By ERNEST JONES
This day stands the Old Roman, a giant in statuary as in life -- and death, his arm outstretched from the crest of the rolling hillside Reagan Park. He stands there seeming to bless and at once point a stern finger at Palestine.
John Henninger Reagan, the Old Roman, lived and died by principle, a man who refused to be governor because he deemed it his duty to continue a work he had begun; who risked court-martial in battle against savage Indian tribes by refusing to hold horses while others fought.
This man, this giant, this tradition is ingrained in the rocky red foundation of Palestine. His percept, perhaps his spirit here now lives and shapes the character of a city, of an area -- rugged, honest, forthright, plain, God- fearing, honorable, fearless to do right by the Golden Rule.
A rare people, a priceless heritage, a rock to stand on and grow on.
Who was John H. Reagan? Briefly, he was born Oct. 8, 1818, in Sevier County, Tennessee, son of Timothy R. and Elizabeth Lusk Reagan. Came to Texas in 1839, fought in the army of the Republic in the Cherokee and allied tribes war in Cherokee and Anderson counties. Became a surveyor and for three years surveyed the area from Nacogdoches to beyond Dallas, running boundary lines and naming many counties. Studied law without benefit of preceptor and in 1842 was elected justice of the peace and militia captain in Nacogdoches County. Moved to Kaufman County and in 1845 became county judge and lieutenant colonel of the militia in Henderson County, which he helped organize. In 1847, member of the Texas Legislature, continued his law study and soon emerged a leading attorney.
Reagan moved to Palestine in 1851 and the next year was elected district judge. In 1856 his district was changed and the salary increased. Reagan resigned his six-year term to let voters find a "better man," but instead they elected him for another six-year term.
Over his protest and in spite of the opposition of a friend, Gen. Sam Houston, Reagan was elected to Congress for the term starting March 4, 1857. He opposed the leaders of the Southern wing of the Democratic party on reopening the slave trade and acquisition of territory in Cuba, Mexico, and Central America. Despite his unequivocal views, he was re-elected in 1859.
In 1861, Reagan was elected to the Secession Convention and sent by that body to the Confederate Congress. Jefferson Davis appointed him postmaster general, Confederate States of America. He ran that department on a cash basis, without incurring any deficit. During waning weeks of the Civil War, he served as secretary of the treasury of Richmond.
Reagan, with what remained of the Confederate treasury in his saddlebags, accompanied President Davis on a flight from Federal forces, seeking to take ship in the hope of salvaging the new nation. They were captured in Georgia and both imprisoned at Fort Warren, Boston Harbor.
May 28, 1865, Reagan sent a letter to President Andrew Johnson, urging more leniency toward the people of the South and warning against rabid Northern advisers. Later, he was released and returned to his farm near Palestine. In December, 1865, with James W. Throckmorton, Reagan helped form the short-lived State Constitution of 1866.
He served again as delegate to the Constitutional Convention of 1875, in which he was judiciary committee chairman. He urged enlarged jurisdiction for lower courts, fewer officials, longer terms and higher salaries, but these recommendations were rejected.
Elected again to Congress, Reagan took his seat in December, 1876 and was re- elected each term until chosen U. S. Senator in 1887. In Congress he fought for economy, low tariffs, states rights, bi-metalism and improvement of commercial facilities. He was for 10 years chairman of the House committee on commerce and later a member of the Senate commerce committee.
He was a joint author and chief advocate of the law creating the Interstate Commerce Commission. Reagan's long study of railroad transportation caused Gov. James Stephen Hogg to appoint him first head of the Texas Railroad Commission. He accepted at a reduced salary in 1891 and served three terms by appointment and one term by election.
Reagan died of pneumonia March 6, 1905 and was buried in East Hill Cemetery. The Texas Legislature attended the funeral in a body. All Texas mourned the death of the Old Roman.
In his "Memoirs," published in 1909, Reagan wrote: "I am 12 years older than the oldest steam railroad in the U.S.; and I remember well when there were no steamships, no telegraphs, no telephones... When I came to the Republic of Texas in 1839 it is probably that there were not 100,000 white people in the Republic; and for some years, letters of a half ounce passing between Tennessee and Texas paid 75 cents postage, the inland postage of the U.S. being 25 cents, the inland postage of Texas the same, and the ship postage from New Orleans to Galveston, 25 cents...
"I have lived to see the improvement in mechanic arts revolutionize the industrial systems of the country, and the increase in the agricultural, manufacturing and commercial wealth of the country has reached almost fabulous amounts..."
Mentioning the friendship of Texas' founders and personal acquaintance with U.S. presidents from John Tyler to William McKinley, Reagan wrote of Jefferson Davis: "There may have been among them some equal to or even superior to President Davis in some one department of study or branch of knowledge; but taking into view the combined elements of character and ability I regard him as the ablest man I have known. In all my association with him I found him thoughtful, prudent and wise. I never heard him use a thoughtless, vain or idle expression."
Reagan concluded his memoirs thus: "If this great Republic could be administered on the principles upon which it was founded by the fathers, it might continue to be an asylum for the most prosperous, the most enlightened, and for the freest, the happiest people on earth."
A great one, the Old Roman, who never wavered from principle or duty and who gave so much of his character to the community he fostered and where he died.
Judge Reagan in His Office
Judge John H. Reagan is shown in his office at his home which was located on West
Reagan Street. Photo is courtesy of J. J. Murphy Jr.