What Exactly is a Maverick? Are You One?

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I know you’ve all heard of the word Maverick. Politicians are fond of saying they’re one.

What does the term that was first used in 1867 mean? Independent minded happens to be the definition.

But do you know the origin?

I didn’t until I recently got an Electric Co-Op magazine out of my mailbox and read about Texan Samuel Maverick.

 

Wouldn’t you know he’d be from Texas? Seems we gave the world just a little bit of history.  🙂

Anyway….Samuel Maverick (1803-1870) was a lawyer, politician, land baron, and a signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence. He was at the Alamo with the defenders but slipped out the day before it fell in a desperate bid to find reinforcements. Of course, we know what happened.

And when General Santa Anna again sent troops back into Texas six years later to try to retake it, Samuel and sixty others was captured and forced to march by foot down to Veracruz, Mexico. He was kept chained and given little food. Although he was offered his freedom several times in exchange for publicly stating that Texas belonged to Mexico, he refused. They finally released him and he returned to Texas, bringing his chains with him.

He served twice as mayor of San Antonio and several terms in the Texas House of Representatives, once opposing Sam Houston over a bill and won. He amassed land holdings amounting to something like 110,000 acres.

But the Maverick term came from refusal to brand his cattle, claiming that it was cruel and inflicted pain. Thus, any unbranded cow became known as a maverick. Because of his staunch refusal to brand, he couldn’t protect his herd from thieves, including his neighbors, and they stole from him left and right until he lost almost all of them. He died in 1870 at the age of 67… a stubborn maverick to the end.

Do any mavericks come to mind? Senator John McCain was known for being one. I’m giving away an e-copy of The Cowboy Who Saved Christmas to one lucky commenter.

 

As you know, we have Cowboys and Mistletoe coming up November 29 to December 2! There’s a ton of $10 gift cards to be had AND a Grand Prize of $120!! Everyone please come and play our Mad Lib game! It’ll be so much fun. AND you have lots of chances to win!! So mark your calendars and come over each of the four days to increase your odds of winning.

Linda Broday Headshot
Website |  + posts

Here in the Texas Panhandle, we do love our cowboys. There's just something about a man in a Stetson and jeans that makes my heart beat faster. I'm not much of a cook but I love to do genealogy and I'm a bit of a rock hound. I'm also a NY Times & USA Today bestselling author of historical western romance. You can contact me through my website and I'd love to connect with you on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and more. HAPPY READING!
https://petticoatsandpistols.com/sweepstakesrules/

48 thoughts on “What Exactly is a Maverick? Are You One?”

    • Good morning, Debbie! I’d say you’re right about that. She was indeed an independent thinker and stood by what she knew was right. You have a wonderful day. The sun is shining bright here.

  2. I always think of Tom Cruise’s character Maverick in Top Gun.

    It’s been a long day, and I can’t think of a real-life person at the moment. I’ll try to come back later.

    denise

    • Good morning, Denise. You were sure up late last night. I agree about Tom Cruise’s character Maverick. He definitely went by his own rules and didn’t change for anyone. I hope you got some rest and ready to go again today.

  3. Check out my friend and author, Gene Fowler. He wrote a book a few years back called “Mavericks.” It covers all the popular ones in Texas from the old west to recent history. Great read.

  4. Good morning Miss Linda. Knew what Maverick meant, but did not know how it’s origin came to be. What a fascinating blog about a true headstrong Texan. We just seem to come from hardheadedness in the Lone Star State, and I do not apologize for it. Ha! ha!
    My Papa Douglas comes to mind as a true Maverick. After being capture in the Philippines by the Japanese & held captive for 3-1/2 years, he never succumbed to their punishment, even when so many around him would lay down at night and gave up.
    He will always be my hero.
    Thank you for sharing this wonderful maverick history with us. Happy Tuesday, I love you dearly.

    • Good morning, Tonya. Your Papa Douglas had to be a very strong man to have resisted the temptation to give up. Three and half years is a long time to suffer every single day. I’m sure he thought liberation would never come but I’m so glad it did. Yes, we sure have a lot of hardheaded people in Texas. Maybe more than our share. I don’t understand Samuel Maverick though. Looks like when everyone started just taking his herd he’d have tried to do something to stop them. That’s crazy. Have a wonderful day, my sister friend! I’m going to enjoy this warm day because we’re back to the cold tomorrow.

  5. Former president Teddy Roosevelt was a true maverick. He was a fascinating man who lived life to the fullest.

    • Good morning, Julie! Teddy Roosevelt was a very interesting man and he loved nature. I think he’s the one who established the National Parks system. You have a wonderful day.

  6. there have been many mavericks in my strong willed female family members, from my Great Grandma down to me and a 3 yr old granddaughter that is so stubborn! thanks!

    • Good morning, Teresa F! Thanks for coming. Your Great Grandma does sound like a maverick. Many women back in her time had to be strong willed to survive. Your little granddaughter seems cut from the same cloth.

    • That’s absolutely right, Jess! What a strong, courageous woman. I’m so inspired by her. Enjoy your day. If you’re writing a new book, I hope you get lots done. By the way, I’ve borrowed Juliet’s name for a baby in my new story. I love it.

  8. I would have to say my mother was a maverick. Only because she had to be. Her mother was never around and she raised her brothers and sisters. After being put in foster care she met my father and followed him to Vermont. There she had to deal with her home burning down and rebuilding. The house was a inn and when it burned the built a 2 room house with outdoor plumbing. At the time the house burned she had 3 children and was pregnant. After walking a mile to use the phone to call for help. When I was 9 my parents were divorced. She remodeled the house into a 5 bedroom home with indoor plumbing while raising 6 children on her own while working nights. She is the most determined and stubborn person I ever met. She is my maverick. Thank you for sharing your time with us all. Hugs

    • Wow, Charlene! Your mother was such a strong woman. She definitely didn’t sit down and give up even though at times she probably wanted to. I’m sure you have a lot of her determination in you. Have a lovely day.

  9. John Wayne portrayed the character of a maverick in so many of his movies. He sure convinced me! A true maverick I think of is George Washington.

    • Good morning, Kathy! John Wayne played the role of a maverick so well and I think a lot of that was his strong beliefs coming out. George Washington was such an extraordinary visionary and he surrounded himself with people like himself. We owe him so much. I doubt he truly knew what a difference he made in this country. I think God led him to wisdom and showed him the right path to take. Have a beautiful day in Michigan. Love you.

  10. I can’t think of anyone right now other then myself. I am a very stubborn and determined person when it comes to some things. I am not as bad as I use to be, because I am old now and just don’t care as much as I use to.

  11. No one I can think of right now, but I do praise the ones that are strong minded and determined enough to be called a “Maverick”.

  13. Linda, I did know where and why the term came into being, but I didn’t know anything about him and the Alamo, his captivity, and his politics! That’s amazing. And how sad that his ‘neighbors’ stole his cattle because he refused to brand them. They had to know those cows were his! GRRRR! I feel that same way about inflicting pain on an animal–for any reason. :(((( My admiration for him went up after reading this post of yours–I sure learned some things about him I didn’t know.

    I agree with you–John McCain was a true maverick in so many ways, and I admired him immensely. Other readers have all give great examples above of mavericks, too. There are so many forward thinkers in our history that could be considered mavericks, aren’t there? In all fields. Now i’ll be thinking about this today! LOL Hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving! XO

    • Cheryl, I’m glad you learned something. So did I. Samuel Maverick had be really hardheaded to get the term coined after him. Ha! But, I’d have done something to stop the rustling. Now they put a tag on the cow’s ear instead of branding. I think it’s a lot more humane. I agree that history is full of early Americans who were visionaries and forward thinkers. It takes a lot to set up a new country and one that is fair and democratic. But Washington surrounded himself with some of the brightest people and that is the mark of a true American. So much rested on his shoulders and he had to be so afraid of failing. I can’t imagine. You have a great Thanksgiving too. Much love, Okie.

  16. Hello Linda! Great blog. I enjoyed reading it. To me a maverick is one who does things his/her own way. Not saying this is right or wrong, just my thoughts!

    • Hi Ruth! Oh my goodness, it’s good to see you. Thanks for coming. You’re correct about the definition of the word. Mavericks can be totally wrong but they’ll stand by their convictions through the flaming fire of hell. I hope you’re doing well and having a good day.

  17. welcome today. oh but that is an interesting post. I didn’t know that is where the term started. Yes I grew up with a maverick. my dad. my middle brother is just like dad. so basically two mavericks in one family. kept things interesting. LOL

    • Hi Lori, I’m so glad to see you. Thank you for enjoying my post. Poor you with two mavericks in your family. Bet you don’t get to voice your opinions very often. 🙂 Enjoy the rest of your day.

    • Hi Colleen! Great to see you. I love bringing things to everyone that they might not know. I learned something myself. I wasn’t that familiar with Samuel Maverick and certainly didn’t know that about his cattle. I hope you have a great Thanksgiving.

  19. Great blog. To be a Maverick in this day and time is someone that sets out to achieve something that has never (or rarely) been achieved before while they stand up for their rights, the rights of others and doesn’t waver in their beliefs of what is right or wrong. So many these days pick and choose beliefs and morals.

    John McCain popped into my head for this reason…

    In 1967, the aircraft McCain was piloting was shot down over North Vietnam. He was captured and spent more than five years as a prisoner of war. McCain, the son and grandson of Navy admirals, had the opportunity to be released early. He refused because he wanted to follow the military code of conduct which instructed POWs to accept release only in the order in which they were captured.

    I don’t think many men these days would do this. I wouldn’t have known this if he hadn’t passed away recently.

    • Hi Steph! Thanks for coming. I agree about John McCain. I watched TV the day he stepped off the bus onto American soil and he was in such bad shape. I’ll never forget how proud he was not to accept help. I sat there crying for him and so many others who’d been tortured. He was such a kind man and never struck back against people who tried to tear him down. I also watched his funeral and it was like I’d lost a close friend. The world needs more men like him. Love you, Stephanie. Keep fighting this silent disease that tries to rob us of a productive life.

    • Hi JCP! Thanks for for coming. Yes, I think Abe Lincoln would’ve been considered a maverick and forward thinker. He knew slavery was wrong and tried to fix it. He would’ve done a lot more if he hadn’t been assassinated. Enjoy the rest of your day.

  21. I think Franklin D Roosevelt was considered a bit of a maverick (or at least an innovator at times) with some of his ideas to try to improve conditions related to the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl…..also WWII. I have read some interesting biographies of the man.

  23. I never knew the word meant people. They always mentioned mavericks as horses or cows. To me you are a very good maverick.

  24. Thank you so much for the interesting post. We don’t often think about the origin of words, and there are such interesting stories behind their origin and use. Senator McCain definitely qualifies. I think Ansel Adams was a bit of a Maverick. He turned photography into an art form. He used those photos to fight for the saving and preservation of our countries wonderful natural spaces. One of his famous quotes is: “It is horrifying that we have to fight our own government to save the environment.”

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