By:  Turner                                      S.R. No. 657
    1-1                           SENATE RESOLUTION
    1-2        WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas is proud to
    1-3  recognize the Reeves-Womack-Beseda residence of Caldwell which
    1-4  has recently received a marker from the National Register of
    1-5  Historic Places; and
    1-6        WHEREAS, One of the finest examples of late Victorian
    1-7  residences in Burleson County, the Reeves-Womack-Beseda house
    1-8  is a large wooden two-story mansion, distinguished by its ornate
    1-9  Eastlake carvings and embellishments; and
   1-10        WHEREAS, The mansion is the home of Mrs. Bessie Beseda and
   1-11  her late husband Mr. Frank Beseda who purchased it
   1-12  December 12, 1958; the couple had owned and operated an antique
   1-13  and refinishing shop in Caldwell; and
   1-14        WHEREAS, The site of the house was originally part of the
   1-15  L. Dickinson League which was purchased in 1831 by Lemuel Dickinson,
   1-16  one of Stephen F. Austin's colonists; and
   1-17        WHEREAS, The property was deeded to William Reeves in 1881,
   1-18  and during the 1890s, William Reeves and his wife, Mattie, built
   1-19  what Mr. Reeves hoped would be the finest house in the county; and
   1-20        WHEREAS, The house was built of cypress and heart pine by
   1-21  James Teague of Caldwell, a master carpenter; Mr. Reeves's
   1-22  brother-in-law in Brenham, Frank W. Wood, hand-picked everything
   1-23  that went into the construction of the home; and
    2-1        WHEREAS, A spacious porch with Victorian posts and banisters
    2-2  wraps around the front and west side of the structure, and the
    2-3  reception area near the entrance hall features an ornately carved
    2-4  staircase and a fireplace with a beautifully carved mantle and
    2-5  glazed handmade tiles; and
    2-6        WHEREAS, William Reeves deeded the property and house with
    2-7  most of the furniture to Captain M. L. Womack in 1907, and the home
    2-8  was purchased in 1958 by Frank and Bessie Beseda for $12,000; only
    2-9  these three families have owned and lived in the house;
   2-10  Mr. and Mrs. Beseda deeded it to their children in 1979; and
   2-11        WHEREAS, Through the years, the successive owners have
   2-12  preserved and protected the home with respect for its superior
   2-13  quality and craftsmanship; located in one of the finest neighborhoods
   2-14  in Caldwell, the house was lovingly maintained and decorated with
   2-15  exquisite taste by Mr. and Mrs. Beseda; and
   2-16        WHEREAS, A Victorian treasure, the Reeves-Womack-Beseda
   2-17  residence is the finest example of its period in the Caldwell
   2-18  region and its present owners deserve recognition for their hard
   2-19  work in preserving its beauty; now, therefore, be it
   2-20        RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas,
   2-21  73rd Legislature, hereby congratulate Mrs. Frank Beseda on the
   2-22  grand occasion of the recognition of the Reeves-Womack-Beseda
   2-23  house by the National Register of Historic Places; and, be it
   2-24  further
   2-25        RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared
    3-1  for Mrs. Beseda as an expression of high regard from the
    3-2  Texas Senate.
    3-3                                 _____________________________________
    3-4                                        President of the Senate
    3-5                                      I hereby certify that the
    3-6                                 above Resolution was adopted by
    3-7                                 the Senate on April 21, 1993.
    3-8                                 _____________________________________
    3-9                                        Secretary of the Senate
   3-10                                 _____________________________________
   3-11                                         Member, Texas Senate