If this is Thursday it must be postcards, 554

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Steamboat House, Huntsville, Texas

 

Last week two postcards featured the house where Sam Houston lived between 1847 and 1859.  This week the two unused cards shared have photographs by Gough Photo Service, Houston, Texas, of Steamboat House.  Steamboat House is also located on the grounds of the Sam Houston State University as part of the Sam Houston Memorial Museum.  The card shown above has 566-E at the lower left corner on the reverse and a short blurb:  “General Houston died in this home on July 26, 1863. The dwelling, built in 1858, resembles a riverboat, and was considered bizarre architecture in its day.”

 

The Steamboat House was built by Dr. Rufus W. Baily in 1858 as a wedding git for his son.  However, the couple did not like the architecture and never lived in it.  Dr.Baily died shortly before Houston and his son, Frank, inherited it.  It was sold to A.C. McKeen who sold it to Pleasant Kittrell in 1866.  After Kittrell died of yellow fever in 1867 the house changed hands numerous times.  In 1933 it was purchased by J.E. Josey.  Josey deeded it to the Texas Historical Commison.  The house was moved to the grounds of the university in 1936 and became a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark in 1964. 

 

 

 

 

 

  A bedroom of Steamboat House where General Sam Houston died, Huntsville, Texas

 

This second unused card, also published by Gough Photo Service, has a photo of the downstairs front bedroom of Steamboat House, where General Sam Houston died on 26 July 1863.  There are no identifying numbers or letters on the reverse of the card.

 

Sam Houston was born 2 March 1793 in Rockbridge County, Virginia.  When he was a teenager the family moved to Maryville, Tennessee.  In his late teens he ran away from home and lived with the Cherokee for about 3 years.  During the time he spent with the Cherokee he learned their language and was known as Raven.  Houston served in the War of 1812 under General Andrew Jackson. 

 

An American general and statesman, Houston was the first and third president of the Republic of Texas.  He also served as the 6^th governor of Tennessee and the 7^th governor of Texas, thus becoming the only person elected governor of two different states in the United States.  Houston settled in Texas in 1832.  He played a key role in the annexation of Texas by the United States in 1845 and in 1846 was elected to represent Texas in the U.S. Senate.  He was opposed to extremists from both the North and the South and was a unionist and a member of the newly formed Constitutional Union Party.  He refused to sign the oath of Confederacy and warned a crowd in 1861 of the coming war, loss of life and treasure, and the belief that the Union would survive.  During the Civil War he lived in Steamboat House, Huntsville, Texas. 

 

He died at age 70, 26 July 1863, and is buried in Huntsville, Texas.  The inscription on his tomb says:  “A Brave Soldier.  A Fearless Statesman. A Great Orator—A Pure Patriot.  A Faithful Friend, A Loyal Citizen. A Devoted Husband and Father.  A Consistent Christian—An Honest Man.”

 

 Much appreciated thanks to to J & K for sharing the cards.

 

For additional information, see:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_Houston

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steamboat_House_(Huntsville,_Texas)