Baylor University is the world's largest Baptist university. It was founded under a charter issued by the Congress of the Republic of Texas on Feb. 1, 1845, and has operated continuously ever since. It was named for Judge R. E. B. Baylor, who lived from 1791 to 1873, was a native of Kentucky, served as a United States congressman from Alabama in the 1820s, and was one of the first district judges in Texas. Judge Baylor, the Rev. William Tryon, and the Rev. James Huckins obtained the charter under a resolution of the Union Baptist Association to establish "A Baptist University...to meed the needs of all the ages to come." Its first location was at Independence in Washington County. Early presidents were Henry L. Graves from 1847 to 1852, Rufus C. Burleson from 1852 to 1861, George W. Baines from 1861 to 1863, and William Carey Crane from 1863 to 1885. Texas Supreme Court justices Abner S. Lipscomb and Royal T. Wheeler, along with Judge Baylor, taught the first law classes. An early benefactor was General Sam Houston, who sent his children to the university and initiated construction of the first woman's building. In 1886 the university moved to Waco, where new schools were added and the campus enlarged in later years. The Armstrong Browning Library, Texana Collections, and other features are world renowned.