|
Sam Houston 1793-1863
The Cherokees called him Black Raven,
his mom called him Samuel.
Sam Houston was father of 8 children as well as the first and third President of the Republic of Texas. Those were the days.
Prior to his presidency, Sam defeated
General
Antonio
Lopez de Santa Anna at the
Battle of San Jacinto. And that was on April 21, 1836.
Sam Houston's Early Life
Born in Virginia in 1793, Houston spent part of his youth living among Cherokee Indians after his father's death,
an experience that profoundly shaped his later advocacy for Native American rights.
This unusual background - straddling both frontier American and Native American cultures - gave him unique
insights that would serve him well throughout his career.
Sam Houston's Family
Sam Houston married four times.
His first marriage to Eliza Allen in 1829 ended quickly.
His most significant marriage was his fourth, to Margaret Moffette Lea in 1840, with whom he had eight
children. Margaret, a devout Baptist, influenced Houston to quit drinking and later convert to Christianity.
The couple's children included Sam Houston Jr., who served in the Confederate army, and Temple Houston,
who became a prominent Texas lawyer and state senator.
Sam Houston's Military and Political Career
His military career began during the
War of 1812
, where he served under Andrew Jackson and was wounded multiple times at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend.
This relationship with Jackson would influence his political development and future leadership style.
After the war, Houston entered politics in Tennessee, eventually becoming governor in 1827. However, his
political career there ended abruptly after a scandalous marriage dissolution, leading him to return to live
among the Cherokee before making his way to Texas in 1832.
The timing of Houston's arrival in Texas was crucial - tensions were building between Texas settlers and the
Mexican government. When the
Texas Revolution
erupted in 1835, Houston was chosen as Commander-in-Chief of
the Texas Army.
His defining military moment came at the Battle of San Jacinto in 1836, where he led Texian forces to a
decisive victory over Mexican General Santa Anna, effectively securing Texas's independence.
President of Texas
As the first President of the Republic of Texas (1836-1838), Houston faced enormous challenges:
The new republic was deeply in debt, faced hostile Native American tribes on its frontiers, and was under
constant threat from Mexico, which refused to recognize Texas's independence.
Houston worked to establish diplomatic relations with the United States and European nations, stabilize the economy,
and pursue peaceful relations with Native American tribes when possible.
After his first term, Houston was succeeded by Mirabeau B. Lamar, whose policies were largely opposite
to Houston's - particularly regarding Native Americans and fiscal matters.
Houston returned to the presidency for a second term (1841-1844), where he worked to repair the damage
done to both the treasury and Indian relations during Lamar's administration. He also began laying the
groundwork for Texas's eventual annexation by the United States, which he saw as essential for Texas's
long-term survival.
Sam Houston's Legacy
What makes Houston particularly remarkable was his consistent opposition to some of the prevailing
attitudes of his time:
Despite being a slaveholder himself, he opposed the spread of slavery and
later, as U.S. Senator from Texas, he was the only Southern senator to vote against the Kansas-Nebraska
Act of 1854.
When Texas voted to secede from the Union in 1861, Houston refused to take an oath of loyalty to the
Confederacy and was removed from his position as governor - a principled stand that ended his political career.
Houston's leadership style was marked by pragmatism and moderation. While he could be forceful when
needed (as at San Jacinto), he generally preferred negotiation to confrontation.
His experience with the
Cherokee gave him a broader perspective on cultural differences than many of his contemporaries, and he
often sought to find middle ground between competing interests.
To put Houston's presidency in perspective, let's consider that he was essentially building a nation from
scratch, with minimal resources, while surrounded by hostile powers.
The fact that Texas not only survived but eventually entered the Union as a state on relatively favorable
terms owes much to his leadership during these crucial years.
Sam Houston's Brief Biography
1793 - Born in Rockbridge County, Virginia
1809 - Fled home, lived with Cherokee Nation
1812 - Enlisted in U.S. Army under Andrew Jackson
1814 - Wounded at Battle of Horseshoe Bend
1818 - Admitted to bar in Lebanon, Tennessee
1823 - Elected to U.S. Congress from Tennessee
1827 - Elected Governor of Tennessee
1829 - Married Eliza Allen; marriage quickly ended
1829 - Resigned governorship, returned to Cherokee Nation
1832 - Moved to Texas
1836 - Elected Commander of Texas Army
1836 - Victory at San Jacinto
1836-1838 - First term as President of Texas Republic
1840 - Married Margaret Lea
1841-1844 - Second term as President of Texas Republic
1845-1859 - U.S. Senator for Texas
1859-1861 - Governor of Texas
1861 - Removed from office for refusing Confederate loyalty oath
1863 - Died in Huntsville, Texas
More History
|
