Hilmar Moore

Hilmar Guenther Moore (; July 28, 1920 – December 4, 2012) was an American rancher and long-time mayor of Richmond, Texas, for over 60 years. He was the longest-serving mayor in both Texas and the United States.

Biography Hilmar Moore was a cattleman and a fifth-generation Texan, the great-great grandson of a signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence, and grandson of U.S. congressman John Matthew Moore. His maternal great grandfather was Carl Hilmar Guenther. Moore's father John Matthew Moore Jr. also served as Mayor of Richmond. Moore served in World War II.

Mayor of Richmond Moore was first appointed to fill an unexpired term as mayor of Richmond in September 1949 and won 32 elections, A 2008 BBC News report referred to him as "probably the longest-serving elected official in the U.S.", though even as late as 2012 Richmond only described him as the longest serving mayor in Texas, and the second in the US.

In the segregated 1950s and 1960s, Moore persuaded restaurants in Richmond to integrate. He was president of the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association from 1974 to 1976. In 1976, Moore registered as both a Republican and a Democrat.

Moore's father, John Jr., served as a two-term Mayor of Richmond and a two-term judge in Fort Bend County, Texas. Hilmar's grandfather, John Sr., was a U.S. congressman and member of Texas House of Representatives.

Chair of Texas Welfare Board Moore was appointed to the Department of Human Resources by Texas Governor Dolph Briscoe. In 1980, a controversy erupted when Moore voiced his view that welfare parents should be sterilized.

Death Moore died on December 4, 2012. A memorial service was held on December 10. Pete Olson and Tom DeLay were two of many political figures who attended his funeral.