The Fearless Fifty-Nine, William Demetris Lacey

William Demetris Lacey was the 28 year old Colorado representative. Lacy was born in Amherst, Virginia, but spent most of his childhood at the Shaker religious community in South Union, Kentucky, where he eventually served as a tanner’s apprentice. In 1830, at the age of 21, he left Kentucky for Texas, settled near present-day Columbus and began work at a local tannery. He eventually married Sarah Ann Bright, the widow of his employer and the daughter of one of Stephen F. Austin’ Old Three Hundred families. Lacy was elected to represent the District of Alford at the Convention of 1832. During the Texas Revolution, he provided saddles to William Barrett Travis and served at Galveston under James Morgan. After independence had been won, Lacy and his family settled in Matagorda County, near Palacios. The family moved to Paducah, Kentucky, in 1848, where he died months later at the age of 40.