Rusk, Thomas J. (Thomas Jefferson), 1803-1857

Variant names

Hide Profile

U.S. senator from Texas, legislator of the Texas (Republic), jurist, and army officer.

From the description of Petition of Thomas J. Rusk, 1852. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 71015419

Army officer, jurist, Texas legislator, and U.S. senator.

From the description of Thomas J. Rusk letters, 1835-1856. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 70956387

From the description of Thomas J. Rusk collection, 1826-1978. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 70956384

Edward Harden (1784-1849) from Athens, Georgia, was a farmer, lawyer, soldier, and Senator for the state of Georgia. George W. West (1808-1879) was a farmer and businessman from Cedartown, Polk County, Georgia.

From the guide to the Edward Harden Letters, 1836-1855, (Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, The University of Texas at Austin)

U.S. Senator.

From the description of Letter signed : Washington, to President Pierce, 1853 Mar. 7. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 270619345

Born on December 5, 1803, in South Carolina, Thomas Jefferson Rusk was trained as a lawyer and practiced in Georgia before losing a considerable fortune in a speculative mining venture. In hopes of tracking down the men who swindled him, Rusk followed them to Texas. Despite failing to recover his money, he decided to stay in Texas and settle in David Burnet's colony. He became increasingly involved in the movement to resist Mexican rule and thus joined the efforts in Gonzalez and San Antonio de Bexar.

Rusk relinquished his army post prior to the siege of the Alamo and became a key player in both the Texas Declaration of Independence and the revised Texas Constitution. The interim government chose Rusk as the new Secretary of War in 1836, and he fought with Sam Houston to defeat Santa Anna's Mexican army at the Battle of San Jacinto on April 21, 1836. Subsequently he commanded Texas forces as Santa Anna's men were pushed back across the Rio Grande. In the late 1830s Rusk commanded the Texas militia as it fought to suppress the tribes of the Cherokee, Kickapoo, and Caddo, including the climactic Battle of Neches when most of the Texas Cherokees were pushed into Oklahoma

Returning to law, Rusk was elected Chief Justice of the Texas Supreme Court in 1838 and subsequently he headed the bar of the Republic of Texas and formed a renowned law firm with partner J. Pinckney Henderson.

A strong proponent of Texas annexation by the United States, Rusk served as President of the Convention of 1845. He was reunited with his old revolutionary cohort Sam Houston when the two men were elected to serve as the first U.S. Senators from the new state of Texas in 1846. His senate career included support of the Mexican War, Texas' territorial rights, new services and rates for the U.S. Postal Service, and efforts to extend a transcontinental rail line through Texas. In 1856 Rusk lost his beloved wife Mary and began to suffer from a tumor; he committed suicide on July 29, 1857.

From the guide to the Thomas Jefferson Rusk Papers, 1824-1859, (Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, The University of Texas at Austin)

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn Tod, John Grant. Tod, John Grant Papers, 1833-1872 University of Texas Libraries
referencedIn Houston Endowment Texana collection MC042. 48149722., 1805-1936, (Bulk: 1839-1848) Albert and Ethel Herzstein Library,
referencedIn Sam Houston papers Woodson Research Center, Fondren Library, Rice University
referencedIn Morgan, Joseph I. Letter, 1836 Dolph Briscoe Center for American History
referencedIn Huling, Thomas Byers. Huling, Thomas Byers, Papers, 1826, 1831-1881, 1901 University of Texas Libraries
referencedIn Irion, Robert Anderson, 1804-1861. Irion, Robert Anderson, papers, 1836-1857 1836-1841. University of Texas Libraries
referencedIn Starr, James Harper, Papers 78-67., 1796-1905 Dolph Briscoe Center for American History
referencedIn Gail Borden Papers Col 874., 1830-1956 (bulk 1830-1860) Daughters of the Republic of Texas Library
referencedIn Thomas William Ward Papers 73-102; 85-022; 86-211; 98-387; 2004-065; 2008-173; 2008-303; 2009-257., 1825-1885 Dolph Briscoe Center for American History
creatorOf Rusk, Thomas J. (Thomas Jefferson), 1803-1857. Inquest document, 1857. Stephen F. Austin State University, East Texas Research Center
referencedIn Ward, Thomas, 1807-1873. Ward, Thomas William, papers, 1825-1885. University of Texas Libraries
referencedIn Jaynes, R. T. (Robert Thompson), 1862-. Thomas Jefferson Rusk / R.T. Jaynes ... [et al.]. Texas State Library & Archives Commission
referencedIn Hill, Caryl Clyde Papers, 1823, 1832-1916, 1958 Dolph Briscoe Center for American History
referencedIn Army papers, 1835-1846 University of Texas at Austin. General Libraries
referencedIn Morgan, Joseph I. Morgan, Joseph I., Letter, 1836 University of Texas Libraries
referencedIn Sam Houston Hearne Collection 21794369., 1820-1929 Dolph Briscoe Center for American History
creatorOf Personal papers of Sam Houston San Jacinto Museum of History
referencedIn Huling, Thomas Byers, Papers, 1826, 1831-1881, 1901 Dolph Briscoe Center for American History
referencedIn Hill, Caryl Clyde. Hill, Caryl Clyde Papers, 1823, 1832-1916, 1958 University of Texas Libraries
referencedIn Haltom, Giles M. Haltom-Meisenheimer collection, ca. 1900-1926. Stephen F. Austin State University, East Texas Research Center
creatorOf Rusk, Thomas J. (Thomas Jefferson), 1803-1857. Rusk, Thomas Jefferson, papers, 1824-1859. University of Texas Libraries
referencedIn Inventory of the Samuel Erson Asbury Papers Texas MSS 00044., 1872-1960 Cushing Memorial Library,
referencedIn Grimes, Jesse, Papers 1954., 1834-1854 Dolph Briscoe Center for American History
referencedIn Burress, Evelyn. Burress, Evelyn, Papers, 1939-1946 University of Texas Libraries
referencedIn Santiago Rabia Papers Daughters of the Republic of Texas Library
creatorOf Letter signed : Washington, to President Pierce, 1853 Mar. 7. Pierpont Morgan Library.
referencedIn Nacogdoches (Texas) Committee of Vigilance and Safety. Nacogdoches (Texas) Committee of Vigilance and Safety Records, 1835-1837 University of Texas Libraries
referencedIn Harden, Edward, 1784-1849. Edward Harden Letters, 1836-1855 University of Texas Libraries
referencedIn Steward Alexander Miller Papers 85-184., 1843-1873, 1926-1966 Dolph Briscoe Center for American History
referencedIn Grimes, Jesse, 1788-1866. Grimes, Jesse, Papers, 1834-1854 University of Texas Libraries
referencedIn Nacogdoches (Texas) Committee of Vigilance and Safety Records, 1835-1837 Dolph Briscoe Center for American History
referencedIn Tod, John Grant Papers 1931; 1947; 1950; 66-180., 1833-1872 Dolph Briscoe Center for American History
creatorOf Davis, Jefferson, 1808-1889. Autograph letter signed : Washington, D.C., to John Young Mason, n.p., 1848 Dec. 27. Texas Christian University
creatorOf Briscoe, Andrew, 1810-1849. Andrew Briscoe papers, 1828-1881, (bulk 1836-1849). San Jacinto Museum of History
referencedIn Irion Family Papers Special Collections, The University of Texas at Arlington Library
referencedIn Irion family. Papers, 1825-1929, (bulk 1825-1873). University of Texas at Arlington, Central Library
referencedIn Thomas Jefferson Rusk Papers, 1824-1859 Dolph Briscoe Center for American History
referencedIn Santa Anna, Antonio López de, 1794?-1876. Communications, 1836. Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
referencedIn Adina Emilia De Zavala Papers, 1766 (1831-1955) Dolph Briscoe Center for American History
creatorOf Cos, Mart\'in Perfecto de. San Jacinto prisoners of war collection, 1836-1837. University of Texas at Arlington, Central Library
referencedIn B. Rice Aston collection MC136., 1887-1989, (Bulk: 1923-1954) Albert and Ethel Herzstein Library,
referencedIn Burress, Evelyn, Papers, 1939-1946 Dolph Briscoe Center for American History
creatorOf Rusk, Thomas J. (Thomas Jefferson), 1803-1857. Thomas J. Rusk letters, 1835-1856. Stephen F. Austin State University, East Texas Research Center
referencedIn Andrew Briscoe papers MC055. 50136914., 1828-1881, (Bulk: 1836-1849) Albert and Ethel Herzstein Library,
referencedIn Starr, James Harper. Starr, James Harper, Papers, 1796-1905 University of Texas Libraries
referencedIn Personal papers of Sam Houston MC027. 47109709., 1832-1868, (Bulk: 1841-1863) Albert and Ethel Herzstein Library,
referencedIn Sharp, W. G. W. G. Sharp Collection, 1817-1923 University of Texas Libraries
referencedIn Houston, Sam, 1793-1863. Hearne, Madge Williams, collection, 1817-1853. University of Texas Libraries
referencedIn Ross, Lawrence Sullivan, Letters, 1846-1894 Dolph Briscoe Center for American History
referencedIn Ross, Lawrence Sullivan. Ross, Lawrence Sullivan, Letters, 1846-1894 University of Texas Libraries
referencedIn Franklin, Benjamin Cromwell Papers 63-154., 1805-1915 Dolph Briscoe Center for American History
referencedIn Borden, Gail, 1801-1874. Gail Borden papers [manuscript], 1830-1956. Daughters of the Republic of Texas Library
creatorOf Edward Harden Letters, 1836-1855 Dolph Briscoe Center for American History
creatorOf Rusk, Thomas J. (Thomas Jefferson), 1803-1857. Thomas J. Rusk collection, 1826-1978. Stephen F. Austin State University, East Texas Research Center
referencedIn Houston, Sam, 1793-1863. Samuel Houston papers, 1827-1975. Stephen F. Austin State University, East Texas Research Center
referencedIn Franklin, Benjamin Cromwell, 1805-1873. Franklin, Benjamin Cromwell Papers, 1805-1915 University of Texas Libraries
referencedIn Biography -- Rusk, Thomas J. Daughters of the Republic of Texas Library
referencedIn Henderson, James Pinckney, Family Papers 82-59., 1837-1881 Dolph Briscoe Center for American History
referencedIn W. G. Sharp Collection 67-6., 1817-1923 Dolph Briscoe Center for American History
creatorOf James L. Britton collection, 1817-1889, (bulk 1829-1855). San Jacinto Museum of History
referencedIn Bonnell's observations 1838-1839, 1844. Newberry Library
referencedIn Raguet (Henry) Family Papers AR 65-1; 65-63., 1786-1935. Dolph Briscoe Center for American History
referencedIn Eberstadt Collection AR 76-62., 1699-1959 Dolph Briscoe Center for American History
referencedIn Sam Houston Papers, 1814-1957, and undated Dolph Briscoe Center for American History
creatorOf Thomas Jefferson Rusk Papers, 1824-1859 Dolph Briscoe Center for American History
creatorOf Weller, John B., 1812-1875. Autograph letter signed : Washington, to President Pierce, 1854 Apr. 20. Pierpont Morgan Library.
referencedIn Houston, Sam, 1793-1863. Houston, Sam, papers, 1814-1957. University of Texas Libraries
referencedIn James L. Britton collection MC010. 46636450., 1817-1889, (Bulk: 1829-1855) Albert and Ethel Herzstein Library,
creatorOf Rusk, Thomas J. (Thomas Jefferson), 1803-1857. Petition of Thomas J. Rusk, 1852. Library of Congress
referencedIn Miller, Steward Alexander. Steward Alexander Miller Papers, 1843-1873, 1926-1966 University of Texas Libraries
referencedIn Raglin, Henry Walton, 1817-1882. Raglin, Henry Walton, papers, 1836-1884. University of Texas Libraries
referencedIn Blount, Lois Fitzhugh Foster, 1896-1980. Lois Foster Blount papers, ca. 1750-1980. Stephen F. Austin State University, East Texas Research Center
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Asbury, Samuel E. (Samuel Erson), 1872-1962 person
associatedWith Aston, B. Rice (Benjamin Rice), 1934-2007 person
associatedWith Austin, Stephen F. (Stephen Fuller), 1793-1836 person
associatedWith Blount, Lois Fitzhugh Foster, 1896-1980. person
associatedWith Bonnell, George W. (George William) person
associatedWith Borden, Gail, 1801-1874 person
associatedWith Bowles, John, ca. 1756-1839 person
associatedWith Briscoe, Andrew, 1810-1849. person
associatedWith Briscoe, Andrew, 1818-1849 person
associatedWith Britton, James L., person
associatedWith Britton, James L., collector person
associatedWith Burleson, Edward, 1793-1851 person
associatedWith Burnet, David Governeur, 1789-1870 person
associatedWith Burress, Evelyn person
associatedWith Burress, Evelyn person
associatedWith Cleveland, Benjamin person
associatedWith Cleveland, Benjamin. person
associatedWith Davis, Jefferson, 1808-1889 person
associatedWith Eberstadt, Edward, 1883-1958 person
associatedWith Franklin, Benjamin Cromwell person
associatedWith Grimes, Jesse, 1788-1866 person
associatedWith Harden, Edward, 1784-1849 person
associatedWith Hearne, Sam Houston person
associatedWith Henderson, James Pinckney, 1808-1858 person
associatedWith Henderson, James Pinckney, Family family
associatedWith Hill, Caryl Clyde person
associatedWith Hill, Caryl Clyde person
associatedWith Houston Endowment Inc. corporateBody
associatedWith Houston, Sam, 1793-1863 person
correspondedWith Houston, Samuel, 1793-1863 person
associatedWith Howard, Volney Erskine, 1809-1889, person
associatedWith Huling, Thomas Byers person
associatedWith Huling, Thomas Byers person
correspondedWith Irion family family
correspondedWith Irion family. family
correspondedWith Irion, Robert Anderson, 1804-1861. person
associatedWith Kaufman, David Spangler, 1813-1851 person
associatedWith Lamar, Mirabeau Buonaparte, 1798-1859 person
associatedWith Mexico. 1853 Dec. 30. corporateBody
associatedWith Miller, Steward Alexander person
associatedWith Miller, Steward Alexander person
associatedWith Morgan, Joseph I. person
associatedWith Morgan, Joseph I. person
associatedWith Nacogdoches (Texas) Committee of Vigilance and Safety corporateBody
associatedWith Neighbors, Robert Simpson, 1815-1859 person
associatedWith Pierce, Franklin, 1804-1869, person
associatedWith Rabia, Santiago, d. 1852 or 3 person
associatedWith Raglin, Henry Walton, 1817-1882. person
associatedWith Raguet family (Henry Raguet, 1796-1877) family
associatedWith Ross, Lawrence Sullivan person
associatedWith Ross, Lawrence Sullivan person
associatedWith Rusk, David, d. 1877 person
associatedWith Rusk family. family
associatedWith Rusk, Mary Cleveland, d. 1856 person
associatedWith Rusk, Thomas Jefferson, 1803-1857 person
associatedWith Santa Anna, Antonio Lopez de, 1794? -1876 person
associatedWith Scurry, Richardson, 1811-1862, person
associatedWith Sharp, W. G. person
associatedWith Sharp, W. G. person
associatedWith Starr, James Harper person
associatedWith Starr, James Harper, 1809-1890 person
associatedWith Texas. Adjutant General's Dept. corporateBody
associatedWith Tod, John Grant person
associatedWith Ward, Thomas, 1807-1873 person
associatedWith Weller, John B., 1812-1875. person
associatedWith West, George W., 1808-1879 person
associatedWith Zavala, Adina Emilia De person
Place Name Admin Code Country
Austin (Tex.)
Washington (D.C.)
Washington (D.C.)
Rusk County (Tex.)
Texas
United States
Cedartown (Ga.)
Texas
Nacogdoches (Tex.)
Nacogdoches (Tex.)
Texas
Texas
Austin (Tex.)
Subject
Compromise of 1850
Gadsen Treaty, 1853
Indians of North America
Indians of North America
Kansas
Mexican War, 1846-1848
Pacific railroads
Pacific railroads
Plantation life
Postal service
Postal service
San Jacinto, Battle of, 1836
San Jacinto, Battle of, Tex., 1836
Wilmot proviso, 1846
Occupation
Army officers
Jurists
Legislators
Senators, U.S. Congress
Activity

Person

Birth 1803-12-05

Death 1857-07-29

Information

Permalink: http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6wh3938

Ark ID: w6wh3938

SNAC ID: 76521841