Charles Gradison Keenan was a politician and physician in early statehood Texas

Texas

Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...

 who served as Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives

Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives

The Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives is the presiding officer of the Texas House of Representatives. The Speaker's main duties are to conduct meetings of the House, appoint committees, and enforce the Rules of the House...

 during the Third Texas Legislature

Third Texas Legislature

The Third Texas Legislature met from 5 November 1849 to 3 December 1850 in its regular session and two called sessions. All members of the House of Representatives and about half of the members of the Senate were elected in 1849.-Sessions:...

.

Keenan was born 28 February 1813 in Giles County, Tennessee

Tennessee

Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...

, to Leanna (McCormick) and John Keenan. John Keenan was the first treasurer of Walker County

Walker County, Texas

Walker County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. In 2010, its population was 67,861. Its county seat is Huntsville.Initially, Walker County was named for Robert J. Walker, a legislator from Mississippi who introduced into the United States Congress the resolution to annex Texas...

, Texas

Texas

Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...

 while Charles Keenan was the first physician in Huntsville, Texas

Huntsville, Texas

Huntsville is a city in and the county seat of Walker County, Texas, United States. The population was 35,508 at the 2010 census. It is the center of the Huntsville micropolitan area....

. Charles Keenan was a United States Army

United States Army

The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...

 surgeon in the Indian Campaigns before arriving in Texas.

Keenan served on the first Board of Trustees of the Andrews Female Academy. He was a founding member of the Forest Masonic Lodge in Huntsville. He also served as grand junior warden in the Grand Lodge in 1850, and for ten years was grand treasurer of the Texas Grand Chapter of York Rite Masons.

Keenan was elected to the Texas House of Representatives

Texas House of Representatives

The Texas House of Representatives is the lower house of the Texas Legislature. The House is composed of 150 members elected from single-member districts across the state. The average district has about 150,000 people. Representatives are elected to two-year terms with no term limits...

 of the First

First Texas Legislature

The First Texas Legislature convened from 16 February to 13 May 1846 in regular session. Members of the House of Representatives and Senate were elected in December 1845, after an election on 13 October 1845 that ratified the proposed state constitution....

, Second

Second Texas Legislature

The Second Texas Legislature met from 13 December 1847 to 20 March 1848 in regular session. All members of the House of Representatives and about half of the members of the Senate were elected in 1847.-Senate:...

, and Third Texas Legislature

Third Texas Legislature

The Third Texas Legislature met from 5 November 1849 to 3 December 1850 in its regular session and two called sessions. All members of the House of Representatives and about half of the members of the Senate were elected in 1849.-Sessions:...

s. In the Third Legislature, Keenan was nominated for Speaker of the House

Speaker (politics)

The term speaker is a title often given to the presiding officer of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body. The speaker's official role is to moderate debate, make rulings on procedure, announce the results of votes, and the like. The speaker decides who may speak and has the...

 and defeated Edward H. Tarrant, 27 votes to 16.
Keenan unsuccessfully ran for Lieutenant Governor

Lieutenant Governor of Texas

The Lieutenant Governor of Texas is the second-highest executive office in the government of Texas, a state in the U.S. It is the second most powerful post in Texas government because its occupant controls the work of the Texas Senate and controls the budgeting process as a leader of the...

 in 1851, and afterwards was a superintendent of the State Asylum for the Insane

Austin State Hospital

Austin State Hospital , formerly known as the State Lunatic Asylum, is the oldest psychiatric hospital in the state of Texas, operated by the Texas Department of State Health Services. Established by the Legislature in 1856, it commenced operations in 1861 with twelve patients. The name was...

.

Keenan died 15 June 1870 in Huntsville.