Chamber	District	Dates of Service	Legislatures	Party	City/County	Counties in District
H	64	Jan 11, 1887 - Dec 9, 1887	20th ⁽¹⁾ ⁽²⁾ ⁽³⁾ ⁽⁴⁾	Republican	Galveston / Galveston	Brazoria, Galveston
H	36	Jan 11, 1881 - Jan 9, 1883	17th ⁽⁵⁾ ⁽⁶⁾	Republican	Galveston / Galveston	Brazoria, Galveston, Matagorda
H	12	Feb 8, 1870 - Jan 14, 1873	12th ⁽⁷⁾ ⁽⁸⁾	Radical Republican	Galveston / Galveston	Brazoria, Galveston, Matagorda

(1) "In politics, Major Plumley was a Republican," discussion of Republican party in speeches by colleagues. 20th Legislature, 1st C.S., Memorial session and resolution, 5/4/1888, pp. 162-169. House Journal.
(2) Guy M. Bryan, sworn 5/2/1888, succeeded Benjamin R. Plumley, died 12/9/1887. Members of the Texas Congress 1836-1845; Members of the Texas Legislature 1846-2004, 2005.
(3) Mr. Plumly is a "life-long Republican," p. 167. Personnel of the Texas State Government with Sketches of Distinguished Texans, 20th Legislature, 1887.
(4) Roster of senators and representatives of the 20th Legislature with their postoffice address, Austin Weekly Statesman, "Governmental," 12/30/1886, p. 6. Portal to Texas History (University of North Texas Libraries).
(5) Republican, 11/17/1880, p. 2. Galveston Daily News.
(6) Republican. Pocket Directory of the Seventeenth Legislature of Texas, 1881.
(7) 12th Legislature, Provisional Session - Qualified and took the oath of office on 2/8/1870. House Journal.
(8) Party affiliation, Radical. Texas Almanac for . . . and Emigrant's Guide to Texas.

Biographical Notes and Resources top

Resolutions and Journal entries

20th Legislature, 1st C.S., Memorial session and resolution, 5/4/1888, House Journal, pp. 162-169. Resolutions - Memorial.

Biographical Sketches

PLUMLY, BENJAMIN RUSH (1816-1887). Handbook of Texas Online.
Portrait and biographical sketch, Benjamin Rush Plumly, pp. 167-168. "Made Speaker [in 12th Legislature], but declined it, and became leader of the House." Personnel of the Texas State Government with Sketches of Distinguished Texans, 20th Legislature, 1887.
Biographical sketch. Born 3/10/1816. Virtual American Biographies, 2000.

Military Service Notes

United States Army (Union Army), Civil War. Memorial resolution: "At the breaking out of the war between the states, in 1861, he with his two sons and son-in-law, entered the Union army and was assigned to duty on General Fremont's staff in Missouri. In 1863 he was made special agent of the United States treasury at New Orleans, and in 1864 and 1865 was chairman of the city board of education, which positions he held by appointment of President Lincoln." 20th Legislature, 1st C.S., Memorial session and resolution, 5/4/1888, House Journal, pp. 162-169. Resolutions - Memorial.

Other Resources

B. Rush Plumly, age 72, burial in Trinity Episcopal Cemetery, Galveston, Galveston County. Find a Grave.
Correspondence from Benjamin Rush Plumly to President Abraham Lincoln concerning the education of freedmen, 3/23/1865. "The Abraham Lincoln Papers," Library of Congress.
Excerpts from Plumley's "Report of the Board of Education for Freedmen," submitted on February 28, 1865. Library of Congress.

Composite Photographs on Display in the Capitol

20th session composite photo of House members (Ground floor elevator vestibule, north wall. GW.V3). State Preservation Board.
17th session composite photo of House members (Texas State Library and Archives Commission). Texas State Library and Archives Commission.

Committee Information top

20th R.S. - 1887 Commerce and Manufactures (Chair) Comptroller's and Treasurer's Office, Examine Educational Affairs Public Building and Grounds Public Health and Vital Statistics Towns and City Corporations
17th R.S. - 1881 Commerce and Manufactures Federal Relations Public Health, Vital Statistics and History of Texas
12th Adjourned - 1871 Comptroller and Treasurer's Offices, Select Education Fire Protection of State Buildings Internal Improvements (Chair) Public Debt Rules
12th R.S. - 1871 Education Internal Improvements (Chair) Public Buildings and Grounds Rules
12th 1st C.S. - 1870 Commerce and Manufactures (Chair) Finance Immigration
12th Provisional - 1870 Rules

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