1-1                                     1
 1-2                          SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 303
 1-3           WHEREAS, On Wednesday, January 27, 1999, the 17-year
 1-4     quest of James Briones of Austin came to an end with the burial
 1-5     of his great-great-grandfather, Antonio Briones, Private in the
 1-6     United States Army, in the Texas State Cemetery; and
 1-7           WHEREAS, Antonio Briones joined the First Texas Cavalry,
 1-8     the only Texas unit to fight for the Union in the Civil War, in
 1-9     the 1860s; the unit fought in Louisiana, Mississippi, and the
1-10     Rio Grande Valley; and
1-11           WHEREAS, The funeral was a military burial with all attendant
1-12     honors; the flag of the United States of America draped the casket,
1-13     a military honor guard fired a salute, and "Taps" was played; and
1-14           WHEREAS, For years, James Briones had remembered his father
1-15     talking about an ancestor who served in the Civil War; when
1-16     James began his search for his forefather's grave, he found it in
1-17     East Austin's Oakwood Cemetery; the great-great-grandson felt that
1-18     Antonio Briones deserved to be buried in the Texas State Cemetery;
1-19     and
1-20           WHEREAS, During the 75th Legislature, the rules for burial
1-21     in the state cemetery were changed, and a three-person State
1-22     Cemetery Committee was appointed; it can approve for burial people
1-23     who are recommended by Texas legislators; Antonio Briones's name was
1-24     submitted for burial there, and it was approved; and
 2-1           WHEREAS, The Briones family has had 14 people in their family
 2-2     receive honorable discharges; James Briones felt that his ancestor
 2-3     should be included among those eligible to be buried in the state
 2-4     cemetery and the committee agreed that it would be the right thing
 2-5     to do; and
 2-6           WHEREAS, The re-interment of Antonio Briones was evidence that
 2-7     the recently renovated state cemetery represents all Texans and the
 2-8     diversity that is Texas today; and
 2-9           WHEREAS, For James Briones and his family, the achievement of
2-10     his dream for his great-great-grandfather satisfies a long-held
2-11     desire and gives them a feeling of completion; now, therefore, be it
2-12           RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas,
2-13     76th Legislature, hereby congratulate and commend James Briones
2-14     and his family for their tenacity in their endeavor; and, be it
2-15     further
2-16           RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for the
2-17     family as an expression of the highest regard and esteem of the
2-18     Texas Senate.
2-19                                                              Barrientos
2-20                                  ______________________________________
2-21                                          President of the Senate
2-22                                       I hereby certify that the above
2-23                                  Resolution was adopted by the Senate
2-24                                  on March 1, 1999.
2-25                                  ______________________________________
2-26                                          Secretary of the Senate
2-27                                  ______________________________________
2-28                                           Member, Texas Senate