Texas Legislators: Past & Present

Benjamin Cromwell Franklin

Full Name: Benjamin Cromwell Franklin
Birth date: April 25, 1805
Death date: December 25, 1873

Terms of Service

Senate, 14th ⁽¹⁾ ⁽²⁾ ⁽³⁾ ⁽⁴⁾ Legislature
Elected but never sworn
Democrat
House, 8th Legislature
11/7/1859 - 11/4/1861
House, 5th Legislature
11/7/1853 - 11/5/1855
House, 3rd ⁽⁵⁾ Legislature
11/5/1849 - 11/3/1851

(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) 14th Legislature - elected, but never sworn. Elected 12/2/1873; died 12/25/1873, prior to beginning of regular session.
"Democratic ticket" Tuesday, 12/2/1873, front page, "Vote for the Amendments," indicating "the importance of the election which takes place today. . .our legislative ticket - Franklin, Bryan, Harris, and Moody."
"Election returns" of election held Tuesday, 12/2/1873, and "The Result in Galveston," printed 12/4/1873, p. 3. Galveston Daily News .
(3) Proclamation, Governor Richard Coke, ordering an election for 2/17/1874, to fill vacancy caused by death of Honorable Benjamin C. Franklin, senator elect; Election Notice; 2/18/1874, p. 3. Galveston Daily News .
(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) Roster of members elect of the 3rd Legislature, Matthewson, R.C., Texas State Gazette (Austin, Texas), 9/29/1849, p. 6, crediting Dolph Briscoe Center for American History. Portal to Texas History (University of North Texas Libraries) .

Biographical Notes and Resources

Resolutions and Journal entries

5th Legislature - Roll of Members, Benjamin C. Franklin, native state Georgia, emigrated from Georgia, lawyer, postoffice Galveston, Galveston County. House Journal .
59th Legislature, R.S., SCR 25. Benjamin C. Franklin designated as the person for whom Franklin County is named. Resolutions - Congratulatory and Honorary .

Photographs

Photograph. Ben. C. Franklin, Texas Album of the Eighth Legislature

Other Resources

Biographical sketch, Benjamin C. Franklin, pp. 173-177. Bench and Bar of Texas 1885.
Biographical sketch and portrait, Benjamin Cromwell Franklin, pp. 109-110. Daughters of the Republic of Texas Patriot Ancestor Album 1995.
"Benjamin C. Franklin as State Senator," editorial column on the "qualifications and fitness of Judge Franklin for the office of Senator," Sunday, 11/2/1873, p. 2. Galveston Daily News .
Obituary, "Death of Hon. B.C. Franklin," 12/27/1873, p. 2, "Senator elect from the Galveston district," died 12/25/1873; "Funeral of Judge Franklin," 12/27/1873, p. 3. Galveston Daily News .
"Resolutions of the Galveston Bar on the Death of Judge Franklin," 1/4/1874, p. 2. Galveston Daily News .
FRANKLIN, BENJAMIN CROMWELL (1805-1873). Handbook of Texas Online .
Texas Army, Captain, Texas Revolution." On April 7, 1836, he was commissioned a captain in the Texas army by President David G. Burnet, but since he was not assigned to the command of a company at San Jacinto, he fought there as a private in Capt. Robert J. Calder's company." Handbook of Texas Online .
Biographical sketch, Benjamin Cromwell Franklin, Associate Justice, Supreme Court of the Texas Republic, 1836-1839. First person to hold a judicial position in the Republic of Texas. Justices of Texas, 1836-1986 (Tarlton Law Library, The University of Texas at Austin) 2004.
Portrait. Texas Album of the Eighth Legislature 1860.
Memorial, November 1975, pp. 935-936. "A Texas portrait: Benjamin Cromwell Franklin." Texas Bar Journal .