Profile Text
official photo of Rayburn
Birth Name: Samuel Taliaferro Rayburn
Date of Birth: January 6, 1882
Place of Birth: Kingston, Tennessee, U.S.
Date of Death: November 16, 1961
Place of Death: Bonham, Texas, U.S.
Ethnicity: English, German, Scots-Irish/Northern Irish/Irish, distant Cornish
Sam Rayburn was an American politician. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives, from January 10, 1911 to January 14, 1913, a Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Texas, from March 4, 1913 to November 16, 1961, Chair of the House Democratic Caucus, from March 4, 1921 to March 4, 1923, Chair of the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, from March 4, 1931 to January 3, 1937, House Majority Leader, from January 3, 1937 to September 16, 1940, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, from September 16, 1940 to January 3, 1947, again, from January 3, 1949 to January 3, 1953, and again, from January 3, 1955 to November 16, 1961; Leader of the House Democratic Caucus, from September 16, 1940 to November 16, 1961; House Minority Leader, from January 3, 1947 to January 3, 1949, and again, from January 3, 1953 to January 3, 1955; and Dean of the U.S. House of Representatives, from January 3, 1953 to November 16, 1961.
He was a putative candidate for the Democratic Party’s nomination for President of the United States in 1956 .
Speaker Rayburn was the son of Martha Clementine (Waller) and William Marion Rayburn.
Speaker Rayburn’s paternal grandfather was Joseph Rayburn/Rayborn (the son of Thomas Rayburn and Sarah Curtis). Thomas was the son of John Rayburn and Mary Parrish.
Speaker Rayburn’s paternal grandmother was Mary Margaret “Peggy” Marney (the daughter of Amos Marney and Sarah “Sally” Vance). Amos was the son of Robert R./P. Marney, whose parents were from Cork, Ireland, and of Mary “Polly”. Sarah was the daughter of Samuel Vance, whose parents were from County Tyrone, Northern Ireland, and of Margaret Laughlen/Laughlin, or of Agnes Penquite.
Speaker Rayburn’s maternal grandfather was John Barksdale Waller (the son of William Waller and Mary “Polly” Barksdale). John was born in Virginia. William was the son of George Waller and Ann Winston Carr. Mary “Polly” was the daughter of John Barksdale and Sarah.
Speaker Rayburn’s maternal grandmother was Catherine/Katherine Pickel (the daughter of Henry Pickel and Margaret Peggy Barger). Catherine was born in Tennessee. Henry was the son of Christian Pickel and Catherine Puffenbarger.
Sources: Genealogy of Speaker Sam Rayburn – https://www.geni.com
Genealogy of Speaker Rayburn’s paternal grandmother, Mary Margaret “Peggy” (Marney) Rayburn – https://www.geni.com
Genealogy of Speaker Rayburn’s paternal great-great-grandfather, Samuel Vance (focusing on his own father’s side) – https://www.findagrave.com