Elisha Everett Lott
Encyclopedia
Elisha Everett Lott was a legislator for the Republic of Texas
and the State of Texas. He is remembered primarily for his vigorous opposition to the Cherokee Land Bill of 1844.
on February 24, 1820, the son of John Lott. At the age of 20, he married Mary E. Lott and the couple moved to Harrison County, Texas
.
. (See Congress of the Republic of Texas
.)
In addition to his opposition to the Cherokee Land Bill of 1844, Lott is known for serving on the official 1846 commission that laid out the boundaries of Smith County, Texas
and selected the city of Tyler
as the county seat. For this reason, he is sometimes called the founder of Smith County. He represented Smith County in the Texas House of Representatives
from 1847 until 1853 and in the Texas Senate
from 1857 until 1861. His constituents asked that he run for Governor of Texas
in 1857, but he declined.
Lott was also Tyler's first postmaster, a position he held from 1847 until 1850. He served as a delegate to the national Democratic convention at Baltimore
in 1852. After the death of his first wife, he married Anna Cook in 1856. Lott resigned from the Legislature in 1861 to serve as a lieutenant colonel in the Confederate Army. His health failed due to overexertion on the battlefront, and he died on January 17, 1864, at his home in Starrville, north of Tyler, and was buried there. His wife Anna and their five children survived him. He was a Mason
and a Methodist.
Republic of Texas
The Republic of Texas was an independent nation in North America, bordering the United States and Mexico, that existed from 1836 to 1846.Formed as a break-away republic from Mexico by the Texas Revolution, the state claimed borders that encompassed an area that included all of the present U.S...
and the State of Texas. He is remembered primarily for his vigorous opposition to the Cherokee Land Bill of 1844.
Early years
Lott was born in MississippiMississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
on February 24, 1820, the son of John Lott. At the age of 20, he married Mary E. Lott and the couple moved to Harrison County, Texas
Harrison County, Texas
Harrison County is a county of the U.S. state of Texas. In 2000, its population was 62,110. It is named for Jonas Harrison, a lawyer and Texas revolutionary. It is located in the Ark-La-Tex region...
.
Public office
In 1842, Lott was elected as a representative in the Eighth Texas Congress, replacing Isaac Van ZandtIsaac Van Zandt
Isaac Van Zandt was a political leader in the Republic of Texas. Van Zandt County, Texas, was named in his honor....
. (See Congress of the Republic of Texas
Congress of the Republic of Texas
The Congress of the Republic of Texas was the national legislature of the Republic of Texas established by the Constitution of the Republic of Texas in 1836. It was a bicameral legislature based on the model of the United States Congress...
.)
In addition to his opposition to the Cherokee Land Bill of 1844, Lott is known for serving on the official 1846 commission that laid out the boundaries of Smith County, Texas
Smith County, Texas
As of the census of 2000, there were 174,706 people, 65,692 households, and 46,904 families residing in the county. The population density was 188 people per square mile . There were 71,701 housing units at an average density of 77 per square mile...
and selected the city of Tyler
Tyler, Texas
Tyler is a city in and the county seat of Smith County, Texas, in the United States. It takes its name from President John Tyler . The city had a population of 109,000 in 2010, according to the United States Census Bureau...
as the county seat. For this reason, he is sometimes called the founder of Smith County. He represented Smith County in the Texas House of Representatives
Texas House of Representatives
The Texas House of Representatives is the lower house of the Texas Legislature. The House is composed of 150 members elected from single-member districts across the state. The average district has about 150,000 people. Representatives are elected to two-year terms with no term limits...
from 1847 until 1853 and in the Texas Senate
Texas Senate
The Texas Senate is the upper house of the Texas Legislature. There are 31 members of the Senate, representing 31 single-member districts across the state with populations of approximately 672,000 per constituency. There are no term limits, and each term is four years long. The Senate meets at the...
from 1857 until 1861. His constituents asked that he run for Governor of Texas
Governor of Texas
The governor of Texas is the head of the executive branch of Texas's government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces. The governor has the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Texas Legislature, and to convene the legislature...
in 1857, but he declined.
Lott was also Tyler's first postmaster, a position he held from 1847 until 1850. He served as a delegate to the national Democratic convention at Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
in 1852. After the death of his first wife, he married Anna Cook in 1856. Lott resigned from the Legislature in 1861 to serve as a lieutenant colonel in the Confederate Army. His health failed due to overexertion on the battlefront, and he died on January 17, 1864, at his home in Starrville, north of Tyler, and was buried there. His wife Anna and their five children survived him. He was a Mason
Freemasonry
Freemasonry is a fraternal organisation that arose from obscure origins in the late 16th to early 17th century. Freemasonry now exists in various forms all over the world, with a membership estimated at around six million, including approximately 150,000 under the jurisdictions of the Grand Lodge...
and a Methodist.