Born August 13, 1805 in Hartford, Connecticut, Ashbel Smith graduated from Yale in 1824 and became a doctor in 1828. After further medical study in Europe, he decided to go to the newly formed Republic of Texas in 1837. Here, he remained a resident for life. Soon after arriving in Texas, Smith was appointed surgeon-general … Read more
Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, the leading villain of Texas history, was born in Mexico on 21 February 1794. As a young military officer, he supported Emperor Agustin de Iturbide, and at one time courted the emperor’s sister. He later rebelled against the government, gained considerable backing. By 1833, he was elevated to president of … Read more
Thomas Jefferson Rusk was lured to Texas from Georgia in 1832. He was chasing business partners who had absconded with his money and fled westward. When he arrived in Nacogdoches, he decided to stay. Born December 5, 1803 in South Carolina, Rusk studied law and was admitted to the bar through the influence of John … Read more
Born in Iowa on 27 September 1838, Sul Ross moved with his family to Texas the following year. He attended Baylor University in 1856, then graduated from Wesleyan University at Florence, Alabama in 1859. Ross earned early recognition as captain of a ranger company that attacked a large Comanche village in 1860 and recaptured the … Read more
An early Texas empresario, soldier and statesman, Sterling Clack Robertson was born on October 2, 1785, in what is now Nashville, Tennessee. There, he spent his youth. After serving in the Tennessee Militia in the campaign against the British in New Orleans, he was discharged with the rank of Major and returned to Tennessee, where … Read more
O. M. Roberts strongly influenced Texas history as president of the Secession Convention of 1861, as Chief Justice of the state Supreme Court, and as Governor. He also helped preserve Texas history as the first president of the Texas State Historical Association, and as contributor of several important writings on Texas military and political history. … Read more
Born William Sidney Porter, this master of short stories is much better known under his pen name “O. Henry.” He was born September 11, 1862 in North Carolina, where he spent his childhood. His only formal education was received at the school of his Aunt Lina, where he developed a lifelong love of books. In … Read more
James K. Polk never set foot in Texas. His impact on Texas and the American West, however, cannot be overestimated. Not only was he instrumental in the annexation of Texas, but the United States achieved its greatest territorial expansion under his presidency. Born 2 November 1795 in North Carolina, Polk spent much of his youth … Read more
A pioneer in the development of art in Texas, Elisabet Ney was born in Munster, Westphalia, Germany on January 26, 1833. She became the first woman sculpture student accepted in the Munich Art Academy. Her talents were soon recognized, and she received commissions to model a number of famous men, including Bismark, Garibaldi, Schopenhauer, and … Read more
Jose Antonio Navarro was among the truest of all Texans. He was born February 27, 1795 in San Antonio of a prominent Spanish heritage. He would become a leading Mexican participant on the side of Texas in the Texas Revolution, as well as in the subsequent development of the Republic and then the State of … Read more