W.H. Swift

William Henry Swift

Full Name: William Henry Swift
Date of birth: March 12, 1816
Date of death: December 20, 1881

Terms of Service top

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.

Terms of Service top

Senate District 2
Jan 13, 1874 - Apr 18, 1876
Legislatures: 14th (1) (2) (3)  
Party: Democrat
Home City/County: Nacogdoches / Nacogdoches
Counties in district: Nacogdoches, Panola, Sabine, San Augustine, Shelby
Senate District 2
Oct 6, 1871 - Jan 13, 1874
Legislatures: 12th (6) (7)   13th (4) (5)  
Party: Democrat
Home City/County: Nacogdoches / Nacogdoches
Counties in district: 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 Information top

Resolutions and Journal entries

Biographical Sketches

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.
  • Obituary, Colonel Wm. H. Swift (William Henry Swift), The Galveston Daily News, 1/13/1882, 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).
  • "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 Texas Photographs

Composite Photographs on Display in the Capitol

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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