Hardin Richard Runnels

Hardin Richard Runnels (August 30, 1820 – December 25, 1873) was an American politician. He was the sixth governor of Texas from 1857 to 1859 and notably was the only person to ever defeat Sam Houston in a political contest. Houston defeated him two years later.

Early life Runnels was born to Martha "Patsy" Burch (Darden) and Hardin D. Runnels on August 30, 1820 in Mississippi. His father died in 1842, and his mother moved the family to Texas the same year. There Runnels established a cotton plantation in Bowie County along the Red River.

Elected to represent Bowie County in the Texas House of Representatives in 1847, Runnels remained a member of the state legislature through 1854.

Later life After leaving office, Runnels returned to his home and never again ran for elected office. He remained active in politics, serving as a member of both the 1861 Secession Convention and the 1866 Constitutional convention. Runnels died on December 25, 1873, and was buried in a family plot in Bowie County. His remains were re-interred in a state cemetery in Austin in 1929.

Runnels was a slaveholder. In 1860, his net worth was reported at $85,000, and he owned 39 slaves.

Footnotes