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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The Gonzales County Historical Commission is |
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celebrating the dedication of an Official Texas Historical Marker |
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honoring notable 19th-century quarter horse breeder William |
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B. Fleming on May 9, 2015; and |
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WHEREAS, Born in Lumpkin County, Georgia, in 1830, Billy |
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Fleming arrived in Texas before he turned 20; he enlisted in the |
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Texas Ranger Mounted Volunteers and served on the frontier with |
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Company C before joining the Confederate Army; during the Civil |
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War, he was wounded a number of times and lost the full use of his |
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right arm and hand; and |
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WHEREAS, After the war ended, Mr. Fleming settled in Gonzales |
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County, and in 1871 he purchased land on the south bank of the |
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Guadalupe River in partnership with Charles Erasmus Littlefield; a |
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fine judge of horses, he bought a stallion that was in terrible |
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condition, having long been kept chained to a tree, and restored it |
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to health; he called him Old Billy, and the steed established a line |
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of quarter horses known as Billys, which were particularly popular |
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with cowboys, rodeo performers, and racing enthusiasts; and |
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WHEREAS, For decades, Mr. Fleming lived on his small ranch |
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between Seguin and Gonzales, where the vestiges of his log cabin can |
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still be seen; his skill as a breeder led to South Texas becoming |
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known as "land of the Billys"; when he finally grew too old to care |
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for his beloved horses, he sold them to a friend who lived near |
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Seguin and then moved to stay close to them until his passing on |
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April 30, 1911; and |
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WHEREAS, Today, Old Billy is regarded as a foundation sire of |
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the quarter horse, and the placement of a historical marker in |
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tribute to William Fleming will remind future generations of the |
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important role that this Gonzales County pioneer played in the |
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development of that legendary breed; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas |
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Legislature hereby commemorate the dedication of the Official Texas |
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Historical Marker honoring William B. Fleming and extend sincere |
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appreciation to all those involved in the effort to secure this |
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award; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for the Gonzales County Historical Commission as an |
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expression of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives. |