LoneStar Texas Genealogy & History

05/14/2018

Reach out to Scott Schoner to include Texans who died in WWI service. He is a San Antonio based historian and author. He is trying to get the word out about one of my projects, an "Honor Roll of Texans Who Died in Service in World War One." It will be a 2-volume set memorializing over 5,100 Texans who died during the war. Visit his page for more information: The Doughboy Memorial Press

04/13/2018

On April 12, 1836 the Texas Army, composed of over 700 men and 200 horses, crossed the Brazos River in seven trips on the riverboat "Yellowstone" just south of today's city of Hempstead. They camped at Bernardo Plantation which was recently found by archaeologists.

The river has since changed course but there is a centennial marker on FM-1887 about three miles south of Hempstead marking the actual site of the crossing. (Painting by Lee Jamison Art and Illustrations)

08/07/2017

Do you know who coined the notorious battle cry, “Remember the Alamo!” or which Texan first dared Santa Anna’s Mexican army to “Come and Take it?” If so, then you just might have what it takes to win the first ever Virtual Race Across Texas.

06/08/2017

The Shadow Glen Golf Club is proud to announce the Texas State Cemetery Historical Designation for the 165 year old Rector Cemetery, located on the course near hole #10

A dedication will be held at the cemetery entrance at 10 am, Saturday June 24th. Shadow Glen Golf Club is located at 12801 Lexington St., Manor, Texas. Attendees will be allowed to tour the site and will be encouraged to make charcoal rubbings of certain headstones.

The Rector cemetery was established with the burial of Millennium K. (Jenkins) Alexander, it's first resident, in 1855 and became the resting place for many others until it's final addition of James Mason Rector in 1957.

The history of the lives represented is a cross section of the pre- and post-Civil War era. They include early settlers who traveled in covered wagons, Confederate War veterans, druggists, Masons Lodge founders, retired Judges, farmers, ranchers, elected officials, plantation owners, farm hands, and John Manor’s first wife, Phoebe.

She who travelled with her husband from Tennessee to negotiate with area Native American Indian tribes on behalf of President Andrew Jackson. Almost half of those buried are children under the age of 10, and half of those were infants, which is representative of the hardships and difficulties these founding Texans endured.

During their lives many of them experienced events such as the Independence of the Republic of Texas and it's evolution into a U.S. State; the industrial revolution which brought about the Texas railroad, the first Texas air flight, electricity, and the telegraph; the Confederate War and abolition of slavery; the completion of the current State Capitol building; prohibition on alcohol; and the discovery of oil in Texas.

The Rector Cemetery was restored as part of a 2012 Boys Scouts Eagle project by Zachary Givens of Troop 214 in Pflugerville.

The project included over 250 hours of work from over 25 scouts, local Free Masons, and ancestors of the Texans buried there.

Please RSVP to [email protected] or call 512-848-1069.

01/07/2017

"Sam Houston", available only for a limited time, is a FREE eBook offered by Texas State Historical Association. Get your copy now.

11/11/2016

http://www.texasmonthly.com/the-culture/new-image-davy-crockett-discovered-fort-worth-museum/

09/01/2016

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 1, 2016

WITH HISTORIC GIFT AND COMMUNITY SUPPORT, FGS ANNOUNCES

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THE COMPLETION OF FUNDRAISING FOR PRESERVE THE PENSIONS

Springfield, IL –Today at its annual conference, the Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) announced the receipt of a historic $500,000 anonymous contribution to the War of 1812 Preserve the Pensions fundraising project. The unprecedented donation, which came from outside of the genealogical community, will be matched by Ancestry.com, and in total provide $1 million to the project. Those funds, along with crowdsourced funds from the genealogical community have provided more than $3 million dollars to the project. With these donations, FGS officially has announced the completion of fundraising for “Preserve the Pensions,” the landmark community fundraising project.

The largest fundraising effort ever initiated for a single genealogical record set, Preserve the Pensions involved donations from more than 4,000 individuals and 115 genealogical and lineage societies. Each donation was generously matched by Ancestry.com.

“We are humbled and grateful for the generosity of the genealogical community and those outside of our community who are dedicated to the preservation of records, thank you!” noted D. Joshua Taylor, FGS President. “This historic gift, in-tandem with the thousands of contributions from individual genealogists and societies, illustrates the incredible power of the genealogical community - together we can make a difference.”

The War of 1812 pensions, among the most frequently requested set of materials within the holdings of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), had never been microfilmed or digitized. Now, with fundraising complete for the project, and with ongoing cooperation from the project’s partners and major supporters, NARA, Ancestry, Fold3, and FamilySearch, these important documents will be made available free, forever to the general public. The project, set out to raise more than $3 million in 2010, an unprecedented amount for the genealogical community.

“It’s gratifying to see the fundraising portion of this project completed after five years, and now we look forward to ensuring these important records are preserved,” said Ancestry President and CEO Tim Sullivan. “This is a fantastic moment for FGS, the genealogical community, and future generations who will benefit from the perseveration of these rich pension records. We want to thank the more than 4,000 individuals who have contributed and are thrilled to play a matching role in this campaign.”

To learn more visit http://www.fgs.org.

The Federation of Genealogical Societies was founded in 1976 and represents the members of hundreds of genealogy societies across the United States and other nations. FGS links the genealogy community by serving the needs of its member societies; providing products and services needed by member soci...

08/11/2016

While visiting the archaeological site of the Alamo wall, Senator John Cornyn arrived to take a tour. It was a wonderful visit with him and his staff talking about Texas history. You can learn more about the new discoveries at http://reimaginethealamo.org.

07/12/2016

Clayton Library Orientation
Saturday, July 16, 2016 | 2 PM – 4 PM We cover the process of research and discovery in the beginning steps of a family history project. Following this brief introduction, we examine the resources available at the Clayton Library and their organization, as well as how to plan an effective visit to the Library. Adults/Teens

https://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/eventReg?oeidk=a07ecuyngix6b7c2cc7&oseq=&c=&ch=

Saturday, July 16, 2016 | 2 PM – 4 PM We cover the process of research and discovery in the beginning steps of a family history project. Following this brief introduction, we examine the resources available at the Clayton Library and their organization, as well as how to plan an effective visit to t...

07/05/2016

The contributions of Texas women to the state’s history are as wide-ranging and diverse as the land itself. In examining the Lone Star State’s past from any vantage point, women are an integral part of the timeline. Be they ancient or contemporary, provincial or worldly, as individuals or groups, Te...

05/30/2016

Remember the fallen who paid the ultimate price for our freedom.

04/22/2016

On this day 180 years ago, the Battle of San Jacinto was fought. http://www.sanjacinto-museum.org/

The site of the Battle of San Jacinto in 1836 is home to monument, the San Jacinto Museum and the Herzstein Library. Open daily, more than a quarter of a million people visit annually.