Houston, Sam

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Houston, Sam ( Samuel) (1793–1863) US military and political leader. Governor of Tennessee (1827–29) before moving to Texas, he became commander in chief of the army when Texas rebelled against Mexican rule (1835). He was the first president of the Republic of Texas (1836–38, re-elected 1841–44). When Texas was annexed by the USA, he served in the Senate and as governor in 1859. Isolated by his support for the Union and for Native Americans, he was forced out of office when Texas voted to secede (1861).

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