Abram Gentry

Abram Morris Gentry

Full Name: Abram Morris Gentry
Date of birth: May 14, 1821
Date of death: February 20, 1883

Terms of Service top

Chamber District Dates of Service Legislatures Party City/County Note Counties in District
S 16 Aug 6, 1866 - Feb 7, 1870 11th (1) (2)     Houston / Harris   Brazoria, Fort Bend, Harris
S 18 Nov 9, 1859 - Nov 4, 1861 8th (3) (4) (5) (6) (7)     Houston / Harris   Harris

(1) Constitution of 1866, Article III, §§ 29, 30, retained the apportionment of 1860 for Senatorial districts. Texas Constitutions Digitization Project (Tarlton Law Library, The University of Texas at Austin), 2009.
(2) Entire Senate went up for reelection - Constitution of 1869, Article III, § 39. Texas Constitutions Digitization Project (Tarlton Law Library, The University of Texas at Austin), 2009.
(3) Entire Senate went up for reelection due to Senatorial redistricting. Act passed Feb. 6, 1860, 8th Legislature, ch. 45, Apportionment Laws of Texas, 1836-1950, 1950.
(4) "In April 1860 two seemingly unrelated meetings of Unionists occurred . . . The newly created Constitutional Union party met in the Tyler courthouse to nominate delegates to that party's national convention. A.M. Gentry, . . . Anthony Bannon Norton, Benjamin Holland Epperson, and Lemuel D. Evans, completed a quartet made up of two Whigs, a Know-Nothing, and a Union Democrat. "Origins of Early Texas Republican Party Leadership," Vol. 40, No. 3, pp. 444. Journal of Southern History.
(5) Included in "Table II, Constitutional Unionists (Identified from newspapers) with Biographical Data," list of leaders of the Texas Constitutional Union Party in 1860. The party was formed in January of 1860. "The Constitutional Union Party in Texas," The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 82, Number 3, January 1979, pp. 238, 256-262, crediting Texas State Historical Association. Portal to Texas History (University of North Texas Libraries). Table II, Constitutional Unionists
(6) 8th Legislature, Regular Session - Not present at the organization of the Senate. First mentioned in appointments to Senate committees, 11/9/1859, p. 10. Senate Journal.
(7) 8th Legislature - One of 15 newcomers to the Senate, 8th Regular Session, p. 302. The Texas Senate: Volume I, Republic to Civil War, 1836-1861, 1990.

Terms of Service top

Senate District 16
Aug 6, 1866 - Feb 7, 1870
Legislatures: 11th (1) (2)  
Home City/County: Houston / Harris
Counties in district: Brazoria, Fort Bend, Harris
Senate District 18
Nov 9, 1859 - Nov 4, 1861
Legislatures: 8th (3) (4) (5) (6) (7)  
Home City/County: Houston / Harris
Counties in district: Harris

(1) Constitution of 1866, Article III, §§ 29, 30, retained the apportionment of 1860 for Senatorial districts. Texas Constitutions Digitization Project (Tarlton Law Library, The University of Texas at Austin), 2009.
(2) Entire Senate went up for reelection - Constitution of 1869, Article III, § 39. Texas Constitutions Digitization Project (Tarlton Law Library, The University of Texas at Austin), 2009.
(3) Entire Senate went up for reelection due to Senatorial redistricting. Act passed Feb. 6, 1860, 8th Legislature, ch. 45, Apportionment Laws of Texas, 1836-1950, 1950.
(4) "In April 1860 two seemingly unrelated meetings of Unionists occurred . . . The newly created Constitutional Union party met in the Tyler courthouse to nominate delegates to that party's national convention. A.M. Gentry, . . . Anthony Bannon Norton, Benjamin Holland Epperson, and Lemuel D. Evans, completed a quartet made up of two Whigs, a Know-Nothing, and a Union Democrat. "Origins of Early Texas Republican Party Leadership," Vol. 40, No. 3, pp. 444. Journal of Southern History.
(5) Included in "Table II, Constitutional Unionists (Identified from newspapers) with Biographical Data," list of leaders of the Texas Constitutional Union Party in 1860. The party was formed in January of 1860. "The Constitutional Union Party in Texas," The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 82, Number 3, January 1979, pp. 238, 256-262, crediting Texas State Historical Association. Portal to Texas History (University of North Texas Libraries). Table II, Constitutional Unionists
(6) 8th Legislature, Regular Session - Not present at the organization of the Senate. First mentioned in appointments to Senate committees, 11/9/1859, p. 10. Senate Journal.
(7) 8th Legislature - One of 15 newcomers to the Senate, 8th Regular Session, p. 302. The Texas Senate: Volume I, Republic to Civil War, 1836-1861, 1990.

Biographical Information top

Resolutions and Journal entries

  • Member roster, 11th Legislature, Regular Session: A.M. Gentry, Houston, Harris County, President Railroad, age 50 in 1866 (born circa 1816). Senate Journal.

Biographical Sketches

Other Resources

  • ". . . one of four delegates representing Texas at the National Constitutional Union Conventions commencing May 9 at Baltimore." Baggett, James Alex, "Origins of Early Texas Republican Party Leadership," The Journal of Southern History, Vol.40(3), August 1974, p. 444. Journal of Southern History.
  • Gentry was one of four delegates elected to the Constitutional Union Party's national convention in Baltimore. "Senator Abram M. Gentry, who as a Union Democrat had been a very active participant at the earlier San Jacinto assembly." "The Constitutional Union Party in Texas," The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 82, Number 3, January 1979, p. 240, crediting Texas State Historical Association. Portal to Texas History (University of North Texas Libraries).

Photographs

  • Photograph. Abram Gentry, 8th Legislature, Texas Album of the Eighth Legislature

Composite Photographs on Display in the Capitol

Committee Information top

11th R.S. - 1866
Freedmen  
Internal Improvements (Chair) 
8th R.S. - 1859
Finance  
Internal Improvements  
Penitentiary  
Public Grounds and Public Buildings  
Revenue Laws  
Roads, Bridges and Ferries  
State Affairs  

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.

Party information is not available for the 1st-11th Legislatures.

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.