Thomas Benton Wheeler

Thomas Benton Wheeler (7 June 1840 – 21 February 1913) was an American judge and politician who served as the 16th Lieutenant Governor of Texas as a member of the Democratic party from 1887 to 1891.

Thomas Benton Wheeler
16th Lieutenant Governor of Texas
In office
19 January 1887 – 21 January 1891
GovernorLawrence Sullivan Ross
Preceded byBarnett Gibbs
Succeeded byGeorge C. Pendleton
Mayor of Austin
In office
1872–1877
Preceded byJohn W. Glenn
Succeeded byJacob Carl DeGress
Judge of the 12th Judicial District
In office
1880–1886
Personal details
Born(1840-06-07)June 7, 1840
Marshall County, Alabama, U.S.
DiedFebruary 21, 1913(1913-02-21) (aged 72)
San Antonio, Texas, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Children2
Military service
Allegiance Confederate States
Branch/service Confederate States Army
Rank Captain
CommandsCompany E, Ragsdale's Battalion Texas Cavalry
Battles/warsAmerican Civil War

Early life

Thomas Benton Wheeler was born in Marshall County, Alabama on 7 June 1840. At the outbreak of the American Civil War, Wheeler enlisted as a private in Company A of Peter C. Woods's regiment of the confederate army. He was soon soon promoted to captain and commanded Company E of Ragsdale's Battalion Texas Cavalry. Following the end of the war, Wheeler moved to Austin, Texas, where he began to practice law. In 1867 he became county attorney of Travis County, a position where he was ultimately removed from by Union officials as an impediment to Reconstruction.

Political career and death

Thomas Benton Wheeler was first elected as Mayor of Austin in 1872, a position which he held until 1877. After his tenure as Mayor, Wheller moved to Breckenridge in Stephens County where he was elected judge of the 12th Judicial District in 1880. He was re-elected to the position in 1884, but resigned in 1886 following his election as Lieutenant Governor of Texas with his term lasting from 19 January 1887 to 21 January 1891. Wheeler died in a hotel in San Antonio on 21 February 1913, he lies buried at Prairie View Cemetery in Aransas Pass, Texas.[1]

See also

References
  1. "Thomas B. Wheeler". texaspolitics.utexas.edu. 2005. Retrieved 11 May 2023.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.