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Hogg Family History

The Hogg Foundation for Mental Health was established by the children of one of Texas' greatest governors and businessmen, James Stephen Hogg, the first native governor of Texas.

Born near Rusk, Texas on March 24, 1851, Hogg was both a lawyer and newspaper editor before being elected attorney general in 1886, and governor in 1890. A staunch Democrat, Hogg was recognized as one of the country’s most progressive governors.

After the death of his wife Sallie in 1895, Hogg returned to law. Though in debt when he left the governor's office, Hogg built a modest family fortune through his law practice and investments. Most importantly, he instilled in his children an interest in public service before his death on March 3, 1906.

The Governor's eldest son, William C. Hogg, was born in Quitman, Texas, on January 31, 1875, and earned his law degree at The University of Texas in 1897. Upon his father's death in 1906, Will joined his brothers Mike and Tom to take charge of the family investments. Active in The University of Texas Ex-Students’ Association and a member of the Board of Regents, Will led the fight in 1917 against Governor James E. Ferguson’s attempts to wrest away the prestigious University’s autonomy.

Upon his death in 1930, Will bequeathed the bulk of his estate to The University of Texas. Will’s sister, Miss Ima, decided the endowment would be used to develop and conduct “. . . a broad mental health program of great benefit to the people of Texas.” Known as one of Texas’ leading philanthropists, Miss Ima is credited with helping found the Houston Symphony Orchestra, establishing the Houston Child Guidance Center, serving on the Houston School Board, and setting up a painting-to-music program in the public schools.

In 1966 she presented Bayou Bend, the River Oaks mansion she and her brothers had built in 1927, and all her collection of early American art and antiques to the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston. Prior to her death in 1975, Miss Ima directed that part of her estate be used to create her own endowment within the Hogg Foundation to support direct mental health services for children and their families in the Greater Houston area.

Hogg Foundation History
The Hogg Foundation for Mental Hygiene was created in 1940 under the leadership of sociologist Dr. Robert Lee Sutherland. Its initial mission was to educate the people of Texas about the then little-known concept of "mental hygiene" by sending experts and scholars across the state to promote the positive, preventive, and therapeutic aspects of mental health.

By 1950, the Foundation’s educational mission had expanded to incorporate a communications program which was developed to produce pamphlets and radio broadcasts that responded to public concerns about the care and treatment of the mentally ill. The Foundation played a critical role in the drafting of revisions and improvements to the code governing the Texas State Hospitals and Special Schools.

In 1955, the Foundation decided to complement its communications efforts by awarding grants for basic and applied research, training, and fellowships to better address emerging mental health challenges. As the 1950s ended, the Foundation changed its name to the Hogg Foundation for Mental Health.

By the 1960s, the Foundation’s grantmaking program grew to encompass projects demonstrating new ideas in mental health services, expanding the Foundation’s role to include convening, communication, research and grantmaking.

By the time psychologist Dr. Wayne Holtzman was named to succeed Dr. Sutherland as executive director, the Foundation had established itself as a leader in philanthropy across the southwest.

With Miss Ima Hogg’s passing in 1975, she bequeathed her own legacy to create the Ima Hogg Endowment to support mental health service projects dedicated to the needs of children and their families in Houston.

On the passing of Dr. Sutherland, the Sutherland Chair in Mental Health & Social Policy was created at The University of Texas at Austin’s School of Social Work. In addition, the Foundation initiated a series of biennial Robert Lee Sutherland Seminars, the first being held in 1978. Over the years, the Sutherland Seminars have convened thousands to address mental health issues.

The Foundation’s continued growth through the 1980s culminated with the creation of the multi-million dollar School of the Future project, which provided an integrated spectrum of both prevention and treatment services for lower-income schools in Austin, Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio. To this day, parts of the effort continue to operate in three of the original sites.

In 1993, Dr. Wayne Holtzman stepped down and Dr. Charles Bonjean was named the Foundation’s new executive director. Dr. Bonjean’s emphasis upon strengthening the Foundation’s work in the areas of collaboration and convening led to the sharpening of its focus upon three priority program areas: Children and Their Families, Youth Development, and Minority Mental Health.

In 2002, Dr. Bonjean retired and was succeeded by Dr. King Davis as executive director. The change in leadership prompted another opportunity to assess the Foundation’s capabilities to address emerging challenges in mental health.

Today's Hogg Foundation
Under Dr. Davis' leadership, the Foundation has not only revitalized its mission, vision, and goals, but is embarking on a new chapter to making substantive contributions to mental health services, research, public policy, and public education for Texas and the nation.  

Early in his tenure, Dr. Davis began exploring how the Foundation's grantmaking approach could be modified to have a larger impact on the delivery of mental health services in Texas. In discussions with stakeholders around the state and nation, he determined that the Foundation could increase its leadership in the field by moving from funding unsolicited grant proposals on various topics to targeting its grant monies in Texas' specific areas of need.  

In 2005, the Foundation underwent an intensive strategic planning process to determine how best to invest its limited resources. Foundation staff held a series of meetings with numerous state and national stakeholders to assess the most pressing issues in the field, with the goal of identifying critical areas in which the Foundation could have a significant impact.  

It was through this process that the Foundation selected its three priority funding areas: Integrated Health Care, Cultural Competence, and Workforce Development.  

The Foundation is focusing its resources in these areas for the next several years. In moving Texas forward on each of these fronts, the Foundation will enlist its leadership and resources to achieve its mission to improve the mental health of all Texans.