Bill Clements
A blunt Texas oilman who broke a century of Democratic rule to become governor, reshaping the state's politics with a hard-nosed, business-first philosophy.
1917–2011 (age 94)·American businessman and politician·Birthday: April 13·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Bill Clements was not a career politician. He was a self-made millionaire who founded the giant SEDCO oil drilling company, and he brought that boardroom swagger to the Texas Capitol. In 1978, he stunned the political establishment by becoming the first Republican governor of Texas since Reconstruction, a victory that signaled the state's profound partisan shift. His tenure was pure Texas: pro-business, tough on crime, and fiercely independent. After a single-term defeat, he roared back to win again in 1986, proving his first win was no fluke. Clements governed with a sometimes abrasive, always decisive style, expanding the prison system and championing the oil industry while clashing with educators and the press. He was a foundational figure, the bulldozer that cleared the path for the modern Republican dominance of Texas.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Bill was born in 1917, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Bill Was Born
The biggest hits of 1917
#1 Movie
Cleopatra
Bill's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1917Born
Russian Revolution overthrows the tsar; US enters WWI
President: Woodrow Wilson
1922Started school
King Tut's tomb discovered in Egypt
President: Warren G. Harding"April Showers" — Al Jolson
1930Became a teenager
Pluto discovered
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,510President: Herbert Hoover"Body and Soul" — Paul WhitemanBest Picture: All Quiet on the Western Front
1933Could drive
FDR's New Deal launches; Prohibition ends
Gas: $0.18/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Stormy Weather" — Ethel WatersBest Picture: Cavalcade
1935Could vote
Social Security Act signed into law
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,450President: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Cheek to Cheek" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: Mutiny on the Bounty
1938Turned 21
Kristallnacht and the escalation toward WWII
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $2,850Min wage: $0.25/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Begin the Beguine" — Artie ShawBest Picture: You Can't Take It with You
1947Turned 30
India gains independence; the Dead Sea Scrolls found
Gas: $0.23/galHome: $6,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Near You" — Francis CraigBest Picture: Gentleman's Agreement
1957Turned 40
Sputnik launches the Space Age
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $10,550Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"All Shook Up" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: The Bridge on the River Kwai
1967Turned 50
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1977Turned 60
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1987Turned 70
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1997Turned 80
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2011Died at 94
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
Key Achievements
- Became the first Republican Governor of Texas since Reconstruction when elected in 1978.
- Founded the Southern Ocean Drilling Company (SEDCO), which became one of the world's largest offshore drilling contractors.
- Served as Deputy Secretary of Defense under President Richard Nixon from 1973 to 1977.
- Won a non-consecutive second term as governor in 1986, defeating incumbent Democrat Mark White.
Did You Know?
He served in the United States Navy during World War II.
He was a member of the "University of Texas System Board of Regents" before becoming governor.
His 1978 gubernatorial campaign spent a then-record $7 million, much of it his own money.
“I ran the state of Texas like I ran my business: you get results or you're gone.”
