The Pickett Family Papers at the Tarlton Law Library document the education and legal practice of the Liberty-based Pickett family, which has deep Texas roots and boasts multiple generations of Texas Law graduates. Edward Bradford Pickett (1823-1882), a lawyer and soldier, moved from Tennessee to Texas around 1851 and established a law practice in Liberty. He served as president of Texas Constitutional Convention of 1875 and as president of the board of directors of the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas from 1876 to 1882. His son Edward B. Pickett (1852-1926) served as district and county clerk in Liberty for 35 years.
Edward B. Pickett's son E. B. Pickett (1877-1951) received a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Texas in 1899. Upon graduation, E. B. Pickett returned to Liberty to practice law. His first firm, opened with C. F. Stevens, was known as Stevens and Pickett. Pickett, shown here in his first office, established a solo practice in 1912.
His son Bradford Pickett (1913-2005) joined him after receiving an LL.B. from the University of Texas School of Law in 1936. Another son Nolan Pickett (1916-1945) also attended Texas Law before enlisting as a pilot in the U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II. He was killed during an air mission over Italy.
Bradford Pickett’s sons followed in their father’s and grandfather’s footsteps. Edward (Ed) B. Pickett and Carl Pickett received law degrees from Texas Law in 1964 and 1971, respectively. Both returned to their hometown where they established legal careers. It is due to the initiative of Ed and Carl Pickett that the Pickett family archives are preserved and made available to the public through the Tarlton Law Library. The Department of Special Collections houses three collections gifted by Ed and Carl Pickett:
All collections are open and available to researchers. Please contact Special Collections to schedule a visit.
