Lawrence Sullivan "Sul" Ross (27 September 1838-3 January 1898) was the Democratic Governor of Texas from 18 January 1887 to 20 January 1891, succeeding John Ireland and preceding Jim Hogg.
Biography[]
Lawrence Sullivan Ross was born in Bentonsport, Iowa in 1838, and he was raised in Cameron and Austin in Texas. His family founded the town of Waco, and he joined the Texas Rangers in 1860 and fought in the Texas-Indian Wars; he was wounded by the Comanche at the 1860 Battle of Pease River, during which the Rangers recaptured Cynthia Ann Parker from the Native Americans. Ross went on to serve in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War, and he fought in 135 battles and skirmishes and became one of the youngest Confederate generals. Following the war, he served as McLennan County sheriff, and he served in the State Senate for two years before engaging in farming and ranching. He went on to serve as Governor of Texas from 1887 to 1891, dedicating the new Texas State Capitol and resolving the Jaybird-Woodpecker War between rival Democratic factions in Fort Bend County. Despite his popularity, he chose not to run for a third term, and he served as President of Texas A&M University, saving it from closure and enabling the daughters of professors to attend. He died in 1898.