Meeting on February 7th, 2008

At the February 7, 2008, luncheon meeting, San Jacinto Chapter was pleased to welcome Mr. Randon Reaves as the guest speaker.

Mr. Reaves gave a captivating talk about "The Search for the Masonic Apron of Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna."  Mr. Reaves became aware of the existence of the apron quite by accident after noticing an old photograph hanging in the Masonic Lodge in Richmond, Fort Bend County, Texas.  His curiosity aroused, Mr. Reaves embarked on a quest to find the apron.  After not a little effort, the trail has led to the descendants of a man named Louis Stiles, who is believed to have been one of Santa Anna’s Texian guards during the dictator’s captivity after the Battle of San Jacinto.

Mr. Reaves is Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Houston Masonic Library and Museum Foundation.  To learn more about the museum and library, please go to its website: www.houstonmasoniclibrary.org.

USS Texas Award Winners Announced

Congratulations to the winner of the second, annual Enlisted Sailor of the Year Award, Machinist Mate First Class, Eric Frank, and runner up, Electrician’s Mate Second Class, Derean Clar.  The award will be presented at the ceremony commemorating the 172nd anniversary of the Battle of San Jacinto on April 21, 2008, at the battleground.

This award is appreciated in unimaginable ways.  Cmdr. James Gray the commanding officer of the USS Texas, said that this award has served as a great motivator to keep crew moral strong during the past year when the USS Texas has been dry docked for warranty work.  Cmdr. Gray says it is extremely tough to be assigned to a boat in a ship yard when all the sailors would rather be at sea actually performing what they are trained to do.

The crew of the USS Texas is just now seeing the fruits of their work over the last year as the USS Texas is now moored at its pier and is scheduled to go to sea for sea trials this month.

Meeting on January 3rd, 2008

On Thursday, January 3rd, 2008, San Jacinto Chapter welcomed as its monthly luncheon speaker Captain Paul J. Matthews, Founder and Executive Director of the Buffalo Soldiers National Museum in Houston.  Captain Matthews' topic was "Buffalo Soldiers - Forgotten Heroes".

Paul J. Matthews has been researching military history and collecting military artifacts and memorabilia for over 30 years prior to his founding of the Buffalo Soldiers National Museum.  This is the only museum in the United States that chronicles the entire African American military experience from the Revolutionary War to the Persian Gulf War.  Currently, more then 60% of the museum's collection and exhibits have been donated from his private collection.  As a 20-year member of the 9th and 10th (Horse) Cavalry Association, Mr. Matthews is a former president of the Greater Houston Chapter and Historian and Public Relations Officer for the National Association.

Mr. Matthews received a B.S. in biology from Prairie View A & M University.  He served two years active duty and four years reserve duty in the United States Army, wherein he received a Bronze Star Medal, Army Commendation Medal and a Combat Medical Badge in the Republic of Viet Nam.  Prior to founding the museum, Mr. Matthews worked for 30 years as a Hospital Representative, Executive Business Manager and Director of Military Affairs for Merck & Co., Inc., managing the military division that yielded over $800 million in annual revenue.

Meeting on December 6th, 2007

On Thursday, December 6th, 2007, the San Jacinto Chapter welcomed Mr. Ron Stone, Jr., as their monthly luncheon speaker.  Ron Jr. launched his professional career at KPRC-TV, first as a film archivist and later as a news reporter.  He currently works as a writer and producer at Stonefilms of Texas, one of the Gulf Coast’s leading production houses.  Throughout his career, Ron Jr. has worked alongside his father, Sir Knight Ronald Coleman Stone, Sr., KSJ.  Ron’s topic was “Buffalo Bayou and the Birth of Houston”, in which he traced the importance of the bayou as a commercial highway for the Austin Colony and as a crucial consideration for the Allen Brothers in choosing a townsite for the Republic’s new capital.

Meeting on November 1st, 2007

At its November 1st, 2007, luncheon meeting, the San Jacinto Chapter celebrated the 214th anniversary of the birthday of Stephen Fuller Austin.

Mr. L. Clay Fisher, the First Vice-President of the Chapter and a descendant of early settlers in the Austin Colony, entertained the members and guests with a presentation about the early life of this remarkable man who was born at the lead-mining village of Austinville in present Wythe County, Virginia, on November 3, 1793.  At the conclusion of the speech, the entire group rose from their seats, hoisted their glasses high and drank a rousing Champaign toast to the memory of Mr. Austin, “The Father of Texas”.

For more information on Stephen Fuller Austin, consult the Handbook of Texas article at: http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/AA/fau14.html

Meeting on October 4th, 2007

At the October 4th luncheon meeting, San Jacinto Chapter was honored to welcome Mr. Tom Townsend.

As a timely follow-up to our recent observation of Texian Navy Day, Tom will share with us a presentation of maritime tales from his 1979 book Texas Treasure Coast, which gives details of literally hundreds of Gulf of Mexico shipwrecks, from Spanish galleons to German U-Boats.

Tom is considered to be one of the foremost authorities on Texas shipwrecks and sunken treasure. In his early years he hunted Nazi war treasures across Europe. In Mexico, he lived for a time with bandits in the mountains around Oaxaca while hunting Aztec artifacts and gold caches left by earlier revolutionaries. A former U.S. Army officer and graduate of Arkansas Military Academy, he began treasure hunting in Texas in the 1960’s.

Tom Townsend has been living and writing in Texas for over thirty years. His writing and film credits include twenty-four novels, three non-fiction books and several pieces of original music. Fifteen of his juvenile and young adult novels have been on the Accelerated Reader List in the Texas Schools system. His literary awards include; Friends of American Writers Award, Blue Bonnet Master List, Houston International Film Festival, Silver Award for best Children’s Documentary Video, and second place in the Women In Film & Television Screenplay competition. He also works extensively in film and television as a military advisor and supplier of military vehicles and props. Tom currently lives and ranches in Rusk, Cherokee County.

Tom will have copies of Texas Treasure Coast available for sale at the meeting, so be sure to bring your check or cash and pick up a copy to enjoy. Please visit Tom’s website: http://www.tomtownsend-toyland.com  for a complete listing of his work.

Meeting on September 6th, 2007

At the September 6, 2007, luncheon meeting, San Jacinto Chapter was pleased to welcome Mr. Tom Tucker of Graco Awards in Tomball as the guest speaker.

Tom Tucker is a former executive with companies such as Nalco Chemical, Calgon/Merck and Ecolab. His last position was President and CEO of Stellar Events and Presentation Resources. He is also a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point where he majored in Chemical Engineering and Played Linebacker on the Army Football Team. He did his graduate work at Boston University, Princeton and USC. He also studied Quality Management under Dr. Deming in the U.K. - London. Mr. Tucker was selected as the 2007 Small Business Administration's "Veterans Business Man of the Year" for the Houston District.

The title of Mr. Tucker's presentation was "Manufacturing Patriotism". He shared his tremendous knowledge of the design, manufacture and presentation of the various medals that are awarded to America's heroes. He also allowed the members and guests to pass around, hold and examine a number of medals in the various stages of fabrication, as well as several finished medals of surprisingly great intrinsic value. To the credit of the membership, all valuable medals were accounted for at the end of the meeting!

To learn more about Graco Awards, see its webpage at www.gracoind.com.

Meeting on August 2nd, 2007

At its August 2, 2007, luncheon meeting, San Jacinto Chapter was honored to have Dr. Frank de la Teja - the newly-appointed Texas State Historian - as the guest speaker.

Jesús F. "Frank" de la Teja earned the Ph.D. in History from the University of Texas at Austin in 1988, where he served as a research assistant to the novelist James A. Michener.  From 1985 to 1991 he worked in the Archives and Records Division of the Texas General Land Office, serving as division director in 1990-91.  Since 1991 he has been a member of the History Department faculty at Texas State University, and has served as department chair since January 2005.  He is the author of numerous works on Texas history, including a Summerfield G. Roberts Award winner - A Revolution Remembered: The Memoirs and Selected Correspondence of Juan N. Seguín (1991), and a Presidio La Bahia Award winner - San Antonio de Béxar: A Community on New Spain's Northern Frontier (1995), and (co-author) Texas: Crossroads of North America (2004).  He has served as book review editor of the Southwestern Historical Quarterly since 1997, and from 1991 to 2005 served as managing editor of Catholic Southwest: A Journal of History and Culture.  From 1998 to 2000 he served on the concept development and content review teams of the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum.  In spring 2007 he became president of the Texas State Historical Association and was appointed the first Texas State Historian by Governor Rick Perry.

Dr. de la Teja brought news of current developments at the Texas State Historical Association and also shared his vision of what he would like to accomplish during his tenure as Texas State Historian.  Best of all, he then gave an interesting presentation about early Tejano leaders of Texas.

To learn more about Dr. de la Teja's work, see his webpage at the Texas State University - San Marcos website: http://uweb.txstate.edu/%7Ejd10/

Meeting on July 5th, 2007

On July 5th, the San Jacinto Chapter #1 observed Independence Day, SRT-style. Mr. Ed Raines related the history of the United States of America by displaying and explaining the many flags that have flown over the majestic purple mountains and fruited plains throughout history.  Mr. Raines' U.S. Flag program is well known in the Houston and Katy areas.

Denton Byrant summed it up best:

"At the Chapter Meeting we learned a new pledge to the Texas Flag and then had one of the best programs in American History through the use of historical flags. Tom Houston participated in the program wearing the uniform of The Sons of the American Revolution along with the speaker.  It was impressive."

Meeting on June 7th, 2007

Our speaker for June was Mary Margaret McAllen Amberson.  Mrs. Amberson, raised on a South Texas ranch, is a 1985 graduate of UT-Austin.  In 2003 she co-authored I Would Rather Sleep in Texas, an award-winning history of South Texas published by TSHA Press.  As she continued her graduate studies in history at UTSA, she was encouraged to write about John C.C. Hill, resulting in A Brave Boy & A Good Soldier: John C.C. Hill & the Texas Expedition to Mier, a winner of our 2006 Presidio La Bahia Awards.  Mrs. Amberson lives in San Antonio with her husband and three children.

Please join us to hear Mrs. Amberson tell about 14-year old Hill, a Mier captive who was subsequently adopted by President Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna.  We plan to have copies of the book available for purchase and inscription by the author.

Meeting on May 3rd, 2007

Our May speaker was Mr. Ed Blackburn.  Ed Blackburn was born to Dr. Edward A. Blackburn and Sadie Gwin Allen Blackburn back when Houston only had about 600,000 people.  His forbear through his mother’s line, was Leasal Bobo Harris, who stood on the bed of a buckboard at nine years old and watched the Battle of San Jacinto.  Harris later became a Texas Ranger and noted cattleman.  Although most of his career has been as a farm and ranch broker and appraiser, he took time out two different times to return to full-time journalism – once in radio in west Texas; the other in television with CBS in Dallas / Fort Worth.  Even during his real estate practice, Ed continued to write for trade journals and local publications, and last year retired from active brokerage and appraisal to launch The Texana Review.

Ed’s presentation demonstrated the dramatic growth and influence of the internet and the tremendous utility it will afford in the coming years with regard to preservation of the true history and heritage of Texas and Texans.  He introduced our membership to the use of “podcasts” as a way to capture our history and culture and make it easily accessible to future generations of Texans.

For more information about Mr. Blackburn and The Texana Review, please see the website: www.texanareview.com

Meeting on April 5th, 2007

Our April speaker was Chapter #1’s own Dr. Joe Allen Rice, Ph.D.  Dr. Rice gave an informative presentation about John Coffee (Jack) Hays, a Texas Ranger Colonel, who was one of the most remarkable--not to say famous--Americans of the 19th century.  Dr. Rice gave some highlights of the adventurous life of Hays, and then speculated on what Hays had in mind when he gave the Devils River (no apostrophe) its name.  Dr. Rice’s research leads him to conclude that every book and article about the subject got it wrong.

Joe earned his undergraduate degree at UT, and then took a tour of the “garden spots” of the world courtesy of the Strategic Air Command.  He later earned his Ph.D. in Linguistics and American Literature from Florida State University.  Today, he is a Professor Emeritus of the University of Houston, and continues to work as a consultant in the creation of Procedures Manuals for use in industry.

Meeting on March 1st, 2007

Our March meeting was the annual business meeting.

Meeting on February 1st, 2007

Our February spaker was Mr. Jim Bevill, First-Vice President of the Texas Numismatic Association, a nonprofit, educational, historical, and scientific organization founded in 1960 to promote and advance an interest and a comprehensive knowledge of numismatics, and to cultivate friendly relations among collectors, dealers and educators in the study of numismatic items. 

Mr. Bevill is currently authoring the book, A Paper Trail Across the Republic —a study of the coins and currency used in Texas from the colonial period through the annexation by the United States.  Please see the website: www.tna.org

Meeting on January 4th, 2007

Our January speaker was Mr. Larry Spasic, President of the San Jacinto Museum of History Association.  Mr. Spasic brought us news about the Association's recent activities and operation of the San Jacinto Museum of History, located in the base of the Memorial Monument at the San Jacinto Battleground State Historic Site in La Porte.  He also presented another update and point of view on the proposed Visitor's Center, that is scheduled for construction in the Texian Camp at the Battleground.

Meeting on December 7th, 2006

Our December speaker was Terri Leo.  Mrs. Leo serves as our elected representative on the State Board of Education - District 6 (western Harris County). She will share her unique insight into the workings of the State Board of Education, covering topics such as: textbooks, TAKS standards, illiteracy, dropout rates, and "teaching to the test", (rather than using testing to diagnose and remediate problems early), just to name a few.

For more information about Terri Leo and the State Board of Education,
please see the website: www.tea.state.tx.us/sboe/

Meeting on November 2nd, 2006

The speaker for November was Mr. Jerry Drake, Director, Archives and Records, Texas General Land Office, Austin, Texas and an archaeologist by avocation. He has written numerous articles and papers on Texas history and is a co-author of the book Fredericksburg: Guidebook to the Historic German Country (UT Press 2003). Jerry consulted with Disney on the motion picture, The Alamo (2004) and has provided advice and commentary for several "made-for- television" Texas history documentaries. He earned an M.A. degree from Texas State University in San Marcos, where he is currently working on a Ph.D.

Mr. Drake provided an interesting presentation, touching on the history of the GLO (to be 170 years old in 2007), women's rights regarding land due to Spanish and Mexican precedents, the 3 marine league offshore limit, the process and documents making up a land grant, and the GLO Special Collection.

Meeting on October 5th, 2006

Our speaker for the October 5^th luncheon meeting of The Sons of the Republic of Texas – San Jacinto Chapter #1, Houston, was Mr. Earl Broussard of Austin, Texas.

Mr. Broussard was appointed to join the 17 citizen members of the Texas Historical Commission (THC) in 2005. With a bachelor's degree in landscape architecture from Louisiana State University and a master's degree in landscape architecture from Harvard University, Broussard serves as founder and president of TBG Partners, one of the state’s leading landscape design firms. Currently, he is Chairman of the Professional Fellows of Historic Preservation Education at Texas A&M and councilman for the City of West Lake Hills. He is a member of several organizations including the American Institute of Certified Planners, American Planning Association, Urban Land Institute, Real Estate Council of Austin, and Downtown Austin Alliance. He is a distinguished member of American Society of Landscape Architects.

Mr. Broussard gave a presentation of the current Master Plan for the renovation of the San Jacinto Battleground, which was developed by TBG Partners, along with his unique insight into the design process.

For more information about Mr. Broussard and TBG partners, please see the firm’s website: www.tbg-inc.com

Donation of Handbook of Texas to the USS Texas

One of the first books for the library on the USS Texas will be the complete, unabridged version of the Handbook of Texas.  Thanks to the efforts of First Vice-President, Clay Fisher, the Texas State Historical Association donated an edition of the Handbook of Texas so that the San Jacinto Chapter may donate it to the ship during the week that she is anchored in Galveston.

Because space is severely limited on a nuclear attack submarine, the ship’s library is not much larger than a phone booth.  Even though it comprises six volumes, the Handbook of Texas is probably the most comprehensive resource on the history of the lone star state that is appropriate for such a small library.

Meeting on September 7th, 2006

Jeff Dunn presented: "The Girl in Santa Anna's Tent: Emily D. West (the 'Yellow Rose of Texas') at the Battle of San Jacinto."  He also gave an update on recent developments involving the master plan for the San Jacinto Battleground.  Mr. Dunn resides in Dallas, Texas.  He has been Chairman of the San Jacinto Historical Advisory Board since 2000 and Director and Vice-President of the Friends of the San Jacinto Battleground.   Mr. Dunn is a shareholder in the Dallas law firm of Munsch, Hardt, Kopf & Harr, P.C.

Meeting on August 3rd, 2006

Captain Zeb D. Alford presented "From Tullibee to Texas", in which he compared the old submarines he commanded, including USS TULLIBEE (SSN 597), to the new warship USS TEXAS (SSN 775).  In 1999, Captain Alford became Chairman of the CAVALLA Historical Foundation which raised money to restore the WW-II submarine USS CAVALLA (SSK 244) and the USS STEWART (DE 238).  They both are located at Seawolf Park, Galveston Bay, Texas.

Meeting on July 6th, 2006

The speaker for the July 6th meeting was Darrell Shine. Mr. Shine is from Silsbee, Texas and is a seventh-generation Hardin County resident.  He has been a Registered Public Surveyor in and for the State of Texas for over 50 years.  Helping with the presentation was Nedra Foster, the only female Licensed State Land Surveyor in Texas.  They quickly showed us that a surveyor must be part historian too.  An interesting part of the presentation was a discussion of the attempt to find the exact location of the cemetery at the home site of Lorenzo De Zavala, which was visited by many chapter members back in January.

Meeting on June 1st, 2006

The speaker for the June 1st meeting was Marianne Marek. She is the Principal Investigator of the San Felipe de Austin Project of the Texas Archeological Society.  http://www.txarch.org

Meeting on May 4th, 2006

The speaker for the May 4th meeting was David Adickes, who may be best-known as the sculptor and artist whose work includes the colossal statue of Sam Houston alongside I-45 near Huntsville and the newly-constructed statue of Stephen F. Austin in Brazoria County.  He is also a well-known painter, and some of his work may be seen on his web page, http://www.davidadickes.com.

Meeting on April 6th, 2006

The speaker was Dorothy Knox Houghton, a member of the Executive Committee and the Board of Trustees of the San Jacinto Museum of History.  She spoke on "The San Jacinto Museum of History Master Plan".  Mrs. Houghton is a member of the D.A.R. and D.R.T. among other organizations.  She is descended from John Richardson Harris, founder of Harrisburg.  Mrs. Houghton is the author of Houston’s Forgotten Heritage: Landscape, Houses, Interiors 1824-1914 and The Houston Club and its City: One Hundred Years.

Meeting on March 2nd, 2006

The San Jacinto Chapter held a joint meeting with several other SRT chapters at Washington on the Brazos for the swearing in of new officers.  A BBQ lunch was shared with the Masons and the Director of the Star of the Republic Museum, Houston McGaugh, addressed the gathering.  Members visited the museum after the meeting.  New officers for the San Jacinto Chapter #1 are:  President: William P. Haddock, First Vice President: L. Clay Fisher, Second Vice President: Gregory B. Gregson, Secretary: B. Bryant Sliimp, Jr., Treasurer: Lewis M. Chandler, Historian: Edwin G. Pierson, Jr., Chaplain: James P. Davis, and Committeemen: Ron Brown, H. Dodd Eastham, and Dale Williamson.

Social on February 18th, 2006

The Sam Houston Chapter #38 and the San Jacinto Chapter #1 met at the Steamboat House Restaurant for a luncheon social.  The owner of the restaurant, Charlie Fogarty, gave a splendid talk about his acquisition of the large portraits of Sam Houston and George Washington, and the importance of Texas history.  

Meeting on February 2nd, 2006

Mr. C. David Pomeroy, Jr., author, lecturer, noted Pasadena historian, and honorary member of the SRT,  gave the remainder of his  presentation Historical Markers on the Road to San Jacinto, From Harrisburg to San Jacinto.  The chapter then elected new officers who will be sworn in during the March meeting.

Tour of Historical Markers on the Road to San Jacinto, on January 14th, 2006

About twenty-five folks turned out on a perfect winter's day to visit several historical markers on a fascinating tour led by David Pomeroy.  Starting at the two "Old Harrisburg" markers near the intersection of Broadway and Lawndale, the caravan proceeded to the following markers: site of the home of Mrs. Jane Harris, site near where the Texas Army crossed Buffalo Bayou, site near Vince's Bridge, site of Santa Anna's capture, site of Isaac Batterson's home, site of De Zavala's home, site near Lynch's Ferry, and the site of Burnet's home.  The group had a great lunch at the Monument Inn before continuing on to the Morgan's Point Cemetery  marker for the Yellow Rose, and finishing the tour at the New Washington marker in LaPorte.  

Meeting on January 5th, 2006

Mr. C. David Pomeroy, Jr., author, lecturer, noted Pasadena historian, and honorary member of the SRT,  gave a presentation about Historical Markers on the Road to San Jacinto, From Harrisburg to San Jacinto.  A field trip to find and examine some of these markers is planned for Saturday, January 14th.  (See the Events page for directions).

Meeting on December 1st, 2005:

Ms. Janet Wagner, a noted Houston historian,  presented a very informative program entitled Texas during the Civil War She discussed the old Confederate railroad that went down McKinney street, and some of the artifacts found near the Convention Center Hotel and Minute Maid Park.  The probable location of Sam Houston's 30 acre farm was discussed with a map showing the land near the present day intersection of Taft and W. Dallas.  Also discussed were the cemeteries around the old Jefferson Davis Hospital and the Houston Fire Department complex.