Texas Legislators: Past & Present

Byron M. Tunnell

Full Name: Byron M. Tunnell
Birth date: October 14, 1925
Death date: March 7, 2000

Terms of Service

House, 59th ⁽¹⁾ ⁽²⁾ ⁽³⁾ ⁽⁴⁾ Legislature
Elected but never sworn
Democrat
House, 58th Legislature
1/8/1963 - 1/8/1965
Democrat
Speaker
House, 57th Legislature
1/10/1961 - 1/8/1963
Democrat
House, 56th Legislature
1/13/1959 - 1/10/1961
Democrat
House, 55th Legislature
1/8/1957 - 1/13/1959
Democrat

(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 .

Biographical Notes and Resources

Selected Newspaper articles

Resolutions and Journal entries

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 .
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 .
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 .

Photographs

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

Other Resources

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.
United States Navy Air Corps, World War II. Presiding Officers of the Texas Legislature, 1846-2016 2016.
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 .
Tunnell, Byron M. Texas State Cemetery .