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 May 17, 2009 | Lamar County Courthouse Texas County Courthouse Project #80: Lamar County (Paris, Texas) Established in 1840, Lamar County was named for Mirabeau Buonaparte Lamar, accomplished poet, hero at the Battle of San Jacinto, Secretary of War and second president of the Republic of Texas from 1838 to 1841. He won the presidency by an almost unanimous vote after both of his opponents, Peter W. Grayson and James Collinsworth committed suicide before the election. He is considered the Father of Texas Education after creating an order that would set aside land in each county for public schools as well as the land that would eventually support the University of Texas and Texas A&M. He also founded the Texas State Library. A bitter enemy of Sam Houston, he moved the capital from Houston (named for Sam Houston) to Austin. He also ordered the removal of the Cherokee from Texas and their resistance resulted in the death of Houston’s friend, Chief Bowl. He was against annexation, something Houston had fought for and would eventually obtain for Texas. After serving as president he went on to distinguish himself at the Battle of Monterrey during the Mexican War serving with Zachary Taylor. He is buried in Richmond, Texas. Merchant George W. Wright founded the town of Pinhook when he donated land for the community. The name was changed to Paris, named for Paris, France, by Thomas Poteet, one of Wright’s employees. In 1916 a devastating fire swept through Paris, almost completely destroying the town. The fire destroyed most structures in the business district, including the courthouse. The current courthouse was built the following year and was designed to withstand another fire, using pink granite quarried from the same site as the Texas State Capitol. |
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