The Fearless Fifty-Nine, William Menefee

William Menefee was the 40 year old Colorado representative. Before coming to Texas in 1830, Menefee served as a lawyer and lived in Tennessee and Alabama. By 1840, he had 1,300 acres of land and owned fifty cattle, four horses and seven slaves. Right before the Convention, he was elected the first judge of Colorado Municipality. After the Convention, he was appointed as the first chief justice of Colorado County in 1836. In 1839, he was a member of the congressional committee that selected Austin as the Republic’s capital. He became a representative in Texas Congress from 1837 to 1840 and 1844 to 1845. In between being a representative, Menefee ran for Vice President in 1841 but was defeated by Edward Burleson. Later, he was a representative in the Texas Legislature from 1853 to 1854.