He was a member of the prominent Houston law firm of Garrison & Watson, which had an office in the State National Bank Building.

Garrison & Watson were General Division Attorneys for the Southern Pacific Railroad and represented many of the largest corporations in Houston.

[2] After attending the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas near Bryan, he entered the law office of Searcy & Garrett.

[4] He was first elected president pro tempore of the Texas Senate on March 13, 1909, and was nominated by Charles Louis Brachfield.

[5] He was elected president pro tempore a second time on October 21, 1914, after being nominated by Claude Benton Hudspeth.