Lent Munson Hitchcock

(October 15, 1816 - February 27, 1869) A sea captain's son who became a sailor at the age of 14, Lent Munson Hitchcock left his native Connecticut and joined the Texas Navy about 1836. Seafaring duties brought him to Galveston in 1837 where he later served as harbor master, city alderman, treasurer, and Confederate army volunteer. An active Mason and Episcopalian, Hitchcock played a prominent role in the city's early development. The town of Hitchcock (18 mi. NW) was named for him in 1891.