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David Gouverneur Burnet (April 14, 1788 - December 5, 1870) Interim president of the Republic of Texas 1836, Vice-President of Texas (1839-41), Secretary of State (1846)

Early Life

Burnet was born in Connecticut Farms, New Jersey (now Union, New Jersey) in 1788 to Dr. William Burnet and his second wife, Gertrude G. Rutgers. His father was a prominent Continental Congressman. His older half-brothers served as U.S. senators; another was the mayor of Cincinnati in the 1820s. After the death of his parents, he was raised by an older brother who farmed him out to a commission house in New York. Burnet wanted to join the U.S. Navy. He soon escaped and on 2 Febrrary 1806, he was the first American volunteer to serve the unsuccessful revolt led by Francisco de Miranda for the independence of Venezuela from Spain.

Early Texas Years

Around 1817 Burnet attempted to establish a trading post at Natchitoches, Louisiana to trade with Comanche Indians. After the venture failed, he moved into Texas, which was then a part of Mexico. After developing a bad lung disease he recuperated while living among the Comanches. He was treated kindly for two years, and in his return to civilization asked that the Mexican prisoners be released with him and allowed to return home as well. The Comanches agreed to this proposal and the Mexican families were surprised that there was no ransom or other agreement to the release of these prisoners.

Texas Empresario

Burnet received a land grant on 22 December 1826. Unfortunately he wasn't able to raise the needed funds to bring the families to Texas and he was forced to sell his share in the grant. He sold his interest to the Galveston Bay and Texas Land Company. He did receive four leagues of land out of this deal. Unfortunately Mexico passed the Law of April 6, 1830 which forbid any more U.S. immigration to Texas. Burnet immediately built a sawmill on some adjacent land. His mill failed and he was also denied applications for more land by the Mexican government. All news wasn't bleak for Burnet. He married Hannah Este on 8 December 1830 in New Jersey. They had several children, but only one, William, lived to adulthood.

Republic of Texas

He was a delegate to the Convention of 1833. At the Convention of 1836, Burnet was chosen as interim president (17 March - 22 Oct 1836) of the newly-formed Republic of Texas following the adoption of the Texas Declaration of Independence on 2 March 1836. His vice-president was Lorenzo de Zavala. Burnet replaced Governor Henry Smith. After the successful defeat of Santa Anna's forces at the Battle of San Jacinto, Burnet and Santa Anna signed the Treaty of Velasco on 14 May 1836.

Political Years

On 5 September, 1836, Texas voters elected a new president of the Republic of Texas; Sam Houston. Burnet and Houston were never on good terms, either in personal life nor in politics. On 22 October, 1836 Burnet suddenly resigned as acting president yeilding to newly elected president Houston. Houston had not been scheduled to take office until December. Houston was sworn into office at 4 p.m. that day. Burnet retired to his farm near Lynchburg.

On 16 November 1838 Burnet reappeared in Texas politics when he was appointed Vice President of the Republic of Texas on the ticket of Mirabeau B. Lamar. And while serving as vice president, Burnet took to the fields of combat and had an active part in the Cherokee Wars of Lamar's administration. By December of 1840, Lamar became too ill to serve as president. Burnet served as president till the spring of 1841 in his stead. At the end of Lamar's term, Burnet ran for the presidency against Houston. The two men openly attacked each other in the newspapers of the day. Houston signed his responses "Truth, and Burnet signed his "Publius". Burnet called Houston " a drunk, coward, a bad lawyer and a bad general". Houston accused Burnet of "treason, fraud, cowardice, drunkenness and hypocrisy". But when Houston called Burnet a hog thief, Burnet demanded a duel with Houston. A middle man, Branch T. Archer was sent to Houston who replied "I am compelled to believe that the people are equally disgusted with both of us." When the votes were counted, Houston received 75% of the votes and Burnet was soundly defeated. A long term political opponent of Houston, Burnet opposed annexation into the United States. After the annexation of Texas in 1845, Burnet served as the state's first Secretary of State in 1846.

Later Life

His wife Hannah died in 1858 and his only son William was killed in action with the Confederacy at Spanish Fort near Mobile on 31 March, 1863. Burnet was elected to the United States Senate from Texas in 1866 following the American Civil War, but the Radical Republicans refused to seat him and the other Texas senator Oran G. Roberts due to Reconstruction politics. Burnet died on 5 December, 1870 in Galveston, Texas at the home of Mrs. Preston Perry.

Burnet Trivia

  • The "Burnet Flag", the original Flag of Texas, is named after him.

  • Burnet Middle School in Union, New Jersey is also named after him, as are many elementary and middle schools throughout Texas.

  • Burnet Road, a major north-south thoroughfare in Austin, TX, is named for him.

External links

1788 births | 1870 deaths | History of Texas | People from Texas | Presidents of the Republic of Texas

 

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the "David G. Burnet".

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