DUANE
Duane's take
The marker's got the word on this one, and I'm just here to pass it along — this is William Menefee's story, straight off the Texas Historical Commission's account. Now, most folks who signed the Texas Declaration of Independence on March 2, 1836 had already been deep in the fight for a good long while. William L.
Menefee was no exception. Born around 1796 in Knox County, Tennessee, he came into the world the way a lot of Texas founders did — far from Texas, with a long road ahead of him. He served in the Tennessee Militia during the War of 1812, which tells you something about the man's disposition right there.
After that, he studied law, made it to the bar, and at some point before the next big move, he'd already set up in Alabama. But Alabama couldn't hold him either. In 1830, Menefee loaded up his wife Agnes — Agnes Sutherland before she married him — and their seven children, and the whole family pointed themselves toward Jackson County, Texas.
Seven children. That is not a man who does things halfway. Once he was in Texas, Texas seems to have noticed him immediately.
He got involved in the growing tensions between Texas and Mexico and started showing up as a delegate where it mattered. He represented Lavaca County at the conventions of 1832 and 1833. Then in 1835, he was representing Austin municipality at the consultation at San Felipe, and after that he served as a member of the general council of the provisional government of Texas.
The man was in every room where the future was being argued over. Then came 1836. He was elected Colorado municipality's first chief justice that year.
And on March 2, 1836 — the day Texas declared itself a free and independent republic — William L. Menefee was among the men who put their names to that declaration. Think about the weight of that pen.
Later in 1836, Republic of Texas President Sam Houston appointed him Colorado County's first county judge. And if you think Menefee was slowing down, think again. Elected to the Texas House of Representatives in 1837, he was one of five congressmen chosen to select the site for the Texas Capitol.
Five men. The whole state of Texas, and five men got that assignment. Menefee was one of them.
In 1841 he ran for vice-president of the Republic of Texas. He didn't win that one. But he came back, and from 1853 to 1857 he served as Fayette County's state representative.
William L. Menefee died on October 29, 1875, and he is buried in the Texas State Cemetery in Austin — which, when you think about it, is exactly where a man like that ought to rest. He helped pick the Capitol.
He signed the Declaration. He was there at the beginning of nearly everything. The Texas State Cemetery is just Texas keeping its end of the bargain.
What the marker says
William L. Menefee, born ca. 1796 in Knox County, Tennessee, served in the Tennessee Militia in the War of 1812. He studied law and was admitted to the bar sometime prior to when he moved to Alabama. In 1830 he and his wife Agnes (Sutherland) and their seven children moved to Jackson County, Texas. Menefee became involved in Texas' affairs with Mexico and represented Lavaca County as a delegate to the conventions of 1832 and 1833. In 1835 he represented Austin municipality at the consultation at San Felipe and later served as a member of the general council of the provisional government of Texas. Menefee was elected Colorado municipality's first chief justice in 1836. On March 2, 1836, he was among the signers of the Texas Declaration of Independence. In late 1836 Menefee was appointed Colorado County's first county judge by Republic of Texas President Sam Houston. Elected to the Texas House of Representatives in 1837, he was one of five congressmen chosen to select the site for the Texas Capitol. An unsuccessful candidate for the Republic of Texas vice-presidency in 1841, he later served as Fayette County's state representative from 1853 to 1857. He died on October 29, 1875, and is buried in the Texas State Cemetery in Austin.