Benjamin O. Watrous
Benjamin O. Watrous(1819-?) was a wheelwright, minister, constitutional convention delegate, and state legislator in Texas. He was African American. He was known as Ben Carter when he was young. He was a Republican. He campaigned for a state senate seat in 1869 but lost to Matthew Gaines.[1]
He was born in McMinn County, Tennessee. He was enslaved.[2]
Carrie Watrous was his wife.[3] He was a member of the Union Loyal League.[4]
He lost the vote to become speaker of the Texas House of Representatives by three votes.[4] He was one of 52 African-American men who were in the Texas legislature or were delegates to the 1868-1869 Texas Constitutional Convention.[5]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Association, Texas State Historical. "Watrous, Benjamin O." Texas State Historical Association.
- ^ "Forever Free The Biographies". www.tsl.texas.gov.
- ^ "Watrous". www.afrotexan.com.
- ^ a b Pitre, Merline (1988). "The Evolution of Black Political Participation in Reconstruction Texas". East Texas Historical Journal. 26 (1) 8.
- ^ Association (TSHA), Texas State Historical. "African American Legislators of the 19th Century". Texas Almanac.
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