In 1925, Governor Miriam A. Ferguson appointed her as Secretary of State. Ferguson and Grigsby were the first female governor and Secretary of State in Texas. Among her recommendations during the position was the creation of a civil service system for the state; she also oversaw the restoration and cataloguing of state historical records. She also recommended that position be modified from how it was set out in the state's 1876 constitution, including a higher salary and being changed from an appointed position to an elected position.
