A Joint Project of the Sam Rayburn House Historic Site and the Fannin County Historical Commission

Celebrating America 250 with Spotlights of Fannin County Citizens Who Participated In or Witnessed Historical Events

Fannin County, Texas -- Judge Albert Sidney Broadfoot, Sr., was born in a two-log cabin to Emma Pitt and W.A. Broadfoot in the community of Self in Fannin County, TX, on May 18, 1885. After graduating from East Texas Normal College (now East Texas A&M University in Commerce), he taught at the Emberson school in Lamar County, TX, and then became a teacher and superintendent in Leonard, TX. He attended the University of Chicago law school and the University of  Texas law school, and joined the Texas Bar Association
in 1912.

Two years later, at the age of 29, Albert became the youngest county attorney in Texas at the time when he was elected as the county attorney of Fannin County. World War I came along and he resigned to organize a National Guard Company.

He retired from the bench in 1952, but was appointed by Governor Allan Shivers to preside over the 79th Judicial District, which covered Duval County, home base for George Parr (“the Duke of Duval”) as part of a state-led investigation into the financial affairs and political control of George Parr. His presence was a symbol of the state’s attempt to restore the rule of law in Duval and Jim Wells counties.

Albert and Jessie had one son and three daughters. Albert passed away on August 29, 1980, at the Sam Rayburn Memorial Veterans Center in Bonham and is buried at Willow Wild Cemetery, plot J 414, 5 SW. This information was obtained from the Fannin Co., Texas GenWeb (txfannin.org) and other online sources.

The Sam Rayburn House SHS presented this information at their 2022 Cemetery Walking Tour. For a copy of the 2022 Cemetery Walking Tour guide or for other information, contact the Sam Rayburn House at (903) 583-5558 or email Margo.McCutcheon@thc.texas.gov.