Nicholas Henry Darnell
Dallas, Dallas County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Nicholas Henry Darnell (April 20, 1807 - June 7, 1885) Soon after arriving in Texas in 1838, Nicholas Darnell was elected to the Republic of Texas Congress, where he served as Speaker of the House. A delegate to the 1845 Statehood Convention, he later represented Dallas and Tarrant counties in the State Legislature, again serving as speaker. He resigned in 1863 to lead the 18th Texas Cavalry. After the Civil War, Darnell was again elected to the Texas Legislature and was a delegate to the 1875 Constitutional Convention. 1986
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Nicholas Henry Darnell arrived in Texas in 1838 and was almost immediately swept into public life, winning election to the Republic of Texas Congress and serving as Speaker of the House. He was a delegate to the 1845 convention that brought Texas into the Union and later served again as Speaker in the state legislature. In 1863 he resigned to lead the 18th Texas Cavalry, and after the Civil War he returned to office and helped draft the state's 1875 constitution.
Why it matters
Darnell's career traces the full arc of 19th-century Texas—from independent republic to statehood, Confederate rebellion, and Reconstruction—in the life of a single public servant.
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Related people
- · Nicholas Henry Darnell
Related events
- · 1845 Statehood Convention
- · 1875 Constitutional Convention
Themes & tags
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