the state legislature to mark off a new congressional district in West 德州.

In 1886, 他娶了一个牧场主的女儿, 罗拉布莱恩, 他们生了三个孩子:茱莉亚, Kade, 和露丝.

Legett was a charter member of Abilene Baptist Church (now First Baptist) 和 the city’s “Progressive Committee.他继续公开支持, 在可能的情况下, Abilene projects that attracted an additional railroad, 改善了城镇的供水, 和 added permanent sidewalks 和 electric lights in the downtown area.

虽然他没有受过正规教育, Legett was one of the founders in 1891 of Simmons College, 现在是中文博彩平台. He wrote the school’s first charter 和 served as a member of its first Board of Trustees. Legett was a familiar figure on campus 和 a favorite guest speaker, 发表学校的第一次毕业典礼演讲.

35岁的时候, Legett had gained notoriety as an inspirational speaker 和 was often asked to address local service clubs, 政治集会, 浸信会约定, 市民和专业宴会, 文学社团. 莱格特也被认为是一个头脑冷静的人, astute lawyer with polished oratorical skills 和 thoroughly prepared cases, 和 was later elected first president of the Taylor County Bar Association.

In 1894, his colleagues unsuccessfully tried to persuade him to accept the Democratic nomination to the 德州 Senate. But Legett explained that because the rewards of public office are uncertain, he would not subject the welfare of his family to voters. In 1898, 然而, he accepted an appointment as first referee in bankruptcy for the Abilene district, 他认为是公民职责的职位. 莱格特法官退休的时候, his 22-year tenure exceeded that of any other referee in bankruptcy in the United States.

In 1902, 在金融和领导力危机中, the board of Simmons College unanimously elected Legett as their chairman. 他为学校做的工作包括演讲, 出差参加会议, 为学生寻求经济援助, 回应家长的建议请求, 并请求潜在捐助者的捐款.

莱格特也上了, 由州长任命, on the board of directors at the Agricultural 和 Mechanical College of 德州 (now 德州 A&M)任职8年，其中4年担任总裁. The dem和s on his time grew such that he attempted to resign from the Simmons College Board in 1910, 但当地教会领袖劝阻了他. 在答应Mrs. 来减轻他的公民责任, 他同意在三个地方委员会任职, 为一所新的高中而努力, 一所新的州立师范学校, 和一个新的浸信会疗养院. 他最终从A辞职了&M board shortly thereafter 和 also from the Simmons College board in 1911, 经过近20年的服务. He later accepted reappointment in 1914 to the HSU board, 整个1915年, 为新女生宿舍而奔走.

莱格特家, 位于曲德街602号, served as meeting place for countless gatherings of the leadership of Simmons College, 第一浸信会, 阿比林律师协会, 民主党组织, 还有一批教育家, 神职人员, 牧牛者, 以及来自全州和全国各地的农民.

1926年3月, Judge Legett joined friends of Simmons University to develop a campus beautification program, which included planting 50 pecan trees along the south side of the campus. 今天, the campus is adorned with a bridge named in his honor, dedicated by the Senior Class of 2002 和 the HSU Student Congress.

6月3日, 1926, Legett attended Simmons commencement exercises at 第一浸信会, where he observed the awarding of the first Master of Arts degree. 第二天晚上吃饭的时候, 莱格特法官突然扔掉了他的甜点勺, 和, despite his physician son-in-law’s efforts to assist him, 死于脑溢血，无声无息. The Dallas Morning 中文博彩平台 described his death as “the passing of a political power in West 德州.”

His legacy of community involvement did not die with his passing, 然而. The influence he had on his children continues on today in the expansive philanthropic 和 civic efforts of his gr和children 和 great-gr和children.

It is the high honor of Hardin-Simmons University to recognize one of its most revered founders 和 to formally induct 凯文·卡德·莱格特 into the HSU 领袖堂.