Grayson County TXGenWeb

Antoinette Emily Lea Robert

Temple Lea and wife Nancy moved from Georgia and were among the first settlers of Perry County, Alabama, registering their land on January 20, 1820. The parents were devout Baptist in Perry County, Temple being a deacon and state treasurer for the Alabama Baptist Convention. Nancy Moffette Lea was the only woman delegate at the organization of the Alabama Baptist Convention.

There were eleven children born to Temple and Lea, of whom Antoinette was the youngest. Her older siblings were Martin, Varilla, Henry Clinton, Vernal and Margaret. The Lea cotton plantation was acquired through her mother's inheritance and was operated by their mother. Upon Temple's death in 1834, widowed Nancy moved with three youngest children into the home of Henry Clinton at Marion; Henry was an accomplished attorney and was elected to the Alabama State Senate in 1836.

In May 1839 General Sam Houston traveled to Mobile, Alabama, on business for the Sabine City Company in order to seek investors to develope the community today known as Sabine Pass. Through his acquaintance with Col. Martin Armstrong Lea, Sam Houston made the acquaintance of Robert Bledsoe, a wealthy businessman and Antoinette Lea's first husband. Mr. Bledsoe suggested Nancy Lea, his mother-in-law, as a possible investor. Invited to a garden party at the home of Col. Martin Lea's home, Gen. Houston met Margaret Lea, 26 years his junior.

Although Nancy Lea was impressed with Gen. Houston's land sales proposition, she was not favorably inclined to her daughter's marriage to a man who was not yet divorced from his second wife and who had a rough reputation of drinking and use of profanity. However, the couple was married on May 9, 1840 at Marion, Alabama at the home of her borther Henry.

Nancy Lea along with her youngest daughter, Antoinette Emily Lea Bledsoe and husband, Robert, had moved to Galveston, Texas, in late 1839. In August 1840 while traveling from Galveston to San Augustine, Margaret becomes ill and returns to the home of her sister and brother-in-law in Galveston to recuperate.

In May 1845 Nancy Lea, Antioinette and Robert Bledsoe, and Margaret Lea Houston help found the Concord Baptist Church; shortly afterwards, Robert Bledsoe dies of consumption in November 1845. Antoinette Lea Bledsoe elopes with Captain Charles Power, a wealthy Englishman, May 1846. While Gen. Sam Houston is serving as Texas Senator in Washington, Margaret lives with her family at the Grand Cane.

Nancy Lea builds her home at Independence, Texas in 1852 and born to Margaret and Sam Houston is their fifth child, Antoinette Power Houston, named after her aunt Antoinette Lea Bledsoe Power. In October 1853 the Houston family moves to Independence, Texas as well in order for the children to attend Baylor University. The Houston family moved between Independence, Huntsville and Austin throughout the years; Sam Houston dies at The Steamboat House in Huntsville and Margaret returns to Independence, where she dies of yellow fever, December 3, 1867.

On May 1, 1874 Antoinette Lea Bledsoe Power married Rev. W.H. Robert. By 1883 Antoinette & William Henry Robert have moved to Denison, Grayson County, Texas. The Sunday Gazetteer edition of October 26, 1884 notes in its Local Condensations columns for Friday, October 24 that "Mrs. Bringhurst, daughter of Gen. Sam Houston arrived in the city and is the guest of her aunt, Mrs. W.H. Robert."

Antoinette Power Houston, her aunt's namesake, had married Dr. William Lorraine Bringhurst, a professor at the Texas Military Institute in Austin, on February 28, 1877 at the Governor's mansion. When the Texas Military Institute closed, the Bringhursts moved to Bryan, Texas, were Dr. Bringhurst was the first Doctor of Philosophy on campus. Nettie was an accomplished poetess and, active member of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas. On December 5, 1932, Nettie, the last surviving daughter of Sam and Margaret Houston, was fatally injured in an automobile accident. Her funeral was held at the Alamo with her casket surrounded by the six flags of Texas.

Antoinette Emily Lea Bledsoe Power Robert died January 24, 1891 and is buried in Oakwood Cemetery, Denison, Texas.

Sources
"The Houston Children". Sam Houston Memorial Museum. viewed August 10, 2016
"Margaret Lea Houston". Wikipedia. viewed August 10, 2016