Electra Waggoner Biggs

Electra Waggoner Biggs (November 8, 1912 – April 23, 2001) was a Texas-born heiress, socialite and artist, and owner 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]

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)

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]

Biography

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]

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][7]

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.[8]

She died on April 23, 2001.

Sculptures

Most of the sculptures Biggs created were portraits. They include:[9]

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