The 6th Texas Legislature met from November 5, 1855 to September 1, 1856 in its regular session and one adjourned session. All 80 members of the Texas House of Representatives and about half of the members of the Texas Senate were elected in 1855.
Sessions
- 6th Regular session: November 5, 1855 – February 4, 1856
- 6th Adjourned session: July 7–September 1, 1856
Party summary
The 6th Texas Legislature (1869–1871) was dominated by the Republican Party, a rarity in the state's history. Its defining feature was the Radical Republican control during the Reconstruction era, which passed landmark legislation aimed at fulfilling the requirements of Congressional Reconstruction. The party's power, however, was brief, and it was ousted by the resurgent Democratic Party in the following election.[1]
Radical Republican majority
The legislature was composed primarily of Republicans who aligned with the federal government's Reconstruction efforts. [2]
- The party's control was a result of the enfranchisement of black American men and the temporary disenfranchisement of former Confederates, as mandated by Congressional Reconstruction.
- Governor Edmund J. Davis, a Republican and former Union officer, worked with the legislature to consolidate Republican power and enact Reconstruction policies.[3]
Officers
Senate
- Lieutenant Governor
- Hardin Richard Runnels, Democrat
- President pro tempore
- Jesse Grimes, Regular session, Adjourned session
House of Representatives
- Speaker of the House
- Hamilton P. Bee
Members
Senate
Members of the Texas Senate for the Sixth Texas Legislature:
| District | Senator | Party | Took office |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Solomon H. Pirkey | Democrat | 1855 |
| 2 | Johnson Wren | Democrat | 1855 |
| 3 | Robert H. Taylor | Democrat | 1855 |
| 4 | Malachi W. Allen | Democrat | 1853 |
| 5 | Jefferson Weatherford | Democrat | 1853 |
| 6 | Jonathan Russell | Democrat | 1855 |
| 7 | M. D. K. Taylor | Democrat | 1851 |
| 8 | William Thomas Scott | Democrat | 1851 (First time: 1846–1847) |
| 9 | James Winwright Flanagan | Democrat | 1855 |
| 10 | Elisha Everett Lott | Democrat | 1853 |
| 11 | Robert Henry Guinn | Democrat | 1853 |
| 12 | William M. Taylor | Democrat | 1855 |
| 13 | Madison G. Whitaker | Democrat | 1853 |
| 14 | James A. Truitt | Democrat | 1855 (First time: 1851–1853) |
| 15 | James M. Burroughs | Democrat | 1855 |
| 16 | Henry C. Pedigo | Democrat | 1853 |
| 17 | Mark M. Potter | Democrat | 1851 |
| 18 | Edward A. Palmer | Democrat | 1855 |
| 19 | Jesse Grimes | Democrat | 1855 (First time: 1846–1853) |
| 20 | James W. McDade | Democrat | 1853 |
| 21 | Elliot McNeil Millican | Democrat | 1853 |
| 22 | William Harrison "Howdy" Martin | Democrat | 1853 |
| 23 | James H. Armstrong | Democrat | 1851 |
| 24 | Guy Morrison Bryan | Democrat | 1853 |
| 25 | John Caldwell | Democrat | 1855 |
| 26 | Samuel Addison White | Democrat | 1855 |
| 27 | Henry Eustace McCulloch | Democrat | 1855 |
| 28 | Edwin B. Scarborough | Democrat | 1855 |
| 29 | Edward R. Hord | Democrat | 1855 |
| 30 | Antoine Supervièle | Democrat | 1853 |
| 31 | Samuel A. Maverick | Democrat | 1855 |
| 32 | Isaac Lafayette Hill | Democrat | 1853 |
| 33 | Rufus Doane | Democrat | 1851 |
House of Representatives
Members of the House of Representatives for the Sixth Texas Legislature:
 | This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items. (August 2008) |
- John David German Adrian
- Hamilton P. Bee
- N. B. Charlton
- John Winfield Scott Dancy
- Isaac N. Dennis
- Julien Sidney Devereux
- David Catchings Dickson
- Mathew Duncan Ector
- James Carlton Francis
- James Alfred Head
- John Rhodes King
- Pleasant Williams Kittrell
- Matthew Fielding Locke
- Jefferson Carruthers McAlpine
- John Hazelrigg McClanahan
- Robert Caldwell Neblett
- Anthony Banning Norton
- William Beck Ochiltree
- Dr. Lewis S. Owings
- Benjamin F. Parker
- John Sayles
- Ashbel Smith
- William Stedman
- Benjamin E. Tarver
- William S. Taylor
- Leslie A. Thompson
- William M. "Buckskin" Williams
- Israel Worsham
Membership Changes
The 6th Texas Legislature saw several changes in membership due to the deaths and resignations of elected officials. The Legislative Reference Library of Texas's database on past and present legislators can confirm these specific changes. During this era, state legislative vacancies were typically filled by a special election.[4]
Resignations and related special elections
- Jesse Billingsley: A member of the House representing Bastrop, Fayette, and Travis counties, Billingsley resigned from the 6th Legislature. He had previously served in the 5th Legislature.
- George Smyth: Smyth, a Democrat who represented Texas's 1st congressional district, ended his service around the time of the 6th Legislature. A special election to fill the vacant seat he left behind would have been held to decide his replacement.[5]
References
- ^ Wise About Texas (May 25, 2022). History Minute: Governor E J Davis. Retrieved September 25, 2025 – via YouTube.
- ^ "The 1860s: Reconstruction | Texas State Library". www.tsl.texas.gov. Archived from the original on August 9, 2025. Retrieved September 25, 2025.
- ^ Heersink, Boris; Jenkins, Jeffery A., eds. (2020), "The Rise and Fall of a Republican South, 1865–1877", Republican Party Politics and the American South, 1865–1968, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp. 66–100, ISBN 978-1-107-15843-6, retrieved September 25, 2025
- ^ "State legislative vacancies, 2023". Ballotpedia. Retrieved September 25, 2025.
- ^ "Legislative Reference Library | Legislators and Leaders | Search results". lrl.texas.gov. Retrieved September 25, 2025.
External links
- Texas Legislature Online
- Texas Senate
- Texas House of Representatives
- Election Results from the Office of the Secretary of State
- Legislative Reference Library
References
