American patriot William Barret Travis (1809-1836) was a hero of the Texan War for Independence against Mexico.

William Travis was born on Aug. 9, 1809, in present Saluda County, S.C. When he was 9, his family moved to a farm in Alabama. Before his twentieth birthday, after studying law, he was admitted to the bar. Unable to support himself entirely by practicing law, he also taught school.

Standing 6 feet in height, weighing 175 pounds, redheaded, and blue-eyed, Travis married one of his pupils, Rosanna E. Cato. The marriage was unhappy, and in 1831 he moved to Texas, establishing a law practice at Anahuac, the legal port for Galveston Bay.

In Texas, Travis quickly conceived an intense dislike for the Mexican government and became a leader of the militant faction working for independence. In 1832 he participated in disputes with the Mexican commanding officer at Anahuac that led to his arrest. In October 1832 he...