James W. Throckmorton

James W. Throckmorton
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Texas's 5th district
In office
March 4, 1883 – March 3, 1887
Preceded by George W. Jones
Succeeded by Silas Hare
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Texas's 3rd district
In office
March 4, 1875 – March 3, 1879
Preceded by Dewitt Clinton Giddings
Succeeded by Olin Wellborn
12th Governor of Texas
In office
August 9, 1866 – August 8, 1867
Lieutenant George Washington Jones
Preceded by Andrew J. Hamilton
Succeeded by Elisha M. Pease
Personal details
Born ( 1825-02-01)February 1, 1825
Sparta, Tennessee
Died April 21, 1894(1894-04-21) (aged 69)
Resting place Pecan Grove Cemetery[1]
McKinney, Texas
Political party Democratic
Profession Politician
Military service
Allegiance  United States
 Confederate States
Service/branch  Confederate States Army
Rank Captain
Unit Texas 1st Texas Volunteers
Texas 6th Texas Cavalry
Battles/wars Mexican–American War
American Civil War

James Webb Throckmorton (February 1, 1825 – April 21, 1894) was an American politician who served as the 12th Governor of Texas from 1866 to 1867 during the early days of Reconstruction. He was a United States Congressman from Texas from 1875 to 1879 and again from 1883 to 1889.

Biography

Following the outbreak of the Mexican–American War, he joined the 1st Texas Volunteers as a private in February 1847. A few months later, he was assigned as an assistant surgeon to the Texas Rangers, until receiving a medical discharge in June of that year.[2] During the Texas secession convention in 1861, he was one of only eight delegates to vote against secession from the United States.[3] Despite this, he served in the Confederate Army, first as a captain of Company K, 6th Texas Cavalry Regiment.[4]

He was promoted to Brigadier General by 1862. During late 1862 while stationed in North Texas, which was chaotic because of military and state militia abuses, he saved all but five men in Sherman, Texas from being lynched by militia as suspects in anti-conscription activities.[5] Violent acts had spread in North Texas after the Great Hanging at Gainesville earlier in October 1862, when a total of 42 men were killed, most hanged.

Throckmorton defeated Elisha M. Pease in the Texas gubernatorial election of June 25, 1866, at the same time that the legislature approved a new constitution. During his term as governor, Throckmorton's lenient attitude toward former Confederates and his attitude toward civil rights conflicted with the Reconstruction politics of the Radical Republicans in Congress. He angered the local military commander, Major General Charles Griffin, who persuaded his superior, Philip H. Sheridan, to remove Throckmorton from office and replace him with Elisha M. Pease, an appointed Republican and Unionist.[3]

As the Radical Republicans influence began to wane in the mid-1870s, Throckmorton was elected to Congress representing Texas's 3rd Congressional District. He later served the 5th District in the 1880s.[6]

Throckmorton died at age 69 from a fall, having become frail due to kidney disease.

Notes

  1. ↑ "James Webb Throckmorton". Find A Grave. Retrieved 31 January 2018.
  2. ↑ "Service Records of Volunteer Soldiers who served during the Mexican War in Organizations from the State of Texas". National Archives. Retrieved 31 January 2018.
  3. 1 2 Minor, David. "Throckmorton, James Webb". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved 31 January 2018.
  4. ↑ "Throckmorton, James W". National Park Service. Retrieved 31 January 2018.
  5. ↑ McCaslin, Richard B. "Great Hanging of Texas". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved 11 August 2013.
  6. ↑ "Throckmorton, James Webb". United States Congress. Retrieved 31 January 2018.

References

Texas Senate
Preceded by
Malachi W. Allen		 Texas State Senator
from District 4
1857–1861		 Succeeded by
Lewis F. Casey
Preceded by
J. J. Dickson		 Texas State Senator
from District 15
1863–1865		 Succeeded by
John K. Bumpass
Political offices
Preceded by
Andrew J. Hamilton		 Governor of Texas
1866-1867		 Succeeded by
Elisha M. Pease
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by
Dewitt Clinton Giddings		 Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Texas's 3rd congressional district
1875–1879		 Succeeded by
Olin Wellborn
Preceded by
George Washington Jones		 Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Texas's 5th congressional district
1883–1887		 Succeeded by
Silas Hare
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