Texas Legislators: Past & Present

Thomas Miller Joseph

Full Name: Thomas Miller Joseph
Birth date: February 11, 1823
Death date: March 10, 1905

Terms of Service

Senate, 14th ⁽¹⁾ ⁽⁴⁾ ⁽⁷⁾ Legislature
3/19/1874 - 4/18/1876
Democrat
House, 13th ⁽²⁾ ⁽³⁾ ⁽⁶⁾ Legislature
1/14/1873 - 1/13/1874
Democrat
House, 7th ⁽⁵⁾ Legislature
11/2/1857 - 11/7/1859

(1) 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.
(2) "Our Legislative Ticket . . .", Tuesday supplement, 11/12/1872, p. 1. "We feel confident now that the Hon. Thomas M. Joseph, the Hon. Alexander Rossy, and the Hon. John Adriance are elected to the Legislature by at least two hundred majority."
"Legislators Elected," 11/14/1872, p. 2. "Those marked with a star are Radicals, the others Liberals: Twelfth District - Thomas M. Joseph, Alexander Rossy, and John Adriance (no stars)." Galveston Daily News .
(3) "The Election for Representatives," Wednesday evening, 11/13/1872, p. 3. Shows election results for representative from Galveston, Brazoria and Matagorda counties, "as appears from the official returns": T.J. Joseph, 2,822 votes; Alex Rossy, 2,814 votes, J Adriance, 2,818. Galveston Tri-Weekly Civilian .
(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) Democrat. Civilian and Gazette. Weekly. (Galveston, Texas), 9/8/1857, p. 2, crediting Dolph Briscoe Center for American History. Portal to Texas History (University of North Texas Libraries) .
(6) Representative apportionment - Constitution of 1869, Article III, § 39. Representative District 12: 1 Senator, 3 Representatives. Texas Constitutions Digitization Project (Tarlton Law Library, The University of Texas at Austin) 2009.
(7) "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.

Biographical Notes and Resources

Photographs

Photograph. T.M. Joseph, DeGolyer Library, SMU, Lawrence T. Jones III Texas Photographs
Photograph. T.M. Joseph, State Preservation Board
Photograph. T.M. Joseph, State Preservation Board

Other Resources

Biographical sketch and group photo, Judge Thomas Miller Joseph, pp. 156-157. Daughters of the Republic of Texas Patriot Ancestor Album 1995.
Thos. M. Joseph, birthplace Hartford, Connecticut; death date 3/10/1905 in Galveston County, Texas; age 82 years. FamilySearch Texas Deaths, 1890-1976 .
Thomas M. Joseph, birth date 2/11/1823, death date 3/10/1905, burial in Trinity Episcopal Cemetery, Galveston, Galveston County. Includes historical marker photo. Find a Grave .
JOSEPH, THOMAS MILLER (1823-1905). Handbook of Texas Online .
Biographical sketch, Thomas M. Joseph. Biographical Encyclopedia of Texas, 1880, New York, p. 85. Portal to Texas History (University of North Texas Libraries) .
Obituary, Judge Thomas M. Joseph, Galveston Tribune, 6/10/1905, p. 8, crediting Rosenberg Library. Portal to Texas History (University of North Texas Libraries) .
Historical marker, Thomas Joseph, Episcopal Cemetery, Galveston, Galveston County. Texas Historic Sites Atlas (Texas Historical Commission) .