1-1 1 1-2 SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 345 1-3 WHEREAS, Loyal citizens of Hunt County will journey to the 1-4 State Capitol on Wednesday, March 10, 1999, to pay tribute to 1-5 their beloved county and to share with state leaders their vision 1-6 of Hunt County's unique role in Texas; and 1-7 WHEREAS, The first legislature authorized the organization 1-8 of Hunt County at its first meeting in Austin on April 11, 1846; 1-9 Hunt County was created with five men as town commissioners; and 1-10 WHEREAS, With the establishment of Greenville as the county 1-11 seat, Hunt County began to experience dynamic growth during the 1-12 1840s; Ben and Hamilton Oldham founded the first store in the 1-13 community; and 1-14 WHEREAS, Following the leadership of Judge O. M. Roberts, 1-15 the first courthouse was built under the old oak tree, and justice 1-16 was dispensed beneath a canopy until the permanent structure was 1-17 constructed in 1859; and 1-18 WHEREAS, With continuing growth and pioneering spirit, 1-19 Hunt County's first paper, The Gladiator, was founded by 1-20 J. M. Porter; next, J. C. Bayne established the two newspapers 1-21 which later merged into The Greenville Herald-Banner; and 1-22 WHEREAS, The community's first church, Wesley Methodist 1-23 Church, was established in 1852 and it was manned by circuit 1-24 riders; and 2-1 WHEREAS, The church building was used as the town 2-2 hall, courthouse, and school, as well as a place where other 2-3 denominations could meet for church services; and 2-4 WHEREAS, Many civic organizations began to come to 2-5 Hunt County in the late 1800s, and among them were Knights of 2-6 Honor, Odd Fellows, Woodmen of the World, Knights of Pythias, 2-7 Masons, and the Good Templar Society; and 2-8 WHEREAS, Commerce burgeoned in the region, requiring the 2-9 establishment of several commercial banks and lending institutions; 2-10 in 1910, the Greenville Area Chamber of Commerce was organized; and 2-11 WHEREAS, East Texas Normal College was instituted in 1889 2-12 as growth continued in the area; graduates of the college became 2-13 highly qualified teachers, and the school became East Texas State 2-14 University in 1965; finally, in September, 1996, it became 2-15 Texas A&M--Commerce; and 2-16 WHEREAS, The citizens of Hunt County are to be commended 2-17 for their industriousness and for their gracious hospitality 2-18 toward those who visit the beautiful county; now, therefore, be it 2-19 RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 2-20 76th Legislature, hereby declare March 10, 1999, Hunt County Day 2-21 at the State Capitol and extend best wishes to its citizens for a 2-22 most memorable and joyous celebration; and, be it further 2-23 RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be presented as a 2-24 memento of this grand day. 2-25 Cain 2-26 ______________________________________ 2-27 President of the Senate 3-1 I hereby certify that the above 3-2 Resolution was adopted by the Senate 3-3 on March 4, 1999. 3-4 ______________________________________ 3-5 Secretary of the Senate 3-6 ______________________________________ 3-7 Member, Texas Senate