Byron M. Tunnell

Full Name: Byron M. Tunnell
Date of birth: October 14, 1925
Date of death: March 7, 2000

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
H	15-F	Jan 8, 1963 - Jan 8, 1965	58th	Democrat	Tyler / Smith	Speaker	Gregg, Smith
H	15-F	Elected but never sworn	59th ⁽¹⁾ ⁽²⁾ ⁽³⁾ ⁽⁴⁾	Democrat	Tyler / Smith		Gregg, Smith
H	15-F	Jan 10, 1961 - Jan 8, 1963	57th	Democrat	Tyler / Smith		Gregg, Smith
H	15-F	Jan 13, 1959 - Jan 10, 1961	56th	Democrat	Tyler / Smith		Gregg, Smith
H	15-F	Jan 8, 1957 - Jan 13, 1959	55th	Democrat	Tyler / Smith		Gregg, Smith

(1) "Tunnell is sworn in; praises state leaders," 1/12/1964, appointed to the Texas Railroad Commission by Governor John Connally 1/8/1965, resigned as Speaker of the House 1/8/1965, sworn as railroad commissioner 1/11/1965. Houston Chronicle.
(2) 59th Legislature - Tunnell elected, but never sworn. Appointed to the Texas Railroad Commission 1/8/1965; sworn 1/12/1965, "Tunnell is sworn in; praises state leaders," 1/12/1964. Houston Chronicle.
(3) John Mobley, in special election 2/13/1965, sworn 2/22/1965, succeeded Byron M. Tunnell, resigned 1/8/1965. Members of the Texas Congress 1836-1845; Members of the Texas Legislature 1846-2004, 2005.
(4) Tunnell elected to the 59th Legislature, but did not qualify by taking the Oath of Office. Texas Legislative Manual.

Terms of Service top

House District 15-F
Jan 8, 1963 - Jan 8, 1965
Legislatures: 58th
Speaker
Party: Democrat
Home City/County: Tyler / Smith
Counties in district: Gregg, Smith

House District 15-F
Elected but never sworn
Legislatures: 59th ⁽¹⁾ ⁽²⁾ ⁽³⁾ ⁽⁴⁾
Party: Democrat
Home City/County: Tyler / Smith
Counties in district: Gregg, Smith

House District 15-F
Jan 10, 1961 - Jan 8, 1963
Legislatures: 57th
Party: Democrat
Home City/County: Tyler / Smith
Counties in district: Gregg, Smith

House District 15-F
Jan 13, 1959 - Jan 10, 1961
Legislatures: 56th
Party: Democrat
Home City/County: Tyler / Smith
Counties in district: Gregg, Smith

House District 15-F
Jan 8, 1957 - Jan 13, 1959
Legislatures: 55th
Party: Democrat
Home City/County: Tyler / Smith
Counties in district: Gregg, Smith

Biographical Information top

Selected newspaper articles

Resolutions and Journal entries

55th Legislature, 1st C.S., HSR 9. Resolutions - Congratulatory and Honorary.
56th Legislature, R.S., HSR 4. Resolutions - Congratulatory and Honorary.
57th Legislature, R.S., HSR 258. Resolutions - Congratulatory and Honorary.
58th Legislature, R.S., HSR 402. Resolutions - Congratulatory and Honorary.
58th Legislature, R.S., HSR 476. Resolutions - Congratulatory and Honorary.
59th Legislature, R.S., HCR 63. Resolutions - Congratulatory and Honorary.
60th Legislature, R.S., HSR 374. Resolutions - Congratulatory and Honorary.
65th Legislature, R.S., HSR 86. Resolutions - Congratulatory and Honorary.
66th Legislature, R.S., HR 130. Resolutions - Congratulatory and Honorary.
67th Legislature, R.S., HR 287. Resolutions - Congratulatory and Honorary.
67th Legislature, R.S., HR 295, honoring former speakers and certain members on the occasion of Speaker's Day. Resolutions - Congratulatory and Honorary.
74th Legislature, R.S., HR 894. Resolutions - Congratulatory and Honorary.
Eulogy for Robert E. Johnson, delivered by the Honorable Byron M. Tunnell, 74th Legislature, Thursday, 3/30/1995, pp. 857-859. Senate Journal.

Biographical Sketches

Byron Tunnell Papers. Inclusive: 1925-2000, Bulk: 1961-1999. Biographical sketch. Baylor Collections of Political Materials, W.R. Poage Legislative Library, Baylor University. Finding Aid
65th Speaker of the House of Representatives: Byron M. Tunnell. Photo and biographical sketch. Presiding Officers of the Texas Legislature, 1846-2016, 2016.
Tunnell, Byron M. Texas State Cemetery.

Military Service Notes

United States Navy Air Corps, World War II. Presiding Officers of the Texas Legislature, 1846-2016, 2016.

Other Resources

Railroad Commissioners Past through Present, with dates of service. Railroad Commission of Texas.
Address by Speaker of the House Byron Tunnell reviewing and summarizing the work of the 58th Legislature, Regular Session, Texas House of Representatives.

Photographs

Photograph. Byron Tunnell, 58th Legislature, State Preservation Board
Photograph. Byron M. Tunnell, 57th Legislature, State Preservation Board
Photograph. Byron Tunnell, 56th Legislature, State Preservation Board
Photograph. Byron Tunnell, 56th Legislature, Texas Yearbook, 56th Legislature
Photograph. Byron Tunnell, 55th Legislature, State Preservation Board
Photograph. Byron M. Tunnell, Presiding Officers of the Texas Legislature, 1846-2006

Composite Photographs on Display in the Capitol

55th session composite photo of House members (Ground floor corridor, south wall. GW.C1). State Preservation Board.
56th session composite photo of House members (Ground floor corridor, south wall. GW.C1). State Preservation Board.
57th session composite photo of House members (Ground floor corridor, south wall. GW.C1). State Preservation Board.
58th session composite photo of House members (Ground floor corridor, south wall. GW.C1). State Preservation Board.
59th session composite photo of House members (Ground floor corridor, south wall. GW.C1). State Preservation Board.

Committee Information top

57th R.S. - 1961 Counties Military and Veterans Affairs Penitentiaries State Hospitals and Special Schools
56th R.S. - 1959 Congressional and Legislative Districts Counties Criminal Jurisprudence Military and Veteran's Affairs Penitentiaries
55th R.S. - 1957 Banks and Banking Claims and Accounts Criminal Jurisprudence Judiciary Liquor Regulation

This website is a work in progress. Information on this website is provided as a public service by the Legislative Reference Library. The Legislative Reference Library makes no representation as to its completeness or accuracy and makes no warranty in regard to its use. Users assume all risk of reliance on the information included on this site.

Party information is not available for the 1st-11th Legislatures.

Have a question, comment or contribution? Email the Library or call 512-463-1252.

Many photos in Texas Legislators: Past and Present are used with permission of the Texas State Preservation Board. For permission to reproduce these photos, please contact the Texas State Preservation Board graphics coordinator at 512-475-3060.