Neveille Colson

Full Name: Esther Neveille Colson
Other surnames: Higgs,
Date of birth: July 18, 1902
Date of death: March 3, 1982

Terms of Service
Biographical Notes
Committee Information
Legislation

Terms of Service top

Chamber	District	Dates of Service	Legislatures	Party	City/County	Note	Counties in District
S	5	Jan 8, 1963 - Jan 10, 1967	58th ⁽¹⁾ 59th	Democrat	Navasota / Grimes		Grimes, Houston, Leon, Liberty, Madison, Montgomery, Polk, San Jacinto, Trinity, Walker, Waller
S	5	Jan 10, 1961 - Jan 8, 1963	57th ⁽²⁾	Democrat	Navasota / Grimes		Grimes, Houston, Leon, Liberty, Madison, Montgomery, Polk, San Jacinto, Trinity, Walker
S	5	Jan 8, 1957 - Jan 10, 1961	55th ⁽³⁾ 56th	Democrat	Navasota / Grimes		Grimes, Houston, Leon, Liberty, Madison, Montgomery, Polk, San Jacinto, Trinity, Walker
S	5	Jan 13, 1953 - Jan 8, 1957	54th ⁽⁴⁾ 53rd ⁽⁵⁾ 54th ⁽⁴⁾	Democrat	Navasota / Grimes	Senate President Pro Tempore (54th)	Grimes, Houston, Leon, Liberty, Madison, Montgomery, Polk, San Jacinto, Trinity, Walker
S	5	Jan 11, 1949 - Jan 13, 1953	51st 52nd	Democrat	Navasota / Grimes		Grimes, Houston, Leon, Madison, Montgomery, Polk, San Jacinto, Trinity, Walker
H	27	Jan 14, 1947 - Jan 11, 1949	50th	Democrat	Navasota / Grimes		Grimes, Montgomery
H	27	Jan 9, 1945 - Jan 14, 1947	49th	Democrat	Navasota / Grimes		Grimes, Montgomery
H	27-F	Jan 12, 1943 - Jan 9, 1945	48th	Democrat	Navasota / Grimes		Grimes, Montgomery
H	27	Jan 14, 1941 - Jan 12, 1943	47th	Democrat	Navasota / Grimes		Grimes, Montgomery
H	27	Jan 10, 1939 - Jan 14, 1941	46th	Democrat	Navasota / Grimes		Grimes, Montgomery

(1) 58th Legislature - Drawing for Terms of Office, 1/9/1963, p. 16. Drew 4-year term. Senate Journal.
(2) 2-year term; entire Senate went up for reelection in 1962 due to redistricting. Texas Constitution Art. III, §3, Election and term of office of Senators.
(3) Law student. "55th Texas Legislature: 20 Senators, 62 Representatives of 55th Legislature Are Lawyers; Other Legislators Have Varied Occupations, Jobs," Volume 20, Number 1, January 1957, pp. 6, 7, 48. Texas Bar Journal.
(4) 54th Legislature - Senate President Pro Tempore, Ad Interim R.S., elected 6/7/1955. Senate Journal.
(5) 53rd Legislature - Drawing for Terms of Office, 1/14/1953, pp. 16-17. Drew 4-year term. Senate Journal.

Terms of Service top

Senate District 5
Jan 8, 1963 - Jan 10, 1967
Legislatures: 58th ⁽¹⁾ 59th
Party: Democrat
Home City/County: Navasota / Grimes
Counties in district: Grimes, Houston, Leon, Liberty, Madison, Montgomery, Polk, San Jacinto, Trinity, Walker, Waller

Senate District 5
Jan 10, 1961 - Jan 8, 1963
Legislatures: 57th ⁽²⁾
Party: Democrat
Home City/County: Navasota / Grimes
Counties in district: Grimes, Houston, Leon, Liberty, Madison, Montgomery, Polk, San Jacinto, Trinity, Walker

Senate District 5
Jan 8, 1957 - Jan 10, 1961
Legislatures: 55th ⁽³⁾ 56th
Party: Democrat
Home City/County: Navasota / Grimes
Counties in district: Grimes, Houston, Leon, Liberty, Madison, Montgomery, Polk, San Jacinto, Trinity, Walker

Senate District 5
Jan 13, 1953 - Jan 8, 1957
Legislatures: 54th ⁽⁴⁾ 53rd ⁽⁵⁾ 54th ⁽⁴⁾
Senate President Pro Tempore (54th)
(54th)
(54th)
Party: Democrat
Home City/County: Navasota / Grimes
Counties in district: Grimes, Houston, Leon, Liberty, Madison, Montgomery, Polk, San Jacinto, Trinity, Walker

Senate District 5
Jan 11, 1949 - Jan 13, 1953
Legislatures: 51st 52nd
Party: Democrat
Home City/County: Navasota / Grimes
Counties in district: Grimes, Houston, Leon, Madison, Montgomery, Polk, San Jacinto, Trinity, Walker

House District 27
Jan 14, 1947 - Jan 11, 1949
Legislatures: 50th
Party: Democrat
Home City/County: Navasota / Grimes
Counties in district: Grimes, Montgomery

House District 27
Jan 9, 1945 - Jan 14, 1947
Legislatures: 49th
Party: Democrat
Home City/County: Navasota / Grimes
Counties in district: Grimes, Montgomery

House District 27-F
Jan 12, 1943 - Jan 9, 1945
Legislatures: 48th
Party: Democrat
Home City/County: Navasota / Grimes
Counties in district: Grimes, Montgomery

House District 27
Jan 14, 1941 - Jan 12, 1943
Legislatures: 47th
Party: Democrat
Home City/County: Navasota / Grimes
Counties in district: Grimes, Montgomery

House District 27
Jan 10, 1939 - Jan 14, 1941
Legislatures: 46th
Party: Democrat
Home City/County: Navasota / Grimes
Counties in district: Grimes, Montgomery

Biographical Information top

Selected newspaper articles

Biographical Sketches

Photo and biographical sketch (Ester Neveille Higgs Colson). First woman to serve in both houses of the legislature. Relatives: Esther Neveille Higgs Colson - wife, Nall Colson - husband (divorced 1938). Capitol Women: Texas Female Legislators, 1923-1999, 2000.
COLSON, ESTHER NEVEILLE HIGGS (1902-1982). Handbook of Texas Online.
Biographical sketch and photo. Women of the Texas Senate, 2019.
Biographical sketch and photo. Women of the Texas Senate, 2017.
Biographical sketch and photo, Women of the Texas Senate. Women's Suffrage in Texas: Struggle, the Story: Successes, Notable Firsts: Senators, Women of the Texas Senate, 2019.

Photographs

Photograph. Neveille Higgs Colson, 59th Legislature, State Preservation Board
Photograph. Neveille Higgs Colson, 58th Legislature, State Preservation Board
Photograph. Neveille Higgs Colson, 57th Legislature, State Preservation Board
Photograph. Mrs. Neveille H. Colson, 56th Legislature, Texas Yearbook, 56th Legislature
Photograph. Neveille Higgs Colson, 56th Legislature, State Preservation Board
Photograph. Neveille Higgs Colson, 55th Legislature, State Preservation Board
Photograph. Neveille Higgs Colson, 54th Legislature, State Preservation Board
Photograph. Neveille Higgs Colson, 53rd Legislature, State Preservation Board
Photograph. Neveille Higgs Colson, 52nd Legislature, State Preservation Board
Photograph. Mrs. Neveille H. Colson, 51st Legislature, State Preservation Board
Photograph. Neveille H. Colson, 48th Legislature, State Preservation Board
Photograph. Neveille Higgs Colson, 47th Legislature, State Preservation Board
Photograph. Neveille Higgs Colson, 46th Legislature, State Preservation Board

Composite Photographs on Display in the Capitol

51st session composite photo of Senate members (Ground floor corridor, south wall. GE.C1). State Preservation Board.
52nd session composite photo of Senate members (Ground floor corridor, south wall. GE.C1). State Preservation Board.
53rd session composite photo of Senate members (Ground floor corridor, south wall. GE.C1). State Preservation Board.
54th session composite photo of Senate members (Ground floor corridor, south wall. GE.C1). State Preservation Board.
55th session composite photo of Senate members (Ground floor corridor, south wall. GE.C1). State Preservation Board.
56th session composite photo of Senate members (Ground floor corridor, south wall. GE.C1). State Preservation Board.
57th session composite photo of Senate members (Ground floor corridor, south wall. GE.C1). State Preservation Board.
58th session composite photo of Senate members (Ground floor corridor, south wall. GE.C1). State Preservation Board.
59th session composite photo of Senate members (Ground floor corridor, south wall. GE.C1). State Preservation Board.
46th session composite photo of House members (3rd floor back hall, west wall. 3W.C1). State Preservation Board.
47th session composite photo of House members (3rd floor back hall, west wall. 3W.C1). State Preservation Board.
48th session composite photo of House members (3rd floor back hall, west wall. 3W.C1). State Preservation Board.
49th session composite photo of House members (Ground floor corridor, south wall. GW.C1). State Preservation Board.
50th session composite photo of House members (Ground floor corridor, south wall. GW.C1). State Preservation Board.

Committee Information top

59th R.S. - 1965 Agriculture and Livestock Claims (Chair) Constitutional Amendments Education Finance (Vice Chair) Privileges and Elections Public Health (Chair) State Departments and Institutions
58th R.S. - 1963 Agriculture and Livestock Claims (Chair) Counties, Cities and Towns Finance (Vice Chair) Insurance Public Health (Chair) State Departments and Institutions
57th R.S. - 1961 Agriculture and Livestock Claims (Vice Chair) Counties, Cities and Towns Finance Military and Veterans Affairs Public Health (Chair) State Departments and Institutions (Vice Chair) State Health and Welfare Services Coordinating Commission
56th R.S. - 1959 Agriculture and Livestock Claims (Vice Chair) Counties, Cities and Towns Finance Interstate Cooperation Legislative, Congressional and Judicial Districts Military and Veterans Affairs Oil and Gas Public Health (Chair) State Departments and Institutions (Vice Chair) Texas Commission for State Health and Welfare Services
55th R.S. - 1957 Agriculture and Livestock Claims Finance Public Health (Chair) State Departments and Institutions
54th R.S. - 1955 Aeronautics Agriculture Banking Counties and County Boundaries (Vice Chair) Education (Chair) Enrolled and Engrossed Bills Federal Relations Finance Internal Improvements Judicial Districts Privileges and Elections Public Buildings and Grounds Public Debts, Claims and Accounts Public Health Public Lands and Land Office Senatorial Disticts (Vice Chair) State Institutions and Departments (Vice Chair) State Penitentiaries Stock and Stock Raising Town and City Corporations
53rd R.S. - 1953 Aeronautics Agricultural Affairs Banking Commerce and Manufacturing Committee of the Whole Senate Congressional Districts Counties and County Boundaries Educational Affairs Federal Relations Finance Internal Improvements Judicial Districts Nominations of the Governor (Vice Chair) Public Buildings and Grounds Public Debts, Claims and Accounts Public Health Public Lands and Land Office State Institutions and Departments (Chair) State Penitentiaries (Chair) Stock and Stock Raising
52nd R.S. - 1951 Agricultural Affairs (Vice Chair) Commerce and Manufacturing Congressional Districts Educational Affairs Finance Public Lands and Land Office (Vice Chair) State Penitentiaries (Chair) Stock and Stock Raising
51st R.S. - 1949 Agriculture Education Engrossed Bills (Vice Chair) Enrolled Bills (Vice Chair) Finance Insurance Interstate Cooperation Penitentiaries (Vice Chair) Public Debts, Claims, and Accounts (Chair) Representative Districts Senatorial Districts Stock and Stock Raising
50th R.S. - 1947 Claims and Accounts (Chair) Education Highways and Roads State Affairs State Eleemosynary and Reformatory Institutions
49th R.S. - 1945 Claims and Accounts (Chair) Conservation and Reclamation Insurance State Affairs State Eleemosynary and Reformatory Institutions State Eleemosynary and Reformatory Institutions, Investigation, Special
48th R.S. - 1943 Claims and Accounts Conservation and Reclamation Municipal and Private Corporations State Affairs State Eleemosynary and Reformatory Institutions
47th R.S. - 1941 Banks and Banking Claims and Accounts Constitutional Amendments (Vice Chair) Eleemosynary Appropriation, Special Insurance State Affairs
46th R.S. - 1939 Claims and Accounts Insurance Penitentiaries State Affairs

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