David B. Culberson | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Chairman of the House Democratic Caucus | |
| In office March 4, 1895 – March 3, 1897 | |
| Speaker | Thomas Brackett Reed |
| Preceded by | William S. Holman |
| Succeeded by | James D. Richardson |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives fromTexas | |
| In office March 4, 1875 – March 3, 1897 | |
| Preceded by | William P. McLean |
| Succeeded by | John W. Cranford |
| Constituency | 2nd district (1875–83) 4th district (1883–97) |
| Member of theTexas Senate from the7th district | |
| In office January 13, 1874 – March 3, 1875[1] | |
| Preceded by | Henry Rawson |
| Succeeded by | James Postell Douglas |
| Member of the Texas House of Representatives | |
| In office November 7, 1859 – February 11, 1861 | |
| Constituency | 16th district |
| In office October 17, 1864 – August 6, 1866 | |
| Constituency | 20th district |
| Personal details | |
| Born | September 29, 1830 Troup County, Georgia, U.S. |
| Died | May 7, 1900(1900-05-07) (aged 69) Jefferson, Texas, U.S. |
| Resting place | Jefferson, Texas, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Alma mater | Brownwood Institute |
| Profession | Lawyer,Politician |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Confederate States of America |
| Branch/service |  Confederate States Army |
| Years of service | 1861–1864 |
| Rank |  Lieutenant Colonel |
| Battles/wars | American Civil War |
David Browning Culberson (September 29, 1830 – May 7, 1900) was aConfederate soldier, aDemocraticU.S. Representative fromTexas and Chairman of theHouse Judiciary Committee.
Culberson was born inTroup County, Georgia, on September 29, 1830, the son of David B. and Lucy (Wilkerson) Culberson. After leaving Brownwood Institute inLa Grange, Georgia, heread law atTuskegee, Alabama, in the school ofWilliam P. Chilton,Chief Justice of Alabama. He was admitted to the bar in 1850 and began practice inDadeville, Alabama.[2] In 1856, he moved to Texas and settled inUpshur County, where he practiced law in partnership with Gen. Hinche P. Mabry until 1861, when he moved to nearbyJefferson, Texas.[3] On December 8, 1852, he married Eugenia Kimball; they had two sons, one of whom,Charles A. Culberson, becameGovernor of Texas and later U.S. Senator. Culberson was a Mason and an Odd Fellow.
Culberson was a member of theTexas Legislature from Upshur County during the 1859-60 session. Because Culberson opposedsecession and his district favored it, he resigned his legislative seat. Despite his views on secession, when Texas did secede, Culberson raised the18th Texas Infantry, and he became its commander with the rank oflieutenant colonel. The 18th Infantry saw combat at Vicksburg in 1862–63, but Culberson's health deteriorated and he was assigned to Austin asAdjutant General of Texas. In 1864, he was elected to the legislature from Cass, Titus, and Bowie counties and resigned his military position to rejoin the legislature.
As a prominent Jefferson lawyer he was one of the defense attorneys in the Stockade Case of 1869, and he helped defend accused murderer Abe Rothschild in theDiamond Bessie murder trial. He worked to obtain the acquittal fortreason of the then 16-year-oldWilliam Jesse McDonald, then ofRusk County, the laterTexas Ranger. Culberson attended the Democratic state convention in 1868 and served as apresidential elector in thePresidential Election of 1872 pledged toHorace Greeley (who died before Texas' electoral votes could be cast) but casting his ballot ultimately forBenjamin Gratz Brown.[4] Culberson was elected to the State Senate in 1873 representing Marion, Cass and Bowie Counties. In 1874, he ran for Congress from the 2nd District of Texas, and won.[5] He resigned his Senate seat to go to Washington.
Culberson served in the United States House of Representatives from 1875 to 1897, supportingprohibition and opposing federal interference in state government. In 1876, he favored the repeal of theSpecie Act, and in 1888 he introduced antitrust legislation in Congress. He represented both the 2nd and later the 4th district and served as Chairman of the Judiciary Committee.
Though in many ways, a populist himself, Culberson campaigned against thePopulist Party which was quite strong in Texas in the 1890s. Culberson viewed them as a divisive force in state politics.[3]
He was appointed by PresidentWilliam McKinley on June 21, 1897, as one of the commissioners to codify the laws of the United States and served in this capacity until his death in Jefferson, Texas on May 7, 1900. He was interred in Jefferson.
| Texas Senate | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Texas State Senator from District 7 (Jefferson) 1874-1875 | Succeeded by |
| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
| Preceded by | Member of the U.S. House of Representatives fromTexas's 2nd congressional district 1875-1883 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Member of the U.S. House of Representatives fromTexas's 4th congressional district 1883-1897 | Succeeded by |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee 1887–1889 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee 1891–1895 | Succeeded by |
| International | |
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| National | |
| People | |
| Other | |
