Sam Houston was born in Virginia, on March 2, 1793, but at the age of 14 came with his widowed mother and her children to Tennessee, where they settled in Blount County. Young Sam did not like pioneer farming and was far more interested in the easy-going life of the nearby Indians who seemed to have a good time hunting and fishing. One day he crossed the river into the Indian's country and remained with the Cherokees for a year. After his return he taught school in Blount County. He served in the Creek Indian War and received a severe wound at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend. His next venture was the study of law, followed by his appointment as Adjutant General in the State Militia and then his election to Congress for two terms. In 1827, with Andrew Jackson's backing, Houston was elected Governor of Tennessee. Before his term ended, he suddenly separated from his young wife, resigned as Governor and moved to the west where he lived with his old friends, the Cherokees.

By 1833 Houston had wandered into Texas. Three years later he was named Commander-in-Chief of the Texas Army, and led his forces to victory in the Texas Revolution. In 1836 he was elected first President of the new Republic of Texas, and 10 years later, when Texas was admitted to the Union, Houston became one of its U.S. Senators. In 1859 he was elected Governor of Texas, becoming its seventh Governor as he had been also the seventh Governor of Tennessee. However, the luck of the seventh Governor ran out. The election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States brought to a showdown the question of "secession." Houston was against secession but Texas was for it and formally seceded in 1861. Houston refused to pledge allegiance to the Confederate Government and was forced out of office. The aged and broken warrior and statesman died on July 25, 1863, still wearing a ring given by his mother, on the inside of which was engraved the single word -