Martin Dies Sr.

For his son, also a congressman, who was sometimes known as Martin Dies Sr., seeMartin Dies Jr.

Martin Dies Sr.
The Washington Times,May 23, 1912
Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromTexas's2nddistrict
In office March 4, 1909 – March 3, 1919
Preceded by	Samuel Bronson Cooper
Succeeded by	John C. Box
Personal details
Born	Martin Dies (1870-03-13)March 13, 1870 Jackson Parish, Louisiana
Died	July 13, 1922(1922-07-13)(aged 52) Kerrville, Texas
Resting place	Glenwood Cemetery,Houston,Texas
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Mary Olive Cline (m. 1888-1910, div.) Florence Nelva Miller (m. 1910-1922, his death)
Children	4 (includingMartin Dies Jr.)
Parent(s)	David Wesley Dies and Sarah Jane Pyburn
Education	University of Texas School of Law
Profession	Attorney

Martin Dies(March 13, 1870 – July 13, 1922) was aTexaspoliticianand aDemocraticmember of theUnited States House of Representatives.His sonMartin Dies Jr.was also a member of the United States House of Representatives. His grandson, also known asMartin Dies Jr.,was a Texas state senator, secretary of state, and jurist.

Dies was born inJackson Parish, Louisiana,and moved with his parents toFreestone County, Texas,in 1876. He graduated from the law department of theUniversity of Texas at Austinand was admitted to the bar in 1893, practicing inWoodville, Texas.

He edited a newspaper in Freestone County, was county marshal and later county judge ofTyler County, Texasin 1894. During the Spanish-American War, Dies was a member of the Beaumont Light Guards, a National Guard unit which was called to federal service as Company D, 3rd Texas Volunteer Infantry Regiment.

Dies served as district attorney of the first judicial district of Texas from 1898 to 1900. He moved toBeaumont, Texasin 1902 and was employed as counsel for the Gulf Refining Co.

In 1908, Dies was a successfulDemocratcandidate for the U.S. House. He was reelected four times and served March 4, 1909 to March 3, 1919 (The 61st to 65th Congresses). He served as chairman of the Committee on Railways and Canals in the 63rd and 64th Congresses.

After leaving Congress, Dies retired to his ranch on Turkey Creek in Tyler County, Texas. He moved toKerrville, Texasin 1921. Dies died in Kerrville on July 13, 1922, at the age of 52 in a hospital a few days after an emergency operation for acute appendicitis.He was interred atGlenwood CemeteryinHouston.

Sources

• DIES, Martinin theBiographical Directory of the United States Congress

External links

• Martin Diesfrom theHandbook of TexasOnline
• Martin Dies Sr.atFind a Grave