Description:

Houston Sam 1793 - 1863

Near perfect large Samuel Houston signature and inscription.

A spectacular and extremely large Samuel Houston (1793-1863) signature clip inscribed "Yours Sincerely, Thy friend, Sam Houston", 4.25" x 2.25", adhered to a backing to a size of 4.5" x 2.5". A lovely signature with strong contrast.

Samuel Houston's victory at the Battle of San Jacinto secured the independence of Texas from Mexico in one of the shortest decisive battles in modern history. He was also the only governor within a future Confederate state to oppose secession (which led to the outbreak of the American Civil War) and to refuse an oath of allegiance to the Confederacy, decisions that led to his removal from office by the Texas secession convention. In 1832, Houston was involved in an altercation with a U.S. Congressman, followed by a high-profile trial. Shortly afterwards, he moved west to Coahuila y Tejas, then a Mexican State, and became a leader of the Texas Revolution. After the war, Houston became a key figure in Texas and was elected as the first and third President of the Republic of Texas. He supported annexation by the United States, becoming a U.S. Senator in 1845, and finally Governor of Texas in 1859. Houston is the only person to have become the governor of two different U.S. states through popular election, as well as the only state governor to have been a foreign head of state.

This phenomenal piece was found within an 1830s autograph album kept by the wife of an officer in the Black Hawk War, Elvira Loraine Foster Smith (1804-1878). The 80-page album contained numerous superb signatures by David Crockett, Sam Houston and dozens of others. The scrap book also contained prints and ephemera. The owner was identified on the first leaf, inscribed in ornate calligraphy, "THE SCRAP BOOK, Elvira F. Smith ... JEFFERSON BARRACKS: February 12, 1830". The album was kept by Elvira Smith, the wife of infantry officer Henry Smith (1798-1847), who was stationed at Jefferson Barracks, Missouri from 1830-1832. The album was mostly disassembled; however, all the phenomenal signatures and prints remain intact and in highly collectible condition.

How Mrs. Smith obtained Samuel Houston's signature is unknown, but it might have been cut out from a letter addressed to her husband. Smith was an 1815 graduate of West Point who served in a variety of posts, including working as a Quartermaster at Sackett's Harbor and Plattsburg, New York from 1819-1822 and in the same capacity at Green Bay, Wisconsin (1822), Fort Brady, Michigan (1822-1823), and Fort Smith, Arkansas (1823). From 1823 to 1826 he served as an aide-de-camp to General Winfield Scott (1786-1866). Following a stint as an engineer, Smith resigned his commission in 1836 with the rank of captain. When the United States went to war with Mexico, Smith was re-commissioned as a major and staff quartermaster. He died while on duty at Vera Cruz Mexico in 1847.

An exceptional example of Sam Houston's signature, which would look handsome framed!

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