Mirabeau B. Lamar Totally Explained

Everything about Mirabeau B Lamar totally explained

Mirabeau Buonaparte Lamar (August 16, 1798 – December 19, 1859) was the second president of the Republic of Texas, following David G. Burnet (1836 as ad-interim president) and Sam Houston.

Early years

Lamar was born August 16, 1798 in Georgia. He had little formal education as a child, but he loved to read and educated himself through books. Although he was accepted to Princeton University, Lamar chose not to attend. Instead, he worked as a merchant and then ran a newspaper, but both of those enterprises failed.
   In 1823, Lamar's family connections helped him to gain a position as the private secretary to Georgia Governor George M. Troup. In this position, Lamar issued press releases and toured the country giving speeches on behalf of the governor. On one of his trips, he met Tabatha Jordan, whom he married in 1826.
   His first actions were against the Indian tribes, and in 1839 his troops drove the Cherokee tribes from Texas. The bloody battle resulted in the death of Houston's friend Chief Bowles, leaving Houston very angry at Lamar. A similar campaign was fought against the Comanche, but although many lives were lost, the Comanches couldn't be forced from the area. Despite several attempts to secure a loan from these and other countries, Lamar was unsuccessful. To fill the treasury, he instead authorized issuance of a large amount of Republic of Texas paper money, known as Redbacks. The paper money was virtually worthless. Spending doubled during Lamar's term as well, and this, combined with the worthless currency, caused severe financial difficulties for the government of the country.
   He represented Laredo in the Texas State Legislature for several years after Texas was annexed to the United States. In 1857, President James Buchanan appointed Lamar to be the Minister to Nicaragua. Lamar served in Managua for twenty months before returning to Texas in October 1859 because of health issues. He died of a heart attack on December 19, 1859 and was buried in Richmond.

Legacy

Lamar County, Texas, in northeast Texas, is named after Mr. Lamar. Lamar Boulevard, a major thoroughfare in Austin also carries his name. Lamar University in Beaumont, Lamar State College in Port Arthur, Lamar State College in Orange, Lamar Institute of Technology in Beaumont, Lamar High School in Houston, Lamar High School in Arlington, and Lamar Consolidated High School in Rosenberg are also named for him, as are numerous elementary and junior high/middle schools throughout Texas.
   The North Lamar Independent School District, also carries his name, but mostly because it's located in the county named after him.
   Lamar also wrote poetry and published his works in a book titled Verse Memorials. He was labelled the "Poet President" and derided by his detractors that he was a better poet than president.
   Lamar also served as the first US Ambassador to the Republic of Costa Rica 1857-1859.

Footnotes

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