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Who was Sam Houston?
Sam Houston. For other people named Sam Houston, see Sam Houston (disambiguation). Sam Houston (March 2, 1793 – July 26, 1863) was an American general. An important leader of the Texas Revolution, Houston served as the first and third president of the Republic of Texas, and was one of the first two individuals to represent Texas in ...
What did Sam Houston do in 1817?
In early 1817, Sam Houston was assigned to a clerical position in Nashville, serving under the adjutant general for the army's Southern Division. Later in the year, Jackson appointed Houston as a sub-agent to handle the removal of Cherokee from East Tennessee. In February 1818, he received a strong reprimand from Secretary of War John C. Calhoun after he wore Native American dress to a meeting between Calhoun and Cherokee leaders, beginning an enmity that lasted until Calhoun's death in 1850. Angry over the incident with Calhoun and an investigation into his activities, Houston resigned from the army in 1818. He continued to act as a government liaison with the Cherokee, and in 1818, he helped some of the Cherokee resettle in Arkansas Territory.
What did Houston do to help the United States?
With the United States unwilling to annex Texas, Houston began courting British support; as part of this effort, he urged the end of the importation of slaves into Texas. In early 1837, the government moved to a new capital, the city of Houston, named for the country's first president.
What was the name of the state that Houston was elected to represent?
Houston was elected to represent Nacogdoches, Texas at the Convention of 1833, which was called to petition Mexico for statehood (at the time, Texas was part of the state of Coahuila y Tejas ). Houston strongly supported statehood, and he chaired a committee that drew a proposed state constitution.
Why was Houston baptized?
In 1833, Houston was baptized into the Catholic faith in order to qualify under the existing Mexican law for property ownership in Coahuila y Tejas. The sacrament was held in the living room of the Adolphus Sterne House in Nacogdoches, Texas. By 1854, Margaret had spent 14 years trying to convert Houston to the Baptist church. With the assistance of George Washington Baines, she convinced Houston to convert, and he agreed to adult baptism. Spectators from neighboring communities came to Independence, Texas, to witness the event. On November 19, 1854, Houston was baptized by Rev. Rufus C. Burleson, president of Baylor University, by immersion in Little Rocky Creek, two miles southeast of Independence.
Where was Sam Houston born?
Early life. Sam Houston Birthplace Marker in Rockbridge county, Virginia. Houston was born in Rockbridge County, Virginia, on March 2, 1793, to Samuel Houston and Elizabeth Paxton. Both of Houston's parents were descended from Scottish and Irish immigrants who had settled in Colonial America in the 1730s.
What did the voters of Texas want?
During the presidential election, the voters of Texas overwhelmingly indicated their desire for Texas to be annexed by the United States. Houston, meanwhile, faced the challenge of assembling a new government, putting the country's finances in order, and handling relations with Mexico.
What did Houston learn from the Cherokee?
Adopted by a clan led by Chief Oolooteka, Houston learned to speak the Cherokee language and adopted many of their customs; they gave him the Indian name Colonneh, or “the Raven.”. Houston joined the U.S. Army to fight against Britain in the War of 1812.
What battles did Houston fight in?
In October 1835, Texan (or Texian) and Mexican forces clashed in the Battle of Gonzales, beginning the Texas Revolution. Houston was appointed commander in chief of the Texan army, and helped negotiate a treaty with the Cherokee living in eastern Texas. Even as Mexican forces besieged the Alamo in March 1836, Houston attended ...
How many terms did San Jacinto serve?
Houston’s heroic reputation as “Old San Jacinto” helped him win two non-consecutive terms as president of the Republic of Texas (1836-38 and 1841-44). In between, he served in the Texas House of Representatives. The city of Houston, incorporated during his first presidential administration, served as the first Texas capital.
Who beat Stanbery?
Two weeks later, a furious Houston ran into Stanbery on Pennsylvania Avenue and beat him soundly with a hickory cane. Houston was arrested and tried before the U.S. House of Representatives; the Washington attorney Francis Scott Key (who later became famous as the author of “The Star Spangled Banner”) defended him.
Who was the first Texas capital?
The city of Houston, incorporated during his first presidential administration, served as the first Texas capital. In 1840, Houston married 21-year-old Margaret Moffette Lea. They went on to have eight children, and her devout Baptist faith helped keep her husband’s more outlandish side (and his drinking) in check.
Who was the governor of Texas during the Civil War?
Houston ran again for governor in 1859 and won. In the months leading up to the Civil War, he became the only governor of a Southern state to oppose secession. When Texas voted to secede, Houston accepted the decision, but refused to swear allegiance to the new Confederate States of America. In response, the Texas convention removed him from office and replaced him with Lt. Gov. Edward Clark.
Who was the first president of the Lone Star Republic?
Sam Houston. Sam Houston was a Tennessee-born lawyer, soldier and politician who gained enduring fame as a leader of the Texas Revolution. After commanding Texan troops to victory over Mexican forces in the Battle of San Jacinto, he became the first president of the Lone Star Republic and one of the first two U.S.
Who was Sam Houston?
Sam Houston, byname of Samuel Houston, (born March 2, 1793, Rockbridge county, Virginia, U.S.—died July 26, 1863, Huntsville, Texas), American lawyer and politician, a leader in the Texas Revolution (1834–36) who later served as president of the Republic of Texas (1836–38; 1841–44) and who was instrumental in Texas ’s becoming a U.S. state (1845).
What state did Sam Houston serve as governor?
Before ever going to Texas , Sam Houston represented Tennessee in the U.S. Congress and served as that state's governor. Sam Houston Schoolhouse, Maryville, Tennessee, where he taught school. Houston’s arrival in Texas coincided with the heated contest between settlers and the Mexican government for control of the area.
What was the significance of the arrival of Houston in Texas?
Houston’s arrival in Texas coincided with the heated contest between settlers and the Mexican government for control of the area. He established a home there by 1833, and he quickly emerged as one of the settlers’ main leaders.
When did Houston become commander in chief of the Texas army?
When they rose in rebellion against Mexico in November 1835, he was chosen commander in chief of their army (an appointment that was formally confirmed after the adoption of the Texas Declaration of Independence on March 2, 1836). The revolt suffered reverses during the winter, but on April 21, 1836, Houston and a force ...
When did Sam Houston get deposed?
In this position he tried unsuccessfully to prevent the secession of his state in 1861, and upon his refusal to swear allegiance to the Confederacy, he was declared deposed from office in March. Sam Houston.
Who was the new commander of the Republic of Texas?
…the new Republic of Texas; Sam Houston was appointed its military commander; and Austin became commissioner to the United States with the mission of securing strategic aid and enlisting volunteers.…
Overview
Samuel Houston was an American general and statesman who played an important role in the Texas Revolution. He served as the first and third president of the Republic of Texas and was one of the first two individuals to represent Texas in the United States Senate. He also served as the sixth governor of Tennessee and the seventh governor of Texas, the only individual to be elected governor of two different states in the United States.
Early life
Samuel Houston was born in Rockbridge County, Virginia, on March 2, 1793, to Samuel Houston and Elizabeth Paxton. Both of Houston's parents were descended from Scottish and Irish immigrants who had settled in Colonial America in the 1730s, including his great-grandfather John Houston. Houston's father was descended from Ulster Scots people. Samuel inherited the Timber Ridge plantation and mansion in Rockbridge County, Virginia that was worked by enslaved Africa…
War of 1812 and aftermath
In 1812, Houston enlisted in the United States Army, which then was engaged in the War of 1812 against Britain and Britain's Native American allies. He quickly impressed the commander of the 39th Infantry Regiment, Thomas Hart Benton, and by the end of 1813, Houston had risen to the rank of the third lieutenant. In early 1814, the 39th Infantry Regiment became a part of the force commanded by General Andrew Jackson, who was charged with putting an end to raids by a fact…
Early political career
After leaving government service, Houston began an apprenticeship with Judge James Trimble in Nashville. He quickly won admission to the state bar and opened a legal practice in Lebanon, Tennessee. With the aid of Governor Joseph McMinn, Houston won election as the district attorney for Nashville in 1819. He was also appointed as a major general of the Tennessee militia. Like his mentors, Houston was a member of the Democratic-Republican Party, which dominated state an…
Political exile and controversy
Houston was reunited with Ahuludegi's group of Cherokee in mid-1829. Because of Houston's experience in government and his connections with President Jackson, several local Native American tribes asked Houston to mediate disputes and communicate their needs to the Jackson administration. In late 1829, the Cherokee accorded Houston tribal membership and dispatched him to Washington to negotiate several issues. In anticipation of the removal of the remaining C…
Texas Revolution
In mid-1832, Houston's friends William H. Wharton and John Austin Wharton wrote to convince him to travel to the Mexican possession of Texas, where unrest among the American settlers was growing. The Mexican government had invited Americans to settle the sparsely populated region of Texas, but many of the settlers, including the Whartons, disliked Mexican rule. Houston crossed into Texas in December 1832, and shortly thereafter, he was granted land in Texas. Houston wa…
President of Texas
Victory in the Battle of San Jacinto made Houston a hero to many Texans, and he won the 1836 Texas presidential election, defeating Stephen F. Austin, another former governor who would also receive the honor of having the city of Austin named after him, and Henry Smith. Houston took office on October 22, 1836, after interim president David G. Burnet resigned. During the presidential election, the voters of Texas overwhelmingly indicated their desire for Texas to be annexed by th…
U.S. Senator
In February 1846, the Texas legislature elected Houston and Thomas Jefferson Rusk as Texas's two inaugural U.S. senators. Houston chose to align with the Democratic Party, which contained many of his old political allies, including President Polk. As a former president of Texas, Houston is the only former foreign head of state to have served in the U.S. Congress. He was the first person to serve as the governor of a state and then be elected to the U.S. Senate by another stat…