Lawrence Sullivan Ross

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Lawrence Sullivan Ross
4th President of the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas
In office January 20, 1891 – January 3, 1898
Preceded by	William Stuart Lorraine Bringhurst (Acting)
Succeeded by	Roger Haddock Whitlock (Acting)
19th Governor of Texas
In office January 18, 1887 – January 20, 1891
Lieutenant	Thomas Benton Wheeler
Preceded by	John Ireland
Succeeded by	Jim Hogg
Member of the Texas Senate from the 22nd district
In office January 11, 1881 – January 9, 1883
Preceded by	John W. Moore
Succeeded by	John Alfred Martin
Personal details
Born	September 27, 1838 Benton's Post,[1] Iowa Territory, U.S. (present-day Bentonsport, Iowa, U.S.)
Died	January 3, 1898(1898-01-03) (aged 59) Brazos County, Texas, U.S.
Resting place	Oakwood Cemetery, Waco, Texas, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Elizabeth Tinsley ​ (m. 1861)​
Alma mater	Baylor University Florence Wesleyan University (BA)
Profession	Texas Ranger, Confederate general, governor of Texas, president of the A&M College of Texas
Signature
Military service
Allegiance	Texas Confederacy
Branch/service	Texas Rangers Confederate States Army (CSA)
Years of service	1860–1861 1861–1865
Rank	Captain (Texas Rangers) Brigadier general (CSA)
Commands	6th Texas Cavalry Regiment Phifer's Cavalry Brigade Ross's Cavalry Brigade
Battles/wars	Indian Wars Pease River fight American Civil War Battle of Pea Ridge Second Battle of Corinth Battle of Hatchie's Bridge Battle of Thompson's Station Battle of Yazoo City Battle of Brown's Mill Franklin-Nashville Campaign

Lawrence Sullivan "Sul" Ross (September 27, 1838 – January 3, 1898) was the 19th governor of Texas, a Confederate States Army general during the American Civil War, and the 4th president of the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas, now called Texas A&M University.

Ross was raised in the Republic of Texas, which was later annexed to the United States.^[2][3] Much of his childhood was spent on the frontier, where his family founded the town of Waco. Ross attended Baylor University (then located in Independence, Texas) and Florence Wesleyan University in Florence, Alabama.^[2][3] On one of his summer breaks, he suffered severe injuries while fighting Comanches. After graduation, Ross joined the Texas Rangers, and in 1860, led Texas Rangers in the Battle of Pease River, where federal troops recaptured Cynthia Ann Parker, who had been captured by the Comanches as a child in 1836.

When Texas seceded from the United States and joined the Confederacy, Ross joined the Confederate States Army. He participated in 135 battles and skirmishes and became one of the youngest Confederate generals. Following the Civil War, Ross briefly served as sheriff of McLennan County before resigning to participate in the 1875 Texas Constitutional Convention. With the exception of a two-year term as a State Senator, Ross spent the next decade focused on his farm and ranch concerns. In 1887, he became the 19th governor of Texas. During his two terms, he oversaw the dedication of the new Texas State Capitol, and resolved the Jaybird-Woodpecker War. Despite his popularity, Ross refused to run for a third term as governor. Days after leaving office, he became the fourth president of the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas (now Texas A&M University). He is credited with reorganizing the school's finances to save it from closure by the state legislature and opening the first classes to women who were daughters of professors. His tenure saw a large expansion in college facilities and the birth of many school traditions. After his death, the Texas Legislature created Sul Ross State University in his honor.