During the swearing-in ceremonies at Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s impeachment trial, Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick used the Sam Houston Bible.
Patrick said due to the significance of the occasion he brought out the Bible that the Texas judicial branch has used for over 150 years.
The Bible was believed to be owned by Sam Houston and was used at his swearing-in as President of the Republic of Texas in 1841. Later he personally gifted the book to the Supreme Court of The Republic of Texas.
On the inside cover, an elaborate inscription reads "Supreme Court of the Republic of Texas, 184-". The page is torn in half and it is believed that Houston’s signature is on the lost half of the page.
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Samuel Houston was an American general who played an important role in the Texas Revolution. He was also the first and third president of the Republic of Texas, and one of the first senators to represent Texas in the United States Senate. Later he served as the seventh governor of Texas.
With the origins unclear and no concrete evidence, the stories may be a Texas-sized myth according to the Texas Courts history page about the Bible. The Bible's origins have been questioned in recent years, but the Texas Supreme Court continues to use the treasured book.
