John Frank Onion

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Resolutions and Journal entries

• Mentioned in 86th Legislature, R.S., HR 942, In memory of former presiding judge John F. "Jack" Onion, Jr., of the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, "grandson of former state representative John Frank Onion." Resolutions - Memorial.

Biographical Sketches

• Biographical sketch of John F. Onion in oral history of his grandson. John F. Onion (died 1918) elected to Texas House of Representatives from Tyler and San Antonio; came to Tyler, Smith County, Texas, from Harrison County, Indiana in 1877; marriage to Victoria Harper; four children.
  John F. Onion's son was Frank Leslie Onion (1890-1955), who later took the name John F. Onion, Jr. ("Pete"), "then dropped the 'Junior,' as many families did in those days when the Senior—they didn‘t call them 'Seniors'—when the elder person with the name died." John F. "Pete" Onion's son was John F. Onion, Jr., born 1925. Oral Memoirs of John Frank Onion Jr., 5/17/2010. Baylor University Institute for Oral History, Baylor University.

Other Resources

• Obituary and photo, "John F. Onion Dies After Brief Illness: Body Will Be Shipped to San Antonio Tonight for Burial; Prominent Dallas Man Who Died Yesterday," 11/1/1918, p. 7. Born 2/28/1862 in Harrison County, Indiana; died 10/31/1918. In 1892, "elected to the lower House from Smith County. At the end of the Twenty-Third Legislature he moved to Bexar County and was elected to the Twenty-Eighth, Twenty-Ninth and Thirtieth Legislatures." Dallas Morning News.
• John F. Onion, birth date 2/28/1862 in Indiana; death date 10/31/1918 in Dallas, Dallas County, Texas; lawyer, Vice President Southland Life. FamilySearch Texas Deaths, 1890-1976.
• John F. Onion, birth date 2/28/1862, death date 10/31/1918, burial in Knights of Pythias Cemetery, San Antonio, Bexar County. Includes reprint of obituary in the San Antonio Light, 11/2/1918. Find a Grave.
• J.F. Onion, member of the Texas Legislature, mentioned in biographical sketch of grandson John Frank ("Jack") Onion, Jr., Presiding Judge, Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, 1971-1988, and Judge, Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, 1967-1970. Justices of Texas, 1836-1986 (Tarlton Law Library, The University of Texas at Austin), 2004.
• Obituary, "Funeral of Judge Onion to Be Held Here Today," San Antonio Express, 11/3/1918, p. 24, crediting the Abilene Library Consortium. Death date 10/31/1918. Represented Tyler and San Antonio in the state legislature. Portal to Texas History (University of North Texas Libraries).
• 29th Legislature (1905) - J.F. Onion, postoffice San Antonio, nativity Indiana, age 42 (born circa 1863), lawyer, Democrat. Texas Legislative Manual.

Photographs

• Photograph. J.F. Onion, 30th Legislature, State Preservation Board
• Photograph. J.F. Onion, 29th Legislature, State Preservation Board
• Photograph. J.F. Onion, 28th Legislature, State Preservation Board
• Photograph. J.F. Onion, 23rd Legislature, Texas State Library and Archives Commission
• Photograph. J.T. Onion, 23rd Legislature, State Preservation Board

Composite Photographs on Display in the Capitol

• 23rd session composite photo of House members (House chamber vestibule, east wall. 2W.V1). State Preservation Board.
• 28th session composite photo of House members (House chamber gallery, east wall. 3W.2). State Preservation Board.
• 29th session composite photo of House members (House chamber gallery, east wall. 3W.2). State Preservation Board.
• 30th session composite photo of House members (House chamber gallery, east wall. 3W.2). State Preservation Board.
• 23rd session composite photo of House members by Hill (Texas State Library and Archives Commission). Texas State Library and Archives Commission.
• 23rd session composite photo of House members by Journeay (Texas State Library and Archives Commission). Texas State Library and Archives Commission.

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