The Sixth Texas Legislature met from 5 November 1855 to 1 September 1856 in its regular session and one adjourned session. All members of the House of Representatives and about half of the members of the Senate were elected in 1855.

Sessions

• 6th Regular session: 5 November 1855–4 February 1856
• 6th Adjourned session: 7 July–1 September 1856

Senate

Lieutenant Governor: Hardin Richard Runnels

Hardin Richard Runnels

Hardin Richard Runnels was a U.S. political figure. He served as the sixth Governor of Texas between 1857 and 1859. His defeat of Sam Houston in the 1857 election for governor marked the only time that Houston ever lost an election. Runnels favored secession from the Union and re-establishing the...

, Democrat
President pro tempore: Jesse Grimes

Jesse Grimes

Jesse Grimes was a Texas pioneer and politician. Before moving to Texas, he fought in the War of 1812. He was a signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence. He served as Senator in the Republic of Texas Congress and in the Texas State Legislature. Grimes County was named in his honor...

, Regular session, Adjourned session

Senate

Members of the Texas Senate for the Sixth Texas Legislature:

District	Senator	Party	Took office
1 Texas Senate, District 1 District 1 of the Texas Senate is a senatorial district that serves all of Bowie, Camp, Cass, Franklin, Gregg, Harrison, Lamar, Marion, Morris, Panola, Red River, Rusk, Titus, Upshur and Wood counties and a portion of Smith county in the U.S. state of Texas...	Solomon H. Pirkey	Democrat	1855
2 Texas Senate, District 2 District 2 of the Texas Senate is a senatorial district that serves all of Delta, Fannin, Hopkins, Hunt, Kaufman, Rains, Rockwall and Van Zandt counties, and portions of Dallas and Smith counties in the U.S. state of Texas. The current Senator from District 2 is Robert F...	Johnson Wren	Democrat	1855
3 Texas Senate, District 3 District 3 of the Texas Senate is a senatorial district that serves all of Anderson, Angelina, Cherokee, Hardin, Henderson, Jasper, Nacogdoches, Newton, Polk, Sabine, San Augustine, San Jacinto, Shelby and Tyler counties, and portions of Montgomery and Smith counties in the U.S. state of Texas...	Robert H. Taylor	Democrat	1855
4 Texas Senate, District 4 District 4 of the Texas Senate is a senatorial district that serves all of Liberty and Orange counties, and portions of Chambers, Harris, Jefferson and Montgomery counties in the southeastern portion of the state of Texas...	Malachi W. Allen	Democrat	1853
5 Texas Senate, District 5 District 5 of the Texas Senate is a senatorial district that serves Brazos, Burleson, Freestone, Grimes, Houston, Lee, Leon, Limestone, Madison, Milam, Robertson, Trinity, Walker and Williamson counties in the U.S. state of Texas...	Jefferson Weatherford	Democrat	1853
6 Texas Senate, District 6 District 6 of the Texas Senate is a senatorial district that serves a portion of Harris county in the U.S. state of Texas. The current Senator from District 6 is Mario Gallegos, Jr. who has served since 1995.-2004:-2002:-1998:...	Jonathan Russell Jonathan Russell Jonathan Russell was a United States Representative from Massachusetts and diplomat.Born in Providence, Rhode Island, Russell graduated from Brown University in 1791. He studied law and was admitted to the bar, but did not practice...	Democrat	1855
7 Texas Senate, District 7 District 7 of the Texas Senate is a senatorial district that serves a portion of Harris county in the U.S. state of Texas. The current Senator from District 7 is Dan Patrick.-2006:-2002:-2000:-1996:-1994:...	M. D. K. Taylor M. D. K. Taylor Marion DeKalb Taylor or M. D. K. Taylor was an American politician in Alabama and Texas, as well as a general in the Confederate army during the American Civil War. He was a member of the Alabama Legislature for two stints between 1842 and 1846, and served in both the Texas House of...	Democrat	1851
8 Texas Senate, District 8 District 8 of the Texas Senate is a senatorial district that currently serves portions of Collin and Dallas counties in the U.S. state of Texas. The current Senator from District 8 is Florence Shapiro.-2006:-2002:-2000:-1996:...	William Thomas Scott	Democrat	1851 (First time: 1846–1847)
9 Texas Senate, District 9 District 9 of the Texas Senate is a senatorial district that currently serves portions of Dallas, Denton and Tarrant counties in the U.S. state of Texas. The current Senator from District 9 is Chris Harris.-2004:-2002:-2000:...	James Winwright Flanagan James W. Flanagan James Winright Flanagan was an American merchant, lawyer, and farmer from Henderson, Texas. He served as Lieutenant Governor of Texas in 1869 and 1870, and then represented Texas in the United States Senate from 1870 to 1875.-Early life:James was born to Charles and Elizabeth Flanagan in...	Democrat	1855
10 Texas Senate, District 10 District 10 of the Texas Senate is a senatorial district that currently serves a portion of Tarrant county in the U.S. state of Texas. The current Senator from District 10 is Wendy Davis.-2008:-2004:-2002:-2000:...	Elisha Everett Lott Elisha Everett Lott Elisha Everett Lott was a legislator for the Republic of Texas and the State of Texas. He is remembered primarily for his vigorous opposition to the Cherokee Land Bill of 1844.-Early years:...	Democrat	1853
11 Texas Senate, District 11 District 11 of the Texas Senate is a senatorial district that currently serves portions of Brazoria, Galveston and Harris counties in the U.S. state of Texas. The current Senator from District 11 is Mike Jackson.-2004:-2002:-1998:...	Robert Henry Guinn Robert Henry Guinn Robert Henry Guinn was a Texas politician.Guinn was a Democrat and served District 11, representing Cherokee County, Texas, in the Texas State Senate during the Fifth Texas Legislature, Sixth Texas Legislature, Seventh Texas Legislature, and Eighth Texas Legislature sessions...	Democrat	1853
12 Texas Senate, District 12 District 12 of the Texas Senate is a senatorial district that currently serves portions of Denton and Tarrant counties in the U.S. state of Texas. The current Senator from District 12 is Jane Nelson.-2006:-2002:-2000:-1996:...	William M. Taylor	Democrat	1855
13 Texas Senate, District 13 District 13 of the Texas Senate is a senatorial district that currently serves portions of Fort Bend and Harris counties in the U.S. state of Texas. The current Senator from District 13 is Rodney Ellis.-2006:-2002:-1998:-1994:...	Madison G. Whitaker	Democrat	1853
14 Texas Senate, District 14 District 14 of the Texas Senate is a senatorial district that currently serves a portion of Travis county in the U.S. state of Texas. The current Senator from District 14 is Kirk Watson.-2006:-2002:-2000:-1996:-1994:...	James A. Truitt	Democrat	1855 (First time: 1851–1853)
15 Texas Senate, District 15 District 15 of the Texas Senate is a senatorial district that currently serves a portion of Harris county in the U.S. state of Texas. The current Senator from District 15 is John Whitmire.-2006:-2002:-2000:-1996:...	James M. Burroughs	Democrat	1855
16 Texas Senate, District 16 District 16 of the Texas Senate is a senatorial district that currently serves a portion of Dallas county in the U.S. state of Texas. The current Senator from District 16 is John J. Carona.-2008:-2004:-2004:-2002:-1998:...	Henry C. Pedigo	Democrat	1853
17 Texas Senate, District 17 District 17 of the Texas Senate is a senatorial district that currently serves portions of Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris and Jefferson counties in the U.S. state of Texas. Senator Kyle Janek announced his resignation on May 29, 2008. Governor Rick Perry called for a special...	Mark M. Potter	Democrat	1851
18 Texas Senate, District 18 District 18 of the Texas Senate is a senatorial district that currently serves all of Aransas, Austin, Bastrop, Caldwell, Calhoun, Colorado, DeWitt, Fayette, Goliad, Gonzales, Jackson, Lavaca, Matagorda, Refugio, Victoria, Waller, Washington and Wharton counties and a western portion of Fort Bend...	Edward A. Palmer	Democrat	1855
19 Texas Senate, District 19 District 19 of the Texas Senate is a senatorial district that currently serves all of Bandera, Brewster, Crockett, Culberson, Edwards, Hudspeth, Jeff Davis, Kinney, Loving, Maverick, Medina, Pecos, Presidio, Real, Reeves, Sutton, Terrell, Uvalde, Val Verde, Ward and Winkler counties, and portions...	Jesse Grimes Jesse Grimes Jesse Grimes was a Texas pioneer and politician. Before moving to Texas, he fought in the War of 1812. He was a signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence. He served as Senator in the Republic of Texas Congress and in the Texas State Legislature. Grimes County was named in his honor...	Democrat	1855 (First time: 1846–1853)
20 Texas Senate, District 20 District 20 of the Texas Senate is a senatorial district that currently serves all of Brooks, Jim Wells and Nueces counties and a portion of Hidalgo county in the U.S. state of Texas. The current Senator from District 20 is Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa.-2004:...	James W. McDade	Democrat	1853
21 Texas Senate, District 21 District 21 of the Texas Senate is a senatorial district that currently serves all of Atascosa, Bee, Dimmit, Duval, Frio, Jim Hogg, Karnes, La Salle, Live Oak, McMullen, San Patricio, Starr, Webb, Wilson, Zapata, and Zavala counties and a portion of Bexar county in the U.S. state of Texas...	Elliot McNeil Millican	Democrat	1853
22 Texas Senate, District 22 District 22 of the Texas Senate is a senatorial district that currently serves Bosque, Coryell, Ellis, Falls, Hill, Hood, Johnson, McLennan, Navarro and Somervell counties in the U.S. state of Texas...	William Harrison “Howdy” Martin	Democrat	1853
23 Texas Senate, District 23 District 23 of the Texas Senate is a senatorial district that currently serves a portion of Dallas county in the U.S. state of Texas. The current Senator from District 23 is Royce West.-2004:-2002:-1998:-1994:-1992:...	James H. Armstrong	Democrat	1851
24 Texas Senate, District 24 District 24 of the Texas Senate is a senatorial district that currently serves Bell, Blanco, Brown, Burnet, Callahan, Coleman, Comanche, Eastland, Erath, Gillespie, Hamilton, Kerr, Kimble, Lampasas, Llano, Mason, McCulloch, Menard, Mills, San Saba and Taylor counties in the U.S. state of Texas...	Guy Morrison Bryan	Democrat	1853
25 Texas Senate, District 25 District 25 of the Texas Senate is a senatorial district that currently serves all of Comal, Guadalupe, Hays and Kendall counties, and portions of Bexar and Travis counties in the U.S. state of Texas...	John Caldwell	Democrat	1855
26 Texas Senate, District 26 District 26 of the Texas Senate is a senatorial district that currently serves a portion of Bexar county in the U.S. state of Texas. The current Senator from District 26 is Leticia R. Van de Putte.-2004:-2002:-2000:...	Samuel Addison White	Democrat	1855
27 Texas Senate, District 27 District 27 of the Texas Senate is a senatorial district that currently serves all of Cameron, Kenedy, Kleberg and Willacy counties and a portion of Hidalgo county in the U.S. state of Texas. The current Senator from District 27 is Eddie Lucio, Jr.....	Henry Eustace McCulloch Henry Eustace McCulloch Henry Eustace McCulloch was a soldier in the Texas Revolution, a Texas Ranger, and a brigadier general in the army of the Confederate States during the American Civil War.-Early life:...	Democrat	1855
28 Texas Senate, District 28 District 28 of the Texas Senate is a senatorial district that currently serves Armstrong, Borden, Briscoe, Carson, Castro, Childress, Coke, Collingsworth, Concho, Cottle, Crosby, Dawson, Dickens, Donley, Fisher, Floyd, Foard, Garza, Gray, Hale, Hall, Hardeman, Haskell, Hockley, Irion, Jones, Kent,...	Edwin B. Scarborough	Democrat	1855
29 Texas Senate, District 29 District 29 of the Texas Senate is a senatorial district that currently serves a portion of El Paso county in the U.S. state of Texas. The current Senator from District 29 is Eliot Shapleigh.-2006:-2002:-2000:-1996:...	Edward R. Hord	Democrat	1855
30 Texas Senate, District 30 District 30 of the Texas Senate is a senatorial district that currently serves all of Archer, Baylor, Clay, Cooke, Grayson, Jack, Montague, Palo Pinto, Parker, Shackelford, Stephens, Throckmorton, Wichita, Wilbarger, Wise and Young counties, and portions of Collin and Denton counties in the U.S....	Antoine Supervièle	Democrat	1853
31 Texas Senate, District 31 District 31 of the Texas Senate is a senatorial district that currently serves Andrews, Bailey, Cochran, Crane, Dallam, Deaf Smith, Ector, Gaines, Glasscock, Hansford, Hartley, Hemphill, Howard, Hutchinson, Lipscomb, Martin, Midland, Moore, Ochiltree, Oldham, Parmer, Potter, Randall, Roberts,...	Samuel A. Maverick Samuel Maverick Samuel Augustus Maverick was a Texas lawyer, politician, land baron and signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence...	Democrat	1855
32 Texas Senate, District 32 District 32 of the Texas Senate is an obsolete Senate District. Prior to the 1876 Texas Constitution there had been as many as 33 Senate Districts. District 32 was only active from the Fifth Texas Legislature through the Eleventh Texas Legislature....	Isaac Lafayette Hill	Democrat	1853
33 Texas Senate, District 33 District 33 of the Texas Senate is an obsolete Senate District. Prior to the 1876 Texas Constitution there had been as many as 33 Senate Districts. District 33 was only active from the Fifth Texas Legislature through the Eleventh Texas Legislature....	Rufus Doane	Democrat	1851

House of Representatives

Members of the House of Representatives for the Sixth Texas Legislature:

• Hamilton P. Bee
  Hamilton P. Bee
  Hamilton Prioleau Bee was an American politician in early Texas who served one term as Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives and later was a Confederate States Army general during the American Civil War....
  
  
• N. B. Charlton
• John Winfield Scott Dancy
• Isaac N. Dennis
• Julien Sidney Devereux
• David Catchings Dickson
  David Catchings Dickson
  David Catchings Dickson was an American politician and physician in early Texas who served as Lieutenant Governor of Texas and as Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives. He was also a State Senator and unsuccessfully ran for governor of Texas....
  
  
• Mathew Duncan Ector
• James Carlton Francis
• John Rhodes King
• Pleasant Williams Kittrell
• Matthew Fielding Locke
  Matthew Fielding Locke
  Matthew Francis Locke was an American politician in Texas. He was elected to the Texas House of Representatives and the Texas Senate. Locke served as Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives in the Seventh Texas Legislature...
  
  
• Robert Caldwell Neblett
• William Beck Ochiltree
  William Beck Ochiltree
  William Beck Ochiltree , was a settler, judge, and legislator in Texas. In 1963, Recorded Texas Historic Landmark Number 967, honoring Colonel Ochiltree, was placed at the courthouse in Perryton.-Biography:...
  
  
• Lewis Owings
  Lewis Owings
  Dr. Lewis Sumpter Owings was a medical doctor and politician in the New Mexico and Arizona territories. He was chosen twice for the role of Provisional Governor for the territory of Arizona by conventions seeking to organize the territory-by both pre-Civil War Union and Confederate...
  
  
• Benjamin F. Parker
• John Sayles
• Ashbel Smith
  Ashbel Smith
  Ashbel Smith was a pioneer physician, diplomat and official of the Republic of Texas, Confederate officer and first President of the Board of Regents of the University of Texas.-Early life:...
  
  
• William Stedman
  William Stedman
  William Stedman was a U.S. Representative from Massachusetts.Stedman was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He graduated from Harvard University in 1784. After this he studied law. He was admitted to the bar in 1787 and practiced in Lancaster, Charlestown, and Worcester. He was appointed...
  
  
• Benjamin E. Tarver
• William S. Taylor
  William S. Taylor (politician)
  William S. Taylor was an American politician that served in the Alabama, Mississippi, and Texas State Legislatures, and was Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives briefly in the Seventh Texas Legislature. Taylor, at 62, is the oldest person to assume the office of Speaker of the Texas...
  
  
• William M. “Buckskin” Williams
• Israel Worsham