LRL Home - Legislators and Leaders - Texas Legislators: Past & Present - Member profile

John D. Stephens Full Name: John D. Stephens Date of birth: April 19, 1845 Date of death: Deceased, date unknown Terms of Service Biographical Notes Committee Information Terms of Service top Chamber District Dates of Service Legislatures Party City/County Note Counties in District S 24 Apr 18, 1876 - Jan 14, 1879 15th (1)   Democrat Comanche / Comanche   Bosque, Brown, Callahan, Coleman, Comanche, Coryell, Eastland, Erath, Hamilton, Hood, Jones, Palo Pinto, Runnels, Shackelford, Somervell, Stephens, Taylor H 19 Jan 13, 1874 - Apr 18, 1876 14th   Democrat Comanche / Comanche   Bosque, Brown, Coleman, Comanche, Coryell, Hamilton, McLennan, Runnels (1) 15th Legislature - All Senators except District 7 listed in roll call as Senators elect, oath of office administered, 4/18/1876, p. 1; Drawing of Senatorial Terms, 4/27/1876, p. 98, drew "short term" (two years). Senate Journal. April 18, 1876 April 27, 1876   Biographical Notes and Resources top Biographical Sketches Biographical sketch in "State Senators Elect: Personal Sketches Completed - Seventeen Lawyers, Seven Grangers, Two Doctors, One Editor and Four Colored Politicians - the Political Structure of the New Senate of Texas," 3/3/1876, p. 2. Galveston Daily News. Biographical sketch, John D. Spephens [sic], pp. 39-41. Sketches of Legislators and State Officers, Fifteenth Legislature, 1876-1878, 1876. Biographical sketch, p. 238. Birth date 4/19/1845 in Tennessee. "When his legislative service was over, Stephens prospected in California and Mexico but came back to Texas, where 1886 found him occupied as grass commissioner. . ." The Texas Senate: Volume II, Civil War to the Eve of Reform, 1861-1889, 1999. Other Resources John D. Stephens, Comanche, Comanche County, age 36, born in Tennessee, single, lawyer, boarder in household of Artie Lowery. Census of 1880. Ancestry.com. "Comanche: Grass Commissioner Stephens Addresses a Large Audience on the Land Question," Fort Worth Daily Gazette, 2/12/1886, p. 6. "Mr. Stephens claimed to have been the first legislator to have drawn up a bill providing for the sale of the state school lands to actual settlers. . ." Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Photographs Photograph. J.D. Stephens, 15th Legislature, State Preservation Board Photograph. J.D. Stephens, 14th Legislature, State Preservation Board Composite Photographs on Display in the Capitol 15th session composite photo of Senate members (Senate Sergeant-at-arms office, west wall. 2E.10A). State Preservation Board. 14th session composite photo of Senate and House members (Ground floor elevator vestibule, east wall. GW.V3). State Preservation Board. Committee Informationtop 15th R.S. - 1876 Constitutional Amendments   Engrossed Bills (Chair)  Federal Relations (Chair)  Indian Affairs and Frontier Protection   Judiciary No. 2   Military Affairs   Private Land Claims   Public Buildings and Grounds   Revision of Senate Rules of Order and Joint Committee on Rules of Joint Session   State Affairs   Stock and Stock Raising   Treasurer's and Comptroller's Department   14th R.S. - 1874 Asylums   Constitutional Amendments   Immigration   Indian Affairs   Judiciary No. 1   Military Affairs   Public Debt   Public Lands and Land Office

This website is a work in progress. Information on this website is provided as a public service by the Legislative Reference Library. The Legislative Reference Library makes no representation as to its completeness or accuracy and makes no warranty in regard to its use. Users assume all risk of reliance on the information included on this site.

Have a question, comment or contribution? Email the Library or call 512-463-1252.

Many photos in Texas Legislators: Past and Present are used with permission of the Texas State Preservation Board. For permission to reproduce these photos, please contact the Texas State Preservation Board graphics coordinator at 512-475-3060.