DUANE
Duane's take
The official marker tells it this way, and here's how I'm bringin' it to you. November 9, 1891. Eight Houston women sat down together and decided that somebody had to remember.
Not just talk about remembering — actually do something about it. And so they organized the San Jacinto Chapter of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas. Now let me give you their names, because they deserve to be said out loud.
Mrs. Andrew Briscoe. Miss Belle Fenn.
Mrs. John R. Fenn, who would serve as chapter president all the way until 1896.
Miss Annie Hume. Mrs. A.
B. Looscan. Mrs.
J. J. McKeever.
And Mrs. Minnie Phelps Vasmer. Eight names.
And then there was the ninth — Mrs. Anson Jones, widow of the last president of the Republic of Texas itself. You want to talk about walking history into the room, there she was.
Here's a detail worth sitting with for a second. The state organization — the whole Daughters of the Republic of Texas — had only been formed three days earlier. Three days.
In the Houston home of Mrs. Briscoe, no less. So the San Jacinto Chapter wasn't following a long-established tradition.
They were practically part of the founding breath. And they got to work fast. The San Jacinto Battlefield, sitting about eighteen miles to the east, became their priority.
In 1894, chapter members went out there and helped veterans mark key sites on that ground. Then they turned to the state and said: acquire this land. And the state listened.
By 1900, some 327 acres had been added to the 10 acres that had been held since 1883. Then, by 1912, the chapter had placed twenty granite markers at the battlefield. Twenty.
Cut from stone and set by hand, one by one. They had also been building a monument fund. But then, between 1936 and 1939, state and federal funds went ahead and erected the San Jacinto Monument.
Which meant the chapter's own fund was freed up for other projects — and they found plenty. In 1936, a log headquarters was built using federal labor. That same year, the chapter developed the Children of the Republic organization.
And in 1939, a bronze sun dial was placed at the battlefield. The chapter also sponsors student essays on Texas history, sends books and funds to local libraries, and generously supports projects for the D. R.
T. at the state level. This marker was placed during the Texas Sesquicentennial — 1836 to 1986 — one hundred and fifty years after the republic those eight women pledged themselves to remember. They started with a meeting.
They ended with monuments in stone and bronze, hundreds of acres preserved, and organizations still running. Not bad for a Tuesday in November.
What the marker says
On November 9, 1891, eight Houston women organized the San Jacinto Chapter of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas. Founding members were Mrs. Andrew Briscoe; Miss Belle Fenn; Mrs. John R. Fenn, who served as chapter president until 1896; Miss Annie Hume; Mrs. Anson Jones, widow of the last Republic president; Mrs. A. B. Looscan; Mrs. J. J. McKeever; and Mrs. Minnie Phelps Vasmer. The state organization had been formed three days earlier in the Houston home of Mrs. Briscoe. Preserving the San Jacinto Battlefield (18 mi. E) became a priority project for this chapter. In 1894 its members helped veterans mark key sites at San Jacinto. Members urged the state to acquire land there, and by 1900 some 327 acres were added to 10 acres held since 1883. The chapter placed 20 granite markers there by 1912. State and Federal funds erected the San Jacinto Monument in 1936-39, so the chapter's own monument fund was used for other projects. This log headquarters was built in 1936 with Federal labor, and a bronze sun dial was placed at the battlefield in 1939. The chapter developed the Children of the Republic organization in 1936, and sponsors student essays on Texas history. Local libraries receive books and funds, and D. R. T. state projects are generously supported. Texas Sesquicentennial 1836 - 1986