All I Want for Christmas is to be an Adult
Cause No. 114681 – Ex Parte Howard Robard Hughes, Jr
Judge Mark Davidson ; Hughes in the 1930s
The week before Christmas is often a slow time at the Harris County Courthouse. There are no jury calls and very few jury trials still going on from the period before jury calls are stopped. A few divorces may be granted, but there are usually less of those as well. In short, there are fewer legal emergencies that require lawyers and judges to postpone their holiday celebrations. An exception to this rule took place in December of 1924. Howard R. Hughes, Sr. had died on January 14th of that year. His wife Allene Gano Hughes, had died two years before, and the
sole heir of the estate was his eighteen year old son.
Mr. Hughes had invented a phenomenally successful oil bit, and the inheritance of his son was to be substantial. Throughout 1924, R. C. Kukdell had served as the manager of Hughes Oil Tools company for the benefit of his son. That son was Howard R, Hughes, Jr. On December 24, 1924, he celebrated his nineteenth birthday. It was apparently decided that, notwithstanding his youth, he was up to the challenge of taking control of the company. On the 24th, a petition was prepared asking that a district court of Harris County declare young Howard to be an adult.
Among the allegations in the petition are that he was “… sober, studious, and industrious; that he does not indulge in the use of intoxicants or tobacco, and that his conduct is that of an orderly, sober and moral young person.” The petition was filed by Frank Andrews of the firm of Andrews, Streetman, Logan, and Mobley.
That same day, two supporting affidavits were prepared and signed. Mr. Kuldell, as the administrator of the estate of Hughes, Sr. swore to the contents of the petition in his capacity as manager of Hughes Oil Tools Company. County Judge Chester Bryan, signed an affidavit stating that he knew young Howard and recommended that the petition be granted. According to legend, Mr. Andrews, Howard Hughes and Walter Monteith, the Judge of the 61st District Court, spent Christmas morning at the Houston Country Club playing a round of golf. Spending a few hours on the links would certainly have given Judge Monteith the ability to survey the character and fitness of Howard to be adjudicated an adult.
The next morning, the petition was filed. The case was not assigned to any particular one of Harris County’s four civil district courts. Judge Monteith appeared at the courthouse, and agreed to hear the matter. The former County Judge of Harris County, A. E. Ammerman was appointed to be the guardian ad litem for the minor, and he appeared to serve. It is uncertain how long the hearing lasted, but it was granted on December 26th, 1924, the same day it was filed.
Judge Ammerman was awarded a $250.00 ad litem fee, the equivalent of about $2,700.00 in 2019 dollars. Hughes would perform admirably as the President of Hughes Oil Tools. The company would grow many times over the size of the company he inherited. In time, he would use his profits to found a movie studio, an airline, and several hotel/casinos in Las Vegas. He also became a bit of an eccentric, totally withdrawing from the public eye decades before his death in 1976.
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