b. 1846 – South Carolina
Governor: 1903–1907
After serving in the Confederate Army in South Carolina, Lanham and his wife left with 19 others for the Red River in Texas. He taught in log cabin country schools before moving to Weatherford, where he taught and studied law. As district attorney he prosecuted Kiowa Indian chiefs for their part in the Warren Wagontrain Raid.
After serving in the U.S. House for five terms, Lanham ran for governor in 1894, but was defeated by Culberson. He continued to serve in Congress and later served two terms as governor. An eloquent writer and speaker, Lanham frequently spoke at Confederate veterans’ camps and was the last Confederate veteran to serve as governor. After he left the governorship, he returned to private law practice, received an honorary doctorate from Baylor University, and was appointed as a University of Texas regent.