S.W.T. Lanham Home - Weatherford, TX
N 32° 45.148 W 097° 48.032
14S E 612364 N 3624482
Begun in 1871, the S.W.T. Lanham Home is at at 604 S Alamo St, Weatherford, TX.
Waymark Code: WMY765
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 05/03/2018
Views: 1
The Parker County Heritage Society notes that "The three story home at 604 S. Alamo features bay windows and a multi-gabled pitched roof and occupies the entire block. The house, started in 1871 and later enlarged, was built by Samuel Willis Tucker Lanham, a native of South Carolina born in 1846."
A Texas Historical Marker near the sidewalk provides some family history, and their son, Fritz Lanham (who is buried with his parents in City Greenwood Cemetery), was born here in 1880:
A South Carolinian, Samuel Willis Tucker Lanham volunteered at age 15 and fought 1861-65 in the Civil War. In 1866 he married Sarah Beona Meng and moved to Texas. The Lanhams taught school, first in Bowie County, then in Weatherford. Admitted to the bar in 1869, Lanham in 1871 became district attorney for five counties, including Parker. Also in 1871 he began to build his home at this site, enlarging it later.
His speeches in 1871 at the trial of Indian chiefs in the Warren Wagon Train Massacre brought him fame at age 25. Elected United States Congressman in 1882 for the 98-county "jumbo" district of West Texas, he served as a national lawmaker for 17 years.
S.W.T. Lanham was the last Confederate veteran to be governor of Texas, 1903-07. He led in reviving East Texas iron works, began fiscal balance practices in state government, and invoked social justice. Laws made in response to his policies covered vital tax reforms, child labor curbs, uniform textbooks, and the Terrell Election Law to enable voters to nominate officials by ballot rather than in conventions.
Governor and Mrs. Lanham had eight children, including U.S. Congressman Fritz Lanham. The ex-governor died here at his home and is buried in Weatherford.
Public/Private: Private
Tours Available?: No
Year Built: 1871
Web Address: [Web Link]
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