DUANE
Duane's take
Here's my telling of what the official marker has to say about Temple Lea Houston. Now settle in, because this one's got bloodlines, frontier law, and a man who seemed almost too big for any single state to hold. Born on August 12, 1860, in the Texas Governor's Mansion — which is about as grand an entrance as Texas can offer — Temple Lea Houston was the eighth and last child of Sam Houston and his wife Margaret.
The eighth. By the time Temple came along, Sam Houston had already been a legend for decades, and that shadow would follow his youngest son every step of the way. Whether Temple resented it or leaned into it, well, the marker doesn't say.
What it does say is that he was tall and handsome, and he resembled his father — and folks noticed. Temple took his education seriously, passing through Baylor University and Texas A&M before reading law in a law office the old-fashioned way. Then, in 1881, at just twenty years old or thereabouts, he came to this region of the Texas Panhandle as district attorney for the 35th Judicial District.
A young man, a wide-open frontier, and a lawyer's tongue. The year after that, 1882, he married Laura Cross of Mobeetie. Then came politics.
He ran for the Texas Senate in 1884, and when the voters weighed that famous resemblance to his father alongside whatever Temple himself had to offer, they sent him to Austin. Here's where it gets interesting — he was seated before he had even reached the legal age for the office. Let that land for a moment.
Too young by law, already seated by votes. While he was serving in the Senate, he built a home near Panhandle City, and over two terms he became a leader despite his youth, advancing legislation favorable to the frontiersmen of this area. In 1888, when a new capitol was dedicated in Austin, Temple Houston delivered the major speech, and he made a point of noting with pride that lands in the Panhandle had paid for that magnificent building.
The ovations that day came with pleas — run for Governor, run for United States Congressman. He declined them all. About 1893, Temple Houston moved to Oklahoma, where he gained added fame as a lawyer and orator, adding yet another chapter to a life that had already outpaced most men twice his age.
He was the father of two daughters and three sons. He died on August 15, 1905 — just three days past his forty-fifth birthday. The Oklahoma Historical Society has honored him with a marker at his grave in Woodward.
The marker calls him the fledgling of 'The Raven' — that was Sam Houston's Cherokee name — and says Temple became a legend in his own time. Not in his father's shadow. In his own time.
That's the part worth sitting with.
What the marker says
(August 12, 1860 - August 15, 1905) Born in the Texas Governor's Mansion, the eighth and last child of Sam Houston (1793-1863) and his wife Margaret; educated at Baylor University, Texas A&M, and in a law office, Temple Houston came in 1881 to this region as district attorney for the 35th Judicial District. He married Laura Cross of Mobeetie, 1882. Tall and handsome, he resembled his father-- a fact cited when he ran for the Texas Senate in 1884. He won, and was seated before reaching legal age for the office. While serving in the Senate, he built a home near "Panhandle City." During his two terms, he became a leader in spite of his youth, advancing legislation favorable to frontiersmen in this area. When a new capitol was dedicated in Austin in 1888, he made the major speech, taking pride that lands in the Panhandle had paid for the magnificent building. Amid the ovations of that day were pleas that he run for Governor or United States Congressman, but he declined. About 1893 he moved to Oklahoma and gained added fame as a lawyer and orator. Thus the fledgling of "The Raven" became a legend in his own time. He was the father of two daughters and three sons. The Oklahoma Historical Society has honored him by placing a marker at his grave in Woodward.