Representative Littleton Wilde Moore

Littleton Wilde Moore (March 25, 1835 – October 29, 1911) was a Democratic U.S. Representative from Texas who served three consecutive terms in the United States Congress from 1887 to 1893. He represented his Texas constituents in the House of Representatives during a significant period in American history, contributing to the legislative process as a member of the Democratic Party.

Moore was born in Marion County, Alabama, on March 25, 1835. In 1836, when he was still an infant, his family moved to Mississippi, where he was raised. He pursued his early education in that state and later enrolled at the University of Mississippi at Oxford. He graduated from the University of Mississippi in 1855, laying the foundation for a professional career in the law.

After completing his undergraduate studies, Moore read law and prepared for admission to the bar. He was admitted to the bar in 1857 and, in the same year, moved to Texas. He settled in Bastrop, Texas, where he commenced the practice of law. His relocation to Texas marked the beginning of a long legal and public service career in his adopted state.

During the American Civil War, Moore served in the Confederate States Army. He held the rank of captain and served throughout the duration of the conflict. Following the war and the subsequent period of Reconstruction, he became active in Texas public affairs. In 1875 he was elected as a delegate to the Texas state constitutional convention, which framed the state constitution that took effect in 1876.

Moore’s judicial career began soon thereafter. He served as a district judge in Texas from 1876 to 1885, presiding over the courts of his district for nearly a decade. His work on the bench enhanced his reputation as a lawyer and jurist and helped establish his standing within the Democratic Party and the broader legal community of Texas.

Building on his judicial and political experience, Moore was elected as a Democrat to the Fiftieth, Fifty-first, and Fifty-second Congresses, serving in the U.S. House of Representatives from March 4, 1887, to March 3, 1893. As a Representative from Texas, he participated in the democratic process at the national level and represented the interests of his constituents during a transformative era in American economic and political life. His three terms in office encompassed debates over tariffs, monetary policy, and federal regulation as the country continued to industrialize and expand.

After leaving Congress in 1893, Moore resumed the practice of law in Texas. He continued to be recognized for his legal expertise and was again called to judicial service in the new century. In 1901 he was appointed judge of the Twenty-second Judicial District of Texas. He held this position from 1901 until his death, returning to the bench and serving continuously for a decade.

Littleton Wilde Moore died in La Grange, Texas, on October 29, 1911, while still serving as a district judge. He was interred in the City Cemetery in La Grange. His career spanned service as a Confederate officer, constitutional convention delegate, district judge, and three-term Member of Congress, reflecting a lifetime of involvement in the legal and political life of Texas.