Joseph J. Mansfield | |
|---|---|
 Joseph J. Mansfield, c. 1910 | |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives from Texas's9th district | |
| In office March 4, 1917 – July 12, 1947 | |
| Preceded by | George F. Burgess |
| Succeeded by | Clark W. Thompson |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Joseph Jefferson Mansfield (1861-02-09)February 9, 1861 |
| Died | July 12, 1947(1947-07-12) (aged 86) |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Occupation | lawyer |
Joseph Jefferson Mansfield (February 9, 1861 – July 12, 1947) was a member of theUnited States House of Representatives from theU.S. state ofTexas from 1917 to 1947.
Mansfield was born on February 9, 1861. He was born inWayne, West Virginia. However, when he was born this was still part of the state ofVirginia. He attended the public schools in West Virginia.[1]
In 1881 he moved to Texas, settling in the community ofAlleyton. Here he worked in farm and railroad laboring jobs.
In 1886, he was admitted to the bar. By this time he had relocated toEagle Lake, Texas. This was a busy year for Mansfield, as he also organized two companies of theTexas National Guard. About this time he also began the first newspaper in Eagle Lake. Mansfield rose to the rank of captain in the National Guard.
In 1889 he was electedmayor of Eagle Lake. In 1892 he became the county prosecutor ofColorado County where both Alleyton and Eagle Lake are located. From 1896 until 1916 he served asjudge of Colorado County. Until 1910 this also made him the effective superintendent of schools for the county.
He was elected to Congress as aDemocrat in 1916. In the early 1920s, he became paralyzed, and used a wheelchair to get around the Capitol for 25 years.[2] He served in Congress until his death atBethesda, Maryland on July 12, 1947.
From theSeventy-second Congress until theSeventy-ninth Congress he served as chairman of theHouse Committee on Rivers and Harbors.Mansfield Dam is named after him.
On January 18, 1888, Mansfield married Annie Scott Bruce (1867-1937).[3] They had four children together, their son Bruce Jefferson Mansfield (c.1890-1966), and their daughters Susie (died in infancy), Margaret (1893-1970), and Jaquelin (1900-1997).[4]
| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromTexas's 9th congressional district March 4, 1917 – July 12, 1947 | Succeeded by |
| Public Buildings and Grounds (1837–1947) |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Rivers and Harbors (1883–1947) | ||
| Roads (1913–1947) | ||
| Flood Control (1916–1947) | ||
| Transportation and Infrastructure* (1947–) | ||
| Note | * Alternately namedPublic Works in 80th through 93rd Congresses andPublic Works and Transportation in 94th through 103rd Congresses. | |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| People | |
| Other | |
