The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1916-09-06
SideIight On Life Of Fa-
nous Texan.
JOINED THE CHEROKEE TRIBE
Adopting the Indian Costume
and Observation-Disclosures
Several Years.
WIFE DISCRETION A MYSTERY


foot boys who became leaders of
men. He was stalwart and strong.
He knew no fear. His whole life
was that of normally forceful char
acter, save during hiatus of several
years. during which his behavior
baffled the understanding of his
myriad admirers.
He was born on a Virginia farm
in 1898, of Scotch-Irish parents.
When he was small lad his father
died and his mother removed the
little family to Tennessee, on land
adjacent to the Cherokee territory.
He saw little schooling. His early
teachers were mostly his Indian
neighbors. When 90, at the time of
the War of 1912, he enlisted in the
regular army, soon gained promo
ton as Sergeant, and was several
times wounded at Horseshoe Bend,
where his magnificent courage at
tracted the attention of General
! Jackson.
Promoted to the rank of Ensign
and directly afterward to that of
Lieutenant, he served with honor for
five years. and until involved in
scandal touching the smuggling of
negroes from Florida into the Unit
ed States. Resigning his commits
sion and demanding an investigation
of his conduct, he was fully exonor-
ated, but instead of returning to the
army, studied law at Nashville and
was admitted to the bar. Thereaf-
ter he made a rapid climb of the
ladder that leads to the seats of the
mighty. He became District Attor-
ney and member of Congress. While
serving in the latter capacity he
fought a duel with General White
and wounded his adversary. Then
he returned home to tennessee to
be chosen. Governor by an over
whelming majority.
He was the most popular man in
the State. After serving out his
term, he made trip to Texas and
was elected a delegate to the con-
vention which adopted constitution
for that territory. Soon afterward
he was elected General of Texas and
was the dominant force in the gen
eral consultation" which establish
/ cd He'll In,
this conference he was elected Com
mander in Chief of the army of Tex
as and Immediately began to weave
the scattered population into an eff
ficient military organization. He
was a member of the convention
that adopted a declaration of indie
pendence for Texas, and when the
Mexicans crossed the line and exc
cuted Davy Crockett. Bowie, Travis
and others, Houston, with only $50
men. met the strong army of Santa
Anna and within an hour killed half
of this number, making prisoners of
those that remained.
AS a reward he was chosen first
President OF the Republic of Texas
and at the end of his term left the
Government in an excellent condi-
tion--at peace with the Indians and
with Mexico, and with its treasury
notes at par. After he had been
elected to the Presidency a second
time, the Texas Congress elected
him dictator. He now began taking
steps for annexlng Texas to the
United States, but finding President
Van Buren, unresponsive, affected TO
enter upon negotiations for annexa-
ton with Spain. France and Eng
land. In this way he ingeniously
brought Van Buren, to terms.
So. as a result of Houston's eff
forts. Texas, where he might have |
remained an autocrat, entered our
Union, and as a State sent him to |
the Senate at Washington. Here
during the period just prior to the |
Civil War. he used his efforts in the
Unionist cause. Prior to the con-
vention of 1852 his nomination to
the Presidency by the Democratic
party was looked upon as certain.
But his leanings toward the Know
Nothings gave the nomination to
Franklin Pierce. He received votes
also in the conventions of 1856 and
1860. and was elected Governor of
Texas on an independent ticket af
ter having been shelved by the lead
ers OF his party. After Texas hae
been carried TO secession. all State
officers returned to take the oath OF
allegiance to the confederacy, bu'
Houston defantly declined to follow |
their example aud was deposed.
The strange conduct which made