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David G. Burnet
David Gouverneur Burnet (April 14, 1788 - 1870) was the president of the interim government of the Republic of Texas during 1836.
Burnet was born in New Jersey in 1788. After the death of his parents, he was raised by an older brother. In 1806, he was the first American volunteer to serve the unsuccessful revolt led by Francisco de Miranda for the independence of Venezuela from Spain.
He later attempted to establish a trading post at Natchitoches, Louisiana. After the venture failed, he moved into Texas, which was then a part of Mexico. After falling from his horse and breaking his leg along the Upper Colorado River, he recuperated while living among the Comanches.
He was a delegate to the Convention of 1833 . At the Convention of 1836 Burnet was chosen as interim president of the newly-formed Republic of Texas following the adoption of the Texas Declaration of Independence on March 2, 1836. His vice-president was Lorenzo de Zavala.
Burnet successfully ran for Vice President of the Republic of Texas in 1838 on the ticket of Mirabeau B. Lamar. He ran for the presidency against Sam Houston at the end of Lamar's term but lost. A long term political opponent of Houston, Burnet opposed annexation into the United States. After the annexation of Texas in 1845 Burnet served as the state's first Secretary of State.
He was elected to the United States Senate from Texas in 1866 following the American Civil War, but the Radicial Republicans refused to seat him and the other Texas senator Oran G. Roberts . Burnet died on December 5, 1870 in Galveston.
Burnet County, Texas was named in his honor.
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