William P. Hobby | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 27th Governor of Texas | |
| In office August 25, 1917 – January 18, 1921 | |
| Lieutenant | Vacant Willard Arnold Johnson |
| Preceded by | James E. Ferguson |
| Succeeded by | Pat Morris Neff |
| 24th Lieutenant Governor of Texas | |
| In office January 19, 1915 – August 25, 1917 | |
| Governor | James E. Ferguson |
| Preceded by | William Harding Mayes |
| Succeeded by | Willard Arnold Johnson |
| Personal details | |
| Born | William Pettus Hobby March 26, 1878 Moscow, Texas, U.S. |
| Died | June 7, 1964 (aged 86) Houston, Texas, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouses | |
| Children | 2, including William Jr. |
William Pettus Hobby (March 26, 1878 – June 7, 1964) was an American politician, journalist, and publisher. He was the publisher/owner of the Beaumont Enterprise when he entered politics and the Democratic Party. Elected in 1914 as Lieutenant Governor of Texas, in 1917 he succeeded to become 27th Governor of the U.S. state of Texas, after James Edward "Pa" Ferguson was impeached and forced to resign. In 1918, Hobby won the office in his own right, serving a full term.
In 1924, Hobby lost the Democratic primary to Miriam A. Ferguson, wife of "Pa" Ferguson and she was elected to the governorship. Hobby returned to publishing, and in 1924 was chosen as president of the Houston Post. He later served as chairman of the board of the Houston Post Company, which had also acquired radio and TV stations.