In 1818, after studying law for six months under Judge James Trimble, Sam Houston passed the bar to practice law. He came to Wilson County to practice law. Mr. Frederick Golladay befriended Mr. Houston and furnished him a splendid wardrobe and rented him a small log cabin for an office near the Lebanon Town Square. Mr. Golladay charged him a dollar per month rent; then lent him the dollar. Sam Houston practiced law for ten months; at which time he was appointed Adjutant General with the rank of Colonel in October, 1819.
In 1827, Sam Houston was elected Governor of Tennessee and served approximately two years of his term before resigning in 1829.
He later moved to Texas where he was elected to the Republic’s Presidency, followed by being elected Texas’ first U.S. Senator. After serving thirteen years, he became Governor of Texas.
Sam Houston is the only person to serve as Governor of two states.
This pre-civil war cabin was originally on the property of Judge Nathan Green, who was known as the Father of Jurisprudence of the State of Tennessee, served as Professor of Law at Cumberland University.
The family of Judge Sam Gilreath donated the cabin to Fiddlers Grove in 1994. The Wilson County Bar Association assisted in funding the reconstruction.