On
Sunday, October 16, 1988, Lady Houston Chapter installed its
first officers. The members chose to bear the name of LADY
HOUSTON in honor of Margaret Lea Houston, daughter of Temple and
Nancy Moffette Lea.
Margaret
was born in Marion, Alabama, and in 1839, at the age of
twenty-one, she became the wife of the much older and flamboyant
Sam Houston. During their marriage, she served as First Lady of
the Republic of Texas, United States Senator's wife, and First
Lady of the State of Texas.
Margaret
was the stabilizing force for her family. Her faithfulness to
her husband and eight children, which was sustained by her
Christian efforts, resulted in the baptism of Sam Houston. The
site of the baptism was commemorated in her poem "Farewell
to Independence."
In
1863, Margaret was at Sam's bedside when he died in Huntsville,
thus hearing his famous last words, "Texas! Margaret!
Margaret!" Shattered by her husband's death, Margaret moved
her family back to Independence where she devoted the rest of
her life to preserving many of Sam's important historical
papers.
In
the fall of 1867, Margaret Lea Houston fell victim to yellow
fever. She was buried next to her mother in a simple grave near
the Independence Baptist Church.
The
chapter is honored to bear the name LADY HOUSTON.
