Influential Texas politician Isaac Van Zandt was born on July 10, 1813. He lived in Tennessee and Mississippi until he moved to the Republic of Texas in 1838. After settling in Harrison County, Van Zandt served as congressman for Harrison County in the Republic's Fifth and Sixth Congresses (1840-1842). During his time in Congress, he adamantly supported the policies of President Sam Houston.
In 1842, Houston appointed Van Zandt to the position of Chargé d'affaires to the United States and sent Van Zandt to Washington, D.C. to begin negotiations with the U.S. A treaty regarding annexation, signed by Van Zandt, James Pinckney Henderson and U.S. Secretary of State John C. Calhoun, went to Congress in 1844. Due to U.S. fears of war with Mexico and concerns with the expansion of slavery, this treaty failed on June 6, 1844. Van Zandt, however, laid essential groundwork for the inevitable annexation of Texas.
After the U.S. Congress approved annexation on February 27, 1845, Van Zandt served as a delegate to the 1845 Texas Convention. At the convention, he and the other delegates approved annexation and wrote the new state constitution, he acted as chairman of the committee on bill of rights and general provisions, drafting the Texas Bill of Rights. Texas statehood became official on December 29, 1845. In 1847, Van Zandt ran for Texas governor. While campaigning in Houston, he caught yellow fever and died on October 11, 1847. In 1848, the Texas Legislature named a county after him to honor his legacy.
A prominent Texas lawyer and politician, Isaac Van Zandt played an instrumental role in the Texas Republic and creation of the State of Texas. (2010)
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