8th Texas Legislature

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The 8th Texas Legislature met from November 7, 1859 to April 9, 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

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

Party summary

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Officers

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Senate

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

House of Representatives

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

Members

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

Senate

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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 Green 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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District Representative Party Took Office
1 Solomon H. Pirkey Unknown November 12, 1859


Membership changes

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Senate

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District Outgoing
Senator
Reason for Vacancy Successor Date of Successor's Installation
District 3 Martin D. Hart Hart resigned February 26, 1861. Turner L. Greene Unknown
District 8 Louis T. Wigfall Wigfall announced his resignation on December 7, 1859. E. A. Blanch January 14, 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 January 21, 1861
District 14 John R. Dickinson Dickinson resigned after the regular session. Henry P. C. Dulany January 26, 1861
District 15 Henry C. Wallace Wallace resigned January 4, 1861. Franklin Barlow Sexton None[1]
District 15 Franklin Barlow Sexton Sexton did not appear. None[2]
District 25 Eggleston D. Townes Townes resigned March 13, 1861. Nathan George Shelley[3] November 4, 1861
District 29 Forbes Britton Britton died February 14, 1861. Benjamin Franklin Neal March 19, 1861
District 30 Isaiah Addison Paschal Paschal resigned March 29, 1861. Unknown Unknown
  • ^ District 15: Sexton did not return from Confederate States Army service in time to meet with the legislature.
  • ^ District 25: Shelley elected in special election held March 25, 1861 and sworn in with the Ninth Texas Legislature.

House of Representatives

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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 January 22, 1861
District 65 Henry Lawrence Kinney Kinney was opposed to secession and resigned February 9, 1861. Alfred Marmaduke Hobby March 19, 1861
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