Clay Cotten

Full Name: Clay Cotten
Date of birth: September 4, 1884
Date of death: August 16, 1944

Terms of Service
Biographical Notes
Committee Information
Legislation

Terms of Service top

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⁾ 47th ⁽³⁾ ⁽⁴⁾ ⁽⁵⁾ ⁽⁶⁾ ⁽⁷⁾	Democrat	Palestine / Anderson	Senate President Pro Tempore (47th)	Anderson, Freestone, Henderson, Kaufman, Navarro
S	6	Jan 8, 1935 - Jan 10, 1939	44th ⁽¹⁰⁾ 45th ⁽⁹⁾	Democrat	Palestine / Anderson		Anderson, Freestone, Henderson, Kaufman, Navarro

(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 top

Senate District 6
Jan 12, 1943 - Aug 16, 1944
Legislatures: 48th ⁽¹⁾ ⁽²⁾
Dean of the Senate, died 8/16/1944. (47th)
Party: Democrat
Home City/County: Palestine / Anderson
Counties in district: Anderson, Freestone, Henderson, Kaufman, Navarro

Senate District 6
Jan 10, 1939 - Jan 12, 1943
Legislatures: 47th ⁽³⁾ ⁽⁴⁾ ⁽⁵⁾ ⁽⁶⁾ ⁽⁷⁾ 46th ⁽⁸⁾ 47th ⁽³⁾ ⁽⁴⁾ ⁽⁵⁾ ⁽⁶⁾ ⁽⁷⁾
Senate President Pro Tempore (47th)
(47th)
(47th)
Party: Democrat
Home City/County: Palestine / Anderson
Counties in district: Anderson, Freestone, Henderson, Kaufman, Navarro

Senate District 6
Jan 8, 1935 - Jan 10, 1939
Legislatures: 44th ⁽¹⁰⁾ 45th ⁽⁹⁾
Party: Democrat
Home City/County: Palestine / Anderson
Counties in district: Anderson, Freestone, Henderson, Kaufman, Navarro

Biographical Information top

Selected newspaper articles

Resolutions and Journal entries

49th Legislature, R.S., SR 17, 1/17/1945, p. 83. Resolutions - Memorial.

Biographical Sketches

Biography and portrait, pp. 409-412. A Centennial History of Anderson County Texas, 1936.
Memorial, October 1944, p. 334. Texas Bar Journal.

Photographs

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

Composite Photographs on Display in the Capitol

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.

Committee Information top

48th R.S. - 1943 Civil Jurisprudence Constitutional Amendments Criminal Jurisprudence Education Enrolled Bills Federal Relations (Chair) Feed Shortage, Investigation, Special Insurance Public Debts, Claims and Accounts
47th R.S. - 1941 Banking Criminal Jurisprudence Education Highways and Motor Traffic Insurance Interstate Cooperation (Vice Chair) Penitentiaries Privileges and Elections Public Health Public Lands and Land Office (Chair) State Affairs
46th R.S. - 1939 Banking Counties and County Boundaries (Vice Chair) Criminal Jurisprudence Education Enrolled Bills Highways and Motor Traffic Insurance (Chair) Interstate Co-operation Senatorial Districts State Affairs Towns and City Corporations (Vice Chair)
45th R.S. - 1937 Contingent Expenses Counties and County Boundaries Criminal Jurisprudence Educational Affairs (Chair) Enrolled Bills Insurance Interstate Cooperation Judicial Districts (Vice Chair) Labor Senatorial Districts State Affairs Towns and City Corporations
44th R.S. - 1935 Congressional Districts (Chair) Contingent Expenses Counties and County Boundaries Criminal Jurisprudence Education (Chair) Educational Affairs Employment, Special Enrolled Bills Game and Fish Insurance Interstate Cooperation Labor Noncontested Bills, Special Public Debts, Claims and Accounts (Vice Chair) Senatorial Districts State Affairs State Institutions and Departments

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