Rives, John Robert Thomas

Summary

Father: James Monroe Rives
Mother: Martha Jane Cates

Birth: 13 Jun 1875
Birth Source: WWI Draft Card

Death: 16 Mar 1970, Birmingham, Jefferson County, Alabama
Death Source: Death Certificate

Spouse1: Mamie L. Gordon, m. 19 Jun 1895, Bedford County, Tennessee

Narrative

Children of John Robert Thomas Rives and Mamie:

1. James Velpaux Rives, b. 25 Apr 1897
2. Albert Gordon Rives, b. 12 Apr 1901

From Reliques of the Rives:
John Robert Thomas Rives was educated in the common schools of Bedford county, Tennessee, and entered upon a railroad career at the age of fifteen, serving successively as news agent, flagman, and conductor on the L. & N. R. R. In 1921 he was made Deputy President of the Order of Railway Conductors of America and, in January 1927, Editor of the Railway Conductor, published by the Order of Railway Conductors in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Mr. John R. T. Rives’ natural ability has brought him to the fore wherever he has exercised his talents. In I915 he was elected Mayor of Inglenook, a suburb of Birmingham, Alabama, which he makes his legal residence; was Coroner of Jefferson county, Alabama, 1917-21; and since 1923 has served as a member of the Alabama Legislature from Jefferson county.
Mr. Rives has taken the part expected of a member of his family in all forward-looking movements, having been active in Alabama in the prohibition cause, and having served as a member of the State Executive Committee for the ratification of the 18th Amendment to the Constitution. He was Chairman of the first joint meeting of the four National Railway Brotherhoods that initiated the movement which culminated in the enactment of an eight-hour day for all railway employees. While a Democrat in politics, Mr. Rives has never permitted his broad and enlightened views of the political and social needs of the country to be fettered by slavish adherence to political catchwords and empty formulae. With the courage and highly developed social consciousness characteristic of him he identified himself in 1924 with the LaFollette-Wheeler campaign, a movement having so much of promise for the enrichment of American life. He took the stump for the new party in Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, West Virginia, and Tennessee, and was later associated with the national headquarters of the party in Chicago. In addition to these varied activities, he was one of the organizers of the Federated Bank &Trust Co. (now the Southern Bank & Trust Co.), of Birmingham. of which he was a director; and is a 32nd degree Mason.
He has taken time from these many duties to give me a helping hand in the collection of material for this work which I find it defficult adequately to acknowledge. I first came in touch in 1925 with Mr. Rives. who. like Colonel Gordon Rives Catts. had been collecting independently for some time memorials of his immediate family. Like Colonel Catts, Mr. Rives brought to the assistance of my task a co-operation and encouragement which have never failed me. He has been indefatigable during these three years in the quest for material and in the search for scattered members of the family, and I take occasion to reiterate that without such aid as these two have extended me the fulfillment of this work would never have been possible.
Mr. John R. T. Rives, who was born at Shelbyville, Tenn., married June 19, I895, Mamie Lillian Gordon, daughter of Amzi Jenkins and Mary Adline (Snell) Gordon, of Wartrace, Tenn.

Research Notes

Sources

Birth:          World War I Draft Registration Card, John Robert Thomas Rives
Marriage1:  Tennessee, County Marriages, 1790-1950 (FamilySearch)
Death:        Alabama Deaths, 1908-1974 (FamilySearch)

1900 Census:  Jefferson County, Alabama

Childs, James Rives. Reliques of the Rives, p284