James W. Throckmorton

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.

James W. Throckmorton
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Texas
In office
March 4, 1883 – March 3, 1887
Preceded byGeorge W. Jones
Succeeded bySilas Hare
Constituency5th district
In office
March 4, 1875 – March 3, 1879
Preceded byDewitt Clinton Giddings
Succeeded byOlin Wellborn
Constituency3rd district
12th Governor of Texas
In office
August 9, 1866 – August 8, 1867
LieutenantGeorge Washington Jones
Preceded byAndrew J. Hamilton
Succeeded byElisha M. Pease
Personal details
Born( 1825-02-01)February 1, 1825
Sparta, Tennessee, US
DiedApril 21, 1894(1894-04-21) (aged 69)
Resting placePecan Grove Cemetery, McKinney, Texas
Political partyDemocratic
ProfessionPolitician
Military service
Allegiance United States
 Confederate States
Branch/service Confederate States Army
Rank Captain
UnitTexas 1st Texas Volunteers
Texas 6th Texas Cavalry
Battles/warsMexican–American War
American Civil War
Annie Rattan Throckmorton

Biography

Following the outbreak of a 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.[1] During the Texas secession convention in 1861, he was one of only eight delegates to vote against secession from the United States.[2] Despite this, he served in the Confederate Army, first as a captain of Company K, 6th Texas Cavalry Regiment.[3]

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 anticonscription activities.[4] 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. he was elected with George Washington Jones as Lt. Gov. 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.[2]

As the Radical Republican's influence began to wane in the mid-1870s, Throckmorton was elected to Congress representing Texas's 3rd Congressional District on 1874 and re-elected in 1876. He was not a candidate in 1878. He again later served the 5th District, elected in the 1882 and re-elected in 1884. He was not a candidate in 1886.[5] In 1882 he was elected to the seat vacated by his former Lt. Gov. George Washington Jones, as G.W. Jones did not run for re-election.

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

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

Further reading
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