James Aloysius Harley

Full Name: James Aloysius Harley
Date of birth: March 1, 1883
Date of death: June 15, 1942

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	21	Jan 12, 1915 - Sep 29, 1917	34th ⁽³⁾ 35th ⁽¹⁾ ⁽²⁾	Democrat	Seguin / Guadalupe		Blanco, Caldwell, Comal, Gonzales, Guadalupe, Hays
S	21	Jul 21, 1913 - Jan 12, 1915	33rd ⁽⁴⁾ ⁽⁵⁾ ⁽⁶⁾ ⁽⁷⁾ ⁽⁸⁾	Democrat	Seguin / Guadalupe		Blanco, Caldwell, Comal, Gonzales, Guadalupe, Hays

(1) Martin Faust, in special election 2/5/1918, sworn 2/28/1918, succeeded James A. Harley, vacated office 9/29/1917. Members of the Texas Congress 1836-1845; Members of the Texas Legislature 1846-2004, 2005.
(2) 35th Legislature - Member-elect in List of State Senators Elected at the General Election Held November 7, 1916, oath of office administered, 1/9/1917, pp. 2-3. Senate Journal.
(3) 34th Legislature - Elected November 3, 1914, oath of office administered to members elect, 1/12/1915, pp. 1-2. Senate Journal.
(4) "Five New Senators: The senate will have five new faces during the special session. James Harley, Senator F.C. Weinert's successor from Seguin, is the first of the new members to arrive." "Storm Brews at Capital as State Lawmakers Gather for Special Session of Legislature," 7/21/1913, p. 1. Fort Worth Record.
(5) "To Choose a State Senator" and "Weinert in Charge of Office," 6/2/1913, p. 6: Harley mentioned as candidate, Weinert became Texas Secretary of State; "James A. Harley Elected: Seguin Man Unopposed for Senator from Twenty-First District," 7/21/1913, p. 2: Harley elected 7/19/1913. Galveston Daily News.
(6) Special election 7/19/1913, "Overwhelming Defeat for Three Amendments. . .Dr. E.I. Clark Wins in Eighteenth Senatorial; Tom B. Coe Leads in Twelfth Representative; E.M. Greer Elected in Seventh Senatorial; H.R. Greer Elected 125th Representative," 7/20/1913, p. 1. Galveston Daily News.
(7) James A. Harley, sworn 7/21/1913, succeeded Ferdinand C. Weinert, resigned 5/3/1913. Members of the Texas Congress 1836-1845; Members of the Texas Legislature 1846-2004, 2005.
(8) Assumed Democrat based on listing as Democrat in 34th-35th Legislatures. Texas Legislative Manual.

Terms of Service top

Senate District 21
Jan 12, 1915 - Sep 29, 1917
Legislatures: 34th ⁽³⁾ 35th ⁽¹⁾ ⁽²⁾
Party: Democrat
Home City/County: Seguin / Guadalupe
Counties in district: Blanco, Caldwell, Comal, Gonzales, Guadalupe, Hays

Senate District 21
Jul 21, 1913 - Jan 12, 1915
Legislatures: 33rd ⁽⁴⁾ ⁽⁵⁾ ⁽⁶⁾ ⁽⁷⁾ ⁽⁸⁾
Party: Democrat
Home City/County: Seguin / Guadalupe
Counties in district: Blanco, Caldwell, Comal, Gonzales, Guadalupe, Hays

Biographical Information top

Selected newspaper articles

Resolutions and Journal entries

48th Legislature, R.S., HCR 53, 3/3/1943, p. 682. Resolutions - Memorial.

Biographical Sketches

HARLEY, JAMES A. (1883-1942). Handbook of Texas Online.
Biographical sketch and portrait, James Aloysius Harley, Volume III, pp. 1476-1477. Born 1883 in Seguin, Texas. "In January, 1913, having resigned from the county attorneyship, he made the campaign for state senator to succeed Senator F.C. Weinert . . . He represents the Twenty-first Senatorial District, which is composed of the counties of Guadaloupe [sic], Gonzales, Caldwell, Hays, Blanco and Comal, and his term of office will expire in 1916." A History of Texas and Texans, 1914.
Appointed Adjutant General 9/29/1917; in 1917 from Seguin, 21 dist. Guadalupe county, age 34, born in Texas, lawyer, Democrat; includes obituary in Dallas News, 6/16/1942, "J.A. Harley, Former State Senator, Dies." Legislative Reference Library Card File.
Biographical sketch, Senate of the 35th Legislature, "A Look at the Affairs of State: The Real Names and Addresses of Thirty-one Senators With Additional Facts," The Houston Post, 3/22/1917, p. 6. Portal to Texas History (University of North Texas Libraries).
Memorial, September 1942, p. 323. Texas Bar Journal.

Military Service Notes

James Aloysiuis [sic] Harley, birth date 3/1/1883; permanent home address in Seguin, Guadalupe County; Adjt Gen'l, Texas, Capitol, Austin, Texas; nearest relative Mrs. Norah H. Harley; draft registration 9/10/1918. FamilySearch United States World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918.
United States Army, Texas National Guard, Major and Adjutant General, World War I. "During World War I Harley was a major in the Thirty-sixth Infantry Division, Texas National Guard, and was adjutant general of Texas from September 29, 1917, to September 30, 1919." Handbook of Texas Online.
United States Army, Brigadier General and Adjutant General, World War I. Harley "served as Adjutant General of Texas during the World War I, holding the rank of Brigadier General in the Third Infantry Brigade . . ." 48th Legislature, R.S., HCR 53, 3/3/1943, p. 682. Resolutions - Memorial.
Data on U.S. Army Divisions during World War I, 36th Division (Texas and Oklahoma National Guard). RootsWeb.com Internet genealogical service.

Other Resources

James A. Harley, birth date 3/1/1883 in Seguin, Texas; death date 6/15/1942 in San Antonio, Bexar County; lawyer. FamilySearch Texas Deaths, 1890-1977.
Obituary, James A. Harley, "S.A. Housing Head Buried at Seguin," 6/16/1942, p. 6. San Antonio Light.

Photographs

Photograph. James A. Harley, 35th Legislature, State Preservation Board
Photograph. James A. Harley, 34th Legislature, State Preservation Board
Photograph. J.A. Harley, 33rd Legislature, State Preservation Board

Composite Photographs on Display in the Capitol

33rd session composite photo of Senate members (Senate chamber gallery, east wall. 3E.5). State Preservation Board.
34th session composite photo of Senate members (Senate chamber gallery, south wall. 3E.5). State Preservation Board.
35th session composite photo of Senate members (3rd floor back hall corridor, west wall. 3E.C2). State Preservation Board.

Committee Information top

35th R.S. - 1917 Civil Jurisprudence Congressional Districts Donation of John Tarleton College to the State, Investigate Educational Affairs Internal Improvements Military Affairs Mining, Irrigation and Drainage Senatorial Districts State Penitentiaries
34th R.S. - 1915 Constitutional Amendments Educational Affairs Insurance, Statistics and History Internal Improvements Judiciary No. 1 Military Affairs Penitentiary Investigating Committee (Chair) Senatorial Districts State Penitentiaries (Chair) Towns and City Corporations

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.