Huntsville, Texas Historical Fun!

We had a great time in Huntsville. Aside from being invited to teach at Sam Houston State University, we went to the Sam Houston Memorial Museum and his giant 67 foot statue seen along Interstate 45. I am a bit of a history buff, loving most everything about it, so this was a cool excursion for me. Sam Houston (March 2, 1793 – July 26, 1863) is well respected in Texas. An American general and statesman, he played a major role in the Texas Revolution. He was also the first and third president of The Republic of Texas. This was, of course, before Texas became the 28th state in the United States of America, which took place on December 29, 1845. He served under General Andrew Jackson in the War of 1812 and later served in the House of Representatives and as a Senator. He also served as Governor of Texas.

Below are photos of the back of the monument, which you approach first, then the statue and the front of the pedestal:

He was born and raised in Virginia until his father died, when his mother moved the family to Tennesee. As a teenager, he ran away from home and lived among the Cherokee Indians, becoming known as Raven by them. His first marriage failed after a short time. Neither he nor his first wife ever spoke of why the marriage failed, but it has been speculated that she loved another man. He was so brokenhearted by its demise that he left his life, resigning as governor of Tennessee, and returned to live among the Cherokee in Arkansas. Sometime later, he married a Cherokee woman. This marriage also fell apart when he decided to return to Tennesee. She chose not to go with him. His third marriage continued until his death. He and Margaret had eight children.

This picture is of the chief of the Cherokee Nation, John Jolly, wearing traditional clothing:

Now that I’ve told a bit of history, I have to mention the part that’s hard to speak about. And that is, Sam Houston was a proponent of slavery. He treated his slaves very well, but this sad and heartbreaking part of the history of the United States of America exists. This fact leads exactly to my next post and my experience while we toured the outdoor area of the Sam Houston Memorial Museum. Don’t miss it!