Even before arriving Texas, Sam Houston had led a very colorful life. Born in 1793 in Virginia, he moved with his family to the frontier of Tennessee when he was 13. He fought in the
War of 1812 and served under
Andrew Jackson in the war against the Creek Indians. He represented Tennessee in the
United States House of Representatives for two terms before becoming governor of Tennessee. He resigned in 1829 after the collapse of his marriage.
In 1832, Houston went to Texas. There he became involved in the struggle for independence. After armed conflict broke out, Houston was named commander in chief. At San Jacinto, he defeated Santa Anna and secured Texas's independence. He became the first president of the Republic of Texas.
After Texas joined the Union, Houston went to United States Senate, serving 1846 to 1859. Like his mentor Jackson, Houston defended Slavery but insisted that the Union should be preserved. He supported the Compromise of 1850 and opposed the Kansas-Nebraska Act. He died in Huntsville in 1863. The city of Houston is named for him.
