John H. Bailey

BAILEY, JOHN H. (1864~1940) John H. Bailey, state legislator, was born in Sussex County, Virginia to Luther R. Bailey and Mary Ellen Crank on September 22, 1864.

After moving to Texas, Bailey served De Witt county as a member of the House of Representatives from the 24th through 26th Legislatures. Later he served as State Senator from the 34th through the 39th Legislatures. His time in the House and the Senate, compromised of more than twenty years, made him the state's senior member in point of continuous service at the time of his voluntary retirement.

Bailey later served as an attorney for Southwestern Bell Telephone Company and the Texas Telephone Association. A bachelor, Senator Bailey lived at the Driskill hotel a decade and had law offices in the Littlefield building.

Senator Bailey suffered a heart attack and died three weeks later on August 27, 1940 in Dallas, Texas. He was on his way to New York. His body was brought back to Austin where he laid in state in the Senate Chamber. He was buried in the Texas State Cemetery the next day, August 28, 1940.