Madge Williams Hearne collection

Collection

Identifier: camh-arc-004161

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The Madge Williams Hearne collection, 1817-1853, includes letters, certificates, appointments, resolutions, notices, and financial records highlighting Houston’s career as an agent to the Cherokee Indians, a politician in Tennessee, a major general of the Texas Army during the Texas Revolution, and the president of the Republic of Texas. Letters include those written to Sam Houston from Andrew Jackson, Mirabeau B. Lamar, William Christy, George W. Hockley, and Mexican general Santa Anna, along with original translations of Santa Anna’s letters into English. The first series contains mostly original documents, while the second series includes photocopies of original documents.

Dates

Creation: 1817 - 1853

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

There are no use restrictions on this collection. Publisher is responsible for complying with copyright law.

Biographical / Historical

Madge Williams Hearne (1872-1955), born in Texas, was the granddaughter of Sam Houston (1793-1863). She attended Baylor University, where she met Roy W. Hearne (1871-1917). They married and had two children, Sam Houston Hearne and Marian Hearne. She was an active member of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas San Jacinto Chapter and aided in the establishment of the Sam Houston Memorial Museum. In addition, she sat on the Board of Trustees of the San Jacinto Museum of History and campaigned for the Big Bend area to be preserved as a national park. The Roy and Madge Hearne House, located in San Antonio, Texas, remains a Texas Historical Landmark, as it was the first house in the city with electricity.

Sam Houston (1793-1863) was an acclaimed military leader and politician in both Tennessee and Texas. In 1832, after serving as both a congressman and governor of Tennessee, he moved to Texas and became entangled in pre-Texas Revolution proceedings. During the Revolution itself he was appointed as major general of the Texas army. Following the conflict, he served as president of Texas and later, after Texas joined the Union, he became a Texas senator and governor.

Sources:

"Houston, Sam."Handbook of Texas Online. Accessed November 15, 2019. https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/fho73.

"San Jancito Dispatch, February 2011."The Daughters of the Republic of Texas, San Jacinto Chapter. Accessed November 15, 2019. http://www.sanjacintodrt.org/documents/feb2011newsletterpart1.pdf.

Extent

4 inches

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

The Madge Williams Hearne collection contains letters, legal documents, resolutions, appointments, and proclamations related to Texas statesman Sam Houston. It mostly consists of letters written to Sam Houston and others by important historical figures, especially during the Revolutionary period in Texas (1835-1836) and the years of the Republic of Texas (1836-1846).