6th Texas Legislature

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.

Radical Republican majority

The legislature was composed primarily of Republicans who aligned with the federal government's Reconstruction efforts.

• 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.

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:

House of Representatives

Members of the House of Representatives for the Sixth Texas Legislature:

• 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.

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.

References

References

References

1. Wise About Texas. (2022-05-25). "History Minute: Governor E J Davis".
2. "The 1860s: Reconstruction {{!}} Texas State Library".
3. (2020). "The Rise and Fall of a Republican South, 1865–1877". Cambridge University Press.
4. "State legislative vacancies, 2023".
5. "Legislative Reference Library {{!}} Legislators and Leaders {{!}} Search results".