Eighth Texas Legislature

      The Eighth Texas Legislature met from 7 November 1859 to 9 April 1861 in its regular session, a first called session, and an adjourned session. All members of the House of Representatives and about half of the members of the Senate were elected in 1859.

      Sessions

      • 8th Regular session: 7 November 1859–13 February 1860
      • 8th First called session: 21 January–9 February 1861
      • 8th Adjourned session: 18 March–9 April 1861
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      Party summary

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      Officers

      Senate

      Lieutenant Governor
      Edward Clark, Democrat
      President pro tempore
      Jesse Grimes, Democrat, Regular session

      House of Representatives

      Speaker of the House 
      M. D. K. Taylor, Democrat
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      Members

      Members of the Eighth Texas Legislature at the beginning of the regular session, 7 November 1859:

      Senate

      District Senator Party Took office
      1 James W. Sims Democrat 1859
      2 Lewis G. Harmon Democrat 1859
      3 Martin D. Hart Democrat 1859
      4 James W. Throckmorton Democrat 1857
      5 Albert G. Walker Democrat 1857 (First time: 1849–1851)
      6 Emory Rains Democrat 1859
      7 John G. Chambers Democrat 1859
      8 Louis T. Wigfall Democrat 1857
      9 Jesse H. Parsons Democrat 1859
      10 Elisha Everett Lott Democrat 1853
      11 Robert Henry Guinn Democrat 1853
      12 Alexis T. Rainey Democrat 1859
      13 John N. Fall Democrat 1857
      14 John R. Dickinson Democrat 1859
      15 Henry C. Wallace Democrat 1859
      16 Enoch S. Pitts Democrat 1859
      17 Mark M. Potter Democrat 1851
      18 Abram Morris Gentry Democrat 1859
      19 Jesse Grimes Democrat 1855 (First time: 1846–1853)
      20 Chauncey Berkeley Shepard Democrat 1857
      21 David M. Whaley Democrat 1858
      22 Francis Marion Martin Democrat 1859
      23 George Bernard Erath Democrat 1857
      24 George E. Quinan Democrat 1857
      25 Eggleston D. Townes Democrat 1859
      26 Fletcher S. Stockdale Democrat 1857
      27 Thomas Hinds Duggan Democrat 1859 (First time: 1851–1853)
      28 Edwin B. Scarborough Democrat 1853
      29 Forbes Britton Democrat 1857
      30 Isaiah Addison Paschal Democrat 1857 (First time: 1853–1855)
      31 Gustav Schleicher Democrat 1859
      32 Claiborne C. Herbert Democrat 1857
      33 Archibald C. Hyde Democrat 1857

      House of Representatives

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      Membership changes

      Senate

      District Outgoing
      Senator
      Reason for Vacancy Successor Date of Successor's Installation
      District 3 Martin D. Hart Hart resigned 26 February 1861. Turner L. Greene Unknown
      District 8 Louis T. Wigfall Wigfall announced his resignation on 7 December 1859. E. A. Blanch 14 January 1860
      District 9 Jesse H. Parsons Parsons resigned after the adjourned session. None
      District 12 Alexis T. Rainey Rainey resigned after the regular session. Steward Alexander Miller 21 January 1861
      District 14 John R. Dickinson Dickinson resigned after the regular session. Henry P. C. Dulany 26 January 1861
      District 15 Henry C. Wallace Wallace resigned 4 January 1861. Franklin Barlow Sexton None[1]
      District 15 Franklin Barlow Sexton Sexton did not appear. None[2]
      District 25 Eggleston D. Townes Townes resigned 13 March 1861. Nathan George Shelley[3] 4 November 1861
      District 29 Forbes Britton Britton died 14 Feb 1861. Benjamin Franklin Neal 19 March 1861
      District 30 Isaiah Addison Paschal Paschal resigned 29 March 1861. Unknown Unknown

      House of Representatives

      District Outgoing
      Representative
      Reason for Vacancy Successor Date of Successor's Installation
      District 22 John N. McClarty McClarty resigned after the regular session. William Wright Morris 22 January 1861
      District 65 Henry Lawrence Kinney Kinney was opposed to secession and resigned 9 February 1861. Alfred Marmaduke Hobby 19 March 1861
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      External links

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      Last modified on 11 May 2013, at 09:12