A.M. Aikin, Jr.

A.M. Aikin, Jr.

Full Name: Alexander Mack Aikin, Jr.
Other surnames: Aiken,
Date of birth: October 9, 1905
Date of death: October 24, 1981

Terms of Service top

Chamber District Dates of Service Legislatures Party City/County Note Counties in District
S 1 Jan 14, 1975 - Jan 9, 1979 65th   64th   65th   Democrat Paris / Lamar Dean of the Senate. (65th)
Dean of the Senate. (64th)  
Bowie, Camp, Cass, Delta, Fannin, Franklin, Grayson, Harrison, Hopkins, Lamar, Marion, Morris, Red River, Titus
S 1 Jan 9, 1973 - Jan 14, 1975 63rd (1)   Democrat Paris / Lamar Dean of the Senate. (63rd)   Bowie, Camp, Cass, Delta, Fannin, Franklin, Grayson, Harrison, Hopkins, Lamar, Marion, Morris, Red River, Titus
S 1 Jan 14, 1969 - Jan 9, 1973 62nd   61st   62nd   Democrat Paris / Lamar Dean of the Senate. (62nd)
Dean of the Senate. (61st)  
Bowie, Camp, Cass, Delta, Fannin, Franklin, Harrison, Hopkins, Lamar, Marion, Morris, Red River, Titus
S 1 Jan 10, 1967 - Jan 14, 1969 60th (2)   Democrat Paris / Lamar Dean of the Senate. (60th)   Bowie, Camp, Cass, Delta, Fannin, Franklin, Harrison, Hopkins, Lamar, Marion, Morris, Red River, Titus
S 1 Jan 8, 1963 - Jan 10, 1967 59th   58th (3) (4) (5)   59th   Democrat Paris / Lamar Dean of the Senate. (59th)
Dean of the Senate. (58th)  
Bowie, Cass, Delta, Franklin, Hopkins, Lamar, Marion, Morris, Red River, Titus
S 1 Jan 13, 1959 - Jan 8, 1963 56th   57th   Democrat Paris / Lamar   Bowie, Cass, Delta, Franklin, Hopkins, Lamar, Marion, Morris, Red River, Titus
S 1 Jan 11, 1955 - Jan 13, 1959 54th   55th   Democrat Paris / Lamar   Bowie, Cass, Delta, Franklin, Hopkins, Lamar, Marion, Morris, Red River, Titus
S 1 Jan 13, 1953 - Jan 11, 1955 53rd (6)   Democrat Paris / Lamar   Bowie, Cass, Delta, Franklin, Hopkins, Lamar, Marion, Morris, Red River, Titus
S 8 Jan 11, 1949 - Jan 13, 1953 51st   52nd   Democrat Paris / Lamar   Delta, Franklin, Hopkins, Lamar, Red River
S 8 Jan 9, 1945 - Jan 11, 1949 49th   50th   Democrat Paris / Lamar   Delta, Franklin, Hopkins, Lamar, Red River
S 8 Jan 14, 1941 - Jan 9, 1945 48th (7)   47th   48th (7)   Democrat Paris / Lamar Senate President Pro Tempore (48th)   Delta, Franklin, Hopkins, Lamar, Red River
S 8 Jan 12, 1937 - Jan 14, 1941 45th (9)   46th (8)   Democrat Paris / Lamar   Delta, Franklin, Hopkins, Lamar, Red River
H 37 Jan 8, 1935 - Jan 12, 1937 44th   Democrat Paris / Lamar   Fannin, Lamar
H 37 Jan 10, 1933 - Jan 8, 1935 43rd (10)   Democrat Paris / Lamar   Fannin, Lamar

(1) 63rd Legislature - Drawing for Terms of Office, 1/10/1973, pp. 12-13. Drew 2-year term. Senate Journal.
(2) 60th Legislature - Drawing for Terms of Office, 1/11/1967, p. 19. Drew 2-year term. Senate Journal.
(3) 58th Legislature - Drawing for Terms of Office, 1/9/1963, p. 16. Drew 4-year term. Senate Journal.
(4) 58th Legislature - Presentation of Dean of Senate, 1/8/1963, p. 15. Senator Reagan by unanimous consent presented Senator A.M. Aikin, Jr., as Dean of the Senate, succeeding former Senator R.A. Weinert of Seguin. Senate Journal.
(5) See the Senate Journal, 58th Legislature, p. 15. Texas Senate, Secretary of the Senate - Memo, January 8, 2002, 'Deans of the Texas Senate', 2002.
(6) 53rd Legislature - Drawing for Terms of Office, 1/14/1953, pp. 16-17. Drew 2-year term. Senate Journal.
(7) 48th Legislature - Senate President Pro Tempore, Ad Interim R.S., elected 5/11/1943. Senate Journal.
(8) 46th Legislature - Roll Call of Senators, holdover Senators "who were Members of the Forty-fifth Legislature and whose terms of office continue for the duration of the Forty-sixth Legislature," 1/10/1939, pp. 1-2. Senate Journal.
(9) 45th Legislature - Oath of Office Administered to Senators-Elect, 1/12/1937, p. 2. Senate Journal.
(10) Lawyer. Questionnaire on name, postoffice, occupation, association membership, and relationship to persons in state or county government. 10/11/1933, pp. 588-601. House Journal.

Terms of Service top

Senate District 1
Jan 14, 1975 - Jan 9, 1979
Legislatures: 65th   64th   65th  
Dean of the Senate. (48th)
Dean of the Senate. (48th)
(48th)
Party: Democrat
Home City/County: Paris / Lamar
Counties in district: Bowie, Camp, Cass, Delta, Fannin, Franklin, Grayson, Harrison, Hopkins, Lamar, Marion, Morris, Red River, Titus
Senate District 1
Jan 9, 1973 - Jan 14, 1975
Legislatures: 63rd (1)  
Dean of the Senate. (48th)
Party: Democrat
Home City/County: Paris / Lamar
Counties in district: Bowie, Camp, Cass, Delta, Fannin, Franklin, Grayson, Harrison, Hopkins, Lamar, Marion, Morris, Red River, Titus
Senate District 1
Jan 14, 1969 - Jan 9, 1973
Legislatures: 62nd   61st   62nd  
Dean of the Senate. (48th)
Dean of the Senate. (48th)
(48th)
Party: Democrat
Home City/County: Paris / Lamar
Counties in district: Bowie, Camp, Cass, Delta, Fannin, Franklin, Harrison, Hopkins, Lamar, Marion, Morris, Red River, Titus
Senate District 1
Jan 10, 1967 - Jan 14, 1969
Legislatures: 60th (2)  
Dean of the Senate. (48th)
Party: Democrat
Home City/County: Paris / Lamar
Counties in district: Bowie, Camp, Cass, Delta, Fannin, Franklin, Harrison, Hopkins, Lamar, Marion, Morris, Red River, Titus
Senate District 1
Jan 8, 1963 - Jan 10, 1967
Legislatures: 59th   58th (3) (4) (5)   59th  
Dean of the Senate. (48th)
Dean of the Senate. (48th)
(48th)
Party: Democrat
Home City/County: Paris / Lamar
Counties in district: Bowie, Cass, Delta, Franklin, Hopkins, Lamar, Marion, Morris, Red River, Titus
Senate District 1
Jan 13, 1959 - Jan 8, 1963
Legislatures: 56th   57th  
Party: Democrat
Home City/County: Paris / Lamar
Counties in district: Bowie, Cass, Delta, Franklin, Hopkins, Lamar, Marion, Morris, Red River, Titus
Senate District 1
Jan 11, 1955 - Jan 13, 1959
Legislatures: 54th   55th  
Party: Democrat
Home City/County: Paris / Lamar
Counties in district: Bowie, Cass, Delta, Franklin, Hopkins, Lamar, Marion, Morris, Red River, Titus
Senate District 1
Jan 13, 1953 - Jan 11, 1955
Legislatures: 53rd (6)  
Party: Democrat
Home City/County: Paris / Lamar
Counties in district: Bowie, Cass, Delta, Franklin, Hopkins, Lamar, Marion, Morris, Red River, Titus
Senate District 8
Jan 11, 1949 - Jan 13, 1953
Legislatures: 51st   52nd  
Party: Democrat
Home City/County: Paris / Lamar
Counties in district: Delta, Franklin, Hopkins, Lamar, Red River
Senate District 8
Jan 9, 1945 - Jan 11, 1949
Legislatures: 49th   50th  
Party: Democrat
Home City/County: Paris / Lamar
Counties in district: Delta, Franklin, Hopkins, Lamar, Red River
Senate District 8
Jan 14, 1941 - Jan 9, 1945
Legislatures: 48th (7)   47th   48th (7)  
Senate President Pro Tempore (48th)
(48th)
(48th)
Party: Democrat
Home City/County: Paris / Lamar
Counties in district: Delta, Franklin, Hopkins, Lamar, Red River
Senate District 8
Jan 12, 1937 - Jan 14, 1941
Legislatures: 45th (9)   46th (8)  
Party: Democrat
Home City/County: Paris / Lamar
Counties in district: Delta, Franklin, Hopkins, Lamar, Red River
House District 37
Jan 8, 1935 - Jan 12, 1937
Legislatures: 44th  
Party: Democrat
Home City/County: Paris / Lamar
Counties in district: Fannin, Lamar
House District 37
Jan 10, 1933 - Jan 8, 1935
Legislatures: 43rd (10)  
Party: Democrat
Home City/County: Paris / Lamar
Counties in district: Fannin, Lamar

(1) 63rd Legislature - Drawing for Terms of Office, 1/10/1973, pp. 12-13. Drew 2-year term. Senate Journal.
(2) 60th Legislature - Drawing for Terms of Office, 1/11/1967, p. 19. Drew 2-year term. Senate Journal.
(3) 58th Legislature - Drawing for Terms of Office, 1/9/1963, p. 16. Drew 4-year term. Senate Journal.
(4) 58th Legislature - Presentation of Dean of Senate, 1/8/1963, p. 15. Senator Reagan by unanimous consent presented Senator A.M. Aikin, Jr., as Dean of the Senate, succeeding former Senator R.A. Weinert of Seguin. Senate Journal.
(5) See the Senate Journal, 58th Legislature, p. 15. Texas Senate, Secretary of the Senate - Memo, January 8, 2002, 'Deans of the Texas Senate', 2002.
(6) 53rd Legislature - Drawing for Terms of Office, 1/14/1953, pp. 16-17. Drew 2-year term. Senate Journal.
(7) 48th Legislature - Senate President Pro Tempore, Ad Interim R.S., elected 5/11/1943. Senate Journal.
(8) 46th Legislature - Roll Call of Senators, holdover Senators "who were Members of the Forty-fifth Legislature and whose terms of office continue for the duration of the Forty-sixth Legislature," 1/10/1939, pp. 1-2. Senate Journal.
(9) 45th Legislature - Oath of Office Administered to Senators-Elect, 1/12/1937, p. 2. Senate Journal.
(10) Lawyer. Questionnaire on name, postoffice, occupation, association membership, and relationship to persons in state or county government. 10/11/1933, pp. 588-601. House Journal.

Biographical Information top

Selected newspaper articles

Resolutions and Journal entries

Biographical Sketches

Other Resources

  • Program commemorating Senator A.M. Aikin, Jr. Day and the hanging of his portrait in the Texas Senate on 5/26/1973. LRL collection, L1803.8 AI43D. A.M. Aikin, Jr., 1973.
  • Joint session of the legislature called to honor A.M. Aikin, Jr., "a tradition very seldom broken that this state honor a living human being," "Dean of Legislature Honored at Capitol," 5/27/1973. Austin American-Statesman.
  • Relatives: A.M. Aikin, Jr. - father; A.M. Aikin, III - son; "Aikin to Run for Education Board," 11/11/1987. Austin American-Statesman.
  • "And for those who have wondered what 'A.M.' stands for—it's initials only, no first or middle name," "A Tribute to 37 Years of Service," 5/24/1973, p. 27. Dallas Morning News.
  • Census of 1910 - Alexander M. Aikin, Lamar County, age 4, born circa 1906 in Texas, son of Alexander M. Aikin.
    Census of 1920 - Alexander Aikin, Jr., Lamar County, age 14, born circa 1906 in Texas, son of Alexander M. Aikin.
    Census of 1930 - A.M. Aiken, Paris, Lamar County, age 22, born circa 1908 in Texas, salesman/dry goods store, wife Wilma.
    Census of 1940 - "A.M." Aikin, Paris, Lamar County, age 33, born circa 1907 in Texas, Senator/State of Texas, wife Wilma. FamilySearch. 1910 1920 1930 1940
  • Photograph, Gilmer-Aikin Bills: a Study in the Legislative Process, 1950.
  • Occupational and biographical information - 45th Legislature, Chapter 1, "The Big Job," pp. 1-17. The Legislature and the Texas People, 1937.
  • Obituary, 10/26/1981, "A.M. Aikin, Longest Tenured in Texas Legislature, Is Dead." New York Times.
  • Mentioned in history of Senatorial redistricting for Lamar County, "Backward Glances (from the scrapbooks of the late A.W. Neville, Editor of the Paris News, 1936-1956, 3/14/1951)," republished 8/26/1976, p. 6. Paris News.
  • Delegate to the Texas Constitutional Convention, 1974. Record of Proceedings, Texas Constitutional Convention: Official Journals, January 8 - July 30, 1974, 1975.
  • As Senate President Pro Tem, Aikin declared martial law in Beaumont, TX, following race riots, "Sen. Aikin has Busy Time Pinch-Hitting for Stevenson as Martial Law Reigns," 6/21/1943. State Observer.
  • Photo, Texas Education Agency.

Photographs

Composite Photographs on Display in the Capitol

Committee Information top

65th R.S. - 1977
Education  
Finance (Chair) 
State Affairs  
64th R.S. - 1975
Education  
Finance (Chair) 
State Affairs  
Texas Constitution (Chair) 
63rd R.S. - 1973
Education  
Finance (Chair) 
State Affairs  
62nd R.S. - 1971
Administration (Vice Chair) 
Administration  
Commerce and Industry  
County, District and Urban Affairs  
Education  
Environment  
Finance (Chair) 
General Investigating, Special  
Insurance  
Legislative, Congressional and Judicial Districts  
Nominations  
Public Junior Colleges, Interim  
Public School Finance, Interim  
Rules  
Rules of the Senate  
State Affairs  
Teacher Retirement Benefits, Interim  
Urban Education  
61st R.S. - 1969
Commerce and Industry  
Consumer Protection  
Contingent Expense (Vice Chair) 
Education (Chair) 
Finance (Vice Chair) 
Insurance  
Legislative, Congressional, and Judicial Districts  
Mental Health and Mental Retardation Law  
Nominations  
Rules  
Rules of the Senate  
State Affairs  
State and Local School Disricts Financial Relationship (Committee of Eighteen) (Chair) 
State Departments and Institutions  
60th R.S. - 1967
Banking  
Constitutional Revision Commission  
Contingent Expenses (Vice Chair) 
Education  
Finance (Chair) 
Insurance  
Legislative, Congressional and Judicial Districts  
Nominations  
Rules (Chair) 
Rules of the Senate  
State Affairs  
59th R.S. - 1965
Constitutional Amendments  
Contingent Expense (Chair) 
Counties, Cities and Towns  
Education  
Finance  
Insurance  
Jurisprudence  
Legislative, Congressional and Judicial Districts  
Nominations  
Public Health  
Rules (Chair) 
State Affairs  
Transportation  
58th R.S. - 1963
Contingent Expense (Chair) 
Counties, Cities and Towns  
Education  
Finance  
Insurance  
Jurisprudence  
Legislative, Congressional, and Judicial Districts  
Nominations  
Privileges and Elections  
Public Health  
Rules  
State Affairs (Chair) 
Transportation  
57th R.S. - 1961
Counties, Cities and Towns (Chair) 
Education  
Finance  
General Investigating  
Legislative, Congressional and Judicial Districts  
Privileges and Elections  
State Affairs  
State Insurance Board, Investigation  
Transportation  
56th R.S. - 1959
Banking  
Counties, Cities and Towns (Chair) 
Education  
Finance  
General Investigating  
Privileges and Elections  
State Affairs  
Transportation  
55th R.S. - 1957
Banking  
Education  
Finance  
Game and Fish  
Insurance Company of Texas (ICT), Investigation, Special  
Nominations  
Privileges and Elections  
Public School System (Hale-Aikin Committee of Twenty-Four) (Chair) 
State Affairs  
Transportation (Vice Chair) 
54th R.S. - 1955
Commerce and Manufacturing  
Congressional Districts  
Conservation of Paintings  
Education  
Finance  
Game and Fish  
Insurance  
Labor  
Nominations of the Governor (Chair) 
Preservation and Conservation of Paintings, Special  
Segregation in Public Schools, Advisory  
Segregation in Public Schools, Legal and Legislative Subcommittee on  
State Affairs  
53rd R.S. - 1953
Assignment or Employment, Special (Chair) 
Banking  
Committee of the Whole Senate  
Contingent Expenses (Chair) 
Educational Affairs (Chair) 
Finance  
General Investigating  
Labor  
Preservation and Conservation of Paintings, Special  
State Affairs  
State Highways and Motor Traffic  
Texas Commission on Higher Education  
52nd R.S. - 1951
Assignment, Special  
Congressional Districts  
Contingent Expenses  
Educational Affairs (Chair) 
Finance  
Labor  
Nominations of the Governor (Vice Chair) 
State Affairs  
State Highways and Motor Traffic  
51st R.S. - 1949
Aeronautics  
Banking  
Civil Jurisprudence  
Contingent Expenses (Chair) 
Education  
Employees Assignment, Special (Chair) 
Finance  
General Investigating (Chair) 
General Investigating, Special (Chair) 
Labor  
Nominations of the Governor  
Rules  
State Affairs (Chair) 
Water Rights, Irrigation and Drainage  
50th R.S. - 1947
Aeronautics  
Banking (Vice Chair) 
Civil Jurisprudence  
Constitutional Amendments  
Contingent Expense (Chair) 
Education  
Employees Assignment, Special (Chair) 
Finance (Vice Chair) 
General Investigating, Special (Chair) 
Highways and Motor Traffic  
Labor  
Nominations of Governor  
Penitentiaries  
Public School System of Texas (Gilmer-Aikin), Special  
Rules  
Rural Aid Equalization, Special Joint Legislative  
State Affairs  
49th R.S. - 1945
Agriculture  
Civil Jurisprudence  
Contingent Expense (Chair) 
Education (Vice Chair) 
Employment, Special (Chair) 
Enrolled Bills  
Finance  
Labor  
Military Affairs  
Public Lands and Land Office  
Veterans' Affairs  
48th R.S. - 1943
Agricultural Affairs  
Brazos River Conservation and Reclamation District, Investigation, Special  
Civil Jurisprudence (Vice Chair) 
Congressional Districts  
Constitutional Amendments  
Education  
Finance  
Interstate Cooperation  
Judicial Districts  
Labor  
Military Affairs  
Nominations of the Governor  
Public Lands and Land Office  
Rules (Chair) 
State Penitentiaries  
Textbooks and The University of Texas, Investigation, Special and Interim  
47th R.S. - 1941
Agriculture  
Civil Jurisprudence  
Constitutional Amendments  
Counties and County Boundaries (Vice Chair) 
Education  
Eleemosynary Appropriation, Special  
Finance (Chair) 
General Investigating, Special  
Highways and Motor Traffic  
Judicial Districts  
Military Affairs  
Nominations of Governor  
Senatorial Districts  
46th R.S. - 1939
Agriculture  
Civil Jurisprudence  
Constitutional Amendments  
Education (Chair) 
Finance  
Highways and Motor Traffic (Vice Chair) 
Judicial Districts  
Military Affairs  
Nominations of Governor  
Poet Laureate Selection, Special  
Privileges and Elections  
Public Lands and Land Office  
Towns and City Corporations  
45th R.S. - 1937
Agricultural Affairs  
Banking  
Civil Jurisprudence  
Congressional Districts (Chair) 
Educational Affairs  
Emergency Supplemental Appropriations for Rural Aid to Schools, Special  
Engrossed Bills  
Finance  
General Appropriations Bill Preparation, Special  
Mining, Irrigation and Drainage  
Nominations of the Governor  
Privileges and Elections (Vice Chair) 
Rules  
State Highways and Motor Traffic  
44th R.S. - 1935
Appropriations  
Counties  
Education (Chair) 
Judicial Districts  
43rd R.S. - 1933
Claims and Accounts  
Counties  
Education  
Judicial Districts  
State Eleemosynary and Reformatory Institutions  

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