Francis James Parker

Full Name: Francis James Parker
Date of birth: 1814
Date of death: January 16, 1882

Terms of Service top

Chamber District Dates of Service Legislatures Party City/County Note Counties in District
S 32 Aug 6, 1866 - Feb 7, 1870 11th (1) (2) (3)     Brownsville / Cameron   Cameron, Duval, Hidalgo, Starr, Webb, Zapata, Encinal

(1) 11th Legislature - All 33 Senate districts listed in roll call presenting credentials, oath of office administered, 8/6/1866, pp. 2, 4-5. Senate Journal.
(2) Constitution of 1866, Article III, §§ 29, 30, retained the apportionment of 1860 for Senatorial districts. Texas Constitutions Digitization Project (Tarlton Law Library, The University of Texas at Austin), 2009.
(3) Entire Senate went up for reelection - Constitution of 1869, Article III, § 39. Texas Constitutions Digitization Project (Tarlton Law Library, The University of Texas at Austin), 2009.

Terms of Service top

Senate District 32
Aug 6, 1866 - Feb 7, 1870
Legislatures: 11th (1) (2) (3)  
Home City/County: Brownsville / Cameron
Counties in district: Cameron, Duval, Hidalgo, Starr, Webb, Zapata, Encinal

(1) 11th Legislature - All 33 Senate districts listed in roll call presenting credentials, oath of office administered, 8/6/1866, pp. 2, 4-5. Senate Journal.
(2) Constitution of 1866, Article III, §§ 29, 30, retained the apportionment of 1860 for Senatorial districts. Texas Constitutions Digitization Project (Tarlton Law Library, The University of Texas at Austin), 2009.
(3) Entire Senate went up for reelection - Constitution of 1869, Article III, § 39. Texas Constitutions Digitization Project (Tarlton Law Library, The University of Texas at Austin), 2009.

Biographical Information top

Resolutions and Journal entries

  • Member roster, 11th Legislature, Regular Session: F.J. Parker, Brownsville, Cameron County, nativity Massachusetts, lawyer, age 40 (born circa 1826). Senate Journal.

Other Resources

  • Francis J. Parker, Cameron County tax assessments, 1855 and 1857.
    Census of 1860 - F.J. Parker, Brownsville, Cameron County, age 39, born circa 1821 in Massachusetts, attorney at law.
    Census of 1870 - Frederick I. Parker, Brownsville, Cameron County, age 55, born circa 1815 in Massachusetts, farmer.
    Census of 1880 - F.J. Parker, Cameron County, age 60, born circa 1820 in New York, clerk of county court. Not found in Census of 1900. FamilySearch. 1860 1870 1880 Texas, County Tax Rolls, 1837-1910 (1855) Texas, County Tax Rolls, 1837-1910 (1857)
  • Capt. Francis J. Parker, born 1814 in Billerica, Massachusetts, died 1/16/1882 at his ranch in Santa Rosa, Texas, burial in Old South Burying Ground, Billerica, Middlesex County, Massachusetts. Inscription: "He Has Resided in Texas for 36 Years as an Officer in the Army of U.S., as Senator, Mayor of the City of Brownsville, and Clerk of the U.S. Courts. He Was Everywhere a True Man and a Good Citizen." Find a Grave.
  • Account of efforts of Valley landowners to create an independent territory between the Nueces and Rio Grande rivers, pp. 115-117. I Would Rather Sleep in Texas: a History of the Lower Rio Grande Valley and the People of the Santa Anita Land Grant, 2003.
  • Francis James Parker and his partner William George Hale owned Santa Rosa Ranch and a corporate cattle business that operated out of Brownsville and New Orleans, pp. 292, 319. I Would Rather Sleep in Texas: a History of the Lower Rio Grande Valley and the People of the Santa Anita Land Grant, 2003.
  • Death notice, Cameron, "Mr. F.J. Parker, an old and much respected citizen of this county, died recently at the Santa Rosa ranch." The Galveston Daily News, 1/31/1882, p. 4, crediting Abilene Library Consortium. Portal to Texas History (University of North Texas Libraries).
  • Delegate to Constitutional Convention, 1866. Journal of the Texas State Convention: Assembled at Austin, Feb. 7, 1866. Adjourned April 2, 1866, pp. 3-5. Texas Constitutions Digitization Project (Tarlton Law Library, The University of Texas at Austin), 2009.

Composite Photographs on Display in the Capitol

Committee Information top

11th R.S. - 1866
Enrolled Bills (Chair) 
Judicial Districts, Select  
Judiciary  

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