James Luther Slayden

James Luther Slayden (June 1, 1853 – February 24, 1924), was a cotton merchant and rancher, and a politician, elected from San Antonio to United States House of Representative from Texas' 12th congressional district, serving 1897–1903. (In 1900 he was temporarily redistricted to the newly organized 14th congressional district, including Galveston and extending south along the coast.)

He supported the development of railroads in the state, as well as making San Antonio a United States military center. Slayden was also active in the peace movement and, in 1910, was appointed by Andrew Carnegie, an industrialist and philanthropist, as one of the original trustees of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

James Luther Slayden was born in 1853 to Thomas A. and Letitia E. (Beadles) Slayden in Mayfield, Graves County, Kentucky. He had several siblings and was tutored at home. After his father died in 1869, he moved with his mother to New Orleans, Louisiana. He worked there for two years before attending Washington and Lee University, Lexington, Virginia. He was a member of St. Anthony Hall.

Slayden moved to San Antonio, Texas, in 1876. There he first became a cotton merchant, when the commodity was still important to the Texas economy. Later he became a rancher, as well as involved in trade and mining interests in Mexico.

...
Wikipedia