Clint Murchison, Sr.

Clinton Williams Murchison (April 11, 1895 – June 20, 1969) was a noted Texas-based oil magnate and political operative. Among his companies was the Southern Union Company. He was also the father of Dallas Cowboys owner and founder Clint Murchison Jr.

Personal Murchison, the third child of John Weldon and Clara Lee Murchison, was born April 11, 1895, in Tyler, Texas.

During World War I, Murchison served as a first lieutenant in the United States Army.

Family In 1920, Murchison married Anne Morris from Tyler, Texas, and they had three sons: John Dabney Murchison (September 5, 1921 – June 14, 1979), Clinton Williams Murchison Jr. (September 12, 1923 – March 30, 1987), and Burk Yarbrough Murchison (January 26, 1925 – April 15, 1936).

In 1945 Murchison formed Delhi Oil Corporation, which became one of the largest integrated independent oil companies in the country. Delhi's Canadian subsidiary developed gas reserves in Western Canada leading Murchison to build the 2,100-mile Trans-Canada Pipe Lines completed in 1958. Delhi Australia developed gas reserves in Australia and Delhi Coastal Transmission transported gas from Texas to Florida. In 1955, Delhi merged with Taylor Oil and Gas Company to form Delhi-Taylor Corporation. Murchison also acquired holdings in the Kirby Petroleum Company.

Murchison had good relations with the Haitian dictator François 'Papa Doc' Duvalier. Murchison owned a Haitian flour mill.

Politics Murchison was an ardent believer in states' rights and constitutional rights. During the early 1930s, he became involved in a fierce battle over oil proration. He was interested in defending and upholding the private enterprise system, particularly for the oil and gas industry. Other political interests included farm legislation, a federal land bank, the milk industry, international trade, the gold system and the fight against Communism.

Murchison and Sid Richardson lobbied Dwight D. Eisenhower to run for President of the United States. Murchison's letter was one of two personally presented to Eisenhower on the day he decided to run. According to Brown, Johnson had a meeting with several of the men after which he told her: “After tomorrow, those goddamn Kennedys will never embarrass me again. That’s no threat. That’s a promise.” |group="nb" Brown's story received national attention and became part of at least a dozen John F. Kennedy assassination conspiracy theories.