A Little Piece of History
Did you know that Van Zandt County was named for Isaac and Fannie Van Zandt, but they never lived in Van Zandt County?Isaac Van Zandt was born in Franklin County, Tennessee on July 10, 1813. He was often ill as a child and spent many hours at home reading. When he was twenty, he married Fannie Lipscomb, a relative of the Chief Justice Lipscomb of Texas He began merchandising in partnership with his father until his father's death in 1834. He sold his share of the estate and moved to Coffeyville, Mississippi and resumed the merchandising business. He invested everything, until the crash of 1837, when he found himself owing great debts. Isaac and Fannie worked to pay every cent they owed. At this time he decided to study law and soon gained admission to the Bar.
He and his family migrated to the Republic of Texas, settling in Panola County in a log cabin. There he studied the statutes and procedures of the laws of Texas. In 1839 they moved to Harrison County where he actively practiced law. In 1840 and 1841 he was sent to Congress of the Republic in the lower House where he distinguished himself. He was then made the Charge d'affairs to the United States by President Houston in 1842. He helped bring about the annexation of Texas to the United States.
He was a delegate to the convention of 1845, completing the work of annexation and helped frame the first Constitution of Texas.
In 1847 he became a Candidate for Governor of the State of Texas when he became ill with yellow fever and died on October 11, 1847. He was buried in Marshall, Texas.
On October 4, 1938, the monument that now stands next to the County Courthouse on the Square was dedicated with appropriate ceremony. Forty-four descendants of Isaac and Fannie Van Zandt were present on that day.