Clay Stone Briggs

Clay Stone Briggs
Briggs in 1921
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Texas's 7th district
In office
March 4, 1919 – April 29, 1933
Preceded byAlexander W. Gregg
Succeeded byClark W. Thompson
Member of the Texas House of Representatives
from the 30th district
In office
January 8, 1907 – January 12, 1909
Personal details
Born(1876-01-08)January 8, 1876
DiedApril 29, 1933(1933-04-29) (aged 57)
Resting placeOakwood Cemetery
PartyDemocratic
OccupationPolitician, lawyer

Clay Stone Briggs (January 8, 1876 – April 29, 1933) was an American politician and lawyer. A Democrat, he was a member of the United States House of Representatives from Texas, serving from 1919 until his death.

Early life and education

Briggs was born on January 8, 1876, in Galveston, Texas, the son of George Dempster Briggs and Olive (née Branch) Briggs.[1] Educated at both public and private schools,[2] he attended Ball High School. He studied at Harvard University, the University of Texas at Austin, and Yale Law School.[3] In 1896, he brought about a riot at Harvard,[4] in which police and students fought due to students parading at the end of the school year.[5] He graduated from Yale in 1899, with a Bachelor of Laws.[3]

Career

Also in 1899, Briggs was admitted to the bar, after which he began practicing law in Galveston. He was the judge of Texas's 10th District Court from June 15, 1909, until his resignation on February 1, 1919.[2]

Briggs was a Democrat. He represented Texas's 30th district the state House of Representatives from January 8, 1907, to January 12, 1909.[6] He was a member of the United States House of Representatives from March 4, 1919, until his death, representing Texas's 7th district.[2] While serving, he was a member of the Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries.[7] Politically, he was liberal.[8]

Personal life and death

Briggs married twice,[7] his second wife being Lois Slayton Woodworth, whom he married on August 27, 1927.[9] He had two children with her, and had three stepchildren. He was Anglican.[7] He was a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and the YMCA.[3] He abstained from alcohol and tobacco use.[10]

Briggs died on April 29, 1933, aged 57, in Washington, D.C., from a myocardial infraction.[1] Originally, plans were to bring his body to Galveston,[7] but he was buried at Oakwood Cemetery, in Syracuse. Archives of his papers are held by the Dolph Briscoe Center for American History and Duke University Libraries.[2]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Hooker, Anne W. (November 1, 1994). "Clay Stone Briggs: Life and Legacy of a Texas Congressman". Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved May 29, 2026.
  2. ^ a b c d "Briggs, Clay Stone". bioguide.congress.gov. Retrieved May 29, 2026.
  3. ^ a b c "Rep. Briggs Dead In Capital". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. April 30, 1933. p. 2. Retrieved May 29, 2026.
  4. ^ "That Harvard Riot". The Galveston Daily News. June 16, 1896. p. 10. Retrieved May 29, 2026.
  5. ^ "Riot In Harvard Square; Rejoicing Students Parade Despite the Police". The New York Times. June 11, 1896. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved May 29, 2026.
  6. ^ "Member profile for Clay Stone Briggs - Texas Legislative Reference Library". lrl.texas.gov. Retrieved May 29, 2026.
  7. ^ a b c d "Clay Stne Briggs Dies Suddenly, 57". The New York Times. April 30, 1933. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved May 29, 2026.
  8. ^ "BRIGGS, Clay Stone (1876-1933)". www.voteview.com. Retrieved May 29, 2026.
  9. ^ "The Political Graveyard: Index to Politicians: Briggs". politicalgraveyard.com. Retrieved May 29, 2026.
  10. ^ "Representatives In Congress For Texas District Is Dead". Corsica Semi-Weekly Light. May 2, 1933. p. 3. Retrieved May 29, 2026.
  • Media related to Clay Stone Briggs at Wikimedia Commons