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Raven 2 - Texas Governor Series LbNA #58526

Owner:Boots Tex
Plant date:Jun 30, 2011
Location:
City:Huntsville
County:Walker
State:Texas
Boxes:1
Found by: Bandit Raccoon
Last found:Apr 10, 2021
Status:FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFaFFF
Last edited:Jun 30, 2011
This box replaces the original "Raven" box, which has gone missing. The logbook and stamp are new and different and the box, while located in the same place, is in a different spot than the other one, so you can treat this as a new box.

Sam Houston was the seventh governor of Texas. The Cherokees called him Col-on-neh, which meant “Raven”. Few figures in Texas history are as controversial as Sam Houston. In his own lifetime, he so dominated Texas affairs that the political camps were divided into pro- and anti-Houston factions. His motives in coming to Texas, his military and political abilities all have been called into question. Notwithstanding, he remains someone who cannot be ignored, who cannot be viewed dispassionately.
Born the same year as Stephen F. Austin, on March 2, 1793, Houston had already served in the United States army, had represented Tennessee in the United States House of Representatives, and had acted as governor of that state as well. The circumstances leading to his resignation continue to fire speculation.
He entered Texas in December 1832 and was immediately swept into the ferment of political activity. He was a delegate to the Convention of 1833, the Consultation, and the Convention of 1836. He was appointed major general in the regular army by the Consultation and was made commander in chief by the Convention of 1836. Also during this period, he negotiated a treaty with the Cherokee on February 3, 1836.
The battle of San Jacinto brought the active war to a close on April 21, 1836. The capture of president/general Santa Anna the next day gave Houston the upper hand in negotiating with the Mexican troops remaining in the country. A few days later, he was taken to the United States for treatment: his ankle had been shattered by a Mexican bullet.
Houston served as president of Texas from October 1836 to December 10, 1838, and from December 13, 1841 to December 9, 1844. Between terms, he was a representative in Congress for San Augustine from 1839 to 1841. After annexation in 1845, he was elected one of the two United States senators by the Texas legislature. He served there until 1857.
Sam Houston ran twice for Texas governor, first in 1857 and, successfully, in 1859. He thus became the only person to serve as governor of two states. Just as in Tennessee, however, he resigned the office. Texas Secession Convention replaced him with Lt. Governor Edward Clark on March 16, 1861, when Houston refused to take the oath of allegiance to the Confederate States of America. Although he opposed Texas’ withdrawal from the Union, Houston also refused to use military force to counter secession.

Directions:
Get yourself to Huntsville, Texas, and find Oakwood Cemetery at the corner of Avenue I and 9th streets.

To the box:
You will have no problem finding the grave of Sam Houston. Stand in front of it and read the inscription and the historical marker. When you get ready to find the letterbox, look to the right and follow the fence to the far right where you'll see a large black sign with white letters and six white grave markers. Walk to the sign and read about the Union soldiers buried there. Next, follow the chain link fence uphill past the Wynne marker and then look to the right for a marker that is in the "V" formed at the base of two trees. The oak has grown up and broken off a chunk of a concrete covered brick wall. Sit on the unbroken wall near that point and look down into a space between the tree and the broken chunk. The box is under a brick and a flat piece of concrete. The tree should provide some cover from the prying eyes of the ghost of Joshua Houston, the personal servant of Gen. Houston, who is also buried here and watches still over his old master. I have met him and believe him to be harmless, but he deserves your respect.