Sam Houston

Samuel Houston (March 2, 1793 – July 26, 1863) was a key figure in the history of Texas, and, as of 2005, the only person in U.S. history to have been the governor of two different states — Tennessee and Texas.

Later life

He ran for governor of Texas, unsuccessfully in 1857 and successfully in 1859 as a Unionist, making him the only person in U.S. history to be the governor of two different states. And on a side note, he is the first and only independent governor of Texas. Houston opposed the secession of Texas from the Union, and was evicted from the office on March 16, 1861 for refusing to take an oath of loyalty to the Confederacy, writing "Fellow-Citizens, in the name of your rights and liberties, which I believe have been trampled upon, I refuse to take this oath. In the name of the nationality of Texas, I refuse to take this oath." He was replaced with Edward Clark, having refused Lincoln's offer of 50,000 troops to prevent secession.

Related Topics:
1857 - 1859 - Secession - March 16 - 1861 - Confederacy - Edward Clark

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In 1862 he retired to his farm at Huntsville, where he died in the following year.

Related Topics:
1862 - Huntsville

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