Freestone County, Texas
Biographies 



Biography of J. D. Childs
    (Feb 4, 1862-1923, buried Alamo Masonic Cemetery in San Antonio, TX.)

Source - Texas State government: a volume of biographical sketches and passing 
comment. By E. H. Loughery. 1897 by McLeod & Jackson, Printers, Austin, Texas.


J. D. CHILDS.

SAN ANTONIO,

Representative from the Nintieth Flotorial district, composed of Bexar, Wilson,
Karnes, Atascosa and Live Oak counties, was born at Mt. Vernon, Ark., February
4, 1862, the youngest of eight children "five of whom now survive" born to N. M.
and Charlotte (Belin) Childs. The living children, other than the subject of 
this notice, are: William, Emma, John and Lewis, who reside in Opelousas 
Parish, La. Those deceased are: Mary, Beatrice and Alexander.

Mr. N.M. Childs, an Alabamian by birth, moved to Louisiana, at an early day 
and was a planter near Opelousas, that state, until the time of his death, in
February 1893.

Mrs Charlotte Childs was born at Marianna, Fla., and died near Opelousas, La,
in 1894.

J. D. Childs graduated from the University of Mississippi, at Oxford, Miss., 
in 1885 with the degree of Bachelor of Philosophy; moved to Texas that year; 
was admitted to the bar at Corsicana in 1886; practiced at Fairfield until 
1893; was County Attorney of Freestone county in 1890-2, and in February 1893
moved to San Antonio where he has since been engaged in the practice of his
profession and ranks as one of the ablest members of a bar that is second in 
strength to none in Texas. He has been leading counsel in a number of important
cases and, upon their hearing and determination in the courts of last resort, 
has established several principles of law for which he contended.

He is a member of the Episcopal church, Masonic, Elks and Woodmen of the World
fraternities and Democratic party.

He has always been a Democrat and has been a delegate to nearly every 
Democratic state convention held in Texas since 1885. He was one of the
secretaries of the Democratic state convention that nominated Governor Ross 
for a second term at Dallas in 1888, was a member of the committee on permanent
organization at the Democratic state convention that met at Austin in 1896, 
and is at present a member of the Democratic executive committee of Bexar 
county. In the House of the Twenty-fifth Legislature he is Chairman of the 
Committee on Federal Relations and a member of the following committees: 
Judiciary No. 1, Revenue and Taxation, Internal Improvements, and Education.

He has stepped to the front in the House as a leader among those of the members
who believe that the demands contained in the state Democratic platform should
be complied with by the enactment of appropriate legislation, and has worked
strenuously toward that end from the beginning of the session.

He has introduced a bill that has passed to engrossment, the purpose of which 
is to perfect the divorce laws of the state and place women upon a more equal 
footing with men as regards divorce. He is taking a prominent part in the 
effort being made to enact a law that will prevent insolvent debtors from 
unjustly preferring creditors in this state. His desire as a member has not 
been to figure as the author of a multitude of bills, or to see many new laws 
put upon the statute books, but to prevent the enactment of vicious and 
unnecessary laws.

He has made few speeches in the House, but the ones he has made have been good,
and is not disposed to jump into debate unnecessarily, but when he or his 
positions have been assailed or questioned, he has shown very clearly that he 
is able to take care of himself in joint debate.

When the teachers and pupils (a scintillating galaxy of beautiful young ladies)
of Coronal Institute, of San Marcos, Texas, visited the capitol in a body they 
were invited to seats within the bar of the House and Mr. Childs was elected 
to preside as Speaker pro. tem, and delivered an address of welcome to the
visitors that spoke highly for his literary training and capacity as a 
well rounded orator.

He is a strong, rising man. He possesses what a great many men of superior 
talents lack, viz: genuine love for his chosen profession, sincerity, and 
devotion to the welfare of his country.

Such men deserve success and it seldom fails to crown their efforts.