LRL Home - Legislators and Leaders - Texas Legislators: Past & Present - Member profile

J. Franklin Spears Full Name: Jacob Franklin Spears Date of birth: October 6, 1899 Date of death: May 29, 1946 Terms of Service Biographical Notes Committee Information Terms of Service top Chamber District Dates of Service Legislatures Party City/County Note Counties in District S 26 Jan 9, 1945 - May 29, 1946 49th (1)   Democrat San Antonio / Bexar   Bandera, Bexar, Kendall, Kerr S 26 Jan 14, 1941 - Jan 9, 1945 48th   47th   Democrat San Antonio / Bexar   Bandera, Bexar, Kendall, Kerr S 26 Jan 12, 1937 - Jan 14, 1941 46th (2)   45th (3)   Democrat San Antonio / Bexar   Bandera, Bexar, Kendall, Kerr H 78-2 Jan 8, 1935 - Jan 12, 1937 44th   Democrat San Antonio / Bexar   Bexar (1) Walter Tynan, in special election 7/27/1946, succeeded J. Franklin Spears, died 5/29/1946. Members of the Texas Congress 1836-1845; Members of the Texas Legislature 1846-2004, 2005. (2) 46th Legislature - 1/10/1939, pp. 1-2, listed in "Roll Call of Senators. . .who were Members of the Forty-fifth Legislature and whose terms of office continue for the duration of the Forty-sixth Legislature." Senate Journal. (3) 45th Legislature - 1/12/1937, p. 2, listed in "Oath of Office Administered to Senators-Elect." Senate Journal.   Biographical Notes and Resources top Selected Newspaper articles Resolutions and Journal entries 50th Legislature, R.S., SR 18, 1/27/1947, p. 80. Resolutions - Memorial. Biographical Sketches Biographical sketch and portrait, Franklin Scott Spears, Associate Justice, Texas Supreme Court, 1979-1990. Relatives: J. Franklin Spears - father, Franklin Scott Spears - son. Justices of Texas, 1836-1986 (Tarlton Law Library, The University of Texas at Austin), 2004. Memorial, October 1946, p. 410. Texas Bar Journal. Military Service Notes World War II service, Lieutenant Colonel, "Legislature Faces Problem of Absences: Men in Armed Forces Can't Get Leave to Attend Sessions," 1/1/1943. Dallas Morning News. World War I and World War II. Spears "also served his country in both World Wars. He served in World War II with great distinction, having received the rank of Lieutenant Colonel." 50th Legislature, R.S., SR 18, 1/27/1947, p. 80. Resolutions - Memorial. Pictured in uniform in 47th and 48th Senate composite photo and listed as Lt. Col. J. Franklin Spears. State Preservation Board. State Preservation Board United States Cavalry, World War I; United States Army, Lieutenant Colonel, World War II. "He entered the Army as a National Guard officer in 1940 and was separated in 1944 as a Lieutenant Colonel. At 17 he had enlisted in the U.S. Cavalry, serving during World War I." Memorial, October 1946, p. 410. Texas Bar Journal. United States Cavalry, United States Army. Photo and salute. With Honor and Gratitude: A Special Thank You to Our Texas Senate Members Who Served Our Country, 2017. Other Resources Jacob Franklin Spears, birth date 10/6/1899, death date 5/29/1946, photos, interment in Mission Burial Park South, San Antonio, Bexar County. Find a Grave. Mentioned in preview of 44th Legislature and discussion of legislative turnover, "Texas House Gets 80 New Members," 10/15/1934, p. 14. San Antonio Express. Photographs Photograph. J. Franklin Spears, 44th Legislature, State Preservation Board Photograph. J. Franklin Spears, 45th Legislature, State Preservation Board Photograph. J. Franklin Spears, 46th Legislature, State Preservation Board Photograph. J. Franklin Spears, 47th Legislature, State Preservation Board Photograph. J. Franklin Spears, 48th Legislature, State Preservation Board Photograph. J. Franklin Spears, 49th Legislature, State Preservation Board Composite Photographs on Display in the Capitol 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. 49th session composite photo of Senate members (Ground floor corridor, south wall. GE.C1). State Preservation Board. 44th session composite photo of House members (3rd floor back hall, east wall. 3W.C1). State Preservation Board. Committee Informationtop 49th R.S. - 1945 Commerce and Manufacturing   Criminal Jurisprudence   Finance   Labor   Military Affairs (Vice Chair)  Public Debts, Claims and Accounts (Chair)  Representative Districts   Senatorial Districts (Vice Chair)  State Affairs   Veterans' Affairs   48th R.S. - 1943 Commerce and Manufacturing   Constitutional Amendments   Counties and County Boundaries (Chair)  Federal Relations   Finance   Game and Fish (Vice Chair)  Military Affairs   Privileges and Elections   Public Debts, Claims and Accounts (Vice Chair)  Public Printing   Rules   State Penitentiaries   47th R.S. - 1941 Commerce and Manufactures (Vice Chair)  Counties and County Boundaries   Criminal Jurisprudence   Education   Finance   Labor (Chair)  Military Affairs (Vice Chair)  Penitentiaries   Privileges and Elections   Public Printing   Towns and City Corporations   46th R.S. - 1939 Commerce and Manufacturing   Congressional Districts   Counties and County Boundaries   Criminal Jurisprudence (Chair)  Education   Enrolled Bills   Finance   Labor (Chair)  Military Affairs (Vice Chair)  Penitentiaries   Public Printing   Towns and City Corporations   45th R.S. - 1937 Civil Jurisprudence   Compact with Oklahoma Relative to Use of Red River by Texas Citizens, Special   Constitutional Amendments (Vice Chair)  Counties and County Boundaries (Chair)  Criminal Jurisprudence   Engrossed Bills   Labor (Vice Chair)  Public Printing   Representative Districts   State Affairs   State Highways and Motor Traffic   44th R.S. - 1935 Constitutional Amendments   Criminal Jurisprudence (Vice Chair)  Liquor Traffic   Public Health   State Affairs   Texas Independence Day, Special

This website is a work in progress. Information on this website is provided as a public service by the Legislative Reference Library. The Legislative Reference Library makes no representation as to its completeness or accuracy and makes no warranty in regard to its use. Users assume all risk of reliance on the information included on this site.

Have a question, comment or contribution? Email the Library or call 512-463-1252.

Many photos in Texas Legislators: Past and Present are used with permission of the Texas State Preservation Board. For permission to reproduce these photos, please contact the Texas State Preservation Board graphics coordinator at 512-475-3060.