Descendants of the Signers Reunion and Luncheon - March 1, 2015

On March 1, 2015, The Descendants of the Signers of the Texas Declaration of Independence will meet at Washington-on-the-Brazos for a luncheon to celebrate Texas Independence Day.  All descendants of the 60 signers of the Texas Declaration of Independence and their families are welcome to attend this annual event.  The reunion and luncheon will be held in the Washington-on-the-Brazos Conference Center. Come and represent your ancestor at the Roll Call of the Signers in the amphitheater on Sunday afternoon.

The luncheon will feature a plate of Texas Bar-B-Que, two sides, dessert, and ice tea.  Tickets to this year’s luncheon are $18.00 for adults and $8.00 for children.  Reservations are required and seating is limited.  Come to the Reunion early and meet your "cousins" and share stories. The Descendants Reunion begins when the doors of the Conference Center open at 10:00 a.m. and the buffet line will begin at 11:30 a.m.  Last year's Descendants Reunion luncheon sold out early and was a huge success, so get your lunch tickets as soon as possible in order to guarantee a seat.

Texas State Senator Lois Kolkhorst Speaks before the Descendants of the Signers of the Texas Declaration of Independence at Washington-on-the-Brazos at the 2015 Descendants Reunion/Luncheon

The Descendants Reunion and Luncheon is sponsored by The Star of the Republic Museum.  Click here to fill out the Descendants of the Signers Reunion luncheon ticket order form. 

2015 Descendants of the Signers of the Texas Declaration Reunion/Luncheon at Washington-on-the-Brazos State Historic Site Conference Center.

Houston McGaugh, Director of the Star of the Republic Museum, Addresses 2015 Descendants Luncheon

This year, Descendants T-shirts are available in red for the first time.  Also this year for the first time, Polo shirts with the Descendants of the Signers 1836 logo embroidered on them are also available.  Click here for the Descendants of the Signers T-shirt order form.

Descendants Committee Member, Kameron K. Searle, Spoke about the Minutes of the Convention at Washington where the 59 Delegates Signed the Texas Declaration of Independence, Wrote a Constitution for the Republic of Texas, Created an Ad Interim Government for the Republic and Appointed Sam Houston Commander and Chief of the Texas Army (Both Regular Army and Militia).  Searle Also Encouraged All Descendants to Join the Washington-on-the Brazos State Park Association and Apply for the Descendants Registry.

Lt. Governor Dan Patrick Speaking at the 2015 Texas Independence Day Celebration at Washington-on-the-Brazos
 

Descendants of the Signers are all encouraged to join the Washington-on-the-Brazos State Park Association to show their support for the preservation of this most important site in the history of Texas where Texas Became Texas when their ancestors declared the independence of Texas from Mexico on March 2, 1836. Besides the Reunion and Luncheon, there will be plenty of other activities throughout the Washington on the Brazos State Park all day long. Click here for a list of events.

"Sam Houston" Made the Roll Call of the Names of the 59 Signers of the Texas Declaration of Independence at the Texas Independence Day Celebration.  When Their Ancestors Name Were Called, Descendants Stood and Responded "Here" or "Aqui."

For additional information regarding the Descendants Reunion, the Descendants Luncheon, or registering as a Descendant with The Star of the Republic Museum, contact Dr. Shawn Carlson at (936) 878-2461, or Dr. Shawn Carlson, Star of the Republic Museum, P.O. Box 317, Washington, Texas 77880.  Or email: scarlson@blinn.edu

Registry of Documented Descendants of the Signers of the Texas Declaration of Independence as of 2015 Texas Independence Day Celebration

This year Descendants Souvenirs Available for Purchase included a New Red Descendants T-Shirt, a New Blue Descendants Polo Style Shirt and the new Descendants of the Signers Flag.

 

The Train to Crystal City by Jan Jarboe Russell

You have probably heard of Manzanar and how the Japanese and the Japanese-Americans were rounded up following the attack on Pearl Harbor, but you have probably never heard of the internment camp at Crystal City, Texas.  At Crystal City, Texas, Japanese and German “enemy aliens” where were sent with their families to be traded for Americans in Germany and Japan.  

What makes this unusual piece of history even more unusual is that the German and Japanese families were composed almost exclusively of American-born children.  Yes, the United States of America, under President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, traded American-born German-Americans and Japanese-Americans for Americans who were trapped in Germany and Japan when World War II began.  In her fascinating book, The Train to Crystal City, Jan Jarboe Russell has done an amazing job of researching and presenting this amazing and obscure piece of American history.  

After I began reading this book, I put down everything else I was reading in my spare time and read this book cover to cover.  It was just that good!

The Train to Crystal City: FDR's Secret Prisoner Exchange Program and America's Only Internment Camp During World War II is published by Scribner, A Division of Simon & Schuster.  The Train to Crystal City is available everywhere including Amazon.

Celebration of Texas Statehood and President Anson Jones - February 19, 2015

Celebration of Texas Statehood and Contribution of President Anson Jones On Thursday, February 19, 2015 at 2:00 p.m. the San Jacinto Chapter of The Sons of the Republic of Texas (SRT) will sponsor a ceremony at the grave of President Anson Jones to commemorate the 169th anniversary of Texas Statehood. The public is invited and encouraged to attend. Kameron Searle, of the Sons of The Republic of Texas will be speaking about the impact that Anson Jones, the last President of the Republic of Texas, had in getting Texas annexed into the United States of America. Members of the Texas Army will fire a musket salute, and we will conclude the ceremony by leading everyone in a toast to Anson Jones and all those brave men who worked to get Texas admitted into the USA. The toast will be with good old Texas water. 

A free and independent Republic of Texas was officially declared March 2, 1836, when the 56 delegates present at Washington-on-the-Brazos unanimously voted to declare independence. The citizens believed that Texas would be admitted into the USA in 1836, but due to the political ramifications of a new slave state, there was much disagreement about annexing Texas into the USA. In 1842, efforts were begun to obtain recognition of the Republic of Texas by foreign governments. Efforts were made to convince the USA that Texas was going to join up with England and create a large independent country from Canada to the Rio Grande. President Anson Jones conducted the affairs of the Republic of Texas in such a way as to convince James K. Polk, the new President of the USA in 1845, that Texas no longer wished to be part of the USA, and intended to enlarge the size of the Republic of Texas by joining with the Oregon Territory, then controlled by England. Anson Jones earned the title, Father of Texas Annexation. On December 29, 1845, President James K. Polk signed a letter to President Anson Jones telling him that both the U.S House of Representatives, and the U.S. Senate had voted on a joint resolution to annex Texas into the USA. This letter was received by President Anson Jones in January of 1846 and he called both the Republic of Texas elected officials and the newly elected State of Texas officials together in Austin on February 16, 1846 to canvas the vote and arrange for a change of power in Texas. Then at high noon, on February 19, 1846, President Anson Jones gave a speech ending the Republic of Texas with the statement that "the Republic of Texas is no more." It was on that day that Texas became the 28th state in the USA. 

The Sons of the Republic of Texas is a 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is to perpetuate the memory and spirit of the people who achieved and maintained the independence of Texas and to encourage historical research into the earliest records of Texas, especially those relating to the revolutionary and republic periods. The SRT encourages the preservation of documents and relics, the publication of historical records and narratives, and the celebration of important days in the state’s history. They also encourage the teaching of Texas history in schools and sponsor numerous scholarships. The public is invited to join us at 2:00 p.m. February 19, 2015, at the grave of President Anson Jones in Glenwood Cemetery, at 2525 Washington Avenue in Houston, to honor President Anson Jones, and all those brave men who took the important step toward making Texas what it is today! 

The general public is welcomed and encouraged to attend this event as well as public and home school teachers and students.

For additional details about the celebration, please contact Event Chairman, Tom Green, KSJ at 713-340-1965. Contact: The Sons of The Republic of Texas Contact Person: Tom Green, KSJ Telephone Number: (713) 340-1965 Cell Number: (832) 687-3474 Email Address: TBGreen3@gmail.com SRT Web Site Address: http://www.srttexas.org