Chamber	District	Dates of Service	Legislatures	Party	City/County	Note	Counties in District
S	27	Jan 8, 1895 - Jan 10, 1899	24th ⁽⁴⁾ ⁽⁵⁾ ⁽⁶⁾ ⁽⁷⁾ 25th ⁽¹⁾ ⁽²⁾ ⁽³⁾	Populist	Troy / Bell		Bell, Bosque, Coryell, Hamilton, Lampasas

(1) 25th Legislature - Roll of holdover Senators, 1/12/1897, p. 1. Senate Journal.
(2) Populist. Texas Legislative Manual.
(3) Member of Peoples Party. Texas State Government: A Volume of Biographical Sketches and Passing Comment, 25th Legislature, 1897.
(4) Populist. Biennial Report of the Secretary of State of the State of Texas: List of Senators and Representatives.
(5) Discussion of populists elected to 24th Legislature, populist pluralities by county, and roster with party affiliation, "Official Returns," "The Next Legislature," Galveston Daily News, 11/15/1894, p. 6. Portal to Texas History (University of North Texas Libraries).
(6) Populist. Roster, "News from Austin: Twenty-Fourth Legislature," Galveston Daily News, 12/23/1894, p. 2. Portal to Texas History (University of North Texas Libraries).
(7) 24th Legislature - Roll of Senators-elect, oath of office administered, 1/8/1895, p. 1. Senate Journal.

Biographical Notes and Resources top

Biographical Sketches

Bell County Historical Commission, Biographical sketch of William Licken Harrison and photograph of Dr. and Mrs. W.L. Harrison, Volume II, pp. 590-591. Courtesy of the Bell County Museum. Story of Bell County, Texas, 1988.
Biographical sketch, William L. Harrison, pp. 62-63. Born 11/5/1831 in Lauderdale County, Alabama. Texas State Government: A Volume of Biographical Sketches and Passing Comment, 25th Legislature, 1897.

Military Service Notes

Confederate States Army; physician and surgeon until 1877. Texas State Government: A Volume of Biographical Sketches and Passing Comment, 25th Legislature, 1897.

Other Resources

Census of 1870 - Willis Harrison, Gatesville post office, Coryell County, age 38, born circa 1832 in Alabama, physician, living in household with Lydia Harrison.
Census of 1880 - Willis Harrison, Bell County, age 48, born circa 1832 in Alabama, minister, wife Lydia.
Census of 1900 - Willis R. Harrison, Bell County, age 68, born November 1831 in Alabama, preacher, wife Cathreen G.
Census of 1910 - Willis L. Harrison, Bell County, age 78, born circa 1832 in Alabama, minister/gospel, wife Katie E. FamilySearch. 1870 1880 1900 1910
William L. Harrison, birth date 11/5/1831 in Florence, Alabama; death date 2/14/1915 in Troy, Bell County, Texas; physician. FamilySearch Texas Deaths, 1890-1976.
W.L. Harrison, birth date 11/5/1831, death date 2/14/1915, burial in Hillcrest Cemetery, Temple, Bell County. Includes photographs, biographical sketch. Find a Grave.
Willis Lyman Harrison, plate 18, pp. 155, 284-288, 292, 297, 306-307, 314, 321, and 479 note 18. The People's Revolt: Texas Populists and the Roots of American Liberalism, 2020.
Death notice, Dr. W.L. Harrison, "Another Old Citizen Gone," The Bartlett Tribune and News, 2/19/1915, p. 1, crediting Bartlett Activities Center and the Historical Society of Bartlett. Harrison was "one-time State Senator from the Temple district"; "In 1892 decedent was elected State Senator on the Populist ticket and represented this district in the Legislature for a period of four years." Portal to Texas History (University of North Texas Libraries).

Photographs

Photograph. W.L. Harrison, 25th Legislature, State Preservation Board
Photograph. W.L. Harrison, 24th Legislature, State Preservation Board

Composite Photographs on Display in the Capitol

24th session composite photo of Senate members (Senate chamber gallery, west wall. 3E.5). State Preservation Board.
25th session composite photo of Senate members (Senate chamber gallery, west wall. 3E.5). State Preservation Board.

Committee Information top

25th R.S. - 1897 Agricultural Affairs Claims and Accounts Counties and County Boundaries Federal Relations Frontier Protection Insurance, Statistics and History Public Health Roads, Bridges and Ferries State Asylums
24th R.S. - 1895 Agricultural Affairs Counties and County Boundaries Federal Relations Frontier Protection General Land Office Labor Penitentiaries Private Land Claims Public Health Public Printing Roads and Bridges State Affairs State Asylums

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.