Francis Richard Lubbock (October 16, 1815 – June 22, 1905) was a businessman, slaveholder, and politician from the American South who played a significant role in Texas history.

Lubbock's early education involved various schools and tutors, including an Irish schoolmaster, Patrick Brett, in Beaufort and Edgefield, South Carolina.

Lubbock's participation in the celebrations, including carrying candles in a procession and being presented to General Lafayette, left a lasting impression on him.

[2] A year before his father died, Lubbock had started working with him "after school hours assisting him in his accounts and other things that I could attend to intelligently.

The crisis, which arose from South Carolina's opposition to federal tariffs, was a significant event in American history, laying the groundwork for the states' rights arguments that would later lead to the Civil War.

The business, initially successful, expanded into wholesale trade and made ventures into other commodities like castor oil, bacon, lard, sugar, and molasses.

"[7] Eventually, the business faced financial difficulties due to poor collections and a market downturn in 1836, so the partners decided to liquidate the firm to pay off their creditors.

Lubbock secured a job with Whittimore, Blair & Co., a firm dealing in watches, jewelry, silverware, and firearms, with a salary of two thousand dollars per year.

[10] After moving to Texas with his wife in late 1836, Lubbock engaged in various business activities, including selling goods in Velasco and assisting in the sale of a captured Mexican schooner's cargo.

He faced challenges such as selling flour to the government at a low profit and adjusting to market fluctuations, which influenced his decision to relocate from the Brazos to Houston.

[11] Encouraged by the Allen brothers—Augustus Chapman and John Kirby, who had founded the town of Houston only a few months before, Lubbock decided to settle there and set up his business, arriving in January 1837.

The timing was providential, as Lubbock was chosen as assistant clerk of the House of Representatives when the Second Congress convened its session in Houston.

[13] Lubbock actively contributed to the development of Houston, including arranging for the importation of cisterns to improve the city's water supply.

Despite the difficulties, the battalion's efforts contributed to the security of the frontier, with Lubbock highlighting their role in preventing Indian attacks and protecting settlers.

Their enterprise was diverse, dealing in a wide range of products such as French wines, hardware, groceries, footwear, lumber, sugar, salt, cigars, and coffee.

Lubbock personally took on the role of auctioneer, handling the sale of various items, from small household goods to potentially larger assets like steamboats.

He utilized a strategic approach, joining William K. Wilson on a tax assessing tour to meet voters, and campaigning vigorously.

By 1847, Lubbock moved permanently to his ranch, investing in the improvement of his property with good buildings, fencing, barns, and pastures.

However, Lubbock chose to resign from this post to retain his role as the Clerk of the District Court of Harris County, an office he preferred due to its proximity to his home and its higher financial rewards.

[28] As a political figure, Lubbock participated in events that celebrated and supported prominent leaders like President-elect Sam Houston.

[29] Throughout his career, Lubbock was exposed to the challenges faced by the Texas Republic, including financial instability and external threats from Mexico.

His tenure as Comptroller and his proximity to Houston's administration provided him with insights into the Republic's strategies to address these challenges, including fiscal austerity measures and responses to military threats from neighboring Mexico.

[31] It was part of an outbreak of violence, often caused by Confederate or state troops, in North Texas in the early years of the war.