Eliza Allen (Tennessee)
Eliza Allen Houston Douglass (December 2, 1809 – March 3, 1861) was the first wife of Sam Houston. Their marriage, over after just eleven weeks, ended Houston's career as governor of Tennessee. Houston resigned and went to the home of his foster father John Jolly, a leader of the Cherokee people. Allen returned to her family in Sumner County. For years, their marriage was the subject of rumors and theories about what made the marriage unsuitable to both Allen and Houston. They did not publicly expose any information about their marriage and they both seemed to be protective of one another's reputation. Allen's brother, Judge Benjamin Franklin Allen offered his opinion: "like many other couples they were not congenial".
Eliza Allen | |
|---|---|
| First Lady of Tennessee | |
| In office January 22, 1829 – April 16, 1829 | |
| Governor | Sam Houston |
| Preceded by | Cecelia Bradford |
| Succeeded by | Mary Alexander |
| Personal details | |
| Born | December 2, 1809 Gallatin, Tennessee |
| Died | March 3, 1861 (aged 51) Gallatin, Tennessee |
| Spouse(s) |
Sam Houston
(m. 1829; div. 1837)Elmore Douglass (m. 1840) |
After her brief time with Houston, Allen lived a quiet life. She took care of her younger sisters after her mother's death in 1832 and her father's death six months later. Houston and Allen's divorce was finalized in 1837. In 1840, Allen married a widower, Dr. Elmore Douglass. They had one son and three girls. Will Rogers was her nephew, three generations removed.