Texas Legislators: Past & Present

William Henry Swift

Full Name: William Henry Swift
Birth date: March 12, 1816
Death date: December 20, 1881

Terms of Service

Senate, 14th ⁽²⁾ ⁽⁴⁾ ⁽⁶⁾ Legislature
1/13/1874 - 4/18/1876
Democrat
Senate, 13th ⁽¹⁾ ⁽⁷⁾ & 12th ⁽³⁾ ⁽⁵⁾ Legislatures
10/6/1871 - 1/13/1874
Democrat

(1) Entire Senate went up for reelection due to Senatorial redistricting. Act passed Apr. 24, 1873 [presented to Governor May 1, 1873 and became law without his signature], 13th Legislature, R.S., ch. 35, Apportionment Laws of Texas, 1836-1950 1950.
(2) 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.
(3) William H. Swift, in special election 10/3/1871 - 10/6/1871, succeeded Amos Clark, died 2/18/1871. [Completed unexpired 4-year term of Amos Clark.] Members of the Texas Congress 1836-1845; Members of the Texas Legislature 1846-2004 2005.
(4) 14th Legislature, Regular Session - Roll call of Senators elect, oath of office administered, 1/13/1874, p. 1. Senate Journal .
(5) 12th Legislature, 1st C.S. - Drawing for Terms of Office, 5/2/1870, pp. 51-52. William Swift's predecessor Amos Clark drew 4-year term. Senate Journal .
(6) "Because of the adoption of the new constitution [of 1876], any member of the 14th Legislature who wished to continue to serve had to run for reelection," p. 220. The Texas Senate: Volume II, Civil War to the Eve of Reform, 1861-1889 1999.
(7) 13th Legislature - Included in list of 15 Senate members that were conservative Democrats, p. 145. The Texas Senate: Volume II, Civil War to the Eve of Reform, 1861-1889 1999.

Biographical Notes and Resources

Resolutions and Journal entries

J.W. Swift (13th Legislature, opening day roll call), W.H. Swift in 12th and 14th Legislatures. Senate Journal . Senate Journal, 12th Leg. Adjourned, p. 217 Senate Journal, 13th Leg., p. 1

Senate Journal, 14th Leg., p. 1

Photographs

Photograph. W.H. Swift, State Preservation Board
Photograph. W.H. Swift, DeGolyer Library, SMU, Lawrence T. Jones III Texas Photographs
Photograph. W.H. Swift, State Preservation Board

Other Resources

Texas State Troops, Private, Company B, Nacogdoches County, 3rd Brigade, enlisted 9/19/1863 at Camp Simpson. Ancestry.com .
W.N. Swift. Directory of the Members of the Thirteenth Legislature of the State of Texas 1873.
W.H. Swift, birth date 3/12/1816 in Abbeville District, South Carolina; death date 12/20/1881 in Nacogdoches; burial in Swift Cemetery, Nacogdoches, Nacogdoches County. Find a Grave .
Possibly W.H. Swift, Jr., mentioned in SWIFT, TEXAS. ". . . named for W.H. Swift, Jr., who served as its first postmaster when a post office was established there in 1883." Handbook of Texas Online .
Biographical sketch included in "Kissin' Kuzzins 12/21: Reader Needs Info on Swift Family," 12/21/2008. Lufkin Daily News .
William H. Swift. Members of the Texas Congress 1836-1845; Members of the Texas Legislature 1846-2004 2005.
Obituary, Colonel Wm. H. Swift (William Henry Swift), The Galveston Daily News, 1/13/1882, p. 2, crediting Abilene Library Consortium. "Colonel Wm. H. Swift was among the first volunteers who left the county for the late war; was afterward chosen sheriff of Nacogdoches county . . . afterward elected to the important office of State senator, in which position he served his district for several consecutive sessions with credit to himself and honor to his constituents." Portal to Texas History (University of North Texas Libraries) .
"The special elections in October added two Democratic senators -- Swift. . . and Dillard," p. 134. The Texas Senate: Volume II, Civil War to the Eve of Reform, 1861-1889 1999.
Biographical sketch, William Henry Swift, p. 112. The Texas Senate: Volume II, Civil War to the Eve of Reform, 1861-1889 1999.