Nathaniel Macon Burford
Encyclopedia
Nathaniel Macon Burford was an American
politician in Texas
who served as Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives
between 1866 and 1869. Burford was also an attorney and a state district judge, and during the Civil War
, he raised and led the 19th Texas Cavalry Regiment.
. He taught school at age seventeen, and later graduated from Irving College in McMinnville
in 1845. He studied law in McMinnville and was accepted into the bar
in 1846. At the outbreak of the Mexican-American War, Burford travelled to Knoxville
to enlist, but was turned down because Tennessee’s quota of troops had already been filled. After a sojourn to Shreveport
, Louisiana
, Burford ended up in Jefferson, Texas
in early 1847 where he clerked in the Cass County
district court. Finding the local bar too full for his ambitions, he moved on to Dallas
in 1848 with $
5 in his pocket and letters of recommendation from, among others, Gov. J. Pinckney Henderson.
He formed a law partnership with John H. Reagan, and, later, was elected district attorney in 1850 and re-elected in 1852. In 1850, he was one of the founding members of the Tannehill Masonic Lodge
#52 in Dallas and its first Master. On January 18, 1854, Burford married fellow Tennessean Mary J. Knight. Knight was the daughter of O. W. Knight, an early pioneer of Dallas County
. Together, Mary and Nathaniel would have some five children.
In 1856 Burford was selected as judge of the new 16th Judicial District, seated in Waxahachie, a post he would resign in 1861 to fight in the Civil War. He enlisted in the 1st Texas Artillery commanded by Capt. John Jay Good
as a private. In 1862, however, Burford raised the 19th Texas Cavalry regiment and was elected as its colonel. The 19th Texas was a part of the Trans-Mississippi Department
for the duration of the war. After the 1864 Red River Campaign
, Burford resigned, believing that he was not suitable to properly lead troops into battle.
He returned to private practice and, in 1866, was elected to the House of Representatives
of the Eleventh Texas Legislature
. Burford was elected Speaker, 39 votes to 30 for Ashbel Smith
. On April 25, 1869, Gen. Philip H. Sheridan declared all elective offices in Texas vacant, ending Burford’s legislative career.
Burford was elected presiding judge of Dallas County in 1874 and judge for the 11th Judicial District in 1876, resigning the following year due to health problems. He served as a United States commissioner from 1879 to 1881.
Burford died May 10, 1898 in Dallas and is buried in the Greenwood Cemetery there. Burford was an Episcopalian.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
politician in Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
who served as Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives
Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives
The Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives is the presiding officer of the Texas House of Representatives. The Speaker's main duties are to conduct meetings of the House, appoint committees, and enforce the Rules of the House...
between 1866 and 1869. Burford was also an attorney and a state district judge, and during the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, he raised and led the 19th Texas Cavalry Regiment.
Biography
Burford was born to Nancy McAlister and John Hawkins Burford on June 24, 1824 in Smith County, TennesseeTennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
. He taught school at age seventeen, and later graduated from Irving College in McMinnville
McMinnville, Tennessee
McMinnville is the largest city in and the county seat of Warren County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 13,605 at the 2010 census...
in 1845. He studied law in McMinnville and was accepted into the bar
Bar association
A bar association is a professional body of lawyers. Some bar associations are responsible for the regulation of the legal profession in their jurisdiction; others are professional organizations dedicated to serving their members; in many cases, they are both...
in 1846. At the outbreak of the Mexican-American War, Burford travelled to Knoxville
Knoxville, Tennessee
Founded in 1786, Knoxville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, U.S.A., behind Memphis and Nashville, and is the county seat of Knox County. It is the largest city in East Tennessee, and the second-largest city in the Appalachia region...
to enlist, but was turned down because Tennessee’s quota of troops had already been filled. After a sojourn to Shreveport
Shreveport, Louisiana
Shreveport is the third largest city in Louisiana. It is the principal city of the fourth largest metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana and is the 109th-largest city in the United States....
, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, Burford ended up in Jefferson, Texas
Jefferson, Texas
Jefferson is an historic city in Marion County in northeastern Texas, United States. The population was 2,024 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Marion County, Texas, and is situated in East Texas...
in early 1847 where he clerked in the Cass County
Cass County, Texas
As of the census of 2000, there were 30,438 people, 12,190 households, and 8,654 families residing in the county. The population density was 32 people per square mile . There were 13,890 housing units at an average density of 15 per square mile...
district court. Finding the local bar too full for his ambitions, he moved on to Dallas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
in 1848 with $
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
5 in his pocket and letters of recommendation from, among others, Gov. J. Pinckney Henderson.
He formed a law partnership with John H. Reagan, and, later, was elected district attorney in 1850 and re-elected in 1852. In 1850, he was one of the founding members of the Tannehill Masonic Lodge
Masonic Lodge
This article is about the Masonic term for a membership group. For buildings named Masonic Lodge, see Masonic Lodge A Masonic Lodge, often termed a Private Lodge or Constituent Lodge, is the basic organisation of Freemasonry...
#52 in Dallas and its first Master. On January 18, 1854, Burford married fellow Tennessean Mary J. Knight. Knight was the daughter of O. W. Knight, an early pioneer of Dallas County
Dallas County, Texas
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,218,899 people, 807,621 households, and 533,837 families residing in the county. The population density was 2,523 people per square mile . There were 854,119 housing units at an average density of 971/sq mi...
. Together, Mary and Nathaniel would have some five children.
In 1856 Burford was selected as judge of the new 16th Judicial District, seated in Waxahachie, a post he would resign in 1861 to fight in the Civil War. He enlisted in the 1st Texas Artillery commanded by Capt. John Jay Good
John Jay Good
John Jay Good was a Texan judge, soldier, and mayor of the city of Dallas.-Biography:John Jay Good was born July 12, 1827 Monroe County, Mississippi to George Good. He married Susan Anna Floyd, daughter of Nathaniel Crosby Floyd and Susan Umpstead Hart, on July 25, 1854 in Dallas, Texas...
as a private. In 1862, however, Burford raised the 19th Texas Cavalry regiment and was elected as its colonel. The 19th Texas was a part of the Trans-Mississippi Department
Trans-Mississippi Theater of the American Civil War
The Trans-Mississippi Theater of the American Civil War was the major military and naval operations west of the Mississippi River. The area excluded the states and territories bordering the Pacific Ocean, which formed the Pacific Coast Theater of the American Civil War.The campaign classification...
for the duration of the war. After the 1864 Red River Campaign
Red River Campaign
The Red River Campaign or Red River Expedition consisted of a series of battles fought along the Red River in Louisiana during the American Civil War from March 10 to May 22, 1864. The campaign was a Union initiative, fought between approximately 30,000 Union troops under the command of Maj. Gen....
, Burford resigned, believing that he was not suitable to properly lead troops into battle.
He returned to private practice and, in 1866, was elected to the 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...
of the Eleventh Texas Legislature
Eleventh Texas Legislature
The Eleventh Texas Legislature met from 6 August 1866 to 13 November 1866 in its regular session. All members of the House of Representatives and about half of the members of the Senate were elected in 1865.-Senate:Lieutenant Governor: George Washington Jones...
. Burford was elected Speaker, 39 votes to 30 for Ashbel Smith
Ashbel Smith
Ashbel Smith was a pioneer physician, diplomat and official of the Republic of Texas, Confederate officer and first President of the Board of Regents of the University of Texas.-Early life:...
. On April 25, 1869, Gen. Philip H. Sheridan declared all elective offices in Texas vacant, ending Burford’s legislative career.
Burford was elected presiding judge of Dallas County in 1874 and judge for the 11th Judicial District in 1876, resigning the following year due to health problems. He served as a United States commissioner from 1879 to 1881.
Burford died May 10, 1898 in Dallas and is buried in the Greenwood Cemetery there. Burford was an Episcopalian.