T.J. Towles

Thomas Jefferson Towles

Full Name: Thomas Jefferson Towles
Date of birth: December 29, 1843
Date of death: January 21, 1909

Terms of Service top

Chamber District Dates of Service Legislatures Party City/County Note Counties in District
H 26 Jan 8, 1889 - Jan 13, 1891 21st (1) (2) (3)   Democrat Canton / Van Zandt   Van Zandt
H 22 Apr 18, 1876 - Jan 14, 1879 15th (4) (5) (6) (7)   Democrat Canton / Van Zandt   Kaufman, Rains, Van Zandt, Wood

(1) Democrat. Biennial Report of the Secretary of State of the State of Texas: List of Senators and Representatives.
(2) Democrat. Personnel of the Texas State Government with Sketches of Distinguished Texans, 21st Legislature, 1889.
(3) T.H. Towles, Center. Roster of Representatives of the 21st Legislature, "Twenty-First Legislature: Members of the House, Address, Occupation and Politics," Galveston Daily News, 1/5/1889, p. 2, crediting Abilene Library Consortium. Portal to Texas History (University of North Texas Libraries).
(4) Representative apportionment - Ordinance adopted by Constitutional Convention of the State of Texas, 1875. "Twenty-second District - The counties of Kaufman, Raines, Wood and Van Zandt shall elect two representatives; Kaufman to be the returning county." University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History. Apportionment Laws of Texas, 1836-1950, 1950.
(5) T.J. Towles, Kaufman County [sic]. House Journal.
(6) Thomas J. Towles, Canton, Van Zandt County. Members of the Texas Congress 1836-1845; Members of the Texas Legislature 1846-2004, 2005.
(7) Thomas J. Towles, Van Zandt County. Texas House of Representatives: A Pictorial Roster 1846-1992, 1992.

Terms of Service top

House District 26
Jan 8, 1889 - Jan 13, 1891
Legislatures: 21st (1) (2) (3)  
Party: Democrat
Home City/County: Canton / Van Zandt
Counties in district: Van Zandt
House District 22
Apr 18, 1876 - Jan 14, 1879
Legislatures: 15th (4) (5) (6) (7)  
Party: Democrat
Home City/County: Canton / Van Zandt
Counties in district: Kaufman, Rains, Van Zandt, Wood

(1) Democrat. Biennial Report of the Secretary of State of the State of Texas: List of Senators and Representatives.
(2) Democrat. Personnel of the Texas State Government with Sketches of Distinguished Texans, 21st Legislature, 1889.
(3) T.H. Towles, Center. Roster of Representatives of the 21st Legislature, "Twenty-First Legislature: Members of the House, Address, Occupation and Politics," Galveston Daily News, 1/5/1889, p. 2, crediting Abilene Library Consortium. Portal to Texas History (University of North Texas Libraries).
(4) Representative apportionment - Ordinance adopted by Constitutional Convention of the State of Texas, 1875. "Twenty-second District - The counties of Kaufman, Raines, Wood and Van Zandt shall elect two representatives; Kaufman to be the returning county." University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History. Apportionment Laws of Texas, 1836-1950, 1950.
(5) T.J. Towles, Kaufman County [sic]. House Journal.
(6) Thomas J. Towles, Canton, Van Zandt County. Members of the Texas Congress 1836-1845; Members of the Texas Legislature 1846-2004, 2005.
(7) Thomas J. Towles, Van Zandt County. Texas House of Representatives: A Pictorial Roster 1846-1992, 1992.

Biographical Information top

Resolutions and Journal entries

Biographical Sketches

Military Service Notes

  • Confederate States Army, Captain, Company G, 3rd Regiment, Texas Cavalry. Military grave marker, Thomas J. Towles, birth date 12/29/1843, death date 1/21/1909, burial in Hillcrest Cemetery, Canton, Van Zandt County. Includes historical marker photo; reprint of obituary in the Wills Point Chronicle, 1/28/1909; photo of Van Zandt County officials. Find a Grave.
  • Biographical sketch and portrait, pp. 111-112. Texans Who Wore the Gray, 1907.

Other Resources

  • Census of 1870 - Thos. J. Towles, Canton, Van Zandt County, age 27, born circa 1843 in Georgia, "Sheriff of [V.Z.?] County," living in household with Nancy A. Towles (age 26).
    Census of 1880 - Thomas J. Towles, Canton, Van Zandt County, age 37, born circa 1843 in Georgia, retail grocer, wife Anna (age 36), daughters Minnie and Emera, and son Bonner. FamilySearch. 1870 1880
  • Historical marker, Thomas Jefferson Towles, Hillcrest Cemetery, Canton, Van Zandt County. Texas Historic Sites Atlas (Texas Historical Commission).
  • Listed in "History of Legislative Representatives From This County [Henderson] Compiled," from Athens Weekly Review, 11/10/1938. Henderson County, TXGenWeb Project.

Photographs

  • Photograph. T.J. Towles, 21st Legislature, State Preservation Board
  • Photograph. T.J. Towles, 15th Legislature, State Preservation Board

Composite Photographs on Display in the Capitol

Committee Information top

21st R.S. - 1889
Departments of State Government, Investigate  
Finance  
Judiciary No. 2  
Public Buildings and Grounds  
Public Printing  
15th R.S. - 1876
Capitol Grounds, Accounts of Superintendent F. Voigt  
Commerce and Manufactures  
Education  
Engrossed Bills  
Federal Relations  

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