Sam Houston

Sam Houston was an American, Texan, patriot, and Master Mason who served as a U.S. Congressman from Tennessee from 1823 to 1827, Governor of Tennessee from 1827 to 1829, President of the Republic of Texas from 1836 to 1838 and 1841 to 1844, and a U.S. Senator from Texas from 1859 to 1861. He was the first presiding officer of the Grand Lodge of Texas on December 20, 1837, and was a member of Cumberland Masonic Lodge No. 8 in Nashville, Tennessee, Holland Masonic Lodge No. 1 in Houston, Texas, and Forrest Masonic Lodge No. 9 in Huntsville, Texas. Houston said that the great misfortune was the notion among those in power that the world or the people require more governing than is necessary, that no country is ever improved by too much governing, and that men elevated to position often leave common sense out of the question, and he also urged, “Govern wisely, and as little as possible.”

Huntsville, Texas · United States