Legislative Reference Library | Legislators and Leaders

This database is a work in progress. Library staff have made every effort to verify the information presented in the database utilizing as many primary resources as possible; occasionally, however, sources are silent or provide conflicting information. Users should carefully review any explanatory information provided.

Genealogical research in the Texas Legislators: Past and Present database is based on the Genealogical Proof Standard of the Board for Certification of Genealogists. When presenting biographical information about members of the Texas Legislature, we adhere to the following five elements:

Reasonably exhaustive research has been conducted.
Each statement of fact has a complete and accurate source citation.
The evidence is reliable and has been skillfully correlated and interpreted.
Any contradictory evidence has been documented.
The conclusion has been soundly reasoned and coherently written.

Any biographical information is subject to re-evaluation when new evidence arises.

Photos and Images

Photos found in the database are used with the permission of the individuals or institutions which own the original images. Permission to use or reproduce photos must be provided by the owner of the photo.

For photos provided by the Texas State Preservation Board, contact the Texas State Preservation Board graphics coordinator at 512-475-3060.
For photos provided by the Texas Senate, contact Senate Media at 512-463-0300.
For photos provided by the Texas House of Representatives, contact House Photography at 512-463-1392.

Online Databases

Ancestry.com: Ancestry.com Operations Inc.
http://www.ancestry.com/
Biographical Directory of the United States Congress 1774–Present: Office of the Clerk, United States House of Representatives
Senate Historical Office, United States Senate
http://bioguide.congress.gov/biosearch/biosearch.asp
FamilySearch: Intellectual Reserve, Inc., a service provided by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
http://www.familysearch.org/
Find a Grave: Find A Grave, Inc.
http://www.findagrave.com
GenealogyMagazine.com: Datatrace Systems
http://www.genealogymagazine.com/
Handbook of Texas Online: Texas State Historical Association, distributed in partnership with the University of North Texas
http://www.tshaonline.org
HeritageQuest Online: ProQuest LLC
http://www.heritagequestonline.com/
Historical Election Results (1992–Current): Texas Secretary of State
http://www.sos.state.tx.us/elections/historical/index.shtml
NewspaperArchive.com: Heritage Microfilm, Inc.
http://www.newspaperarchive.com/
Political Graveyard: A Database of Historical Cemeteries: Lawrence Kestenbaum
http://politicalgraveyard.com/
Texas State Cemetery: State Cemetery Committee
http://www.cemetery.state.tx.us/
TXGenWeb Project: Texas Genealogy and History: TXGenWeb Project, hosted by rootsweb, an ancestry.com community
http://www.rootsweb.com/~txgenweb/

Printed Material

Call numbers indicate location within the collection of the Legislative Reference Library in Austin, Texas.

Apportionment Laws of Texas from 1836–1950: Legislative Reference Division, Texas State Library, 1950
L1937.8 AP61
http://www.lrl.state.tx.us/scanned/members/general/Apportionment_Laws_1836_1950.pdf
Biographical Directory of the Texan Conventions and Congresses, 1832–1845: House of Representatives, Texas Legislature, 1942
L1800.5 B52
http://www.lrl.state.tx.us/scanned/members/bios/Bio_Directory_Texas_Convs_Congresses_1832-1845.pdf
Biographical Souvenir of the State of Texas: F.A. Battey & Company, 1889
976.4 B52 1889
http://www.rootsweb.com/~txfannin/s.html
Biographies of Legislators: Texas Legislaure, 1965–77, 1993–97
L1800.5 B523
Capitol Women: Texas Female Legislators, 1923–1999: Nancy Baker Jones and Ruthe Winegarten
University of Texas Press, 2000
328.764 J722C
East Texas: Its History and Its Makers: Thomas Clarence Richardson and Dabney White
Lewis Historical Publishing Co., 1940
976.4 R396E 1940 V.1–4
Greenbackers, Knights of Labor, and Populists: Matthew Hild
University of Georgia Press, 2007
973.8 H543G 2007
History of Texas and Texans: Francis White Johnson
American Historical Society, 1914
976.4 J631H 1914 V.1–5
House Journal: House of Representatives, Texas Legislature, 1846–Present
Law-Tex
Members of the Texas Congress, 1836–1845; Members of the Texas Legislature, 1846–1992: Senate Engrossing and Enrolling, Texas Legislature, 1992
L1800.5 M512 1992-1, 1992-2
Members of the Texas Congress, 1836â€“1845; Members of the Texas Legislature, 1846–2004: Secretary of the Senate, Texas Legislature, 2005
L1800.5 M512 2004 V.1–2
Members of the Texas Legislature, 1846–1962: Texas Legislature, 1962
L1800.5 M512 1962
Members of the Texas Legislature, 1846–1980: Texas Legislative Council, Texas Legislature, 1980
L1800.5 M512 1980
Presiding Officers of the Texas Legislature: Texas Legislative Council, Texas Legislature, 2006
L1800.5 OF3 2006
http://www.tlc.texas.gov/docs/PresidingOfficers.pdf
Roster . . . Legislature, State of Texas: Texas Legislative Service, 1947–Present
L1800.5 R739
Senate Biographies: Senate, Texas Legislature,1973
L1803.5 SE55 1973
Senate Journal: Senate, Texas Legislature, 1846–Present
Law-Tex
Senators of Texas: Senate, Texas Legislature, 1975
L1803.5 SE55 1975
Texas Official General Election Returns: Texas Secretary of State,1936–1996
324.764 T312
Tejano Struggle for Representation: John P. Schmal
Houston Institute for Culture, 2004
http://www.houstonculture.org/hispanic/tejano1.html
Texas Almanac and State Industrial Guide: A.H. Belo and Company; Texas State Historical Association; and other publishers; 1925–Present
317.64 T31A
Texas Bar Journal: State Bar of Texas, 1938–Present
Law Reviews
Texas House of Representatives: A Pictorial Roster 1846–1992: House of Representatives, Texas Legislature, 1992
L1801.1 P589
Texas Legislative Handbook: Legislative Associates, Inc.; Texas State Directory Press, Inc.; and other publishers; 1979–Present
L1800.5 R735
Texas Legislative Manual: E.W. Swindells; Texas Legislative Council; and other publishers; 1879–Present
L1400.5 L524M
Texas Senate (see also Texas Senators): Senate Media Services, Texas Legislature, 1979–1991, 2001
L1803.5 SE55
Texas Senate: Volume I, Republic to Civil War, 1836–1861: Patsy McDonald Spaw
Texas A&M University Press, 1990
L1803.1 SE54 V.1
Texas Senate: Volume II, Civil War to the Eve of Reform, 1861–1889: Patsy McDonald Spaw
Texas A&M University Press, 1999
L1803.1 SE54 V.2
Texas Senators (see also Texas Senate): Senate Media Services, Texas Legislature, 1993–1999, 2003–2009
L1803.5 SE55
Texas State Directory: Texas Publishing Co., Inc.; Texas State Directory Press, Inc.; and other publishers; 1946–Present
920 T3D

Additional resources are available in the library's card file and vertical files.