Thomas Sanford Gathright
President July 15, 1876-November 21, 1879
Born: Monroe County, Georgia; January 5, 1829
Died: Henderson, Texas; May 24, 1880; buried in Henderson
Elected President July 15, 1876; relieved of the presidency November 21,
1879 in the
reorganization of the College.
John Garland James
President November 22, 1879-April 1, 1883
Born: Fluvanna County, Virginia; December 1, 1844
Died: Dallas, Texas; February 11, 1930; buried in Austin
Elected President November 22, 1879; resigned April 1, 1883.
James Reid Cole
Acting President April 1, 1883-June 26, 1883
President June 26, 1883-July 19, 1883
Born: Stokes County, North Carolina; November 17, 1839
Died: Dallas, Texas; October 28, 1917; buried in Dallas
Appointed professor of English language, history, and literature on November 22, 1879,
following the dismissal of the Gathright faculty; Appointed Acting President April 1,
1883, following the resignation of James. Office of the President was
abolished in favor of a Chairman of the Faculty System, July 19, 1883.
Hardaway Hunt Dinwiddie
Chairman of the Faculty July 23, 1883-December 11, 1887
Born: Lynchburg, Virginia; October 25, 1841
Died: College Station, Texas; December 11, 1887; buried in Austin
Came to the College in November of 1879 as professor of physics and chemistry.
Following the authorization of the office of chairman of the faculty on July 19, 1883,
the faculty elected him as its chairman on July 23, 1883, a position which he filled
until his death on December 11, 1887.
Louis Lowry
McInnis, A.M.
Chairman of the Faculty January 24, 1888-July 1, 1890
Born: Jackson, Mississippi; March 24, 1855
Died: Bryan, Texas; January 14, 1933; Buried in Bryan
Appointed adjunct professor November 9, 1877; professor of mathematics 1879-1890;
Appointed chairman of the faculty by the Board of Directors on January 21, 1888; served
until July 1, 1890.
William Lorraine
Bringhurst, Ph.D.
Acting President July 1, 1890-January 20, 1891
Born: Alexandria, Louisiana; August 22, 1844
Died: Corsicana, Texas; February 19, 1913; buried in Bryan
Professor of physics, 1882-1885; professor of English and history, 1885-1893; acting
president July 1, 1890, to January 20, 1891.
Lawrence Sullivan Ross
President January 20, 1891-January 3, 1898
Born: Bentonsport, Iowa; September 27, 1838
Died: College Station, Texas; January 3, 1898; buried in Waco
Served as governor of Texas, January 18, 1887, to January 20, 1891. Elected
President of the College on July 1, 1890, "to take effect at the end of his present term
as governor," which was January 20, 1891; served until his death on January 3, 1898.
Roger Haddock Whitlock,
M.E.
Acting President January 17, 1898-July 1, 1898 and December 10, 1901-July 1, 1902
Born: Brooklyn, New York; July 15, 1860
Appointed professor of mechanical engineering in 1883; resigned in 1906. Served
twice as acting president: first, January 17, 1898, to July 1, 1989, following the death
of President Ross; second, December 10, 1901 to July 1, 1902, following the death of
President Foster.
Lafayette Lumpkin Foster
President July 1, 1898-December 2, 1901
Born: Cummings, Georgia; November 17, 1851
Died: Dallas, Texas; December 2, 1901; buried in College Station, Texas
Member of state Legislature, state commissioner of agriculture. Elected president of
the College on June 7, 1898, and by agreement with the Board of Directors set the
effective date as July 1, 1898. Served until his death on December 2, 1901. President
Foster was buried in the College Cemetery, a small burial plot which was originally on
the site where Duncan Hall is now located. His remains and those of several others were
moved in late 1938 or early 1939 to their present location on University property west of
the Southern Pacific tracks.
David Franklin Houston, M.A., LL.D.
President July 1, 1902-September 1, 1905
Born: Monroe, North Carolina; February 2, 1866
Died: New York City; September 2, 1940; buried in Cold Spring Harbor, Long Island
Dean of the faculty, The University of Texas, 1899-1902; elected president of the
College April 7, 1902, but by agreement effective July 1, 1902; resigned August 24, 1905,
effective September 1, 1905, to accept the presidency of The University of Texas.
Henry Hill Harrington
President September 8, 1905-August 7, 1908
Born: Buena Vista, Mississippi; December 15, 1859
Died: Kilgore, Texas; August 16, 1939; buried at Bay City, Texas
Professor of chemistry and mineralogy at Texas A&M at the time of his election to the
presidency of the College on September 8, 1905. Resigned August 7, 1908, effective
September 1, 1908, or at the pleasure of the board. His resignation was accepted as of August 7, 1908.
Robert Teague Milner
President September 1, 1908-October 1, 1913
Born: Cherokee County, Alabama; June 21, 1851
Died: Henderson, Texas
Member of the Texas Legislature 1887-1892; first commissioner of the Texas Department
of Agriculture and as such was an ex-officio member of the Board of Directors, who
elected him to the presidency of the College on August 7, 1908. Resigned June 9, 1913,
effective October 1, 1913.
Charles
Puryear, M.A., LL.D.
Acting President September 1, 1913-August 24, 1914
Born: Boydton, Virginia; October 21, 1860
Died: Bryan, Texas; July 11, 1940; buried at Bryan
Appointed associate professor of civil engineering and physics at Texas A&M in 1889;
professor of mathematics 1890-1932; dean of the College 1907-1932. Appointed president
pro tem on August 18, 1913, but in view of the leave of absence granted to Colonel Milner
(see above), it is a safe assumption that his duties as acting president began on
September 1, 1913, and lasted until August 25, 1914. Dean Puryear also served as acting
president for another month or six weeks during the interim between the resignation of
Dr. Bizzell on June 2, 1925, and the election of Dr. T.O. Walton on September 3, 1925.
William Bennett
Bizzell, Ph.D.
President August 25, 1914-September 1, 1925
Born: Independence, Texas; October 14, 1876
Died: Norman, Oklahoma; May 13, 1944; buried at Norman
President of the old College of Industrial Arts at Denton, Texas, at the time of his
election to the presidency of the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas on August
25, 1914; resigned June 1, 1925, effective September 1, 1925, to accept the presidency of
the University of Oklahoma.
Thomas Otto Walton
President September 3, 1925-August 7, 1943
Born: Near Gray, Texas; March 8, 1884
Died: Bryan, Texas; February 18, 1961; buried at Bryan
Director of Extension Service at time of his election to the presidency of the
College on September 3, 1925; resigned August 7, 1943.
Frank Cleveland Bolton, M.S. LL.D.
Acting President August 9, 1943-May 27, 1944
President September 1, 1948-June 3, 1950
Born: Pontotoc, Mississippi; March 24, 1883
Died: Houston, Texas; January 31, 1961; buried at College Station
Appointed professor of electrical engineering at Texas A&M in 1909; was
vice-president and dean of the College when appointed acting president on August 9, 1943;
served until May 27, 1944. Elected president on July 9, 1948, effective September 1,
1948; served until June 3, 1950.
Gibb Gilchrist,
C.E.
President May 27, 1944-September 1, 1948
Chancellor of the Texas A&M System September 1, 1948-August 31, 1953
Born: Wills Point, Texas; December 23, 1887
Died: College Station, Texas; May 12, 1972; buried in College Station
Appointed dean of the School of Engineering in 1937; elected president of the
Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas May 27, 1944; served until September 1, 1948,
when the Texas A&M System was created and he became the first chancellor of the System,
serving until his retirement on August 31, 1953.
Marion Thomas Harrington, Ph.D.
President June 3, 1950-September 1, 1953 and September 1, 1957-July 1, 1959
Chancellor September 1, 1953-August 31, 1965
Born: Plano, Texas; September 8, 1901
Dean of the College when elected president of the Agricultural and Mechanical College
of Texas on September 22, 1949, effective "at the end of the present school year." This
was interpreted to be June 3, 1950, and on that date he officially took over the reins of
the presidency. He served until September 1, 1953; when he became the second chancellor
of the System, succeeding Mr. Gilchrist. Dr. Harrington was elected president a second
time on August 23, 1957, and in addition to his duties as chancellor served as president
from September 1, 1957, until July 1, 1959. He retired as chancellor on August 31, 1965.
He was the first graduate of Texas A&M University to serve as president and also as
chancellor.
David Hitchens Morgan, Ph.D.
President September 1, 1953-December 21, 1956
Born: Portsmouth, Virginia; January 2, 1909
Died: St. Petersburg, FL; April 21, 1974
Dean of the College when elected president of the Agricultural and Mechanical College
of Texas on June 17, 1953, effective September 1, 1953; resigned December 21, 1956.
David Willard Williams, M.S.
Acting President December 22, 1956-September 1, 1957
Born: Venedocia, Ohio; August 20, 1892
Died: Bryan, TX; October 30, 1985; buried in Bryan
Vice President for agriculture when appointed acting President on December 22, 1956;
served until September 1, 1957.
James Earl Rudder, LL.D.
President of Texas A&M University July 1, 1959-March 23, 1970
President of the Texas A&M University system September 1, 1965-March 23, 1970
Born: Eden, Texas; May 6, 1910
Died: Houston, Texas; March 23, 1970; buried at College Station
Vice President when elected president of the Agricultural and Mechanical College of
Texas June 27, 1959, effective July 1, 1959. On September 1, 1965, when Dr. Harrington
retired as chancellor of the Texas A&M University System, the title was changed to
president, and Mr. Rudder, in addition to his duties as president of Texas A&M
University, became president of the Texas A&M University System, which dual position he
held until his death on March 23, 1970.
Alvin Roubal Luedecke, LL.D.
Acting President March 30, 1970-November 1, 1970
Born: Eldorado, Texas; October 1, 1910
Died: San Antonio, Texas; August 9, 1998; buried at Fort Sam Houston National
Cemetery in San Antonio
Associate dean of the College of Engineering when appointed acting president on March
30, 1970; served until November 1, 1970.
Jack Kenny Williams, Ph.D.
President of Texas A&M University November 1, 1970-July 31, 1977
President of the Texas A&M University System November 1, 1970-July 31, 1977
Chancellor of the Texas A&M University System August 1, 1977-January 24, 1979
Born: Galax, Virginia; April 5, 1920
Died: Houston, Texas; September 28, 1981; buried in Clemson, South Carolina,
on
the campus of Clemson University Vice-President for academic affairs, University of Tennessee System, when elected
President of Texas A&M University and president of the Texas A&M University System on
September 11, 1970, effective November 1, 1970; Elevated to Chancellor of the System on
May 24, 1977; Resigned as Chancellor on January 24, 1979 to return to teaching.
Jarvis E. Miller, Ph.D.
President of Texas A&M University August 1, 1977-July 10, 1980
Born: Orange Grove, Texas; May 30, 1929
Director of Texas Agricultural Extension Service when elected president of Texas A&M
University; left office on July 10, 1980 when reassigned by the Board of Regents to be
Special Assistant to the Chancellor of the Texas A&M University System.
Charles H. Sampson, Jr., Ph.D.
Acting President of Texas A&M University July 10, 1980-August 31, 1981
Born: Portsmouth, Ohio; July 12, 1924
Head of the Department of Chemical Engineering from 1964 until appointed acting
President on July 10, 1980, following the re-assignment of President Miller; Served until
September 1, 1981, when Frank E. Vandiver assumed the Presidency and Sampson was
appointed Vice President for planning.
Frank E. Vandiver, Ph.D.
President of Texas A&M University September 1, 1981- August 31, 1988
Born: Austin, Texas
President of North Texas State University when offered the presidency of Texas A&M
University; Served as President from September 1, 1981, until September 1, 1988, when he
resigned to head the Mosher Defense Institute at Texas A&M University.
William H. Mobely, Ph.D.
President of Texas A&M University September 1, 1988 - August 31, 1993
Chancellor of Texas A&M University System September 1, 1993 - June 12, 1994
Born: Akron, Ohio; November 15, 1941
Executive Deputy Chancellor of Texas A&M University System when assumed the
presidency of Texas A&M University on September 1, 1988; Served as President until
promoted to Chancellor of the Texas A&M University System on September 1, 1993; Resigned
the Chancellor's position on June 12, 1994, to return to teaching.
E. Dean Gage. DVM
Acting President of Texas A&M University September 1, 1993 - June 1, 1994
Born: San Saba, Texas
Serving as Provost and Academic Vice-President at Texas A&M University when appointed
acting President on September 1, 1993, following the promotion of President Mobely; after
withdrawing his name from the search for a permanent president, he left the office on
June 1, 1994, to allow Ray Bowen to assume the presidency.
Ray Bowen, Ph.D
President of Texas A&M University June 1, 1994 - July 31, 2002
Serving as Provost and Academic Vice-President
at Oklahoma State University when elected President of Texas A&M University.