William Martin Taylor

Full Name: William Martin Taylor
Date of birth: April 17, 1817
Date of death: September 21, 1871

Terms of Service top

Chamber District Dates of Service Legislatures Party City/County Note Counties in District
S 12 Nov 5, 1855 - Nov 7, 1859 6th (5) (6) (7)   7th (1) (2) (3) (4)     Crockett / Houston   Anderson, Houston

(1) Democrat. Civilian and Gazette. Weekly. (Galveston, Texas), 9/8/1857, p. 2, crediting Dolph Briscoe Center for American History. Portal to Texas History (University of North Texas Libraries).
(2) Listed in "Senators holding over: Democrats." Civilian and Gazette. Weekly. (Galveston, Texas), 9/8/1857, p. 2, crediting Dolph Briscoe Center for American History. Portal to Texas History (University of North Texas Libraries).
(3) 7th Legislature - Roll of Senators (holdover Senator), 11/2/1857, pp. 1, 4. Senate Journal.
(4) 7th Legislature - Listed in "large cadre of returning senators," p. 276. The Texas Senate: Volume I, Republic to Civil War, 1836-1861, 1990.
(5) 6th Legislature, Regular Session - Roll of Senators elected since the last adjournment presented their credentials, and being qualified, took their seats, 11/5/1855, p. 2. Senate Journal.
(6) 6th Legislature - "The Know-Nothings claimed to have won 11 of 33 seats in the Senate in 1855. Although only 5 - John Caldwell, William H. Martin, William M. Taylor, James W. Flanagan, and Elisha E. Lott - can be positively identified . . .", p. 258. The Texas Senate: Volume I, Republic to Civil War, 1836-1861, 1990.
(7) Know-Nothing party, p. 262 - "The aspirations of William M. Taylor had apparently collapsed with those of his party; he was a Know-Nothing . . ." The Texas Senate: Volume I, Republic to Civil War, 1836-1861, 1990.

Terms of Service top

Senate District 12
Nov 5, 1855 - Nov 7, 1859
Legislatures: 6th (5) (6) (7)   7th (1) (2) (3) (4)  
Home City/County: Crockett / Houston
Counties in district: Anderson, Houston

(1) Democrat. Civilian and Gazette. Weekly. (Galveston, Texas), 9/8/1857, p. 2, crediting Dolph Briscoe Center for American History. Portal to Texas History (University of North Texas Libraries).
(2) Listed in "Senators holding over: Democrats." Civilian and Gazette. Weekly. (Galveston, Texas), 9/8/1857, p. 2, crediting Dolph Briscoe Center for American History. Portal to Texas History (University of North Texas Libraries).
(3) 7th Legislature - Roll of Senators (holdover Senator), 11/2/1857, pp. 1, 4. Senate Journal.
(4) 7th Legislature - Listed in "large cadre of returning senators," p. 276. The Texas Senate: Volume I, Republic to Civil War, 1836-1861, 1990.
(5) 6th Legislature, Regular Session - Roll of Senators elected since the last adjournment presented their credentials, and being qualified, took their seats, 11/5/1855, p. 2. Senate Journal.
(6) 6th Legislature - "The Know-Nothings claimed to have won 11 of 33 seats in the Senate in 1855. Although only 5 - John Caldwell, William H. Martin, William M. Taylor, James W. Flanagan, and Elisha E. Lott - can be positively identified . . .", p. 258. The Texas Senate: Volume I, Republic to Civil War, 1836-1861, 1990.
(7) Know-Nothing party, p. 262 - "The aspirations of William M. Taylor had apparently collapsed with those of his party; he was a Know-Nothing . . ." The Texas Senate: Volume I, Republic to Civil War, 1836-1861, 1990.

Biographical Information top

Biographical Sketches

  • Biographical sketch, pp. 193-194. Born 1817 in Lancaster, Ohio; died 9/23/1871 in Baltimore. The History of Houston County, Texas, 1943.
  • Biographical sketch, Hon. William M. Taylor, Volume III, p. 1114. Born 1817 in Lancaster, Ohio; in 1850, married Isabella A. Moore, niece of General Sam Houston. A History of Texas and Texans, 1914.
  • Biographical sketch and portrait, "William Martin Taylor: Father of the Texas Masonic Ritual," Summer 2019, pp. 11-13. Birth date 4/17/1817, death date 9/21/1871; State Senator representing Anderson and Houston counties. Texas Freemason.

Military Service Notes

  • Texas State Troops, Brigadier General, District 11. William M. Taylor. Texas Burial Sites of Civil War Notables: A Biographical and Pictorial Field Guide, 2002.
  • Brigadier General of the Texas State Troops, 1861, pp. 58-59. Texas in the War, 1861-1865, 1965.

Other Resources

Committee Information top

7th R.S. - 1857
Enrolled Bills (Chair) 
Judiciary  
Penitentiary  
Printing and Contingent Expenses  
Public Lands  
Tax Laws and Payment of Taxes Upon Real Estate  
6th R.S. - 1855
Education  
Judicial Districts, Select  
Judiciary  
Land Titles West of Nueces River, Select  
Printing and Contingent Expenses  

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