DUANE
Duane's take
The official marker tells it this way, and I'm just along for the ride — here's the story of Belle Sherman Kendall. Now, some folks are born into history, and some folks go out and make their own. Belle Sherman managed to do both.
She came into the world in 1847, right there in Harrisburg — daughter of Sidney Sherman, a general in the Texas Revolutionary War, and his wife Catherine Isabell Cox. So from the very beginning, history was practically in her blood. She married William E.
Kendall in 1867, and by 1878 she had made Houston her home. And Houston, well — Houston didn't quite know what was coming. Belle Sherman Kendall became a noted civic leader, and that phrase doesn't quite do the woman justice when you hear the details.
She was a founding member of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas. A founding member of the Woman's Club of Houston. This was not a woman who joined things — she built them from the ground up.
Under her leadership, the Woman's Club played a pivotal role in developing Houston's public library system. Now think about that for a moment. Books, access, knowledge — for an entire city.
And when it came time to put up the first real public library building, Belle went and secured the funds from none other than philanthropist Andrew Carnegie himself. In 1902, they held the cornerstone ceremony for that building, and Belle Sherman Kendall was honored right there at the event. As she should have been.
She passed in 1919, but the city hadn't forgotten. In 1969 — fifty years on — a branch library was named in her honor. Turns out when you build something that matters, it has a way of saying your name long after you're gone.
What the marker says
The daughter of Texas revolutionary war general Sidney Sherman and Catherine Isabell (Cox), Belle Sherman (1847-1919) was born in Harrisburg and married William E. Kendall in 1867. After making Houston her home in 1878, Belle S. Kendall became a noted civic leader. She was a founding member of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas and the Woman's Club of Houston. Under her leadership, the Woman's Club played a pivotal role in developing the Houston Public Library system. After securing funds from philanthropist Andrew Carnegie for the city's first public library building, Belle was honored at the cornerstone ceremony in 1902. In 1969 a branch library was named in her honor. (2001)