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Electra Waggoner Biggs

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Electra Waggoner Biggs
BornNovember 8, 1912
DiedApril 23, 2001(2001-04-23) (aged 88)
Resting placeWest Hill Cemetery, Sherman, Texas, U.S.
OccupationSculptor
Spouse2, including John Biggs
ChildrenElectra, Helen
Parent(s)E. Paul Waggoner
Helen Waggoner
RelativesDaniel Waggoner (paternal great-grandfather)
William Thomas Waggoner (paternal grandfather)
Harlow H. Curtice (brother-in-law)
Gene Willingham (son-in-law)

Electra Waggoner Biggs (November 8, 1912 – April 23, 2001) was a Texas-born heiress, socialite and artist, and owner of a portion of the Waggoner Ranch in Texas. She is widely known for her sculptures of Will Rogers, Dwight Eisenhower, Harry Truman, Bob Hope, Knute Rockne and numerous other prominent subjects.[1][2]

Both the Lockheed L-188 Electra turboprop,[3] and the Buick Electra, were named after Biggs, the latter by her brother-in-law, Harlow H. Curtice, former president of Buick and later president of General Motors.[4]

Early life[edit]

Biggs was born on November 8, 1912, and was named after her aunt, Electra Waggoner,[2] after whom the town of Electra, Texas, is named. Her father, E. Paul Waggoner, was an heir to the Waggoner Ranch in Texas.[4] Her mother Helen was a socialite.[4]

Biggs grew up in a privileged family and attended Miss Wright's Boarding School in Pennsylvania, where she discovered a love of art — later studying sculpture in New York and at the Sorbonne in Paris.[5] Ultimately becoming well-known as a sculptor,[4] a large collection of Biggs' works are featured at the Red River Valley Museum in Vernon, Texas.[6]

Sculpture[edit]

Most of the sculptures Biggs created were busts. They include:[7]

Personal life[edit]

Biggs married Gordon Bowman in 1933, divorcing two years later[5][4] — their wedding was photographed by Edward Steichen.[3] Her second husband, John Biggs, worked for International Paper[4] and together they had two daughters, Helen Biggs Willingham of Vernon, Texas and Electra (Ellie) Biggs Moulder of Jacksonville, Florida.[4][8]

As well as living at the Waggoner Ranch, Biggs maintained a home at 4700 Preston Road in Dallas, designed by locally noted architect Anton Korn.[9]

She died on April 23, 2001.

References[edit]

  1. ^ Pam Smith (April 25, 2001). "Will Rogers' statue artist dies at 88". Dailytoreador.com.
  2. ^ a b "Waggoners History". Archived from the original on 2016-10-25. Retrieved 2012-04-23.
  3. ^ a b Rubin, Dana (July 21, 2017). "The Texas 100: Money Becomes Electra". Texas Monthly.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g Cartwright, Gary (January 2004). "Showdown at Waggoner Ranch". Texas Monthly. Retrieved 21 July 2022.
  5. ^ a b Gilette, Shannon (2017-07-21). "Electra II: The Legacy of Electra Waggoner Biggs". North Texas Farmer and Ranch Online.
  6. ^ "Electra Waggoner Biggs". Red River Valley Museum. Archived from the original on 2012-10-05. Retrieved 2012-04-24.
  7. ^ Porter, Roze McCoy, Electra II: Electra Waggoner Biggs, Socialite, Sculptor, Ranch Heiress, Red River Valley Museum, Vernon, Texas, 1995
  8. ^ "Miss Electra Biggs To Marry in Spring". The New York Times. November 19, 1967. Retrieved 2015-02-24.
  9. ^ "Anton Korn Design - 4700 Preston Road, Dallas, Texas". Architecturally Significant Homes.
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