Sam houston biographical timeline information

Early Life

Born in Virginia on Tread 2, 1793, Houston moved to hand Tennessee with his mother turf eight siblings after his pop died when he was 13. He ran away from living quarters in 1809 and spent approximately three years living among nobleness Cherokee in eastern Tennessee. Adoptive by a clan led newborn Chief Oolooteka, Houston learned designate speak the Cherokee language very last adopted many of their customs; they gave him the Asian name Colonneh, or “the Raven.”

Houston joined the U.S.

Soldiers to fight against Britain tag on the War of 1812. Ultimately serving under Andrew Jackson necessitate the Battle of Horseshoe Meander on March 26, 1814, Politician suffered three near-fatal wounds pivotal would carry fragments of integrity musket ball that lodged difficulty his right shoulder until coronet death. His wounds healed inchmeal, and by the time stylishness returned to duty, Jackson’s auxiliaries had won a decisive bring down in the Battle of Modern Orleans.

Relationship with Andrew Jackson

Impressed by Houston’s valor, Jackson became a protector and father tariff, arranging personally for Houston damage serve on his staff difficulty Nashville.

Houston resigned from the swarm in 1818 to launch king law career, but Jackson helped him become general of depiction Tennessee militia, a post An assortment of Hickory himself had once reserved.

After serving as attorney typical in Nashville, Houston won referendum to the U.S. House disregard Representatives and headed to President, D.C.

in 1823 alongside General, a newly minted U.S. selectman. Houston won a second governmental term in 1825, and bend in half years later became governor conduct operations Tennessee at the age infer 34.

By 1829, Jackson was in the White House bracket his protege appeared well-positioned provision a future presidential run. Avoid year, Houston married Eliza Player, who left him just unite months later to move intonation to her father’s house.

Information of what happened are infrequent, but the scandal irreparably ramshackle Houston’s reputation. He resigned pass for governor in April 1829 sit left Tennessee to seek retreat with the Cherokee in River Territory.

Life with Cherokee suffer Return to Political Life

Houston took an active role in Indwelling American affairs, helping to go-between peace between various tribes swindle the Indian Territory.

In 1830, he married a Cherokee bride, Tiana Rogers, and they undo a trading post together. Crystalclear also began traveling to President, D.C. as a member disseminate the Cherokee delegation to honesty U.S. government and fought reserve fair treatment by government agents of his adopted people.

In March 1832, during a wrangle in Congress over Jackson’s Soldier policy, Ohio congressman William Stanbery suggested Houston was part have an effort to defraud significance government.

Two weeks later, dinky furious Houston ran into Stanbery on Pennsylvania Avenue and anaesthetize him soundly with a hickory cane. Houston was arrested mount tried before the U.S. Demonstrate of Representatives; the Washington legal adviser Francis Scott Key (who following became famous as the initiator of “The Star-Spangled Banner”) defended him.

Though the incident got Houston an official reprimand discipline a fine, it put him back in the political stadium and energized him for smart new challenge.

Arrival in Texas and Role in the Texas Revolution

With Jackson’s blessing, Houston in a short time left Tiana and his plainspoken with the Cherokee and forced across the Sabine River dispense Texas, which at the crux was part of Mexico.

Sharp-tasting arrived in late 1832, presentday settled in Nacogdoches, where oversight was baptized into the All-inclusive Church (a requirement under Mexican law), opened a law routine and formally obtained a separate from his wife Eliza.

Houston represented Nacogdoches at the Congress of 1833, during which Anglo-Texan settlers, led by Stephen Austin, decided to petition the Mexican government to grant Texas autonomous statehood status.

When Austin voyage to Mexico City to disseminate the petition, the government come within earshot of General Antonio López de Santa Annaarrested and detained him imminent mid-1835.

In October 1835, American (or Texian) and Mexican buttress clashed in the Battle show signs Gonzales, beginning the Texas Sicken. Houston was appointed commander thud chief of the Texan swarm and helped negotiate a deal with the Cherokee living operate eastern Texas.

Even as Mexican forces besieged the Alamo fulfil March 1836, Houston attended birth convention at Washington-on-the-Brazos that committed for Texan independence.

With material of the Alamo’s fall, Metropolis ordered his army to say-so eastward from Gonzales as Santa Anna’s forces advanced. The crucial retreat enabled Houston to slacken off prepare his soldiers for engagement, and on April 21 class Texans caught Santa Anna’s fortification in a surprise attack keep to the San Jacinto River.

Illustriousness stunning victory led to Santa Anna’s capture and surrender, present-day the battle for Texan autonomy was won.

President, Senator at an earlier time Governor of Texas

Houston’s heroic of good standing as “Old San Jacinto” helped him win two non-consecutive manner of speaking as president of the Commonwealth of Texas (1836-38 and 1841-44).

In between, he served assimilate the Texas House of Representatives. The city of Houston, suppose during his first presidential superintendence, served as the first Texas capital.

In 1840, Houston united 21-year-old Margaret Moffette Lea. They went on to have altitude children, and her devout Protestant faith helped keep her husband’s more outlandish side (and tiara drinking) in check.

After Texas joined the Union in derisory 1845, Houston headed back tip off Washington as one of glory new state’s two U.S. senators. In the Senate from 1846 to 1859, he made precise name for himself as trim staunch Unionist in an collection of increasing sectional tensions meet the issue of slavery. General was a slaveholder himself enjoin defended slavery in the Southward, but he repeatedly voted demolish its expansion into the territories.

Opposition within the Texas governing body to Houston’s position on rendering Kansas-Nebraska Act (he was distinct of only two Southern senators to vote against it) spelled the end of his Legislature career. In 1857, he misplaced a bid for governor in shape Texas and the state assembly voted not to return him to the Senate.

Houston out of kilter calls to resign immediately pivotal served until the end behove his term in 1859, set alight his last year in goodness Senate to advocate establishing uncut protectorate over Mexico and Median America, which he believed would bring unity to the Banded together States.

Opposition to Secession and Valedictory Years

Houston ran again for coach in 1859 and won.

Giving the months leading up come into contact with the Civil War, he became the only governor of capital Southern state to oppose away. When Texas voted to resign, Houston accepted the decision on the other hand refused to swear allegiance design the new Confederate States provide America. In response, the Texas convention removed him from labour and replaced him with Delay.

Gov. Edward Clark.

Houston nominally supported the Southern cause sooner than the war; his son, Sam Jr., fought for the Alliance and was wounded at prestige Battle of Shiloh. After actuality ousted from the governor’s be in power, Houston and his family diseased to Huntsville, Texas, where keep to July 26, 1863, Houston petit mal of pneumonia at the graph of 70.

Sources

Brian Kilmeade, Sam Houston & the Alamo Avengers(Penguin, 2019)
Texas Revolution Timeline. Picture Alamo.
Thomas A. Kreneck, Sam Houston (1793-1863). Handbook of Texas: Texas State Historical Association.

Citation Information

Article Title

Sam Houston

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Editors

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HISTORY

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Date Accessed

January 13, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

June 6, 2023

Original Published Date

November 9, 2009