Chamber	District	Dates of Service	Legislatures	Party	City/County	Counties in District
H	28	Jan 8, 1889 - Jan 13, 1891	21st ⁽¹⁾ ⁽²⁾	Democrat	McKinney / Collin	Collin
H	28	Jan 8, 1884 - Jan 13, 1885	18th ⁽³⁾ ⁽⁴⁾ ⁽⁵⁾ ⁽⁶⁾	Democrat	McKinney / Collin	Collin
H	49	Apr 18, 1876 - Jan 14, 1879	15th	Democrat	McKinney / Collin	Collin, Grayson
S	21	Jan 13, 1874 - Apr 18, 1876	14th ⁽⁷⁾ ⁽⁸⁾ ⁽⁹⁾	Democrat	McKinney / Collin	Collin, Denton, Wise

(1) Democrat. Biennial Report of the Secretary of State of the State of Texas: List of Senators and Representatives.
(2) 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).
(3) "Over the state: McKinney," 10/30/1883, p. 1, "Col. R.S. Allison announces himself today as a candidate for the Legislature"; "Austin: Bonds bought, university matters . . .," 12/7/1883, p. 1. "Colonel Allison is reported by a private telegram to have been elected representative over Bill Merritt from Collin county. Allison is an experienced legislator." [no party given] Galveston Daily News.
(4) "The State Legislature: Proceedings of the Extra Session, House," 1/9/1884, p. 1. "Members-elect were qualified: R.D. Allison of Collin County, Sterling Fisher of Hays County, A.T. Rainey of Anderson County, John L. Galt of Wood County. . ." Galveston Daily News.
(5) 18th Legislature, 1st Called Session - Newly elected members presented their credentials and took oath of office, 1/8/1884, p. 1: Sterling Fisher of Hays County, A.T. Rainey of Anderson, John L. Galt of Wood, and R.D. Allison of Collin. House Journal.
(6) Robert D. Allison, in special election 12/4/1883, sworn 1/8/1884, succeeded Edward Chambers, resigned 9/17/1883. Members of the Texas Congress 1836-1845; Members of the Texas Legislature 1846-2004, 2005.
(7) 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.
(8) 14th Legislature, Regular Session - Roll call of Senators elect, oath of office administered, 1/13/1874, p. 1. Senate Journal.
(9) "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.

Biographical Notes and Resources top

Biographical Sketches

Biographical sketch, Robert Donaldson Allison, by Jackie Mae White Bishop. Article from the Smith County Genealogical Society Vol. XIII, No. 1, Winter 2001, pp. 1-8. Denny-Loftis Genealogy, 2010.
Biographical sketch, pp. 119-120. Sketches of Legislators and State Officers, Fifteenth Legislature, 1876-1878, 1876.

Military Service Notes

United States Army, Lieutenant Colonel, 1st Tennessee Cavalry, Mexican War. Confederate States Army, Colonel, 26th Tennessee Infantry and 20th Tennessee Cavalry. Col. R.D. Allison grave marker with inscription of military service, R.D. Allison military grave marker, death date 12/15/1900, burial in Pecan Grove Cemetery, McKinney, Collin County. "Served in both branches of the Legislatures in Tenn. & Tex." Find a Grave.
Confederate States Army, Colonel, 24th Tennessee Infantry. Robert Donaldson Allison. Texas Burial Sites of Civil War Notables: A Biographical and Pictorial Field Guide, 2002.

Other Resources

Mentioned, p. 373, represented Collin County. Personnel of the Texas State Government with Sketches of Distinguished Texans, 21st Legislature, 1889.
Robert D. Allison, birth date 9/25/1810, death date 12/5/1900. Member of Tennessee state house of representatives, 1849-51. Political Graveyard: a Database of Historic Cemeteries.

Photographs

Photograph. R.D. Allison, 21st Legislature, State Preservation Board
Photograph. R.D. Allison, 15th Legislature, State Preservation Board
Photograph. R.D. Allison, 14th Legislature, State Preservation Board

Composite Photographs on Display in the Capitol

14th session composite photo of Senate and House members (Ground floor elevator vestibule, east wall. GW.V3). State Preservation Board.
15th session composite photo of House members (Ground floor elevator vestibule, east wall. GW.V3). State Preservation Board.
18th session composite photo of House members (House chamber vestibule, east wall. 2W.V1). State Preservation Board.
21st session composite photo of House members (House chamber vestibule, west wall. 2W.V1). State Preservation Board.

Committee Information top

21st R.S. - 1889 Constitutional Amendments Finance Irrigation Roads, Bridges and Ferries
18th R.S. - 1883 Public Health, Vital Statistics and History of Texas Public Roads, Bridges and Ferries Revenue and Taxation State Affairs
15th R.S. - 1876 Contingent Expenses Corporations Federal Relations (Chair) Public Lands and Land Office State Affairs
14th R.S. - 1874 Agriculture Lunatic Asylum Penitentiary Rooms in Capitol Building State Affairs Stock and Stock Raising (Chair)

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.