Reinhard Hillebrand
Member of the Texas Senate
from the 26th district
In office
January 17, 1871 – January 14, 1873
Preceded byE.L. Alford
Succeeded byJoseph Draper Sayers
County Judge of Fayette County
In office
1869–1870
Personal details
Born
Reinhard Hillebrandt[lower-alpha 1]

(1810-03-10)March 10, 1810
Germany
DiedSeptember 13, 1887(1887-09-13) (aged 77)
Fayette County, Texas, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Other political
affiliations		Radical Republican
SpouseWidowed
Children2 sons[lower-alpha 2]
Residence(s)Fayette County, Texas
OccupationFarmer

Reinhard Hillebrand (March 10, 1810 – September 13, 1887) was a German American politician and soldier that served in the Texas Senate for District 26. He was a Radical Republican.

Early life and military background

Reinhard Hillebrand was born on March 10, 1810, in Germany. While living in Germany, Hillebrand participated in the 1848 revolutions. In the 1850s, he immigrated to the United States, settling in Fayette County, Texas. During the Civil War, Hillebrand organized the Rutersville German Company, which was a company of volunteer infantry soldiers. Such companies had been supported by the Texas legislature during the time. Despite organizing troops, in 1863, Hillebrand was involved in anti-conscription efforts that led to his arrest and imprisonment for treason by the Confederate military.

Political career

Hillebrand was elected to be county judge of Fayette County in 1869; he served for one year before leaving to run for the Texas Senate after E.L. Alford had been banished from the Texas Senate and the Republican Party. Hillebrand won his seat in a special election to represent Texas Senate, District 26. He was a Radical Republican who opposed business subsidies and was scandalously associated with black voters.[2][3][1]

Later life and death

The 1880 United States Census labeled Hillebrand as a widowed farmer who lived in Fayette County. Hillebrand died on September 13, 1887[4] after being thrown from his horse-drawn buggy in Fayette County; the La Grange Journal reported he succumbed to his injuries roughly 24-hours after the accident while The Dallas Morning News reported his death to be instant.[1] Hillebrand's had already left his will to his two sons; he was buried at Hillebrand Family Cemetery located near Park, Texas.[1]

Notes

  1. ↑ It's possible that he changed his name from Hillebrandt to Hillebrand to make his name appear less German when he immigrated to the United States.[1]
  2. ↑ Sources are unclear on whether or not Hillebrand had additional children.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Kulhanek, Katie. "Footprints of Fayette F-K". www.fayettecountyhistory.org.
  2. ↑ "Legislative Reference Library | Legislators and Leaders | Texas Legislators: Past & Present". lrl.texas.gov. Retrieved 29 November 2019.
  3. ↑ Spaw, Patsy McDonald (1990). The Texas Senate: Civil War to the Eve of Reform, 1861-1889. Texas A&M University Press. ISBN 9780890968574. Retrieved 29 November 2019.
  4. ↑ "Legislative Reference Library | Legislators and Leaders | Member profile". lrl.texas.gov. Retrieved 29 November 2019.
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