Clayton Williams facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Clayton Williams
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| Personal details | |
| Born |
Clayton Wheat Williams Jr.
October 8, 1931 Alpine, Texas, U.S. |
| Died | February 14, 2020 (aged 88) Midland, Texas, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouses | Betty Meriwether (divorced), Modesta Williams (his death) |
| Alma mater | Texas A&M University |
| Occupation | Businessman |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch/service |  United States Army |
| Years of service | 1954–1957 |
Clayton Wheat "Claytie" Williams Jr. (born October 8, 1931 – died February 14, 2020) was a successful businessman from Midland, Texas. He was known for his work in the oil industry. In 1990, he ran for Governor of Texas, representing the Republican Party. Even though he was very popular at first, he eventually lost the election.
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Growing Up and School
Clayton Williams was born in Alpine, Texas on October 8, 1931. He went to Texas A&M University in College Station. In 1954, he earned a degree in animal husbandry, which is about raising farm animals. After college, he served in the U.S. Army, just like his father did during World War I.
Building a Business Empire
After serving in the Army, Clayton Williams followed in his father's footsteps. In 1957, he started working in the oil fields of West Texas. He began as a lease broker, helping people get rights to drill for oil. Many of his companies focused on finding and producing natural gas. They also worked on moving natural gas and other related liquids. In 1993, his company, Clayton Williams Energy, Inc., became a public company. This meant its shares could be bought and sold by anyone.
Williams also expanded his businesses into other areas. He owned farms, ranches, and real estate. He even owned banks. For a while, he ran a long-distance phone company called ClayDesta. The name was a mix of his name, Clay, and his wife's name, Modesta. He also taught business classes at Texas A&M for six years.
In 1977, Clayton Williams served as a leader for the Association of Former Students at Texas A&M. This group helps connect past students with the university. In January 2017, his company, Clayton Williams Energy, was sold to another company, Noble Energy, for a lot of money.
Running for Governor
The 1990 Texas Governor's Race
Clayton Williams decided to run for Governor of Texas in 1990. The governor is the leader of a state, similar to a president for a country. The previous governor, Bill Clements, decided not to run again. This was partly because of some problems linked to a university where he had been a director.
Williams competed against several other candidates to become the Republican choice for governor. He won the party's nomination. He spent a lot of his own money on his campaign. He presented himself as a "Good Old Boy" from Texas, which appealed to many voters. At first, he was far ahead in the polls. People even called the race "Claytie vs. The Lady" because he was running against Ann Richards. If he had won, he would have been only the second Republican governor of Texas since the Reconstruction period after the Civil War.
However, Williams made some public mistakes during his campaign. In one debate, he refused to shake hands with Ann Richards. This was seen as impolite. He also admitted he didn't know about a certain law that was on the ballot. He also said he hadn't paid any income tax in 1986.
Despite leading by many points in August and spending almost twice as much money as Ann Richards, Williams lost the election. Surveys showed that many voters decided to support Richards in the last month before the election. When he gave his speech after losing, he joked with his supporters. He said, "I've got some good news and some bad news. The bad news is that we lost; the good news is that it is not the end of the world." When people encouraged him to run again, he replied, "I may be an Aggie, but I am not crazy."
Other Political Involvement
Clayton Williams also supported other political campaigns. In 2008, he raised over $300,000 for John McCain's presidential campaign. In 2012, he gave $1 million to a political group called American Crossroads.
His Final Years
Clayton Williams passed away on February 14, 2020. He died from problems related to pneumonia.
