Samuel Maverick
Samuel Augustus Maverick (July 23, 1803–September 2, 1870) was a Texas lawyer, politician, land baron and signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence. His name is the source of the term "maverick," first cited in 1867, which means "independently minded." Various accounts of the origins of the term held that Maverick came to be considered independently minded by his fellow ranchers because he refused to brand his cattle. In fact, Maverick's failure to brand his cattle had little to do with independent mindedness, but reflected his lack of interest in ranching. Unbranded cattle which not part of the herd came to be labelled "mavericks". He is the grandfather of U.S. Congressman Maury Maverick, who coined the term gobbledygook (1944).
Read more about Samuel Maverick: Early Years, Texas Revolution, Marriage and Return To Texas, Imprisonment, Texas Congress, Land Baron, Later Years, Cattle Branding