Clay Cotten
Full Name: Clay Cotten, Sr.Date of birth: September 4, 1884
Date of death: August 16, 1944
Terms of Service
| Chamber | District | Dates of Service | Legislatures | Party | City/County | Note | Counties in District |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S | 6 | Jan 12, 1943 - Aug 16, 1944 | 48th (1) (2) | Democrat | Palestine / Anderson | Dean of the Senate, died 8/16/1944. (48th) | Anderson, Freestone, Henderson, Kaufman, Navarro |
| S | 6 | Jan 10, 1939 - Jan 12, 1943 | 47th (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) 46th (8) | Democrat | Palestine / Anderson | Senate President Pro Tempore (47th) | Anderson, Freestone, Henderson, Kaufman, Navarro |
| S | 6 | Jan 8, 1935 - Jan 10, 1939 | 45th (9) 44th (10) | Democrat | Palestine / Anderson | Anderson, Freestone, Henderson, Kaufman, Navarro |
Terms of service footnotes
(1) James E. Taylor, in special election 11/7/1944, succeeded Clay Cotten, died 8/16/1944. Members of the Texas Congress 1836-1845; Members of the Texas Legislature 1846-2004, 2005. ↩
(2) Although Cotten shared seniority with Senators [Weaver] Moore, Shivers, and Sulak, a statement in the Senate Journal indicates that Senator Cotten was chosen dean. See the Senate Journal, 48th Legislature, p. 14. Texas Senate, Secretary of the Senate - Memo, January 8, 2002, 'Deans of the Texas Senate', 2002. ↩
(3) 47th Legislature - Senate President Pro Tempore, Regular Session, elected 1/14/1941. Senate Journal. ↩
(4) Caucus report for 47th Legislature, 1st called session signed, Olan R. Van Zandt, Dean of the Senate, p. 10. Senate Journal. ↩
(5) Journal does not indicate who assumed title of Dean of the Senate during the regular session. However, Olan Van Zandt served as chair of the senate caucus, an honor traditionally bestowed upon the dean, pp. 9-11. Senate Journal. ↩
(6) Journal does not confirm who assumed the title of dean during the regular session of the 47th legislature; however, Senator Van Zandt was chairman of the senate caucus, a honor traditionally bestowed on the dean of the senate. Texas Senate, Secretary of the Senate - Memo, January 8, 2002, 'Deans of the Texas Senate', 2002. ↩
(7) Lists Cotten, Hill, Weaver Moore, Shivers, Sulak, and Van Zandt as having most seniority, 47th Legislature. Texas Senate, Secretary of the Senate - Memo, January 8, 2002, 'Deans of the Texas Senate', 2002. ↩
(8) 46th Legislature - Roll Call of Senators-Elect, oath of office administered, 1/10/1939, p. 8. Senate Journal. ↩
(9) 45th Legislature - Roll Call of Senators, holdover Senators "who were Members of the Forty-fourth Legislature and whose terms of office continue for the duration of the Forty-fifth Legislature," 1/12/1937, pp. 1-2. Senate Journal. ↩
(10) 44th Legislature - Roll Call of New Senators and Certificate of New Senators, oath of office administered, 1/8/1935, p. 1. Senate Journal. ↩
Terms of Service
- Legislatures:
- 48th (1) (2)
- Leadership role:
-
Dean of the Senate, died 8/16/1944. (48th)
- Party:
- Democrat
- Home City/County:
- Palestine / Anderson
- Counties in district:
- Anderson, Freestone, Henderson, Kaufman, Navarro
Terms of service notes
(1) James E. Taylor, in special election 11/7/1944, succeeded Clay Cotten, died 8/16/1944. Members of the Texas Congress 1836-1845; Members of the Texas Legislature 1846-2004, 2005. ↩
(2) Although Cotten shared seniority with Senators [Weaver] Moore, Shivers, and Sulak, a statement in the Senate Journal indicates that Senator Cotten was chosen dean. See the Senate Journal, 48th Legislature, p. 14. Texas Senate, Secretary of the Senate - Memo, January 8, 2002, 'Deans of the Texas Senate', 2002. ↩
(3) 47th Legislature - Senate President Pro Tempore, Regular Session, elected 1/14/1941. Senate Journal. ↩
(4) Caucus report for 47th Legislature, 1st called session signed, Olan R. Van Zandt, Dean of the Senate, p. 10. Senate Journal. ↩
(5) Journal does not indicate who assumed title of Dean of the Senate during the regular session. However, Olan Van Zandt served as chair of the senate caucus, an honor traditionally bestowed upon the dean, pp. 9-11. Senate Journal. ↩
(6) Journal does not confirm who assumed the title of dean during the regular session of the 47th legislature; however, Senator Van Zandt was chairman of the senate caucus, a honor traditionally bestowed on the dean of the senate. Texas Senate, Secretary of the Senate - Memo, January 8, 2002, 'Deans of the Texas Senate', 2002. ↩
(7) Lists Cotten, Hill, Weaver Moore, Shivers, Sulak, and Van Zandt as having most seniority, 47th Legislature. Texas Senate, Secretary of the Senate - Memo, January 8, 2002, 'Deans of the Texas Senate', 2002. ↩
(8) 46th Legislature - Roll Call of Senators-Elect, oath of office administered, 1/10/1939, p. 8. Senate Journal. ↩
(9) 45th Legislature - Roll Call of Senators, holdover Senators "who were Members of the Forty-fourth Legislature and whose terms of office continue for the duration of the Forty-fifth Legislature," 1/12/1937, pp. 1-2. Senate Journal. ↩
(10) 44th Legislature - Roll Call of New Senators and Certificate of New Senators, oath of office administered, 1/8/1935, p. 1. Senate Journal. ↩
Biographical Information
- 49th Legislature, R.S., SR 17, 1/17/1945, p. 83. Resolutions - Memorial.
- Biography and portrait, pp. 409-412. A Centennial History of Anderson County Texas, 1936.
- Memorial, October 1944, p. 334. Texas Bar Journal.
- Clay Cotton, Sr., birth date 9/4/1884 in Henderson County; death date 8/16/1944 in Palestine, Anderson County; attorney. FamilySearch Texas Deaths, 1890-1977.
- Clay Cotten, birth date 9/4/1884, death date 8/16/1944, burial in Palestine City Cemetery, Palestine, Anderson County, with spouse Josephine Cotten. Includes obituary and photo from Malakoff News, 8/18/1944. Find a Grave. Selected newspaper articles
- Photograph. Clay Cotten, 48th Legislature, State Preservation Board
- Photograph. Clay Cotten, 47th Legislature, State Preservation Board
- Photograph. Clay Cotten, 46th Legislature, State Preservation Board
- Photograph. Clay Cotten, 45th Legislature, State Preservation Board
- Photograph. Clay Cotten, 44th Legislature, State Preservation Board
- 44th session composite photo of Senate members (Ground floor corridor, south wall. GE.C1). State Preservation Board.
- 45th session composite photo of Senate members (Ground floor corridor, south wall. GE.C1). State Preservation Board.
- 46th session composite photo of Senate members (Ground floor corridor, south wall. GE.C1). State Preservation Board.
- 47th session composite photo of Senate members (Ground floor corridor, south wall. GE.C1). State Preservation Board.
- 48th session composite photo of Senate members (Ground floor corridor, south wall. GE.C1). State Preservation Board.
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