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Andrew Jackson Houston

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Andrew Jackson Houston
United States Senator
from Texas
In office
April 21, 1941 – June 26, 1941
Preceded byMorris Sheppard
Succeeded byW. Lee O'Daniel
Personal details
Born(1854-06-21)June 21, 1854
Independence, Texas
DiedJune 26, 1941(1941-06-26) (aged 87)
Baltimore, Maryland
Political partyDemocratic
ProfessionLawyer
Author
Historian

Andrew Jackson Houston (June 21, 1854 – June 26, 1941) was an American politician. He was a son of the famous Texas hero and statesman Sam Houston, and was named for his father's mentor Andrew Jackson.

Biography

Andrew J. Houston was born in Independence, Texas on June 21, 1854.[1] He was educated at several military academies and colleges, including Baylor University and West Point—a member of the Class of 1875, he dropped out before graduating.[2][3] He studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1876.[4]

Houston had a varied career, including serving as clerk of the federal court in Dallas, a colonel in the Texas National Guard and United States Marshal for the eastern district of Texas.[5][6][7]

Houston ran unsuccessfully for Governor of Texas in 1892 as a lily-white Republican candidate.[8]

During the Spanish–American War Houston raised and organized a cavalry troop which was mustered into service as part of the Rough Riders. In 1910 and 1918 he was a Prohibition Party candidate for Governor.[9]

In 1918 he retired to study and write history. From 1924 until his Senate appointment he held a sinecure as Superintendent of the state park at the San Jacinto battleground, where his father had won the battle which led to the independence of Texas from Mexico.[10]

United States Senator

Coat of Arms of Andrew Jackson Houston

Houston's semi-retirement ended in 1941, when John Morris Sheppard died while representing Texas in the United States Senate.[11]

Texas Governor W. Lee O'Daniel desired to serve in the Senate, but knew it would be politically unpopular to name himself as the interim appointee pending a special election for the remainder of Sheppard's term. Knowing that the 86-year-old Houston would not run in the special election, O'Daniel appointed him to temporarily fill the vacancy.[12] At the time of his swearing in, 82 years after his father had served in the same seat, Houston was the oldest man to enter the Senate. (The oldest person was Rebecca Latimer Felton).[13]

Houston joined the Senate as a Democrat, and filled the seat from April 21, 1941 until his death. The early June trip from Texas to Washington, D.C. to begin his duties had a negative effect on Houston's health, and he attended only one committee meeting as a Senator, afterwards spending most of his time hospitalized.[14]

He died in a Baltimore, Maryland hospital on June 26, 1941, five days after his 87th birthday.[15] Houston was briefly interred at Abbey Mausoleum in Arlington County, Virginia. He was later disinterred and reburied in the Texas State Cemetery.[16]

In the special election held a few days after Houston's death, O'Daniel defeated Lyndon B. Johnson for the Democratic nomination (then tantamount to election) and won the seat.[17][18]

Houston is one of 4 Senators (the others being William Johnson, Edmund Pettus and Strom Thurmond) to be the oldest living U.S. Senator while serving and he is the only Senator subsequent to the second U.S. Congress to become the oldest living Senator upon inauguration.

Houston family tree

References

  1. ^ Texas Heritage Foundation, Texas Heritage, Volume 1, 1959, page 100
  2. ^ West Texas Historical Association, West Texas Historical Association Year Book, Volumes 23–25, 1947, page 56
  3. ^ Texas Heritage Commission, Under Texas Skies, Volume 2, 1946, page 97
  4. ^ Ralph Henderson Shuffler, The Houstons at Independence, 1966, pages 75–76
  5. ^ U.S. Government Printing Office, Official Register of the United States, Volume 1, 1879, page 439
  6. ^ United States War Department, Annual Report, Volume 5, 1892, page 235
  7. ^ U.S. Government Printing Office, United States Congressional Serial Set, Issue 4773, 1905, page 90
  8. ^ New York Times, "A Hot Fight in Texas", September 7, 1892
  9. ^ Christian Science Monitor, "Obituary, A. J. Houston", June 27, 1941
  10. ^ Ralph Henderson Shuffler, The Houstons at Independence, 1966, page 76
  11. ^ Associated Press, Deseret News, Sen. Sheppard, of Prohibition Fame, is Dead, April 9, 1941
  12. ^ Associated Press, San Antonio Express, Andrew Jackson Houston Named Texas Senator, April 22, 1941
  13. ^ Associated Press, Paris (Texas) News, Death Ends Career of Houston, June 27, 1941
  14. ^ Andrew Jackson Houston at www.cemetery.state.tx.us
  15. ^ United Press, Madison (Wisconsin) State Journal, Houston, Aged Texas Senator, Dies, June 27, 1941
  16. ^ Ben R. Guttery, Representing Texas, 2007, page 83
  17. ^ Paris (Texas) News, O'Daniel Takes Lead of 379 in Senate Contest, July 1, 1941
  18. ^ Associated Press, Big Springs Daily Herald, O'Daniel Takes Seat in Senate, August 4, 1941
U.S. Senate
Preceded by U.S. senator (Class 2) from Texas
April 21, 1941 – June 26, 1941 		Succeeded by
Honorary titles
Preceded by Oldest living U.S. Senator
April 21, 1941 – June 26, 1941 		Succeeded by

Public Domain This article incorporates public domain material from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress

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