Margaret Moffette Lea
Encyclopedia
Margaret Moffette Lea was the daughter of Alabama
planters
Temple Lea and Nancy Moffette. In 1840 she became the third wife of the politician Sam Houston
, then representative to the Texas legislature and between terms as the President of the Republic of Texas. They were married until his death in 1863.
They had eight children together: one son became a physician and author; two sons became politicians (one a U.S. senator); and one an Indian agent
with the Indian Service
of the Department of Interior. Margaret's influence was credited with Houston's personal reforms in middle age, especially his stopping heavy drinking, which helped him survive and take on increased political responsibilities.
, one of six children. Her father Temple Lea was an attorney and planter
; he and his wife Nancy Moffette were influential, owning a large plantation
and numerous slaves. Temple died when Margaret was 15 but had provided for his daughters' education; Margaret studied at the Judson Female Institute. She lived with her widowed mother until she married. She was described as a beauty, "accomplished, well-connected and deeply religious."
given by her brother, Martin Lea, a business acquaintance of Houston's. The marriage was her first and Houston's third (counting his marriage under Cherokee law to the part-Cherokee
widow, Diana Rodgers Gentry). It was at first opposed by her family, who disapproved of his age, divorce, drinking, and reputation as a rake.
Because of Margaret's youth and religious nature, many of Sam Houston's friends thought that the marriage would not last for six months, but it was quite successful. Margaret was said to act as a tempering influence on Houston, who reformed his behavior in middle age. She encouraged him to stop his heavy drinking, a problem in earlier years, and to attend the Baptist Church. He was baptized near Independence in 1854 at age 61. Their marriage lasted for the rest of their lives.
Two of their sons were politicians; Sam, Jr. was a soldier, physician and author; and William a special agent with the Indian Service of the Department of Interior. Their children were the following:
Margaret's mother Nancy Lea moved to Texas in 1842, eventually buying a house in Independence, and the rest of her children and their families settled in the area. They lived near the sugar cane plantation of Antoinette and her husband William Bledsoe, north of Liberty
.
The Houstons lived in several houses during their years together, but also kept one on Trinity Bay
for their entire marriage.
When Sam Houston died in July 1863, his last word's were "Texas, Texas, Margaret!"
Having survived her husband by four years, Margaret Houston died on December 3, 1867 of yellow fever
at her house in Independence, Texas
. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
. As was the practice for yellow fever victims, she was buried that day, in the Houston-Lea Cemetery.
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
planters
Plantations in the American South
Plantations were an important aspect of the history of the American South, particularly the antebellum .-Planter :The owner of a plantation was called a planter...
Temple Lea and Nancy Moffette. In 1840 she became the third wife of the politician Sam Houston
Sam Houston
Samuel Houston, known as Sam Houston , was a 19th-century American statesman, politician, and soldier. He was born in Timber Ridge in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, of Scots-Irish descent. Houston became a key figure in the history of Texas and was elected as the first and third President of...
, then representative to the Texas legislature and between terms as the President of the Republic of Texas. They were married until his death in 1863.
They had eight children together: one son became a physician and author; two sons became politicians (one a U.S. senator); and one an Indian agent
Indian agent
In United States history, an Indian agent was an individual authorized to interact with Native American tribes on behalf of the U.S. government.-Indian agents:*Leander Clark was agent for the Sac and Fox in Iowa beginning in 1866....
with the Indian Service
Bureau of Indian Affairs
The Bureau of Indian Affairs is an agency of the federal government of the United States within the US Department of the Interior. It is responsible for the administration and management of of land held in trust by the United States for Native Americans in the United States, Native American...
of the Department of Interior. Margaret's influence was credited with Houston's personal reforms in middle age, especially his stopping heavy drinking, which helped him survive and take on increased political responsibilities.
Early life
Margaret was born in Marion, AlabamaMarion, Alabama
Marion is the county seat of Perry County, Alabama. As of the 2000 census, the population of the city is 3,511. First called Muckle Ridge, the city was renamed after a hero of the American Revolution, Francis Marion.-Geography:...
, one of six children. Her father Temple Lea was an attorney and planter
Plantations in the American South
Plantations were an important aspect of the history of the American South, particularly the antebellum .-Planter :The owner of a plantation was called a planter...
; he and his wife Nancy Moffette were influential, owning a large plantation
Plantation
A plantation is a long artificially established forest, farm or estate, where crops are grown for sale, often in distant markets rather than for local on-site consumption...
and numerous slaves. Temple died when Margaret was 15 but had provided for his daughters' education; Margaret studied at the Judson Female Institute. She lived with her widowed mother until she married. She was described as a beauty, "accomplished, well-connected and deeply religious."
Marriage and family
On May 9, 1840 at age 21 Margaret married the 47-year-old Houston. She met him at a party near MobileMobile, Alabama
Mobile is the third most populous city in the Southern US state of Alabama and is the county seat of Mobile County. It is located on the Mobile River and the central Gulf Coast of the United States. The population within the city limits was 195,111 during the 2010 census. It is the largest...
given by her brother, Martin Lea, a business acquaintance of Houston's. The marriage was her first and Houston's third (counting his marriage under Cherokee law to the part-Cherokee
Cherokee
The Cherokee are a Native American people historically settled in the Southeastern United States . Linguistically, they are part of the Iroquoian language family...
widow, Diana Rodgers Gentry). It was at first opposed by her family, who disapproved of his age, divorce, drinking, and reputation as a rake.
Because of Margaret's youth and religious nature, many of Sam Houston's friends thought that the marriage would not last for six months, but it was quite successful. Margaret was said to act as a tempering influence on Houston, who reformed his behavior in middle age. She encouraged him to stop his heavy drinking, a problem in earlier years, and to attend the Baptist Church. He was baptized near Independence in 1854 at age 61. Their marriage lasted for the rest of their lives.
- Sam Houston, Jr., 1843–1894
- Nancy Elizabeth, 1846–1920 (named after the grandmothers)
- Margaret Lea, 1848–1906
- Mary William, 1850–1931
- Antoinette Power, 1852–1932 (named after her sister)
- Andrew Jackson HoustonAndrew Jackson HoustonAndrew Jackson Houston 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....
, 1854-1941 (U.S. Senator from Texas) - William Rogers, 1858–1891
- Temple Lea, 1860–1905 (named after her father) (state senator of the Texas Legislature, 1885–1888)
Margaret's mother Nancy Lea moved to Texas in 1842, eventually buying a house in Independence, and the rest of her children and their families settled in the area. They lived near the sugar cane plantation of Antoinette and her husband William Bledsoe, north of Liberty
Liberty, Texas
Liberty is a city in and the county seat of Liberty County, Texas, United States and a part of the Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown metropolitan area. The population was 8,033 at the 2000 census....
.
The Houstons lived in several houses during their years together, but also kept one on Trinity Bay
Trinity Bay (Texas)
Trinity Bay is the northeast portion of Galveston Bay, bordered by Chambers and Harris counties in Texas, United States. The bay, approximately long, heads at the mouth of the Trinity River...
for their entire marriage.
When Sam Houston died in July 1863, his last word's were "Texas, Texas, Margaret!"
Having survived her husband by four years, Margaret Houston died on December 3, 1867 of yellow fever
Yellow fever
Yellow fever is an acute viral hemorrhagic disease. The virus is a 40 to 50 nm enveloped RNA virus with positive sense of the Flaviviridae family....
at her house in Independence, Texas
Independence, Texas
Independence is an unincorporated community in Washington County, Texas, United States. Located twelve miles northeast of Brenham, it was founded in 1835 in Austin's colony of Anglo Americans. It became a Baptist religious and educational center of the Republic of Texas...
. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
. As was the practice for yellow fever victims, she was buried that day, in the Houston-Lea Cemetery.
Further reading
- William Seale, Sam Houston's Wife: A Biography of Margaret Lea Houston, Norman, OK: University of Oklahoma Press, 1970