The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-01-05
(N.o. So
JOHN II. REAGAN.

Il
mond. under the permanent Constitu
ton, as 1t was called. I had tho honor
OF becoming acquainted with this truly
great man--an Acquaintance which
was continued uninterruptedly to tho
day OF his death. He had long passed
the limit OF human existence allotted
by the Psalmist, and died full of year.
and full OF hon0rs.
He was, indeed, one OF tile noblest
Romans OF them all. Born to penury
without the advantages OF an educa.
ton, compelled to work for his dali,
living, he surmounted all difficulties
and carved his why to fortune ant
fame by his right arm. How full OF
instruction and encouragement Is the
career OF such a man, and how worthy
OF imitation by the ingenious youtf
OF the country. lie was not one OF
those who believed that there Is an!
royal road to fortune. He acted upor
the belief that uuder our form OF gov.
ernmont anu under institutions such al
we enjoy, every man may be the archi.
tect of his own fortune. No man evoi
lived who was more constant or faith.
ful in his adherence to principle OF
more loyal in his devotion to the right
as he understood 1t. This Is abundantly
shown by the fact that when Presi-
dent Davis was captured by detach.
ment OF Federal forces at the close Of
the war. Judge Reagan asked the
privilege OF sharing the fortunes Of
his fallen chief.
Educated Himself.
John II. Reagan was born in the
county OF Sewer. In the state OF Ten.
nessee, on the 9Th day OF October. 1913
His great-grandfather was soldier
in tho Revolutionary War, and wa.
severely wounded at the battle OF
Brandywinc. In his early youth. wt1er
not Mt school, John Reagan was EN-.
ployed in his fathers lanyard. His
father becoming involved In financial
children such an education as he wish.
ed to do. At the age OF sixteen young
Reagan determined to acquire an edu.
cation for himself, and hired himself
out to Major John Walker for a year
as a farm laborer ut 80 q month, pay
able in corn. at two shillings pei
bushel. With the proceeds OF the sales
OF his corn he purchased clothing and
books, and was enabled to attend a,
| academy for two sessions.
At the end OF the second session hc
was employed to take flntboat load
of produce down the French Broad
and Tennessee Rivers to North Ala.
bama. He was then engaged for twelve
| months to take charge of large SCI
OF Touring and saw-mills. The earn
ings Of that year enabled him to at
tend the Marysyille Academy for two
sessions. In order to obtain more prof..
| table employment to enable him tc
| graduate from the seminary. he Went
South in flatboat to Decatur. Ala
From Decatur he took his first ride
| on a railroad to Tuscumbia, Ala. With.
out following his career step by step
1t may be sufficient to say that he
proved himself to be always and every.
where equal to the emergency. During
| the year of 1899 he was engaged In tho
Cherokee campaign. and participated ir
one or two skirmishes. After the close
| OF the Cherokee War he was stricken
down with fever, and upon his recov.
cry was engaged In several surveying
expeditions, which were quite prof
| table.
Indian Fighter md Lawyer.
During the Indian troubles in 1871
he served as private In Colone
| Smiths regiment, which assisted ir
driving out the hostile Indians from
| the Cross Timbers During that time
! he crossed the Trinity River where
the city OF Dallas now stands, and two
years before any white people LIVED
\ Il
OF company Of militia and also was
elected a Justice of the peace. In the
| Same year he was married to Mrs
Martha Music, who survived him only
| about two years. In 1912, on account o
the strong feeling that grew up II
favor of retaliatory measures agatns
Mexico, the Congress OF Texas passed
a law providing for an offensive wa
| against the Mexicans. but the plan O
l fo 1ol NJ fo
six years after his arrival In the re
public of Texas. her people were callet
upon almost every spring and fall Il
meet an invasion from Mexico.
Judge Reagan commenced the stud.
Of law in 1874. Without any assistanc.
whatever, and while he was far dis
i tant from any lawyer. In 1886 he 70
ceived temporary license to prac
4 tice in the District and Inferior Court
tativc in the State Legislature. During
that session he was publicly compli
mented by M. b. Lamar, ex-Presiden
/ of the Republic of Texas who wa
tlen q Representative from Webb coun
i ty, for his very clear and correct view
submitted in the argument which ~
addressed to the House. At this SEES
sion oil Of the organic laws Of tn
II State were re-enacted, the organiZa
i ton OF the Supreme. District, Count.
i and Justice Courts We're provided for
/ tho duties of sheriffs, assessors an
4 collectors Of taxes, of constables an
coroners were defined, an elaborat
probate law was passed, law pro
4 yiding for the assessment and collec
A ton Of taxes, law for npportioninl
i senators and Representatives and 70
defining senatorial and representative
i districts We're enacted.
In Some Famous Cases.
In the spring Of 1848 Judge Reaga
received regular license to practic
J, law In the District and Inferior Court
/ of the state, was subsequently License
10 practice in the Supreme Court Q
J the state. and In 1857 was authorize
to practice in the Supreme and Inferio
Courts Of the United States. On Jun
10. 1895. the Tulane University, o
Louisiana, conferred on him the hon
orary degree OF doctor of laws. and i
April. 1893, he received a similar homo
from the Baylor University, Of Texas
Among the important murder cases /
,, which he was engaged as principn
counsel was that against John Jeil
nings for the Killing OF Major Jane
!, shannon, in Grayson county, Texas
/ About the same time he represente
! Major McDermott in the trial Of tn
\ title to a tract OF land consisting Q
9 located IN til