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Texian to the Toenails, Texas Governor Series LbNA #63641

Owner:Boots Tex
Plant date:Dec 1, 2012
Location: Grove Hill Cemetery
City:Dallas
County:Dallas
State:Texas
Boxes:1
Found by: Elwood Fan
Last found:Oct 4, 2014
Status:FFFFaa
Last edited:Dec 1, 2012
William Perry Clements, Jr. was the 42nd and 44th governor of Texas. He was born April 17, 1917, in Dallas. After his family lost their farm in the Depression, Clements worked as an oil-field roughneck before attending SMU. He studied there for 2 ½ years, but the oil fields interested him more than school and he began a career in drilling. In 1947, he and two partners borrowed the money to buy two oil drilling rigs, a venture that grew into SEDCO, the world's largest offshore drilling company. Clements served as deputy U.S. secretary of defense in the Nixon and Ford administrations. Clements stunned political observers when he won an upset victory to become the state's first Republican governor since Reconstruction. He brought his business acumen to state government, insisting on sound budgeting and management policies. He also worked for tough anti-crime measures and improvements in the teaching of basics in the public schools, and made strides in improving Texas relations with Mexico. The beginnings of a severe economic downturn led to Clements' defeat for reelection in 1982. He then served as chairman of the board of governors of Southern Methodist University, a time at which the school was rocked by a scandal in the football program. Clements spent much of his second term dealing with the continuing prison overcrowding problem. He also was an enthusiastic supporter of the War on Drugs and other national crime prevention efforts. The recession in Texas continued to be severe, and Clements focused his attentions on job creation, economic diversification, and the recruitment of out-of-state companies. Texas was ordered by the courts to find a more equitable way of funding public schools between rich and poor districts, and considerable effort was spent trying to find a solution. In later years, Clements retired from public life and made his home in Dallas. He operated two ranches in Forney and Kaufman where he raised black Brangus cattle. His campaign manager, Carl Rove, said of Clements, "Texans" is not the only label for the people of our state. There's a more ancient phrase—"Texians." It carries the sense of old values, of a place where a man can rise by the strength of dreams and character, where his word is his most valuable possession, where everyone is equal in dignity and worth, where plain-speaking and directness are essential values, and friendships endure for life. William P. Clements Jr. was a Texian." His biographer, Carolyn Barta, went a step further, claiming he was “Texian to the Toenails”. Clements died on May 29, 2011 and was buried in Grove Hill Cemetery in Dallas.

Directions: This letterbox is located in Grove Hill Cemetery at 4118 Samuell Boulevard (R L Thornton Freeway at Lawnview Exit) in Dallas, Texas. Enter the main gate from Samuells Blvd. and immediately turn left onto the first cemetery road. Find the sign at the second street on the right for Section 57. There are yellow and white striped concrete barriers. Park on the side of the road and walk south past the barriers until you see the governor’s red granite cross marker on the left.

To the Box: Face the cross, with the “Stemmons” marker to your right. Just past and a little right, you should see a hedge-like shrub. The box is at the right side nestled on the ground in the lower branches and covered with a rock. When we were there, there were a surprising number of visitors, so be stealthy and cover the box well when you placed it back where you found it.
Notice! This box was recently exposed due to the shrub being cut down. Check in a different bush to the left.