Chamber	District	Dates of Service	Legislatures	Party	City/County	Note	Counties in District
S	2	Jan 13, 1874 - Apr 18, 1876	14th ⁽¹⁾ ⁽²⁾ ⁽³⁾	Democrat	Nacogdoches / Nacogdoches		Nacogdoches, Panola, Sabine, San Augustine, Shelby
S	2	Oct 6, 1871 - Jan 13, 1874	12th ⁽⁶⁾ ⁽⁷⁾ 13th ⁽⁴⁾ ⁽⁵⁾	Democrat	Nacogdoches / Nacogdoches		Angelina, Nacogdoches, Sabine, San Augustine, Shelby, Trinity

(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, Regular Session - Roll call of Senators elect, oath of office administered, 1/13/1874, p. 1. Senate Journal.
(3) "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.
(4) Entire Senate went up for reelection due to Senatorial redistricting. Act passed Apr. 24, 1873 [presented to Governor May 1, 1873 and became law without his signature], 13th Legislature, R.S., ch. 35, Apportionment Laws of Texas, 1836-1950, 1950.
(5) 13th Legislature - Included in list of 15 Senate members that were conservative Democrats, p. 145. The Texas Senate: Volume II, Civil War to the Eve of Reform, 1861-1889, 1999.
(6) William H. Swift, in special election 10/3/1871 - 10/6/1871, succeeded Amos Clark, died 2/18/1871. [Completed unexpired 4-year term of Amos Clark.] Members of the Texas Congress 1836-1845; Members of the Texas Legislature 1846-2004, 2005.
(7) 12th Legislature, 1st C.S. - Drawing for Terms of Office, 5/2/1870, pp. 51-52. William Swift's predecessor Amos Clark drew 4-year term. Senate Journal.

Biographical Notes and Resources top

Resolutions and Journal entries

J.W. Swift (13th Legislature, opening day roll call), W.H. Swift in 12th and 14th Legislatures. Senate Journal. Senate Journal, 12th Leg. Adjourned, p. 217 Senate Journal, 13th Leg., p. 1 Senate Journal, 14th Leg., p. 1

Biographical Sketches

Biographical sketch included in "Kissin' Kuzzins 12/21: Reader Needs Info on Swift Family," 12/21/2008. Lufkin Daily News.
Obituary, Colonel Wm. H. Swift (William Henry Swift), The Galveston Daily News, p. 2, crediting Abilene Library Consortium. "Colonel Wm. H. Swift was among the first volunteers who left the county for the late war; was afterward chosen sheriff of Nacogdoches county . . . afterward elected to the important office of State senator, in which position he served his district for several consecutive sessions with credit to himself and honor to his constituents." Portal to Texas History (University of North Texas Libraries).
Biographical sketch, William Henry Swift, p. 112. The Texas Senate: Volume II, Civil War to the Eve of Reform, 1861-1889, 1999.

Military Service Notes

Texas State Troops, Private, Company B, Nacogdoches County, 3rd Brigade, enlisted 9/19/1863 at Camp Simpson. Ancestry.com.

Other Resources

W.N. Swift. Directory of the Members of the Thirteenth Legislature of the State of Texas, 1873.
W.H. Swift, birth date 3/12/1816 in Abbeville District, South Carolina, death date 12/20/1881 in Nacogdoches, burial in Swift Cemetery, Nacogdoches, Nacogdoches County. Find a Grave.
Possibly W.H. Swift, Jr., mentioned in SWIFT, TEXAS. ". . . named for W.H. Swift, Jr., who served as its first postmaster when a post office was established there in 1883." Handbook of Texas Online.
William H. Swift. Members of the Texas Congress 1836-1845; Members of the Texas Legislature 1846-2004, 2005.
"The special elections in October added two Democratic senators -- Swift. . . and Dillard," p. 134. The Texas Senate: Volume II, Civil War to the Eve of Reform, 1861-1889, 1999.

Photographs

Photograph. W.H. Swift, 14th Legislature, State Preservation Board
Photograph. W.H. Swift, 13th Legislature, State Preservation Board
Photograph. W.H. Swift, 13th Legislature, DeGolyer Library, SMU, Lawrence T. Jones III Collection.

Composite Photographs on Display in the Capitol

13th session composite photo of Senate and House members (Ground floor elevator vestibule, east wall. GW.V3). State Preservation Board.
14th session composite photo of Senate and House members (Ground floor elevator vestibule, east wall. GW.V3). State Preservation Board.

Committee Information top

14th R.S. - 1874 Asylums Blind Asylum (Chair) Claims and Accounts (Chair) Contingent Expenses Counties and County Boundaries Finance Internal Improvements Land Office Lunatic Asylum Retrenchment and Reform Rooms in Capitol Building (Co-Chair)
13th R.S. - 1873 Claims and Accounts (Chair) Comptroller's and Treasurer's Accounts Contingent Expenses Immigration Impeachment of Judge William Chambers, 1st First Judicial District, Select Printing Redistricting/Apportionment, Select Roads, Bridges and Ferries State Indebtness State Lunatic Asylum (Chair)

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