It was during the summer of
1892, when Ima was ten years old, that the story of Governor Hogg having
children named Ima and Ura (and Shesa, or Harry, or Moore) entered into Texas folklore.
Governor Hogg doted on his only daughter, and often took her with him when he
made speeches around the state, seeking his second term as governor. As Ima
recalled years later: “Often we visited friends at these times and I would
enjoy the children of the family while he spoke, but many times all of us would
go and inconspicuously be among those in the audience.” That audience was
mostly farmers and ranchers. City folk were few in 1890s Texas.
J.
S. Hogg was a masterly politician knew how to please a crowd when he made
speeches. If he pointed to his daughter and her little friends and joked that,
“This is my daughter Ima, and this is Ura . . . ” one can imagine the crowd’s
amusement. Ima always denied it, but the story took on a life of its own. A
newspaper clipping from this period declares that “Governor Hogg of Texas has
three bright children, two girls and a boy, whose names respectfully are said
to be Ima Hogg, Ura Hogg, and Moore Hogg. These names were bestowed by Governor
Hogg himself.” Hearsay had it that when Hogg appeared, Ima and a little friend
of hers sat on the platform “at more than one of his speakings. And on each
occasion the big East Texan playfully introduced them as ‘my daughters, Ima and
Ura Hogg.’ ”
After the election was over (Hogg won) he received a
letter from James P. Owens, a Texan then living in Denver, Colorado:
Hon.
Jas S. Hogg
Austin,
Tex
Dear
Sir:
I
trust you will pardon me for being so inquisitive, but as I have had a dispute
over it I appeal to you for a decision. Please tell me if you have three children
named Ura, Ima, & Hesa? Were they so christened?
This
all came about by a party knowing I was a Texan asking me if it were really
true that the Governor’s children were named as above. I said no, but he was
quite sure of it—So I trust you will be kind enough to help me out of it.
Very
Truly Yours
Jas.
P. Owens
213
Ernest & Cranmer Bldg
Denver
Colo.
The Governor’s reply to this letter has not
survived.