Legislative library home page
Legislative Reference Library of Texas
your partner in legislative research

John T. Harcourt

Full Name: John T. Harcourt
Date of birth: June 9, 1825
Date of death: July 15, 1903

Terms of Service

Chamber District Dates of Service Legislatures Party City/County Note Counties in District
S 22 Nov 2, 1863 - Aug 6, 1866 10th (1)     Columbus / Colorado   Colorado, Fayette, Matagorda, Wharton
S 22 Nov 4, 1861 - Nov 2, 1863 9th (2) (3)     Columbus / Colorado   Colorado, Fayette, Matagorda, Wharton

Terms of service footnotes


(1) 10th Legislature, Regular Session - Roll call of Senators elect, oath of office administered, 11/2/1863, p. 1. Senate Journal.
(2) 9th Legislature, Regular Session - Classification of Senators (drawing for terms of office) - drew "the short term" (two years), 11/12/1861, p. 42. Senate Journal.
(3) 9th Legislature, Regular Session - Roll of Senators, oath of office administered, 11/4/1861, p. 1. Senate Journal.

Terms of Service

Legislatures:
10th (1)  
Party:
Democrat
Home City/County:
Columbus / Colorado
Counties in district:
Colorado, Fayette, Matagorda, Wharton

Legislatures:
9th (2) (3)  
Party:
Democrat
Home City/County:
Columbus / Colorado
Counties in district:
Colorado, Fayette, Matagorda, Wharton

Terms of service notes


(1) 10th Legislature, Regular Session - Roll call of Senators elect, oath of office administered, 11/2/1863, p. 1. Senate Journal.
(2) 9th Legislature, Regular Session - Classification of Senators (drawing for terms of office) - drew "the short term" (two years), 11/12/1861, p. 42. Senate Journal.
(3) 9th Legislature, Regular Session - Roll of Senators, oath of office administered, 11/4/1861, p. 1. Senate Journal.

Biographical Information

  • 9th Legislature, Regular Session - Portrait, John T. Harcourt, District 22; Chairman, Judiciary Committee. Senate Journal.
  • Member roster, 9th Legislature, Regular Session: name, district, resident county, post office, state of nativity, occupation, and age. Senate Journal.

  • Biographical sketch, Judge John T. Harcourt, pp. 359-360. Biographical Souvenir of the State of Texas, Containing Biographical Sketches of the Representative Public, and Many Early Settled Families, 1889.
  • Biographical sketch and portrait, Judge John T. Harcourt, pp. 156-157. Birth date 6/9/1825. "In 1860 he was elected to the state senate from the counties of Fayette, Colorado, Matagorda and Wharton, and this position he filled until the close of the warn, having been re-elected in 1864 without opposition. After the final surrender, the state government was overthrown and he was retired from office. While senator he was the author of two measures to check the encroachments of the military upon the civil power, both of which were adopted, and attracted considerable attention at the time." The Encyclopedia of the New West, 1881.
  • John T. Harcourt, birth date 6/9/1825, death date 7/15/1903, portrait, biographical sketch, burial in City Greenwood Cemetery, Weatherford, Parker County. Find a Grave.

  • Announcement of John T. Harcourt as a candidate for District Judge of the 1st Judicial District, 5/23/1866, p. 2. Galveston Daily News.
  • Essay on Hon. John T. Harcourt recommending his appointment as United States Senator by the Legislature, author unknown, Colorado. Columbus, 7/26/1866, printed 8/2/1866, p. 1. Describes Harcourt's term in the Texas Senate; "the journals show him to have been one of the most attentive, zealous and energetic members of that body." Galveston Daily News.
  • John T. Harcourt, State Senator during the Confederacy, unsuccessful candidate for district judge on 6/25/1866, and a "longtime Democratic party activist who remained an active conservative through Reconstruction." Randolph B. Campbell, "The District Judges of Texas in 1866-1867: An Episode in the Failure of Presidential Reconstruction," The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Vol. 93, No. 3, January 1990, p. 362, crediting Texas State Historical Association. Portal to Texas History (University of North Texas Libraries).
  • Mentioned, p. 13. The Texas Senate: Volume II, Civil War to the Eve of Reform, 1861-1889, 1999.

Committee Information

Senate Committees

Joint Committees

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.

Party information is not available for the 1st-11th Legislatures.

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.