By: Shapiro S.R. No. 514
1-1 SENATE RESOLUTION
1-2 WHEREAS, Since the founding of the first permanent settlement
1-3 in Hunt County more than 140 years ago, the citizens of the area
1-4 have exemplified the courageous and hardy spirit of Texas; and
1-5 WHEREAS, McQuennie Howell Wright left Gibson, Tennessee, in
1-6 1839 in a train of covered wagons bound for Texas to eventually
1-7 settle in the area now known as Hunt County; and
1-8 WHEREAS, The act of creating Hunt County named five men as
1-9 town commissioners whose duty it was to organize the County of Hunt
1-10 by the First Legislature at its first meeting in Austin on
1-11 April 11, 1846; and
1-12 WHEREAS, This richly historical district began its long
1-13 tradition of excellence during the 1840s when Hunt began to see
1-14 industrious growth and the establishment of Greenville as the
1-15 county seat, and proprietors such as Ben Anderson, Lewis Moody,
1-16 and Hamilton and Ben Oldham, who began the first store in the
1-17 community, offered their talents to the county; and
1-18 WHEREAS, Under the direction of Judge O. M. Roberts, the first
1-19 courthouse was established under the old twin-oak, and justice was
1-20 administered under a canopy until a more permanent structure could
1-21 be built in 1859; and
1-22 WHEREAS, Continuing the county's monumental growth and
1-23 industrious spirit, J. M. Porter founded The Gladiator, Hunt
2-1 County's first newspaper; others followed, with J. C. Bayne's
2-2 Greenville Morning Herald and The Banner ultimately merging
2-3 to become The Greenville Herald-Banner; and
2-4 WHEREAS, In 1852 the first church, Wesley Methodist Church,
2-5 was established and served by circuit riders; although the church
2-6 was Methodist, the building also served other denominations as well
2-7 as being the town hall, school, and courthouse; and
2-8 WHEREAS, The late 1800s brought many civic organizations to
2-9 Hunt County, including the Odd Fellows, the Masons, the Knights of
2-10 Pythias Lodge, the Knights of Honor, Woodmen of the World, the
2-11 United Benevolent Society, the Good Templar Society, and the
2-12 Federation of Woman's Clubs; and
2-13 WHEREAS, The commerce of the region required the founding of
2-14 several banks and institutions, including the Hunt County Bank,
2-15 Hunt County's first bank, the Commercial National Bank, the Hunt
2-16 County State Bank, the Citizens Bank, and, in 1910, the Greenville
2-17 Area Chamber of Commerce; and
2-18 WHEREAS, Sports have always been popular in Hunt County
2-19 dating back to 1906 with baseball greats Walter "Hickory" Dickson
2-20 and Monty Statton of Wagner, along with Wright Ragdale, Bob Neyland,
2-21 track and field great Edgar Albowich who reached the pinnacle of
2-22 fame as a member of the 1932 Olympic 1,600 meter relay team, setting
2-23 a world record of 3:08.2, All-American football great George Maddox,
2-24 and most recently the Celeste High School girls basketball team
2-25 which won the Texas State Championship, two years standing; and
3-1 WHEREAS, Today, Hunt County boasts a population of almost
3-2 100,000 citizens and derives its principal means of income from
3-3 industries including E-System, Mary of Puddin' Hill, Rubbermaid,
3-4 as well as continuing its proud tradition of farming such staples
3-5 as cotton, peanuts, maize, and cattle; and
3-6 WHEREAS, Rich in both history and democratic tradition,
3-7 Hunt County is a prosperous, forward-looking community fully
3-8 participating in the state's dynamic growth, and it gives the
3-9 members of this legislative body great pleasure to join our
3-10 fellow citizens in saluting Hunt County; now, therefore, be it
3-11 RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas,
3-12 73rd Legislature, hereby declare March 30, 1993, as Hunt County
3-13 Day at the Capitol and extend best wishes to the people of
3-14 Hunt County on this noteworthy occasion.
3-15 _____________________________________
3-16 President of the Senate
3-17 I hereby certify that the
3-18 above Resolution was adopted by
3-19 the Senate on March 30, 1993.
3-20 _____________________________________
3-21 Secretary of the Senate
3-22 _____________________________________
3-23 Member, Texas Senate