Edmund J. Davis of Texas - (Texas Biography) by Carl H Moneyhon (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

Volume two of The Texas Biography Series reveals Edmund J. Davis, the heroic man who stood in strong opposition to his peers and better reflected the ideals of the nation than those of so many of his contemporaries. Carl H. Moneyhon presents a long overdue favorable account of a man who was determined to make progressive changes and stand in stark opposition to the state's political elite. What moved this man to take such a dramatic stand against his political peers? Moneyhon strives to answer this very question.

Edmund J. Davis was not only a part of the political elite during the Civil War, but he also opposed secession. He refused to follow most of Texas' leaders and actively opposed the Confederacy by attempting to bring Texas back to the Union. After the war, Davis was a leader in reconstructing the state based on true free labor and pursued progressive and egalitarian policies as governor of Texas.
Through the entire reconstruction process Davis faced extreme Confederate hostility. After leaving the governor's mansion an unpopular man and politician, he still remained dedicated to changing Texas. He worked to change his adopted state until the day he died.

Review Quotes

"[Davis] was a selfless idealist and valuable public servant, as biographer Moneyhon makes clear in this exceptional portrait."

--Jon Chandler "Roundup Magazine" (8/1/2010 12:00:00 AM)

"Moneyhon, a leading and well-respected authority on Reconstruction in Texas, provides a revisionist portrait of Davis and situates his character and political philosophy at the heart of the narrative. Moneyhon's sympathetic portrayal duly resurrects Davis's historical significance by painting him as a progressive visionary who did not cower before the state's pro-Confederate elite...he portrays Davis as a man of integrity who was driven by duty, responsibility, and determination."

--Andrew Lang "Southwestern Historical Quarterly"

"Moneyhon's book provides understanding of Davis' life and influence."

--Marie Beth Jones "The Facts" (7/18/2010 12:00:00 AM)

Edmund J. Davis is a fine biography of a man shunned and dishonored by his state. . . . The author has searched and found records overlooked by many scholars. Perhaps the book could be called "revisionist history," but Moneyhon's work clearly proves it couldn't happen to a better or more deserving subject.

--Jerry Turner "Mexia News" (3/22/2010 12:00:00 AM)

"Historian Carl H. Moneyhon has written a sympathetic biography of Davis."

--Glenn Dromgoole "The Eagle" (4/4/2010 12:00:00 AM)

About the Author

CARL H. MONEYHON is professor of history at the University of Arkansas, Little Rock. A specialist on the Civil War and Reconstruction, much of his work focuses on the Texas experience. He's published Republicanism in Reconstruction Texas; Texas After the Civil War: The Struggle of Reconstruction; and Portraits of Conflict: A Photographic History of the Civil War in Texas. Moneyhon is a fellow of the Texas State Historical Association, holds degrees from the University of Texas, Austin, and a Ph.D. from the University of Chicago.