James H. Davis (congressman)
| James Harvey "Cyclone" Davis | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Texas's At-large district |
|
|
In office March 4, 1915 - March 3, 1917 |
|
| Preceded by | Daniel E. Garrett |
| Succeeded by | Daniel E. Garrett |
| Personal details | |
| Born | December 24, 1853 |
| Died | January 31, 1940 (aged 86) Kaufman, Texas |
| Resting place | Sulphur Springs, Texas |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Other political affiliations |
People's Party |
| Spouse(s) | Belle Barton |
| Religion | Disciples of Christ |
James Harvey "Cyclone" Davis (December 24, 1853 – January 31, 1940) was a People's Party (Populist) organizer and a Democratic U.S. Representative from Texas for one term from 1915–1917.
Davis was born near Walhalla, South Carolina. He moved to Texas with his parents, William Barton and Salina (Moore) Davis, who settled in East Texas in Wood County near Winnsboro, in 1857. Davis attended the common schools and taught school from 1875 to 1878. He was able to study under the tutelage of attorney John D. Templeton during his sixteenth year. He strenuously applied his native talents to academics at night and soon qualified for a teaching certificate. He married Belle Barton, a distant cousin, on December 25, 1878. The couple had four children.
He was elected judge of Franklin County, Texas in 1878 as a Democrat. At the time he was the youngest county judge in Texas. Subsequently, he studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1882 and commenced practice in Mount Vernon, Texas. Later, he engaged in the newspaper-publishing business, buying the Mount Vernon-Franklin Herald and was President of the Texas Press Association from 1886-1888.
Although he was a passable writer, his real talent lay in oratory. He campaigned for John Ireland, who was elected Governor in 1884, and Davis became a lecturer for the state Farmers' Alliance that same year. Davis became one of the foremost attractions on the alliance speakers' circuit through his verbal assaults upon such opponents as banks and corporations. During the 1880s he was tagged "Methodist Jim" for the fervency of his address. He was neither a Methodist nor a preacher, but a lifelong member of the Disciples of Christ.
...
Wikipedia