DUANE
Duane's take
Here's my telling of what the official marker records at the site of Kenneth L. Anderson's law office in San Augustine. Now settle in, because this is a story about a man who rose about as high as a man could rise in the Republic of Texas — and then never made it home.
Kenneth L. Anderson. Remember that name.
He started out in Hillsboro, North Carolina, born September 11, 1805. Made his way to Shelbyville, Tennessee in 1829, and then in 1837 he pointed himself toward Texas — specifically San Augustine — and that decision would define the rest of his life. San Augustine in those days was a place where serious men did serious things, and Anderson fit right in.
President Mirabeau B. Lamar appointed him collector of customs, and he won a reputation as an orator and debater — the kind of man people stopped and listened to when he got to his feet. Now here's where the company he kept starts to tell its own story.
Anderson practiced law alongside General Thomas J. Rusk, veteran public official and a hero of the Texas War for Independence, and one J. Pinckney Henderson, who was later going to become the very first Governor of the State of Texas.
That is not a law firm you forget. Anderson himself kept climbing. He served in the House of Representatives of the Sixth Congress from November 1, 1841 to July 23, 1842.
Then in 1843, President Sam Houston appointed him District Attorney of the Fifth District of the Republic. And then came 1844. Anson Jones was elected President of the Republic of Texas, and K.
L. Anderson won election right alongside him as Vice President. Beginning December 9, 1844, Kenneth L.
Anderson held the second highest office in the Republic of Texas — the last man who ever would. Now here's where the story turns quiet and heavy. He was called home on business, traveling back to San Augustine from Austin, when he fell ill in Grimes County.
He died at Fanthorp's Inn on July 3, 1845. The citizens of that county seat buried him with ceremonies appropriate to his high office in the republic. And then, in the way that grief sometimes looks for something it can actually do — they changed the name of their settlement to Anderson, to honor his memory.
The last Vice President of the Republic of Texas never made it back to the town where he'd built his life. But somewhere else entirely, a town carries his name to this day.
What the marker says
San Augustine lawyer and public official who was the last Vice President of the Republic of Texas. Born in Hillsboro, N. C., Sept. 11, 1805. Moved in 1829 to Shelbyville, Tenn., and in 1837 to San Augustine. Here he was collector of customs by appointment of President Mirabeau B. Lamar. Won attention as orator and debater. Associated in law practice with Gen. Thomas J. Rusk, veteran public official and a hero of Texas War for Independence, and J. Pinckney Henderson (later to be the first Governor of State of Texas). Anderson was a member of House of Representatives, Sixth Congress, Nov. 1, 1841-July 23, 1842. In 1843 he served as District Attorney, Fifth District of the Republic, by appointment of President Sam Houston. When Anson Jones was elected President in 1844, K. L. Anderson won election as Vice President, and served in the Republic's second highest office from Dec. 9, 1844, to time of death. Called to business at home, he was en route here from Austin when he fell ill in Grimes County and died at Fanthorp's Inn on July 3, 1845. Burying him with ceremonies appropriate to his high office in the republic, the citizens afterward changed name of their settlement - the county seat of Grimes County - to Anderson to honor his memory. (1968)