Samuel "Sam" Houston (March 2, 1793–July 26, 1863), is a nineteenth-century American diplomat, politician, and soldier.

He is best known for his leading role in bringing Texas into the United States and is regarded by historians as one of the most remarkably humane men ever to serve, lead and call that state home, epitomizing the making of a noble second act in public life.

He was born in Timber Ridge in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, of Scots-Irish descent.

Houston becomes a key figure in the history of Texas and is elected as the first and third President of the Republic of Texas, U.S.

Senator for Texas after it joins the United States, and finally as a governor of the state.

He refuses to swear loyalty to the Confederacy when Texas secedes from the Union in 1861 with the outbreak of the American Civil War, and is removed from office.

To avoid bloodshed, he refuses an offer of a Union army to put down the Confederate rebellion.

Instead, he retires to Huntsville, Texas, where he dies before the end of the Civil War.

His earlier life includes migration to Tennessee from Virginia, time spent with the Cherokee Nation (into which he later is adopted as a citizen and takes a wife), military service in the War of 1812, and successful participation in Tennessee politics.

Houston is the only person in U.S. history to have been the governor of two different states (although other men had served as governors of more than one American territory).

In 1827, Houston is elected Governor of Tennessee as a Jacksonian.

In 1829, Houston resigns as Governor and relocates to Arkansas Territory.

In 1832, Houston is involved in an altercation with a U.S.

Congressman, followed by a high-profile trial.

Shortly afterwards, he relocates to Coahuila y Tejas, at this time a Mexican state, and becomes a leader of the Texas Revolution.Sam Houston supports annexation by the United States.

The city of Houston is named after him.

Houston's reputation is sufficiently large such that he is honored in numerous ways after his his death, among them: a memorial museum, a U.S. Army base, a national forest, a historical park, a university and a prominent roadside statue outside of Huntsville.