Born in Tennessee, Henderson Yoakum moved to Texas at the age of 35 and built a home east of Huntsville. A close friend of Sam Houston, Yoakum served in the Mexican War, and then returned to Huntsville to become a key figure in the city's social and cultural life. Yoakum was instrumental in the effort to have Huntsville named the seat of Walker County in 1846. He was a member of Forrest Lodge 19 and was also involved in the construction of the Walker County Courthouse and Austin College, where he taught and served as librarian and trustee. Yoakum was best known in his time for his pioneering history of Texas, which was published in 1855. | Source: Sam Houston Memorial MuseumDownload Original File
