 thomas jefferson terral (december 21, 1882 &ndash; march 9, 1946) was the 27th governor of arkansas. ==biography== terral was born in union parish in northern louisiana. he attended the university of kentucky at lexington, kentucky, and transferred to the university of arkansas school of law in fayetteville, from which he graduated in 1910. he was admitted to the bar in 1910, and established a private law practice in little rock. he also worked as a school teacher. ==career== from 1911 to 1915, terral worked as an assistant secretary of the arkansas senate where he learned the mechanics of state politics. in addition to the senate position, terral served as deputy state superintendent of public instruction from 1912 to 1916. these dual positions allowed terral to assembly a range of statewide political contacts. ===state politics=== in 1916, terral was elected arkansas secretary of state and served two two-year terms from 1917 to 1921. he ran unsuccessfully for governor in the 1920 democratic primary, having lost to thomas chipman mcrae. preparing to run again for governor in 1924, terral joined the ku klux klan in morehouse parish, which adjoins his native union parish. apparently, he was rejected for klan membership by various chapters in arkansas but wanted to show his commitment to the organization as he 
1882_births 1946_deaths American_educators Arkansas_Democrats Arkansas_lawyers Democratic_Party_state_governors_of_the_United_States Governors_of_Arkansas People_from_Little_Rock,_Arkansas People_from_Union_Parish,_Louisiana University_of_Arkansas_School_of_Law_alumni University_of_Kentucky_alumni