John Calvin Box (March 28, 1871 – May 17, 1941) was a

U.S. Representative The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they c ...

from

Texas Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...

. Box was born on the family farm at Hammond's Creek east of the present day Latexo community in northern

Houston County, Texas Houston County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 22,066. Its county seat is Crockett. Houston County was one of 46 entirely dry counties in the state of Texas, until voters in a November ...

to John Jasper Wesley Box and Susan Adeline Morris Box. He attended the country schools, and

United Methodist Church The United Methodist Church (UMC) is a worldwide mainline Protestant denomination based in the United States, and a major part of Methodism. In the 19th century, its main predecessor, the Methodist Episcopal Church, was a leader in evangelic ...

-affiliated Alexander Collegiate Institute (later Lon Morris College) in Jacksonville, Texas. He studied law and was

admitted to the bar An admission to practice law is acquired when a lawyer receives a license to practice law. In jurisdictions with two types of lawyer, as with barristers and solicitors, barristers must gain admission to the bar whereas for solicitors there are dist ...

in 1893 beginning his practice in Lufkin, Texas

Angelina County, Texas Angelina County ( ) is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. It is in East Texas and its county seat is Lufkin. As of the 2020 census, the population was 86,395. The Lufkin, TX Micropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Angelina Co ...

. His father, J.J.W. Box was a confederate army veteran and farmer. His mother a home maker and devoted wife and mother. His son, John C. Box, Jr. followed his father in the practice of law continuing the firm's work in Jacksonville, Texas. He moved to

Jacksonville, Texas Jacksonville is a city located in Cherokee County, Texas, United States. The population was 13,997 at the 2020 U.S. census. It is the principal city of the Jacksonville micropolitan statistical area, which includes all of Cherokee County, and p ...

, in 1897 and continued the practice of his profession. He was also a licensed Methodist lay minister. He served as judge of the Cherokee County Court 1898-1901. He served as mayor of Jacksonville 1902-1905. He served as member of the Democratic State committee 1908-1910. In 1913 John Calvin Box was one of the original founders of Southern Methodist University located in Dallas, Texas serving as a member of the board of education and as chairman 1913-1918. Box was elected as a

Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (United States) (D) **Democratic ...

to the Sixty-sixth and to the five succeeding Congresses (March 4, 1919 – March 3, 1931). While serving in congress, he voiced strong opposition to uncontrolled border crossing by foreign nationals warning of future problems from these incursions. He was an unsuccessful candidate for renomination in 1930. He resumed the practice of law in

, until his death there May 17, 1941. He was interred in the City Cemetery.

Sources

{{DEFAULTSORT:Box, John Calvin 1871 births 1941 deaths People from Jacksonville, Texas Lon Morris College alumni Mayors of places in Texas School board members in Texas Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Texas