April 21

A Louisville, Georgia native would become president of the Republic of Texas.

Mirabeau Buonaparte Lamar was born in 1798 and led a colorful life, to put it mildly. Lamar opened a store in Alabama; it failed, so he moved back and became secretary to Governor George Troup. He married, started a family, then moved to Columbus, where he established the Columbus Enquirer Newspaper and got elected to the Georgia Senate.



After his wife’s death and his brother’s suicide, Lamar lit out for Texas. He joined the Texas Army and led the cavalry at the Battle of San Jacinto, defeating Santa Anna and winning Texas’ independence from Mexico. Lamar was elected vice president of the new Texas Republic, and succeeded Sam Houston as the second president in 1838. He later fought in the Mexican War, published poetry and served as American ambassador to Nicaragua and Costa Rica.

This Georgia native became one of Texas’ founding fathers at the Battle of San Jacinto on April 21, 1836, Today in Georgia History.