Members of the Sons of the Republic of Texas recently journeyed to Missouri City to celebrate the Republic’s 175th anniversary. From left are Dale Williamson, Mayor Allen Owen, and Tom Green.
Missouri City Mayor Allen Owen has proclaimed Tuesday, March 1 as “Texas Independence Day” in the Show Me City to celebrate the 175th year since the founding of the Republic of Texas.
“A lot of people have moved to the state and while they may visit the Alamo, they may not understand the history of that event,” noted Mayor Owen. “Texas Independence Day is part of the history of the state that people are encouraged to read about and appreciate as they go about their daily lives.”
Texas Independence Day originally began in 1836 when 59 signers of the Texas Declaration of Independence gathered in a blacksmith shop at Washington-on-the-Brazos and formally split from Mexico to form the Republic of Texas. The signing came less than a year after the first battle of the Texas Revolution was fought in October 1835 in Gonzales. Texas won independence when the revolutionary army won the decisive Battle of San Jacinto on April 21, 1836. Texas joined the United States about a decade later in 1845, but the idea of Texas as its own nation, and its fight for independence, shapes the state’s identity to this day.
Joining Mayor Owen at the reading of the proclamation at City Hall were Tom Green and Dale Williamson with the Sons of the Republic of Texas. “The Sons of the Republic of Texas encourage residents of Missouri City and across the state to learn about the history of this great state,” Green said.
Williamson shared his family’s historical ties to Texas. “My ancestor, Judge Robert Williamson, known as ‘three-legged Willie,’ came to Texas in 1826 and served with the Texas Rangers, was the first Judge in the Republic of Texas, was a Texas Supreme Court Justice and was elected to the Texas Legislature six times,” recalled Williamson, who was dressed in period costume. “So this day is very important to my family.”
