Mirabeau Buonaparte Lamar
1798 - 1859 (61 years)
Generation: 1
1. Mirabeau Buonaparte Lamar was born on 16 Aug 1798 in Louisville, Jefferson Co. Georgia (son of John Lamar, III and R. Lamar); died on 19 Dec 1859 in Richmond, Fort Bend Co. Texas; was buried in Morton Cemetery, Richmond, Fort Bend Co. Texas. Notes:
Second President of the Republic of Texas. Mirabeau Buonaparte Lamar was born near Louisville, Jefferson County, Georgia; expert horseman and fencer, excellent speaker, and writer of poetry. Many of his poems are published.
He established the Columbus Enquirer newspaper in Muscogee County, Georgia and was elected state senator in 1829. After the deaths of his first wife and a son, he started to travel and in 1835, left Georgia for Texas.
His first goal in going to Texas was to collect historical data which he recorded in his journal. After a trip to Georgia to make his move permanent, he rushed back to Texas after hearing about the battle of the Alamo and the Goliad massacre.
He joined the army as a private. After saving Thomas J. Rusk and Walter Paye Lane at the battle of San Jacinto, he was made the secretary of war and even later commander in chief of the Texas army.
He was elected vice-president of the Republic of Texas in 1836. In 1838, he followed Sam Houston, as the second president of the Republic of Texas. He served until 1841.
He was controversial in that he was determined to eradicate the Cherokee Indians from Texas. However, he was called "the father of Texas public education" and has many schools named after him in Texas. He also started the Homestead Law of Texas. Another notable achievement is that he was responsible for moving the state capital to Austin.
After the deaths of his mother and his daughter Rebecca, he was again grief-stricken and started traveling. He fought in the battle of Monterrey during the Mexican War. He remarried in 1851.
In 1857, he was appointed the U.S. minister to Nicaragua and Costa Rica. He returned in 1859 to his Richmond, Texas plantation where he died that year. A burial plot next to him belongs to Jane Long, the "Mother of Texas".
It is rumored that Mirabeau and Jane were best of friends and that he once asked her to marry him after her husband died. She refused.Family/Spouse: Tabitha Jordan. Tabitha died in 1830. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]
Children:- Rebecca Ann Lamar was born in c.1827.
- Loretto Evalina Lamar
Family/Spouse: Henrietta Maffitt. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]
2. John Lamar, III John married R. Lamar. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]
3. R. Lamar Children:
- Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus Lamar was born on 15 Jul 1797 in Warren County, Georgia; died on 4 Jul 1834 in Milledgeville, Baldwin Co. Georgia; was buried in Memory Hill Cemetery, Milledgevill, Georgia.
- 1. Mirabeau Buonaparte Lamar was born on 16 Aug 1798 in Louisville, Jefferson Co. Georgia; died on 19 Dec 1859 in Richmond, Fort Bend Co. Texas; was buried in Morton Cemetery, Richmond, Fort Bend Co. Texas.
- Dr. Thomas Reynolds Lamar was born on 16 Mar 1800 in Jefferson County, Georgia; died on 13 Apr 1858 in Macon, Bibb Co. Georgia; was buried in Rose Hill Cemetery.
- Jefferson Jackson Lamar was born in 1804; died on 15 Dec 1840 in Jones County, Georgia; was buried in Lamar Family Cemetary, Haddock, Jones Co. Georgia.
- Louisa Elizabeth Lamar was born on 4 Nov 1807 in Putnam County, Georgia; died on 26 May 1864 in Summerfield, Dallas County, Alabama; was buried in Childers Chaple Cemetery, Dallas County, Alabama.
- Amelia Lamar was born on 10 May 1810 in Eatonton, Putnam, Georgia; died on 14 Jul 1870 in Columbus, Muscogee, Georgia.
- Mary Ann Lamar was born in 1814 in Georgia; died on 18 Nov 1874 in Fairfield, Freestone Co. Texas.
- Loretto Rebecca Lamar was born on 26 Jul 1818 in Putnam County, Georgia; died on 29 Aug 1905 in Columbus, Muscogee Co. Georgia; was buried in Linwood Cemetery, Columbus, Muscogee Co. GA.