SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 656

WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas is pleased to join the Harris County Historical Commission in celebrating the dedication of an official Texas Historical Marker for the Morse-Bragg Cemetery, which is taking place May 12, 2017; and

WHEREAS, Agur Tomlinson Morse and his wife, Grace Baldwin Morse, left their cotton plantation in Mississippi and settled in Texas in 1851; they established the Pleasant Bend plantation, which eventually grew to encompass nearly eight square miles of land; today, that area includes much of modern Houston's Tanglewood, Post Oak-Galleria, River Oaks, West University Place, and Southside Place neighborhoods; and

WHEREAS, Through the years, numerous additions were made to the plantation, including a grist mill, a cotton gin, a steam sawmill, and a cemetery; the cemetery was used from the early 1850s by the Morse family and the Pleasant Bend community; and

WHEREAS, The cemetery is the final resting place for many of the early citizens of rural Harris County, including Thaddeus Bell, the first male child born in Stephen F. Austin's colony, several members of the African American Banks family, and numerous Confederate veterans; the land was deeded in 1874 for continued use by the Morse family with an additional section sold to Benjamin A. Bragg; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 85th Legislature, hereby commend the Harris County Historical Commission on its commitment to preserving the area's heritage and extend to its members best wishes for a memorable Texas Historical Marker dedication for the Morse-Bragg Cemetery; and, be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared in honor of this special occasion.

Huffman

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President of the Senate

I hereby certify that the above Resolution was adopted by the Senate on April 24, 2017.

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Secretary of the Senate

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Member, Texas Senate