George Eastland Christian

CHRISTIAN, GEORGE EASTLAND (1888 ~ 1941). Judge George Eastland Christian was born January 17, 1888, in Burnet, the son of George H. and Juliet Johnson Christian and grandson of Brigadier General Adam Rankin Johnson and Juliet Eastland Johnson (both buried in the State Cemetery). He graduated from Marble Falls High School, attended Southwestern University and received a BA degree from the University of Texas in 1912. He studied law concurrently at the UT Law School and was admitted to the State Bar in 1912.

Christian was in private law practice in Burnet, 1912 - 1917 and 1919 - 1925, and during 1912 - 1925 also served as district attorney of the 33rd Judicial District. Attorney General Dan Moody named him Assistant Attorney General in 1925 where he managed an investigation of scandals in the Highway Department. In 1927 Moody, who had been elected governor, appointed him to the newly created State Board of Pardon Advisers and later that year to the Commission of the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. He served as a judge on that court until his death on April 15, 1941.

Upon entry of the United States in the World War, Christian enlisted in the Army in 1917 and was a graduate of the First Officers Training Camp at Leon Springs. Commissioned a second lieutenant, he went to France with the AEF and participated in the Meuse and Argonne offensives in 1918 as an officer in the 344th Machine Gun Battalion, 90th Division. He was honorably discharged in 1919 as a first lieutenant.

Judge Christian was a lifelong Methodist and a Mason. He was active in the Democratic Party, especially in the campaigns of Governor Moody, Governor James V. Allred, gubernatorial candidate Ernest O. Thompson, and President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

He and Ruby Scott Christian, of Burnet, were married June 13, 1923, and had three children, Juliet (now Mrs. Edward B. Jelks), George Eastland Jr., and Martha Josephine (now Mrs. Walter Babich). The family home was at 3108 Wheeler Street in Austin.

Information written and provided by George Eastland Christian, Jr.