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 February 1, 1825
Sparta, Tennessee
Died April 21, 1894 (aged 69)
Political party Democratic
Profession Politician

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.

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. During the Texas secession convention in 1861, he was one of only eight delegates to vote against secession from the United States. Despite this, he served in the Confederate Army as a captain of Company K, 6th Texas Cavalry Regiment until resigning for poor health in 1863.

Throckmorton won the gubernatorial election of June 25, 1866, at the same time the new constitution was approved, against Elisha M. Pease. During his term in the governor's office, 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 an appointed Republican and Unionist, Elisha M. Pease.

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.

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

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
United States 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