Alexander Somervell

Somervell was a soldier and businessman. He was born in Maryland in 1796 and moved to Missouri to work as a merchant. He came to Texas in 1833 and received a land grant in Austin’s second colony where he opened a mercantile business. When the Texas Revolution broke out, Somervell joined volunteers and participated in the siege at Bexar, then enlisted in the regular army. He fought at San Jacinto and stayed with the army until June. He served briefly as Secretary of War under President Burnet, then represented Colorado and Austin counties in the Texas Senate for two terms. He was named commander of Texas forces when Mexico invaded twice in 1842 and led the aborted Somervell Expedition to push the Mexican forces out of Texas. As a reward for his service, he was named the collector of customs and the Port of Calhoun, serving for eight years, and then later as customs collector at the Port of Indianola. He died in 1854 under suspicious circumstances.