title: Fifty-first Texas Legislature
text: # Fifty-first Texas Legislature
  
  The 51st Texas Legislature met from January 11, 1949, to July 6, 1949. All members present during this session were elected in the 1948 general elections.
  
  ## Sessions
  
  Regular Session: January 11, 1949 - July 6, 1949
  
  ## Party summary
  
  ### Senate
  
  | Affiliation | Affiliation | Members | Note |
  | - | - | - | - |
  | | Democratic Party | 31 | |
  | Total | Total | 31 | |
  
  ### House
  
  | Affiliation | Affiliation | Members | Note |
  | - | - | - | - |
  | | Democratic Party | 150 | |
  | Total | Total | 150 | |
  
  ## Officers
  
  ### Senate
  
  * Lieutenant Governor: Allan Shivers (D) until September 1, 1949. Upon the death of Governor Beauford H. Jester, he became Governor and the Office of Lieutenant Governor was vacant.
  * President Pro Tempore: Kyle Vick (D)
  
  George C. Morris (D) Grady Hazlewood (D) Wardlow W. Lane (D)
  
  ### House
  
  * Speaker of the House: Durwood Manford (D)
  
  ## Members
  
  ### House
  
  The House was composed of 150 Democrats.
  
  House members included future Governors Preston Smith and Dolph Briscoe, and future Congressmen Jack Brooks, Bob Casey, Abraham Kazen and J.T. Rutherford.
  
  ## Sources
  
  * Texas Almanac and State Industrial Guide, 1949-51. A.H. Belo Corporation, Dallas, Texas.
  