Biographical Directory of the Texan Conventions and Con -
gresses, 1832-18 45.
Austin: Book Exchange, Inc., 1942. Pp. 198.
The same. Huntsville: Prison Print, 1941. Pp. 197.

Members of the Legislature of the State of Texas from 1846
to 1939 was published by the House of the Forty-sixth Legisla-
ture. A note on that volume was printed in The Quarterly for
January, 1940 (XLIII, 402-404). What was then said about
the handicap of inexperienced help and lack of time for the
preparation of a work of reference applies in an almost equal
degree to this volume. I say almost, for the House of the Forty-
seventh Legislature profited by the mistakes of its predecessor.
The scope of this book is smaller; the time allowed for its
preparation and printing was longer; and the person selected
to do the work, an expert accountant, has a keen sense for
accuracy.

The work comprises: (1) the names of the presidents, vice-
presidents and cabinet officers, grouped by administration (pp.
8-12). The dates of appointment and confirmation of the latter
are shown. (2) The names of the delegates to each of the con-
ventions, grouped by convention and arranged alphabetically
(pp. 15-24, 41-42). (3) The names of the senators and of the
members of the House of Representatives, set forth for each
congress and arranged alphabetically (pp. 23-40). (4) Biog-
raphies of those in (2) and (3) arranged alphabetically (pp.
43-197).

The need of a reference work of this kind has been keenly
felt for a long time. Five conventions and nine congresses
assembled during the years 1832 to 1845. The names of the
members of these bodies are supposed to be contained in the
official journals. However, not all the journals were printed,
some of those that were printed are very scarce, and not all
the names were printed in full. It is not surprising that errors
have crept into our history because of these defects.

The only compilation of these names heretofore available to
the public is that contained in Year Book for Texas, 1901 . . .,

by C. W. Raines (Austin, 1902), and this list is full of errors.
What have the compilers of the Biographical Directory done to
remedy this evil? Their answer is given in the Preface: "Names
of delegates were checked for accuracy in spelling, with the
original signatures found in the Public Debt Papers, the Pen-
sion Papers, and the Comptroller's Civil and Military Service
Records." As a result of careful search we now have an accu-
rate, complete list of the full names of nearly five hundred
pioneer legislators of Texas. But why did not Judge Raines,
State librarian and careful student that he was, prepare an
accurate list? No one could prepare a correct list until the
sources became available that were used by Miss Elizabeth
Jenner. These sources were transferred a few years ago from
the Comptroller's Department to the State Library and have
there been put in order and made available by the archivist,
Miss Harriet Smither, indefatigable scholar and godmother to
this work.

The greater portion of the work is filled with the 483 sketches.
To compile within six months this number of biographies, after
preparing a correct list of the names, gives one some idea of
the task Miss Jenner and her assistants had to face. There
was no time for verifying and not much time for organizing
the material. It was compiled and the sources from which it
was taken are indicated. The careful user will be grateful for
this. As a rule a sketch contains the following facts: date and
place of birth and death, education, occupation, date of emigra-
tion to Texas, and public service before and after coming to
Texas. For him who would like to know what kind of men
made the Republic of Texas this book will serve as a guide.

The University of Texas Library.

E. W. WINKLER.

How to cite:
"Biographical Directory of the Texan Conventions and Congresses, 1832-1845", Volume 46, Number 2, Southwestern Historical Quarterly Online, http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/publications/journals/shq/online/v046/n2/review_DIVL2495.html
[Accessed Mon Nov 23 14:12:55 CST 2009]