From Slave to Statesman: The Legacy of Joshua Houston, Servant to Sam Houston

by Patricia Smith Prather, Jane Clements Monday, Dan Rather (Introduction)

This is the story of the “other” Houston, Joshua, the slave of Margaret Lea until she married Sam Houston and moved to Texas in 1840. Joshua was unique among he was taught to read and write, and was allowed to keep money he earned. The story is set in a background of historical details about southern social history before, during, and after the Civil War.

Sources include slave autobiographies and biographies; Houston family letters; oral histories of descendants of both Houston families; birth, marriage and death records; land records and deeds; church and school records.

Genres: Nonfiction

277 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 1993

Reviews

[Lavern · Rating 5 out of 5]

Before my mother passed, she worked with close and extended family researching our family history. What she found astounded her. My maternal grandfather was a decendant from a long line of men and women who decended from Joshua Houston, servant to Sam Houston. I'm a decendant of a man who was influential in Texas history. This books sits on my coffee table to this day. It's an informative read about a portion of my family's history.