John Chrysostom Dougherty III (b. May 3, 1915) is a Texas lawyer who is active in many philanthropic religious, civic, and legal organizations. Dougherty’s uncle paid for his undergraduate education at the University of Texas and Law School at Harvard on the condition that he would someday pass along the favor to someone else. Dougherty was admitted to the Texas Bar in 1940. He became a decorated military man while serving in World War II, and when he returned home he formed the Graves & Dougherty law firm in Austin, Texas with his father-in-law, Judge Ireland Graves. His wife Molly Ireland, whom he married in 1942, died in 1977. They had two children, Mary Ireland and J. Chrys Dougherty IV. Dougherty remarried twice.
In addition to carrying out his uncle’s request, Dougherty was active in many philanthropic religious, civic, and legal organizations. Dougherty is a founding director of Texas Appleseed, an association dedicated to promoting social justice and providing legal service to the poor. Revered for his dedication to the cause, there are awards in his name for excellent volunteer legal service both within and outside of Texas Appleseed. Dougherty was an officer of the Philosophical Society of Texas for many years, and served on the Board of Trustees for the Advanced Religious Study Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to enriching Presbyterian theological education in the United States by providing supplementary funding for four prominent seminaries, Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary, Colombia Theological Seminary in Georgia, Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary, and Union Theological Seminary in Virginia, from its inception in 1955. In addition to serving as a Board member and occasional donor, Dougherty advised the foundation regarding legal matters.
From the guide to the J. Chrys Dougherty III papers 1992-012., 1953-1978, (Austin Seminary Archives, Stitt Library, Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary.)
