The 16th Texas Legislature met from January 14 to July 9, 1879 in its regular session and one called session. All members of the House of Representatives and about half of the members of the Senate were elected in 1878 General Election.
Members of the Sixteenth Texas Legislature as of the beginning of the Regular Session, January 14, 1879:
| District | Senator | Party | Took office | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Edwin Hobby | Democrat | 1874 | |
| 2 | Peyton Forbes Edwards | 1876 | ||
| 3 | John W. Motley | 1876 | ||
| 4 | Walter Riptoe | Republican | 1876 | |
| 5 | William H. Tilson | 1879 | ||
| 6 | William Jesse Swain | 1879 | ||
| 7 | John Martin Duncan | 1879 | ||
| 8 | John Young Gooch | 1879 | ||
| 9 | Charles D. Grace | 1876 | ||
| 10 | John C. Buchanan | 1879 | ||
| 11 | William Blassingame | 1876 | ||
| 12 | William D. Lair | Democrat | 1879 (Prior: 1861–1863) | |
| 13 | Robert S. Guy | 1876 | ||
| 14 | Francis Marion Martin | Democrat | 1879 (Prior: 1859–1861) | |
| 15 | Thomas J. McCulloch | 1876 | ||
| 16 | James R. Burnett | 1876 | ||
| 17 | Walter Moses Burton | Republican | 1874 | |
| 18 | Charles Stewart | 1879 | ||
| 19 | Andrew Phelps McCormick | Republican | 1876 | |
| 20 | William Kercheval Homan | 1879 | ||
| 21 | William M. Brown | 1876 | ||
| 22 | John W. Moore | Democrat | 1876 (Prior: 1861–1865) | |
| 23 | William R. Shannon | Democrat | 1879 (Prior: 1865–1867) | |
| 24 | Jewett H. Davenport | 1879 (Prior: 1874–1876) | ||
| 25 | Alexander Watkins Terrell | Democrat | 1876 | |
| 26 | William Hamilton Ledbetter | 1874 | ||
| 27 | Samuel C. Patton | 1879 | ||
| 28 | Ellsberry R. Lane | 1876 | ||
| 29 | John Salmon "Rip" Ford | Democrat | 1876 (Prior: 1851–1853) | |
| 30 | Augustus W. Houston | Democrat | 1879 | |
| 31 | Leonidas Jefferson Storey | Democrat | 1876 |
| District | Outgoing Senator | Reason for Vacancy | Successor | Date of Successor's Installation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| District 1 | Edwin Hobby | Hobby resigned July 10, 1879. | Vacant | |
| District 2 | Peyton Forbes Edwards | resigned December 4, 1871. | Vacant | |
| District 15 | Thomas J. McCulloch | McCulloch resigned September 3, 1879. | Vacant | |
| District 16 | James R. Burnett | Burnett resigned October 9, 1879. | John T. Buchanan | after February 17, 1880 |
| District 19 | Andrew Phelps McCormick | McCormick resigned April 12, 1879. | Robert Gould Street | June 10, 1879 |
| District 20 | William Kercheval Homan | Homan resigned July 9, 1879. | William Kercheval Homan | after February 17, 1880 |
| District 29 | John Salmon "Rip" Ford | Ford resigned August 30, 1879. | Vacant | |