[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 138 (Tuesday, September 13, 2016)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1256]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  TEXAS RANGER--LAWRENCE SULLIVAN ROSS

                                 ______
                                 

                              HON. TED POE

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 13, 2016

  Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, the year was 1839 and thousands of 
families were looking to settle new lands for their families across the 
prairies and for the Ross family, Texas was where they chose to raise 
their young children. Lawrence Sullivan Ross was still an infant when 
they moved to Texas, and he grew up seeing just how wild the land of 
this fledgling nation was. He was only eleven when he was involved in 
his first Indian fight, and through the years helped his father protect 
the area around Waco from attacks. Though he wanted to follow in his 
father's footsteps and become an Indian fighter, as a young man he 
realized the need for an education and enrolled at Baylor University.
   After graduation, he joined the Texas Rangers and quickly won favor 
among many of his superiors, including the governor of Texas, Sam 
Houston. Houston gave Ross the authority to raise a small militia and 
Ross spent the next several years fighting against Comanche raiding 
parties. He only halted his service when the Civil War broke out. He 
fought in the Sixth Texas Calvary division and was promoted to 
brigadier general in 1863, and began commanding the Texas Calvary 
Brigade (later called ``Ross's Brigade.'')
   While his health suffered during the war, Ross's desire to serve the 
state that he loved stayed as strong as ever. So instead of continuing 
to fight, his friends convinced him to run for public office. He served 
in the Senate for a full term, but later found that state politics were 
more agreeable with him, and ran for governor. Working hard to serve 
those around him, people would later describe his terms in office as 
``one of good will and harmony.'' But it wasn't until he left office 
that he started doing what he considered his greatest public service. 
After his last term finished as governor, he stepped right into his 
role as the new president of the small, failing Agricultural and 
Mechanical College of Texas. Through his leadership the school was able 
to start growing again, and many new buildings were added on. Today 
that college enjoys its status as a world-class school, and goes by the 
name of Texas A&M University. He passed away during his tenure as 
president in the then-small town of College Station.
   His love for the people of Texas was evident in all that he did. 
Whether it in the armed forces, up here on Capitol Hill, or paving the 
way for Texas's next generation, he was always striving to serve his 
community. Mr. Speaker, I hope that every one of us here, regardless of 
our party or political stance, would take after his example, always 
viewing our time here as an opportunity to serve the great people of 
this nation.
   And that's just the way it is.

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