John H. Reagan
John Henninger Reagan (October 8, 1818 – March 6, 1905) was a Texas politician and lawyer who played a major role before, during, and after the Civil War. He started as a surveyor and judge, then served in the Texas House of Representatives (1847–1849) and as a district judge (1852–1857). Reagan was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives (1857–1861) as a Democrat and supported slavery.
When Texas seceded from the United States, Reagan resigned his seat and joined the Confederacy. He served in the Confederate government as Postmaster General (1861–1865) and briefly as Confederate Secretary of the Treasury in 1865. He was captured near Irwinville, Georgia, on May 10, 1865, and imprisoned in Boston. After his release, he urged Texans to cooperate with the United States and to support abolition.
After the war, Reagan returned to Palestine, Texas, and entered politics again. He was elected to the U.S. Congress (1875–1887) and, in 1887, was chosen by the Texas legislature to the U.S. Senate, where he served until 1891. He then chaired the Texas Railroad Commission (1891–1903), helping regulate railroads in the state. Reagan helped found the Texas State Historical Association and wrote Memoirs about secession and the Civil War.
John Reagan died in Palestine, Texas, in 1905 and was buried in Palestine City Cemetery. He was the only former Confederate cabinet member to later serve in the U.S. Senate.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 22:52 (CET).