Charles Allen Culberson was born on June 10, 1855 in Dadeville, Alabama, was the son of David B. and Eugenia Kimbal Culberson.
When he was one year old his parents moved to Gilmer, Upshur County, Texas, and five years later to Jefferson, Marion County.
In Gilmer, Upshur County, Texas he received his primary education.
In 1870 he entered Virginia Military Institute where he graduated in 1874.
He then studied law in his father’s office and later entered the law school of the University of Virginia where he graduated in 1877.
He began the practise of law at Jefferson, Texas, and was elected county attorney; but he soon returned to his private practise which grew rapidly.
In 1887 he moved to Dallas and in 1890 he ran for the attorney-generalship of Texas and was elected. In this first race for a state office he displayed that remarkable gift for organization which always marked his political contests.
When he became attorney-general, James S. Hogg, his predecessor in that office, became governor on a reform platform; and it fell to Culberson to defend before the courts some of the measures which Hogg had enacted into law.
The most important of these measures was the railroad commission law, the constitutionality of which the United States Supreme Court upheld in Reagan vs. Farmers’ Loan and Trust Company.
Other important cases in which he represented the State were: The Houston and Texas Central Railroad Company vs. Texas in which the State recovered a large tract of land in western Texas claimed by this road; and The United States vs. Texas, known as the Greer County case, in which Texas lost its claim to the region between the forks of the Red River, now in Oklahoma.
In 1892 he was reelected attorney-general. In 1894 he entered the contest for the Democratic nomination for governor and won an easy victory. In this, as in his later campaigns his manager was Colonel E. M. House, afterward famous as the political adviser of Woodrow Wilson.
In the November election he was opposed by Thomas L. Nugent, the Populist candidate, but after a strenuous contest Culberson won by nearly 60, 000 votes. The great issue in this campaign was free silver, and the state Democratic platform had leaned toward gold; but Culberson quickly identified himself with the silver men.
His administration as governor was notable for activity and vigor in the enforcement of the laws and for a strong fiscal policy by which expenses were reduced through rigid economy and administrative and judicial reforms.
The most spectacular action of Culberson was his calling the legislature into special session in October 1895, to enact a law which prevented the holding of the Corbett-Fitzsimmons prize-fight in Texas.
In 1896 he was again the Democratic candidate for governor, and in a hard fight defeated the Populist candidate, Jerome C. Kearby, by some 60, 000 votes. In 1898 both Culberson and Roger Q. Mills were candidates for the United States Senate—the latter for réélection, but Culberson’s organization was so effective that Mills withdrew and Culberson was elected by the legislature.
He took his seat in March 1899, and served in the Senate for four consecutive terms. He proved a steady and effective party worker ; and his ability, united to a fondness for details and a passion for accuracy, soon attracted attention.
Though his health had broken badly he remained steadfastly at his post and continued actively in committee work; and he had a prominent part in framing the important legislation of the Wilson administration, especially the war measures.
In 1922 he was defeated for reelection in the Texas primaries. This was his first defeat and it was largely due to his physical inability to conduct his own campaign.
After his retirement in 1923 he remained in Washington, where he died two years later.
Though he did not speak frequently, he was an accomplished orator, and his prepared speeches are remarkable for literary finish and strength. He became famous as a trial lawyer, for he was not only a profound student of the law but had such a persuasive influence with the juries that he seldom lost a case. In 1907 he became the leader of the Democratic minority in the Senate. Although a rather strict constitutionalist, he generally supported progressive measures, especially those for the regulation of great corporations. His chief service was as a member of the Committee on the Judiciary, of which he was chairman during the momentous years 1913-19.
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Though a Democrat, he had never broken entirely with his early Whig training, as is shown by his conservatism and his broad views of the constitutional powers of the Federal Government.
He was a member of the Committee on the Judiciary.
In his prime he was an unusually handsome man, tall, straight, with regular features and keen twinkling eyes. He was reserved in manner, except among his closest associates, and uncommunicative.
It was said of him that he never had to reproach himself for having talked too much.
On December 7, 1882, he married Sallie Harrison of Fort Worth.
