Mirabeau B. Lamar

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Mirabeau Buonaparte Lamar

Mirabeau Buonaparte Lamar (August 16, 1798 – December 19, 1859) was the third president of the Republic of Texas, following David G. Burnet (1836 ad interim president) and Sam Houston.

Lamar was born near Louisville in Jefferson County, Georgia. During his early adult years, he started and ran a successful newspaper in Columbus, Georgia, known as the Columbus Ledger. Before heading to Texas, he sold his newspaper company, and used the proceeds to finance his trip out west. This paper still exists as a McClatchy publication and is the major daily newspaper of the Columbus area.

He moved to Texas in 1835. He joined the Texas Revolutionary army under Gen. Sam Houston as a private in the cavalry after hearing of the massacres at the Alamo and Goliad. On the eve of the Battle of San Jacinto, Lamar made a courageous rescue of two surrounded Texans in a move that drew a salute from the Mexican lines. He was promoted to Col. and was the commander of the cavalry during the battle the following day. His term as President of Texas began in December of 1838 and he served until 1841.

Lamar was a fierce opponent of fellow Texan Sam Houston. Houston and Lamar had different views on virtually every topic relating to the development of the new Republic, from finances to dealing with Texas Native Americans (of whom he favored eradication) to the Annexation of Texas into the United States (which he opposed). It was said that when Houston was giving his farewell speech, Houston was dressed like George Washington and when he went on the stage he noticed that Lamar was very eager to give his speech. So Houston lengthened the speech to almost three hours and when Houston was done Lamar became so angry that someone else had to read it for him. Lamar secured recognition of Texas by several European countries. He founded the capital of the Republic of Texas in Austin, even though at the time, Austin was at the western edge of settlement and dangerously exposed to attacks from the Penateka Comanche. Lamar was extremely eager to pull settlement westward. He even had his eyes on the far Pacific. His vision was of a Republic of Texas that rivaled the United States for control of North America.

In trying to make this vision come true he made the national debt sky-rocket. To minimize the debt, he printed new Republic of Texas currency known as "Redbacks."

Lamar is also known for his setting aside public domains for public schools, and he is widely regarded as the "Father of Education in Texas." Many cities in Texas have schools named after him, including Lamar University in Beaumont, Lamar High School in Houston, Lamar High School in Arlington, and Lamar Consolidated High School in Rosenberg. Some of the lands that he set aside for public education were that of present day University of Texas System and Texas A&M University System.