Marker Inscription
[Part of the special series of 23 markers produced to fulfill SB667 The Texas Black Reconstruction Legislators Recognition Act]
Historical Marker
Thomas Beck
The roadside stories worth pulling over for.
About this site
Thomas Beck is a historical marker in Madisonville, Madison County, dedicated in 2023. It is one of 24 historical markers documented in Madison County in the Texas Historical Commission Atlas, among 63 historic sites cataloged across the county.
The site sits at 30.9485, -95.9141 near Madisonville. The nearest cataloged historic site is Madison County Courthouse (courthouse), about under a tenth of a mile away. Others within a short drive include Kimbro, Truman, Shapira Hotel, and Shapira Hotel.
This record corresponds to Texas Historical Commission Atlas #5000024648. Use the map below for its exact position and turn-by-turn directions.
History
Thomas Beck (born about 1819 in Kentucky) was a Reconstruction-era Texas legislator of mixed Black and white parentage who came to Texas around 1842 and farmed near Navasota. First elected in 1874, he represented Walker, Madison, and Grimes counties in the Texas House during the 14th, 16th, and 17th legislatures, and successfully sponsored a bill barring the employment of children without a parent's consent. His state historical marker was dedicated on the Madison County courthouse lawn in 2026.
Sources: tshaonline.orgmadisonvillemeteor.com
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