"John H. left Tennessee in 1839 for Texas, then a Republic, andsettled i n the eastern portion of the state where he resided untilhis death. Wi thout a doubt, John H. Reagan is still Gatlinburg's mostillustrious so n.
A brief summary of his accomplishments includes: surveyor of publiclan ds in Texas; lawyer, admitted to the bar in 1846; staterepresentative 1 847-1849; district judge, 1852-1857; Representativeto U. S. Congress, 1 857-1861; delegate to Secession Convention ofTexas in 1861; Postmaster G eneral of Confederacy; acting Secretary ofConfederacy. In 1875 he was a m ember of the State ConstitutionalConvention; U.S. Representative, 1875 -1887; U. S. Senator from Texas,1887-1891; a member of State Railroad C omission, served as chairman1897-1903.
John was imprisoned after the Civil War presumably for his high postin t he Confederacy.
John H. returned to his birth place only once, 22 August 1900, aftersi xty-three years absence. He and his wife received a heartwarmingrecept ion in Sevierville where he spoke at the Courthouse andreceived friend s at a reception later. He spent two days visitingwith his cousins in G atlinburg.
John H. Reagan reared his first wife's two sons.
John H. Reagan died and was buried in East Hill Cemetery, Palestine,An derson County, Texas. "
Source: 'Smoky Mountain Clans', Donald B. Reagan, 1978, p 8, 10.'Smoky M ountain Family Album,' Gladys Trentham Russell, 1984, p 9.'The Book of R agan/Reagan', Donald B. Reagan, 1993, p 46, 47-49.LaFaye Sutkin GEDCOM , 18 December 1995.
And from The Confederate War Department:
"As a boy, he worked with his father at a tannery and on their smallfa rm. He briefly attended nearby Nancy Academy until his motherdied, wh en he took on the duties of caring for his four brothers andsister. Af ter working a year for a local planter, he attended nearbyBoyd's Creek A cademy for fifteen months, then worked to support ayear of study at So uthwestern Seminary in Maryville, Blount County,Tennessee. In 1838, he l eft Tennessee for better opportunities.
For a short time he managed a plantation near Natchez, Adams County,Mi ssissippi, then headed to Texas and fought in the Cherokee War(1839). H e subsequently worked as a deputy surveyor and frontierscout, and was e lected a justice of the peace and captain of amilitia company in Nacog doches, Nacogdoches County, Texas. Hemarried Martha Music on 19 April 1 844, but she died the followingyear. He studied law, and in 1846 obta ined temporary license tostart his practice in Buffalo, Henderson Coun ty, Texas...."
