Hardin Richard Runnels

Hardin Richard Runnels (August 30, 1820 December 25, 1873) was a United States politician. He served as the sixth Governor of Texas for one term but notably was the only person to ever defeat Sam Houston in a political contest.

Hardin Richard Runnels
Member of the Texas House of Representatives
In office
December 13, 1847  November 21, 1850
Preceded byAlexander J. Russell
Succeeded byWilliam Fields
ConstituencyBowie (1847-1849)
2nd District (1849-1850)
In office
November 3, 1851  November 5, 1855
Preceded byJames K. Holland
Succeeded byHowell Washington Runnels Sr.
Constituency14th District (1851-1853)
1st District (1853-1855)
10th Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives
In office
November 7, 1853  November 5, 1855
Preceded byDavid Catchings Dickson
Succeeded byHamilton P. Bee
5th Lieutenant Governor of Texas
In office
December 21, 1855  December 21, 1857
GovernorElisha M. Pease
Preceded byDavid Catchings Dickson
Succeeded byFrancis R. Lubbock
6th Governor of Texas
In office
December 21, 1857  December 21, 1859
LieutenantFrancis R. Lubbock
Preceded byElisha M. Pease
Succeeded bySam Houston
Personal details
Born(1820-08-30)August 30, 1820
Mississippi
DiedDecember 25, 1873(1873-12-25) (aged 53)
Bowie County, Texas
Political partyDemocratic
ProfessionPolitician

Early life

Runnels was born to Hardin D. and Martha "Patsy" Burch (Darden) Runnels on August 30, 1820 in Mississippi.[1] His father died in 1842, and his mother moved the family to Texas the same year.[2][Note 1] There Runnels established a cotton plantation in Bowie County along the Red River.[3]

Elected to represent Bowie County in the Texas House of Representatives in 1847, Runnels remained a member of the state legislature through 1854.[2] During his final session, he was speaker of the Texas House.[3] Runnels was elected Lieutenant Governor of Texas in 1855, serving in this capacity during Governor Elisha M. Pease's second term.[1][3] During his time in the legislature and as Lieutenant Governor, he gained a reputation as a loyal member of the Democratic Party and an advocate for states' rights.[1]

When the Democratic Party held its first convention in Texas in May 1857, Runnels attended as a delegate.[1][2] Sam Houston had upset many voters with his pro-Union position, association with the Know Nothings during 1855, and his vote against the Kansas–Nebraska Act.[2] As a result, party leaders blocked Houston's nomination for governor, and Runnels was selected instead.[1] Houston, sensing he was unlikely to be reappointed to the U.S. Senate, announced he was running for governor as an independent on May 12, 1857. While states' rights were the primary issue, the resulting campaign quickly became a contest of personalities.[2] Voter anger over Houston's recent political positions continued until election day, and Runnels became the only person to defeat Houston in an election by a vote of 38,552 to 23,628.[1]

Governor of Texas

During Runnels' administration, primary concerns were the slavery issue and safety of settlers in the western frontier.[2] On the slavery issue he signed a bill into law allowing a free Negro to return to slavery by selecting a new master. in doing so, he attempted to force the state legislature to officially support the reestablishment of slavery.[1] In more general support of southern issues, Runnels repeatedly stated Texas might secede if needed.[1]

On the issue of frontier security, the governor commissioned Colonel John "Rip" Ford as senior captain of the Texas Rangers on January 27, 1858. Ford led the Antelope Hills expedition into the Comancheria, winning the Battle of Antelope Hills in May. Later in the year, the Rangers fought an inconclusive battle in the Rio Grande Valley against Mexican bandit Juan Cortina. Despite these efforts, the Rangers failed to secure peace on the frontier.[2]

Runnels advocated for reductions in the level of support the state provided railroad companies, arguing that the railroads had been slow in fulfilling their contractual obligations.[3]

The Democratic party renominated Runnels for governor during the election of 1859, with Houston again running against him.[1] Runnels, however, received most of the blame for continuing frontier depredations, while Houston had regained his popularity. As a result, Runnels was defeated by Houston by a vote of 33,375 to 27,500.[4]

Later life

After leaving office, Runnels returned to his home and never again ran for elected office.[4] He remained active in politics, serving as a member of both the 1861 Secession Convention and the 1866 Constitutional convention.[3] Runnels died on December 25, 1873, and was buried in a family plot in Bowie County. His remains were re-interred in a state cemetery in Austin in 1929.[4]

Footnotes

  1. Some sources indicate Runnels moved to Texas in 1841.

References

  1. Harper Jr., Cecil. "RUNNELS, HARDIN RICHARD". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved 2011-10-25.
  2. Hendrickson, Kenneth E. Jr. (1995). Chief executives of Texas : from Stephen F. Austin to John B. Connally, Jr. College Station: Texas A&M University Press. p. 70. ISBN 0-89096-641-9.
  3. James T. White & Company (1899). The National Cyclopædia of American Biography. Vol. IX. New York: James T. White & Co. p. 69. OCLC 1759175.
  4. Hendrickson, p. 71
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