Rienzi Melville Johnston

Full Name: Rienzi Melville Johnston
Date of birth: September 9, 1849
Date of death: February 28, 1926

Terms of Service
Biographical Notes
Committee Information
Legislation

Terms of Service top

Chamber	District	Dates of Service	Legislatures	Party	City/County	Note	Counties in District
S	16	Jan 9, 1917 - Jan 12, 1920	35th ⁽³⁾ ⁽⁴⁾ 36th ⁽¹⁾ ⁽²⁾	Democrat	Houston / Harris	Senate President Pro Tempore (35th)	Fort Bend, Harris, Waller

(1) In Senate, Lynch Davidson, in special election 3/4/1920, sworn 5/20/1920, succeeded Rienzi M. Johnston, resigned 1/12/1920. In House, J. Lewis Thompson, sworn 5/27/1920, succeeded Lynch Davidson, resigned 1/16/1920. Members of the Texas Congress 1836-1845; Members of the Texas Legislature 1846-2004, 2005.
(2) 36th Legislature - Roll Call of Holdover Senators, 1/14/1919, p. 1. Senate Journal.
(3) 35th Legislature - Senate President Pro Tempore, elected 3/27/1918, 4th C.S. Senate Journal.
(4) 35th Legislature - Member-elect in List of State Senators Elected at the General Election Held November 7, 1916, oath of office administered, 1/9/1917, pp. 2-3. Senate Journal.

Terms of Service top

Senate District 16
Jan 9, 1917 - Jan 12, 1920
Legislatures: 35th ⁽³⁾ ⁽⁴⁾ 36th ⁽¹⁾ ⁽²⁾
Senate President Pro Tempore (35th)
(35th)
Party: Democrat
Home City/County: Houston / Harris
Counties in district: Fort Bend, Harris, Waller

Biographical Information top

Selected newspaper articles

Resolutions and Journal entries

39th Legislature, 1st C.S., Simple Resolution 21, 9/28/1926, p. 551. Resolutions - Memorial.

Biographical Sketches

JOHNSTON, Rienzi Melville (1849-1926). Senator, TX. Biographical Directory of the U.S. Congress.
JOHNSTON, RIENZI MELVILLE (1849-1926). Handbook of Texas Online.
Biographical sketch, Hon. R.M. Johnston, Volume III, p. 1168. Birth date 9/9/1850. A History of Texas and Texans, 1914.
Obituary and photo, "Col. R.M. Johnston Is Called by Death," "Col. Johnston to Be Buried at 4 P.M. Today," "Banquet Honored Journalist in 1913: Col. R.M. Johnston's Retirement from the Senate Was Occasion for Gathering," "Expressions of Sorrow," and editorial, Rienzi Melville Johnston, 3/1/1926, pp. 1, 5, 6. President of the Houston Printing company and editor-in-chief for many years of the Houston Post, former State and U.S. Senator.
"High Tribute Paid Col. R.M. Johnston at Funeral Service," continued "Expressions of Sorrow," 3/2/1926, pp. 1, 2. Houston Post-Dispatch.
Biographical sketch, pp. 62-63. Personnel of the Texas State Government for 1885, 19th Legislature, 1885.
Biographical sketch, Senate of the 35th Legislature, "A Look at the Affairs of State: The Real Names and Addresses of Thirty-one Senators With Additional Facts," The Houston Post, 3/22/1917, p. 6. Portal to Texas History (University of North Texas Libraries).
Portrait and biographical sketch, Rienzi Melville Johnston, p. 242. Birth date 9/9/1850. Texans and Their State: A Newspaper Reference Work, 1918.
Portrait and biographical sketch. Birth date 9/9/1850. The Texas Senator, 1978.

Military Service Notes

Confederate States Army. "During 1862-63 he served two years in the Confederate army as a drummer boy. He was then discharged, but in the fall of 1864 reenlisted and continued until the close. When the army was disbanded he was still less than thirteen years of age." Referred to as "Col. Johnston" throughout biographical sketch, appears to be honorary term. A History of Texas and Texans, 1914.
Rienzi Melville Johnston, "Drummer and soldier in an unidentified Georgia infantry or homeguard unit." Texas Burial Sites of Civil War Notables: A Biographical and Pictorial Field Guide, 2002.

Other Resources

Rienze Melville Johnston, birth date 9/9/1849 in Georgia; death date 2/28/1926 in Houston, Harris County, Texas; editor. FamilySearch Texas Deaths, 1890-1976.
Rienzi Melville Johnston, birth date 9/9/1849, death date 2/28/1926, photo, burial in Glenwood Cemetery, Houston, Harris County. Find a Grave.

Photographs

Photograph. R.M. Johnston, 36th Legislature, State Preservation Board
Photograph. R.M. Johnston, 35th Legislature, State Preservation Board

Composite Photographs on Display in the Capitol

35th session composite photo of Senate members (3rd floor back hall corridor, west wall. 3E.C2). State Preservation Board.
36th session composite photo of Senate members (3rd floor back hall corridor, west wall. 3E.C2). State Preservation Board.

Committee Information top

36th R.S. - 1919 Commerce and Manufactures Federal Relations Judicial Districts Public Buildings and Grounds Public Printing (Vice Chair) Towns and City Corporations (Chair)
35th R.S. - 1917 Constitutional Amendments Counties and County Boundaries Finance Internal Improvements Judicial Districts Nominations of the Governor Privileges and Elections Public Printing State Penitentiaries Towns and City Corporations

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