Benjamin Cromwell Franklin

Full Name: Benjamin Cromwell Franklin
Date of birth: April 25, 1805
Date of death: December 25, 1873

Terms of Service
Biographical Notes
Committee Information

Terms of Service top

Chamber	District	Dates of Service	Legislatures	Party	City/County	Counties in District
S	12	Elected but never sworn	14th ⁽¹⁾ ⁽²⁾ ⁽³⁾ ⁽⁴⁾	Democrat	Galveston / Galveston	Brazoria, Galveston, Matagorda
H	35	Nov 7, 1859 - Nov 4, 1861	8th		Galveston / Galveston	Galveston
H	35	Nov 7, 1853 - Nov 5, 1855	5th		Galveston / Galveston	Galveston
H	25	Nov 5, 1849 - Nov 3, 1851	3rd ⁽⁵⁾		Galveston / Galveston	Galveston

(1) 14th Legislature - elected, but never sworn. Elected 12/2/1873; died 12/25/1873, prior to beginning of regular session.
"Democratic ticket" Tuesday, 12/2/1873, front page, "Vote for the Amendments," indicating "the importance of the election which takes place today. . .our legislative ticket - Franklin, Bryan, Harris, and Moody."
"Election returns" of election held Tuesday, 12/2/1873, and "The Result in Galveston," printed 12/4/1873, p. 3. Galveston Daily News.
(2) Proclamation, Governor Richard Coke, ordering an election for 2/17/1874, to fill vacancy caused by death of Honorable Benjamin C. Franklin, senator elect; Election Notice; 2/18/1874, p. 3. Galveston Daily News.
(3) Entire Senate went up for reelection due to Senatorial redistricting. Ordinance adopted by Constitutional Convention of the State of Texas, 1875. Remained in effect from its passage until first reapportionment after 1880 Census. University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History. Apportionment Laws of Texas, 1836-1950, 1950.
(4) Thomas M. Joseph, sworn 3/19/1874, succeeded Benjamin C. Franklin, member-elect, died 12/25/1873. Members of the Texas Congress 1836-1845; Members of the Texas Legislature 1846-2004, 2005.
(5) Roster of members elect of the 3rd Legislature, Matthewson, R.C., Texas State Gazette (Austin, Texas), 9/29/1849, p. 6, crediting Dolph Briscoe Center for American History. Portal to Texas History (University of North Texas Libraries).

Terms of Service top

Senate District 12
Elected but never sworn
Legislatures: 14th ⁽¹⁾ ⁽²⁾ ⁽³⁾ ⁽⁴⁾
Party: Democrat
Home City/County: Galveston / Galveston
Counties in district: Brazoria, Galveston, Matagorda

House District 35
Nov 7, 1859 - Nov 4, 1861
Legislatures: 8th
Home City/County: Galveston / Galveston
Counties in district: Galveston

House District 35
Nov 7, 1853 - Nov 5, 1855
Legislatures: 5th
Home City/County: Galveston / Galveston
Counties in district: Galveston

House District 25
Nov 5, 1849 - Nov 3, 1851
Legislatures: 3rd ⁽⁵⁾
Home City/County: Galveston / Galveston
Counties in district: Galveston

Biographical Information top

Resolutions and Journal entries

5th Legislature - Roll of Members, Benjamin C. Franklin, native state Georgia, emigrated from Georgia, lawyer, postoffice Galveston, Galveston County. House Journal.
59th Legislature, R.S., SCR 25. Benjamin C. Franklin designated as the person for whom Franklin County is named. Resolutions - Congratulatory and Honorary.

Biographical Sketches

Biographical sketch, Benjamin C. Franklin, pp. 173-177. Bench and Bar of Texas, 1885.
Biographical sketch and portrait, Benjamin Cromwell Franklin, pp. 109-110. Daughters of the Republic of Texas Patriot Ancestor Album, 1995.
Obituary, "Death of Hon. B.C. Franklin," 12/27/1873, p. 2, "Senator elect from the Galveston district," died 12/25/1873; "Funeral of Judge Franklin," 12/27/1873, p. 3. Galveston Daily News.
FRANKLIN, BENJAMIN CROMWELL (1805-1873). Handbook of Texas Online.
Biographical sketch, Benjamin Cromwell Franklin, Associate Justice, Supreme Court of the Texas Republic, 1836-1839. First person to hold a judicial position in the Republic of Texas. Justices of Texas, 1836-1986 (Tarlton Law Library, The University of Texas at Austin), 2004.
Memorial, November 1975, pp. 935-936. "A Texas portrait: Benjamin Cromwell Franklin." Texas Bar Journal.

Military Service Notes

Texas Army, Captain, Texas Revolution." On April 7, 1836, he was commissioned a captain in the Texas army by President David G. Burnet, but since he was not assigned to the command of a company at San Jacinto, he fought there as a private in Capt. Robert J. Calder's company." Handbook of Texas Online.

Other Resources

"Benjamin C. Franklin as State Senator," editorial column on the "qualifications and fitness of Judge Franklin for the office of Senator," Sunday, 11/2/1873, p. 2. Galveston Daily News.
"Resolutions of the Galveston Bar on the Death of Judge Franklin," 1/4/1874, p. 2. Galveston Daily News.
Portrait. Texas Album of the Eighth Legislature, 1860.

Photographs

Photograph. Ben. C. Franklin, 8th Legislature, Texas Album of the Eighth Legislature

Composite Photographs on Display in the Capitol

14th session composite photo of Senate and House members (Ground floor elevator vestibule, east wall. GW.V3). State Preservation Board.

Committee Information top

8th R.S. - 1859 Federal Relations Internal Improvement Judiciary Public Lands Retrenchment and Reform (Chair)
5th R.S. - 1853 Judiciary (Chair) Public Lands
3rd R.S. - 1849 Digest of the Laws of the State of Texas by Mr. Oliver C. Hartley, Examine Work, Cost, etc. Governor's Message, Select (Co-Chair) Judiciary (Chair) Penitentiary Santa Fe, Prepare Remonstrance and Protest Against the Further Continuance of a Military Government in

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