Euclid Rains

Euclid Rains
Member of the Alabama House of Representatives from the 26th district
In office 1978–1990
Preceded by	Hinton Mitchem
Personal details
Born	Thomas Euclid Rains (1920-11-24)November 24, 1920 DeKalb County, Alabama, U.S.
Died	August 27, 2000(2000-08-27) (aged 79) Geraldine, Alabama, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Nell Rains[1]
Alma mater	Jacksonville State University

Thomas Euclid Rains (November 24, 1920^[2] – August 27, 2000) was an American politician. He served as a Democratic member for the 26th district of the Alabama House of Representatives.^[1][3][4]

Rain was born in DeKalb County, Alabama,^[5] the son of Annie Ruth Slate and Thomas Rains. At the age of five, Rains became blind after an accident that involved scissors, causing damage to his left eye.^[5] He was diagnosed with sympathetic ophthalmia in the right eye at the age of seven.^[5][6]

Rains attended at the Alabama Institute for the Deaf and Blind, from which he graduated in 1941.^[5][7] He then attended Jacksonville State University, graduating in 1944.^[5] Rains's decision to attend the university came after his mother read newspaper articles to him.^[8]

After college, Rains started a manufacturing business.^[5]

In 1978, Rains was elected to represent the 26th district in the Alabama House of Representatives,^[5] succeeding Hinton Mitchem. In 1990, Rains decided not to run for re-election.^[1]

Rains wrote a memoir about his young years titled I'm Not Afraid of the Dark.^[5][9]

Rains died in August 2000 of a single-vehicle collision next to his home in Geraldine, Alabama, along with his wife, Nell.^[1] He was 79 at the time.^[1]

References

1. "T. Euclid Rains, wife dead at 79". Pensacola News Journal. Pensacola, Florida. Associated Press. August 28, 2000. p. 19. Retrieved September 24, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
2. "House Roster of the Alabama House of Representatives", Alabama Legislature
3. Tatalovich, Raymond (October 17, 2014). Nativism Reborn?: The Official English Language Movement and the American States. University Press of Kentucky. p. 183. ISBN 9780813156590 – via Google Books.
4. "Braddock's Federal-State-local Government Directory: Volume 2", University of Michigan, Braddock Publications, p. 4, 1984
5. Elstrom, Clifford (July 10, 2012), Undaunted by Blindness, 2nd Edition, pp. 215–216
6. Stroud, Allen (February 14, 2017). "Former AL legislature's kids talk parents' courtship". WAFF. Retrieved September 24, 2022.
7. "Dedication scheduled today". The Gadsden Times. May 30, 2003. Retrieved September 24, 2022.
8. Smith, Buffy (June 2000). "Euclid Rains Returns To JSU After 56 Years". Jacksonville State University. Retrieved September 24, 2022.
9. "Rains' inspirational autobiography hits the mark". The Anniston Star. Anniston, Alabama. December 14, 2000. p. 32. Retrieved September 24, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.