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