John H. Stephens

John Hall Stephens (November 22, 1847 – November 18, 1924) was an American lawyer and politician who served ten terms as a U.S. representative from Texas from 1897 to 1917.

John Hall Stephens
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Texas's 13th district
In office March 4, 1897 – March 3, 1917
Preceded by	Jeremiah V. Cockrell
Succeeded by	John M. Jones
Personal details
Born	(1847-11-22)November 22, 1847 Shelby County, Texas, U.S.
Died	November 18, 1924(1924-11-18) (aged 76) Monrovia, California, U.S.
Resting place	East View Cemetery Vernon, Texas
Political party	Democratic

Early life and education

Born in Shelby County, Texas, Stephens attended the common schools in Mansfield, Texas. He graduated from Mansfield College, and from the law department of Cumberland University, Lebanon, Tennessee, in 1872.

Career

After gaining admission to the bar in 1873, he practiced in Montague, Montague County, and Vernon, Wilbarger County, Texas.

He served as a member of the Texas State Senate from 1886 to 1888, and then resumed the practice of law in Vernon, Texas.

Congress

Stephens was elected as a Democrat to the Fifty-fifth and to the nine succeeding Congresses (March 4, 1897 – March 3, 1917). He served as chair of the Committee on Indian Affairs (Sixty-second through Sixty-fourth Congresses). He was an unsuccessful candidate for renomination in 1916.

Retirement and death

He moved to Monrovia, California, in 1917, and died there November 18, 1924. He was interred in East View Cemetery, Vernon, Texas.

Legacy

Stephens County, Oklahoma, was named for him.

Sources

• United States Congress. "John H. Stephens (id: S000858)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress