Ottis Lock was a native of Angelina County, served East Texas as a teacher of history in various capacities in public school classrooms and as a maker of Texas history as a member of the Texas State House of Representatives 1938-1949 and then a member of the Texas State Senate 1939-1959, and chairman of the Texas Department of Public Safety and other state agencies. Mr. Lock helped the East Texas region through economic development, especially in the capacity of senior vice president of Southland Paper Mills, Inc., of Lufkin. He also maintained a strong interest in the history, heritage, and folklore of East Texas, evidenced by his service as a trustee of the Southland Paper Mills Foundation. Mr. Lock permitted the establishment in 1984 of an endowment named in his honor and entrusted to the East Texas Historical Association to provide annual awards to honor Excellence in Teaching in East Texas at the Secondary, Two-Year, and Four-Year collegiate levels, Excellence in writing East Texas history, research grants, and scholarships for qualified candidates attending institutions of higher education located in East Texas. Mr. Lock passed away on August 15, 1998.