For faster navigation, this Iframe is preloading the Wikiwand page for Kenneth Lewis Anderson.

Kenneth Lewis Anderson

Kenneth L. Anderson
4th Vice President of the Republic of Texas
In office
December 9, 1844 – July 3, 1845
PresidentAnson Jones
Preceded byEdward Burleson
Succeeded byVacant (1845–46)
Office abolished (1846)
6th Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives
(Republic of Texas)
In office
November 1, 1841 – November 24, 1842
Preceded byDavid Spangler Kaufman
Succeeded byNicholas Henry Darnell
Personal details
Born(1805-09-11)September 11, 1805
Hillsborough, North Carolina, U.S.
DiedJuly 3, 1845(1845-07-03) (aged 39)
Anderson, Texas, U.S.
OccupationLawyer
This article relies largely or entirely on a single source. Relevant discussion may be found on the talk page. Please help improve this article by introducing citations to additional sources.Find sources: "Kenneth Lewis Anderson" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (March 2024)

Kenneth Lewis Anderson (September 11, 1805 – July 3, 1845) was a lawyer, the fourth and last vice president of the Republic of Texas, 1844 to 1845.

Anderson was born in Hillsborough, North Carolina, where he worked as a shoemaker at an early age. By 1824 he was living in Bedford County, Tennessee, where he became deputy sheriff in 1826 and sheriff in 1830; he was a colonel in the militia by 1832.

In 1837, he and his family moved to San Augustine, Texas, where his wife's brother-in-law Joseph Rowe had lived for five years. In 1838 Anderson served successively as deputy sheriff and sheriff. It was probably after he arrived in Texas that he studied to become a lawyer. President of Texas Mirabeau B. Lamar appointed him collector of customs for the district of San Augustine, and he was confirmed on November 21, 1839. He served as collector until he became a candidate from San Augustine County for the Texas House of Representatives of the Sixth Congress in 1841; he won with the largest majority in San Augustine County's history at that time.

As a partisan of Sam Houston, Anderson was elected Speaker of the House on November 1, 1841. He immediately led an unsuccessful attempt to impeach President Lamar and Vice President David G. Burnet. Anderson had for a time been considered for secretary of the treasury of the republic, a post that went to William Henry Daingerfield. In 1842 he helped convince President Houston to veto the popular but dangerous war bill, which sought to force an invasion of Mexico.

After one term, and despite Houston's pleas, Anderson retired later in 1842 to practice law in San Augustine with Royall T. Wheeler; he eventually formed a partnership with J. Pinckney Henderson and Thomas Jefferson Rusk. In December, Anderson became district attorney of the Fifth Judicial District. In 1844, Anderson was frequently mentioned as a candidate for president of the republic, but eventually he became the candidate for vice president, on a ticket headed by Anson Jones. Anderson's opponent, Patrick Jack, died before the election, and Anderson won nearly unanimously. He presided over the Senate at Washington-on-the-Brazos, Texas in June 1845, when the Texas Congress approved the Texas Annexation by the United States.

After the annexation vote, he immediately left for home despite being sick. After only twenty miles, at the Fanthorp Inn in modern-day Anderson, Texas, his fever flared and he died in office at age 39. The Vice President had been considered the leading candidate to become the first governor of Texas. His law partner, Pinckney Henderson, was instead elected governor in December.

Both Anderson County and the town of Anderson in Texas are named after him.

Political offices Preceded byEdward Burleson Vice President of the Republic of Texas 1844–1845 Succeeded byOffice abolished in 1846
{{bottomLinkPreText}} {{bottomLinkText}}
Kenneth Lewis Anderson
Listen to this article

This browser is not supported by Wikiwand :(
Wikiwand requires a browser with modern capabilities in order to provide you with the best reading experience.
Please download and use one of the following browsers:

This article was just edited, click to reload
This article has been deleted on Wikipedia (Why?)

Back to homepage

Please click Add in the dialog above
Please click Allow in the top-left corner,
then click Install Now in the dialog
Please click Open in the download dialog,
then click Install
Please click the "Downloads" icon in the Safari toolbar, open the first download in the list,
then click Install
{{::$root.activation.text}}

Install Wikiwand

Install on Chrome Install on Firefox
Don't forget to rate us

Tell your friends about Wikiwand!

Gmail Facebook Twitter Link

Enjoying Wikiwand?

Tell your friends and spread the love:
Share on Gmail Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Buffer

Our magic isn't perfect

You can help our automatic cover photo selection by reporting an unsuitable photo.

This photo is visually disturbing This photo is not a good choice

Thank you for helping!


Your input will affect cover photo selection, along with input from other users.

X

Get ready for Wikiwand 2.0 🎉! the new version arrives on September 1st! Don't want to wait?