John D. Templeton

John D. Templeton
Secretary of State of Texas
In office
January 23, 1879 – January 22, 1881
GovernorOran Milo Roberts
Preceded byA. J. Searcy
Succeeded byThornton Hardie Bowman
Texas Attorney General
In office
1882–1886
Preceded byJames H. McLeary
Succeeded byJim Hogg
Personal details
BornJohn Dickson Templeton
(1845-08-21)August 21, 1845
Henderson County, Tennessee, US
DiedApril 24, 1893(1893-04-24) (aged 47)
Fort Worth, Texas, US
Resting placeTexas State Cemetery
PartyDemocratic
ParentThomas Wilson Templeton (father)
OccupationLawyer, politician
Military service
Allegiance Confederate States of America
Branch/serviceConfederate States Army
RankPrivate
Unit10th Texas Cavalry Regiment
Battles/wars

John Dickson Templeton (August 21, 1845 – April 24, 1893) was an American lawyer and politician. A Democrat, he was the Secretary of State of Texas and the Texas Attorney General.

Early life

Templeton was born on August 21, 1845, in Henderson County, Tennessee, the son of Thomas Wilson Templeton and Elvira Carolina (née Dickson) Templeton.[1] His father was a member of the Texas House of Representatives.[2] In January 1850, he and his parents moved to Rusk County, Texas,[3] and in 1861, to Franklin County.[1] He was educated between Bonham, Clarksville, and Ladonia.[3]

Career

In 1862, during the American Civil War, Templeton enlisted, as a private, into the 10th Texas Cavalry Regiment.[1] He fought in the Siege of Corinth, among other battles,[3] namely in Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi. He returned to Texas following the war, working as a farmer and educator.[1]

Beginning in 1868, Templeton read law under Oran Milo Roberts. He was admitted to the bar in 1870,[1] after which he moved to Fort Worth[4] and began practicing law there.[1] In 1871 and 1872, he was editor of the Fort Worth Democrat.[4] He, alongside four other men, founded a waterworks company to supply Fort Worth with water.[1] He was in partnership with Augustus McKinney Carter for a time.[3]

Templeton was a Democrat. He was the Secretary of State of Texas from January 23, 1879, to January 22, 1881, having been appointed by Governor Roberts.[1] He resigned to return to practicing law.[5] From 1882 to 1886, he was the Texas Attorney General.[1]

Personal life and death

After serving as Attorney General, Templeton returned to practicing law, in Tarrant County.[1] On January 30, 1884, he married Lulu C. Pope He moved to Austin c. 1887.[3] He died on April 24, 1893, aged 47, in Fort Worth,[1] from pneumonia[6] and mastoiditis.[7] He was buried on April 26[8] or 27, at the Texas State Cemetery.[9]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Strickland, Kristi. "John Dickson Templeton: A Legacy of Law and Public Service in Texas". Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved 2026-07-12.
  2. ↑ "Member profile for Thomas Wilson Templeton - Texas Legislative Reference Library". www.lrl.texas.gov. Retrieved 2026-07-12.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "At Peace—Asleep". Austin-American Statesman. 27 April 1893. p. 3. Retrieved 2026-07-11.
  4. 1 2 Van Zandt, K. M. (October 1995). Force Without Fanfare: The Autobiography of K. M. Van Zandt. TCU Press. p. 134. ISBN 978-0-87565-154-5.
  5. ↑ "In The City". Fort Worth Daily Gazette. 25 April 1893. p. 5. Retrieved 2026-07-11.
  6. ↑ "John D. Templeton Very Ill". San Antonio Express-News. 18 March 1893. p. 1. Retrieved 2026-07-11.
  7. ↑ "Personals". Fort Worth Daily Gazette. 18 March 1893. p. 1. Retrieved 2026-07-11.
  8. ↑ "Ex-Attorney General Templeton Dead". San Antonio Express-News. 25 April 1893. p. 2. Retrieved 2026-07-11.
  9. ↑ "The Waco News". The Waco News-Tribune. 27 April 1893. p. 6. Retrieved 2026-07-11.
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