USGENWEB PROJECT ARCHIVES: TENSAS PARISH LOUISIANA http://files.usgwarchives.org/la/tensas/ --------------------------------------------------------- Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.org/copyright.htm --------------------------------------------------------- John Walter Summerlin; Tensas Parish, Louisiana Submitted by Mike Miller AUG 2001 John Walter Summerlin. The Rayville family of Summerlin has produced several men of more than ordinary distinction, not only in the affairs and responsibilities of local citizenship, but one in particular, Capt. George Thomas Summerlin, has attained national distinction in the diplomatic service. John Walter Summerlin has for many years been a leader in business and public affairs at Rayville, and is a son of the late Major John Stalworth Summerlin. John Walter Summerlin is president of the Tensas Basin Levee Board at Rayville. He served as a member of the Constitutional Convention of 1898, there being only two other members younger than himself. He was on the executive committee, the committee tin impeachment and committee on homesteads and exemptions, at the only fifteen years of age. Mr. Summerlin went to work under his father in the office of clerk of courts, and has had a varied experience in public affairs. He served as deputy clerk, clerk of the police jury, from 1900 to 1908 was clerk of court of Richland Parish. He served four years as secretary of the Tensas State Levee Board before his election as president in 1922. Mr. Summerlin for a number of years carried on a prosperous abstract business at Rayville. He was born at Rayville May 30, 1871, son of Major John Stalworth and Mary (Davis) Summerlin. He was only a child when his mother died. Both his parents were born in Morehouse Parish. Major Summerlin, who died in 1910, at the age of sixty-four, was educated at Bastrop, served as deputy sheriff there and was the second elected clerk of courts of Richland Parish, an office he filled twelve tears. He was for four years a soldier of the Confederacy, being wounded at the battle of Nashville, receiving a flesh wound in the thigh and another wound in the shoulder which left its effect to his dying day. He always took a prominent part in the United Confederate Veterans, and held the rank of major by appointment of the adjutant general. He was master of the local lodge of Masons, chancellor commander of the Knights of Pythias and represented 1)0th bodies in the Grand lodger, having attended the first Grand Lodge session 1 the Knights of Pythias in the state. Capt. George Thomas Summerlin, younger brother of John W. Summerlin, was burn at Rayville in 1872, was educated in the Louisiana State University and graduated from the West Point Military Academy in 1896 as cadet captain of his class. He participated in the Porto Rican expedition during the Spanish-American war, and on the staff of General Swann was in the Philippines as captain of a regiment of volunteers. He resigned as captain of cavalry in 1903, and in 1909 was appointed a clerk of the Department of State at Washington, and served as second secretary of the embassy at Tokyo, Japan, in 1910, as second secretary of the legation at Peking, from 1911 to 1914; as secretary of the legation at Santiago, Chile, during 1914-1915, and early in 1917 was assigned to duty as secretary of the embassy in Mexico, and early in 1918 was appointed counsellor of the embassy. In January, 1919, he was made charge d'affairs at Mexico City and handled many great and delicate responsibilities during the unbalanced state of affairs between Mexico and the United States. He served as counsellor of the embassy at Rome and is a thoroughly trained diplomat. Recently he was appointed by President Coolidge as minister to Honduras. John Walter Summerlin was educated at Rayville, attended Soulé College at New Orleans, and, as the oldest son, went to work as his father's assistant in the clerk's office when a boy. He was one of the organi- zers of the Richland State Bank and is serving on its board of direc- tors. Mr. Summerlin married Lilly M. Hicks, daughter of W. J. and Mrs. Julia Hicks of Memphis, Tennessee. She was educated at Brownsville, Tennessee, and Memphis, and the Huntsville Female College at Huntsville, Alabama. She is a member of the Methodist Church. Mr. Summerlin is a Presbyterian and is former superintendent of the Union Sunday School at Rayville. Like his father, he has been master of the local lodge of Masons and chancellor commander of the Knights of Pythias, and repre- sentative to the Grand Lodge. He belongs to the El Karubah Temple of the Mystic Shrine at Shreveport. During the World war he was parish food administrator, was chairman of the finance committee, while his wife was secretary of the Red Cross and acted on various important committees, including the Four-Minute Speakers. Largely through efforts put forth by him, in war work, a special honor was bestowed upon his home community when, through Mrs. Wilson, wife of the President, one of the merchants fleet ships was named, Rayville, Mrs. Summerlin being invited to christen the ship. Mr. Summerlin is a member of the Louisiana Historical Society. A History of Louisiana, (vol. 2), pp. 221-222, by Henry E. Chambers. Published by The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York, 1925.