Lamar, Mirabeau Buonaparte (1798–1859)

Mirabeau Buonaparte Lamar (b. 16 August 1798; d. 19 December 1859), president of the republic of Texas (1838–1841). Born near Louisville, Georgia, Lamar founded (1828) and published the Columbus Enquirer, and served as secretary to Georgia governor George M. Troup and as state senator before moving to the Mexican province of Texas in 1835. Lamar was soon caught up in Texas's revolt against Mexico. His distinguished military service led to a succession of elected and appointed offices, including secretary of war, commander in chief of the army, vice president, and president of the Republic of Texas.

Lamar's presidency was characterized by many innovative, and often radical, programs. Texas became the first nation in the world to ensure that a person's home and livelihood could not be taken away because of debts. Lamar also established a system of public education endowed entirely from the public domain. But improvident adventures, such as the Santa Fe Expedition, which tried to wrest that trade center from Mexico in 1841, and the republic's continued financial troubles overshadowed the positive aspects of Lamar's administration. Following his retirement from the presidency, Lamar spent much of his time writing poetry and history. He also served in the Mexican-American War (1846–1848) and as minister to Nicaragua and Costa Rica (1858–1859). He died in Richmond, Texas, two months after returning from Central America.

See alsoTexas; Texas Revolution.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Asa K. Christian, Mirabeau Buonaparte Lamar (1922).

Philip Graham, The Life and Poems of Mirabeau B. Lamar (1938).

Charles A. Gulick, ed., The Papers of Mirabeau Buonaparte Lamar, 6 vols. (1968).

Stanley Siegel, The Poet President of Texas: The Life of Mirabeau B. Lamar, President of the Republic of Texas (1977).

Additional Bibliography

Winders, Richard Bruce. Crisis in the Southwest: The United States, Mexico, and the Struggle over Texas. Wilmington, DE: SR Books, 2002.

                                               Michael R. Green