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At the Bunyard lake house |
They liked the idea of a
Sam Houston soap opera. I enjoyed lunching with the ladies, most of whom were
longtime friends. And they seemed to enjoy the program about Houston and his
wives. His first marriage, while he was governor of Tennessee, proved to be a
disaster. His bride, much younger than Governor Houston, soon left for home.
Eliza Allen Houston was not ready for marriage, and rumor held that she was
pushed into the union by her politically ambitious family. In any event,
Houston responded to the public furor by resigning the governorship and
returning to the Cherokee tribe with which he had lived for three years as a
Tennessee teenager.
By now the Cherokee had
been forced to Indian Territory (now the state of Oklahoma). Known to the tribe
as the Raven, Houston was welcomed back and urged by the Cherokee and
other tribes as an intermediary with Indian agents and with tribal delegations
to Washington D.C. Houston opened a trading post near Fort Gibson in I.T., but
it was operated primarily by his Cherokee wife, Diana Rogers Gentry Houston.
When Houston decided to try his luck in Texas, he left the trading post to
Diana. She died in 1838 and is buried in Oklahoma's only national military
cemetery, at Fort Gibson.
After Houston became a
national military hero following the spectacular victory at San Jacinto,
he was overwhelmingly elected president of the new Republic of Texas. The Texas
Constitution did not permit consecutive presidential terms, and while visiting
Alabama in an effort to recruit colonists, he was introduced to lovely Margaret
Lea. For both Sam and Margaret it was love at first sight. Like Sam,
Margaret had lost her father while she was a teenager. Her father was a
minister, and she was a devout Baptist. He returned to Texas and a year of
courtship ensued, mostly through courtship. Houston wanted to bring her to
Texas for their wedding, but Margaret's mother, a formidable and highly capable
woman, insisted that he return to Alabama for a wedding in their home.
They were married - in
the Lea home - in 1840. Sam was 47 and Margaret 21, and during their 23-year
marriage she presented him with eight children, four sons and four daughters.
Their last child, Temple Lea Houston (named after her father) was the first
baby born in the new - now the venerable and rebuilt - Governor's Mansion in
Austin. Sam was re-elected president, he served the State of Texas for 13 years
as a distinguished but controversial member of the U.S. Senate, and he
concluded his public career as the only man ever to be elected governor of two
states. And Margaret became the only woman to be first lady of the Republic of
Texas and of the Lone Star State.
During their marriage
Margaret created a warm home life, in a succession of family residences, for
her restless husband. The preacher's daughter prevailed upon Sam to be baptized
at the age of 64, to her relief and as a good example for their children. She
abhorred his drinking habits and influenced him to cut back markedly, which
probably extended his life. He died at 70 in 1863, surrounded by his entire
family. Sadly, Margaret died during a yellow fever epidemic only a few years
later, at the age of 48. Because of health laws she was buried beside her
mother at Independence, the site of her death, instead of beside her
illustrious husband in Huntsville. Sam's domestic life was almost as
adventurous and interesting as his public career.
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Texas Tea Room and Panola County Heritage Museum |
A few weeks later I
received another invitation from the Carthage Book Club (both invitations were
delivered to me by Brenda Giles, a former student of mine who had a
distinguished teaching career in Carthage). The Book Club, in conjunction with
the Panola College History Club, sponsored an appearance at Panola
College of Alison Moore and Phil Lancaster, who were scheduled to present
their program "Riders of the Orphan Train" on Thursday, April 6.
Alison and Phil have researched the Orphan Train Movement for 20 years. The
Orphan Train Movement was begun by a New England minister and social reformer
named Charles Loring Brace. While studying theology in New York City, he was
horrified that as many as 10,000 homeless orphans and abandoned children
were living on the city streets. During the period from 1854 to 1929, the
Children's Aid Society, organized by Reverend Brace, transported more than
250,000 homeless children from New York and other eastern cities to
western states, such as Texas. The children were met at western train stations
by adults who brought them to their family homes. The final orphan
delivery occurred at the depot in Sulphur Springs, Texas.
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In the Texas Tea Room |
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With Alison and Phil |
Carthage Book Club members wanted the State Historian in the audience to meet the
authors and to view their PowerPoint presentation of this little-known
historical chapter. Unfortunately I had an out-of-town appointment on April 6.
But Alison and Phil were scheduled to arrive in Carthage on Wednesday
afternoon, April 5, and several ladies from the Book Club were hosting them for
a six-o'clock supper at the Texas Tea Room. I was invited to join the supper
party and help greet Alison and Phil, and I was delighted at the opportunity. I
did a little homework beforehand, and I was able to ask them pertinent
questions. Of course, we are fellow writers and researchers, and that gave us a
lot to talk about. I enjoyed sharing another meal with friends from the
Carthage Book Club. And after returning to Carthage I learned that the
program was a great success, with almost 200 students and townspeople in attendance.
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