Alvah Chesley

Full Name: Alvah Chesley
Date of birth: September 27, 1831
Date of death: July 17, 1907

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	12	Jan 9, 1883 - Jan 13, 1885	18th ⁽¹⁾ ⁽²⁾	Democrat	Bellville / Austin		Austin, Burleson, Fort Bend, Waller, Washington
H	38	Apr 18, 1876 - Jan 14, 1879	15th ⁽³⁾	Democrat	Bellville / Austin		Austin

(1) Democrat. Pocket Directory of the Eighteenth Legislature of Texas, 1883.
(2) 18th Legislature, Regular Session - All Senators except District 3 and 21 are listed in Roll Call as taking the oath of office, 1/9/1883, p. 2; resolution by Sen. Gooch that the Senators shall now be divided by lot into two classes, 1/10/1883, pp. 5-6; drew term of 2 years. Senate Journal. January 10, 1883 January 9, 1883
(3) Mentioned in "The news from Austin . . . Resignations of Representative Barziza and four others accepted after critical debate . . . Hunter restored to his seat . . . Other resignations not improbable," Thursday, 8/3/1876, p. 1. Galveston Daily News.

Terms of Service top

Senate District 12
Jan 9, 1883 - Jan 13, 1885
Legislatures: 18th ⁽¹⁾ ⁽²⁾
Party: Democrat
Home City/County: Bellville / Austin
Counties in district: Austin, Burleson, Fort Bend, Waller, Washington

House District 38
Apr 18, 1876 - Jan 14, 1879
Legislatures: 15th ⁽³⁾
Party: Democrat
Home City/County: Bellville / Austin
Counties in district: Austin

Biographical Information top

Biographical Sketches

Biographical sketch, Alvah Chesley, p. 433. Born 9/27/1831 in New Hampshire. "In the year 1876 he was elected a member of the Legislature, and in 1883 and 1884 he was in the Senate." Memorial and Genealogical Record of Southwest Texas: Containing Biographical Histories and Genealogical Records of Many Leading Men and Prominent Families, 1894.
Biographical sketch, A. Chesley, pp. 104-105. "He is a Democrat, and there being no Democratic nominee in his district, he ran as an independent candidate and was elected to the 15th Legislature by 182 majority." Sketches of Legislators and State Officers, Fifteenth Legislature, 1876-1878, 1876.
Biographical sketch, p. 240. Born 9/27/1831 in New Hampshire. Nominated at Democratic Convention for Senate and elected in November 1882. Texas Legislative Manual, 1882-83, 1883.

Military Service Notes

Confederate States Army, Corporal, Company F, 16th Texas Infantry (Flournoy's), enlistment date 12/1/1861. Alvah Chesley, age 29, born about 1833. U.S., Civil War Soldier Records and Profiles, 1861-1865; U.S., Civil War Soldiers, 1861-1865; U.S., Confederate Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865. Ancestry.com.
Confederate States Army, Company F, 16th Infantry Regiment, p. 433. Memorial and Genealogical Record of Southwest Texas: Containing Biographical Histories and Genealogical Records of Many Leading Men and Prominent Families, 1894.

Other Resources

Obituary, "A. Chesley," 7/19/1907, p. 1. "Resolutions Upon the Death of Mr. A. Chesley," from the Austin County bar association meeting on 8/23/1907, printed 9/6/1907, p. 1. Bellville Times.
Alvah Chesley, birth date 9/27/1831, death date 7/17/1907, burial in Oak Knoll Cemetery, Bellville, Austin County. Find a Grave.
Obituary, "Hon. A Chesley Dead: Father of the Independent School District Law and Homestead Exemption Decision Was His Idea," 7/18/1907, p. 8. Galveston Daily News.
A.A. Chesley listed in Democratic State Conventions of 1884, 1890, and 1892. Platforms of Political Parties in Texas, 1916.
Obituary, "A. Chesley Is Dead: Former Legislator Expires at His Home in Bellville . . . ," The Houston Post, 7/18/1907, p. 7. Birth date 9/27/1831, death date 7/17/1907. Portal to Texas History (University of North Texas Libraries).

Photographs

Photograph. A. Chesley, 18th Legislature, State Preservation Board
Photograph. A. Chesley, 15th Legislature, State Preservation Board

Composite Photographs on Display in the Capitol

18th session composite photo of Senate members (Senate chamber vestibule, east wall. 2E.V1). State Preservation Board.
15th session composite photo of House members (Ground floor elevator vestibule, east wall. GW.V3). State Preservation Board.

Committee Information top

18th R.S. - 1883 Constitutional Amendments Contingent Expenses Department Report Delays Education Judiciary No. 1 Private Land Claims Privileges and Elections (Chair) State Affairs
15th R.S. - 1876 Assessment and Collection of Taxes Constitutional Amendments Contingent Expenses Judiciary No. 2 Privileges and Elections (Chair)

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