The San Jacinto Dispatch Daughters of the Republic of Texas September 2013 From the President: October 3rd Meeting Welcome back to the Log House. 10:00 am San Jacinto Chapter has an exciting year planned. Program chair Jamie Moran has interesting speakers lined Douglas Mangum up. When you come to the October meeting, check out the new sign and our repaired fence in front of the Log House. Principal Investigator, Our uprooted stump is still with us. Moore Archeological Consulting Our Texas Heritage Gardens chair Margie Forster has done a marvelous job on the grounds and recruiting her Please join us at the Log House on October 3rd at 10:00 committee. We are looking good. a.m. to hear Mr. Douglas Mangum's...... informative talk Docent chair Ann Tanner has announced that the Log about archeological fieldwork in and around the San House will be open on the third weekend of the month. Jacinto Battlefield. Linda Beverlin will be preparing our monthly newsletters to keep you informed. Our finance and bylaw committees are Douglas Mangum is a Principal Investigator at Moore Archeological Consulting, and also acts as the Historian for meeting. Our chapter registrar Marje Harris and CRT registrar Luanne Zacek are busy with applications. the firm. In those capacities, he co-manages the fieldwork the firm has conducted in and around the San Jacinto The Christmas Team has a great week planned, Battlefield. Before joining the firm, he worked for the U. S. decorating the Log House and our Christmas tree under the Forest Service and in various volunteer and student direction of former president Esther Simon and serving projects that took him to archeological sites in Scotland, Christmas luncheon at the Log House, with the planning England, Mississippi, and New Mexico, as well as Texas. help of Brenda Stover and Luanne Zacek and a musical Mr. Mangum graduated from the University of Texas program planned by our Music Committee chair, the at Austin with a BA in archeology in 1994 and from talented Martha Jorgensen. the University of Houston–Clear Lake with an MA in History in 2010. Douglas' master's thesis focused on Bring your favorite goodies to the PMLHM Christmas Open House to delight our guests and our Children of The American expansionism in the early nineteenth century, particularly as it applies to Texas. This historical focus has Republic of Texas, who will have a visit from Santa. We will collect unwrapped toys at all our Christmas events to dovetailed with his research into the Battle of San Jacinto donate to charity. and, in combination with his archeological work at the battlefield, has led to his talk today; "Canister and Grape: rd Our CRT chapter has an exciting year planned by 3 VP Artillery Related Artifacts from the San Jacinto Deborah Liss-Frank. Battleground." In the Spring, the 4th and 7th grade essay winners and Jamie Moran, Program Chair senior scholarship winners will be declared. My thanks to Brenda Auld for her tireless work this summer as our Dues Chair. Join us at for a great year. Inside This Issue Sharolyn San Jacinto Chapter Meetings and Programs, P. 2 Special Events, CRT Events, Make Your Reservations Need a Nametag? P. 3 Texian Navy Day, PMLHM News Log House Docents, New Log House Sign Contact Linda Beverlin P. 4 Garden Workday, Update on State Committees, [email protected] if you need a nametag. District Vl Workshop, In Memoriam, P. 5 Registrar's Report, Texas Honor Days P. 6 Proposed Bylaw Amendments Newsletter 1 Chapter Meetings and Special Events Programs at the Log House for San Jacinto Chapter 2013-2014 San Jacinto Chapter meets at the Pioneer Memorial Log House. Hospitality begins at 10:00 a.m. The business meeting/program Tuesday, December 3, 2013 (1:00) Baked Potato Lunch / Log House starts promptly at 10:30 a.m. and tree decorating Thursday, October 3, 2013 Thursday, December 5, 2013 (11:30) President’s Report on the Log House Chapter Christmas Luncheon Program: Douglas Mangum, “Canister and Grape: Artillery Related Artifacts from the San Jacinto Battleground” Sunday, December 8, 2013 (2:00-4:00) PMLHM Christmas Open House Thursday, November 7, 2013 Program: Betty Chapman, “Preserving Houston’s History One Building at a Time” Monday thru Friday, March 17-21, 2014 Texas History Pioneer Days Thursday, December 5, 2013 (11:30) Christmas Luncheon Tuesday, April 21, 2014 Musical Presentation San Jacinto Day Ceremony with presentation of New Member Ceremony Thelma Maresh Scholarships Thursday, January 9, 2014 Program: Jeff Lindeman, Saturday, April 26, 2014 “The Grand Opening of the Shamrock Hotel” San Jacinto Day Festival and Battle Reenactment Thursday, February 6, 2014 Program: Ann Dunphy Becker, Sunday, May 4, 2014 “Houston’s River Oaks” Reception for Texas History Essay Winners Thursday, March 6, 2014 Field Trip to the Restored Julia Ideson Building, Houston Public Library System Thursday, April 3, 2014 Program: Jim Parsons, “Houston’s Art Deco Architecture” Thursday, May 1, 2014 Celebrating the Seasons Chapter Memorial Service --Children of-- Program: Jamie Mihalcik, “Top Texas Native Plants for the Urban Landscape” The Republic of Texas Thursday, June 5, 2014 (11:30) June Luncheon, Lakeshore Country Club Saturday, October 26, 2013, (3:00-5:00 pm) New Member Ceremony & Convention Report CRT Pumpkin Decorating and Halloween Fun Sunday, December 8, 2013 (2:00-4:00 pm) PMLHM Christmas Open House Make Your Reservations Now Monday thru Friday, March 17-21, 2014 District VI Fall Workshop Texas History Pioneer Days Saturday, October 5, 2013 Registration: http://www.drtinfo.org/members/wp- Saturday, April 12, 2014, (2:00-4:00 pm) content/uploads/2013/07/registration_6.pdf CRT Easter Egg Hunt Workshop Eve Dinner, October 4 Annual DRT Convention Saturday, May 3, 2014 (2:00-4:00 pm) Thurs, Fri, Sat, May 21-24, 2014 CRT Celebrates Summer - Field Trip Overton Hotel, Lubbock 5005 Little York Road, Houston, TX 77016 Newsletter 2 DRT Honor Day Texian Navy Day - September 21, 2013 Fly your Texas Flag on September 21st to honor the brave members of the Texian Navy. On Saturday, September 21, 2013, 11 AM at Battleship TEXAS State Historic Site, the Texas Navy, the Sons of The Republic of Texas, The Daughters of the Republic of Texas, the Texas Army, and the Battleship TEXAS Foundation, will celebrate Texian Navy Day, honoring those in the Texas Navy of the Republic of Texas. The event is hosted by the Sons of the Republic of Texas. The Texas Navy not only cut off supplies coming by sea to Santa Anna assisting greatly in winning at San Jacinto, but they also protected the Republic from further invasion by sea and against the Mexican embargo for a decade until annexation by the United States. “The Texas Navy… It’s no exaggeration to say that without it there would probably have been no Lone Star Republic and possibly the State of Texas would still be part of Mexico." Theodore Roosevelt, 1936 PMLH Museum News: Update on Repairs and Maintenance at the Log House Our Pioneer Memorial Log House was built in 1936 and is a “real” log house located in a park and garden setting, with all the beauty we enjoy--as well as upkeep issues. These upkeep issues have kept us busy at the Log House. The Log House and Brooks Cottage gas system has been reworked. The refitting and repairs have passed City inspection. The plumber also installed a new disposal in the kitchen. Due to A/C problems, tours in August were cancelled as we could not satisfactorily cool the Log House. Our A/C units have been serviced and extensive repairs undertaken, including installing modern thermostats to better control operation of the units and sealing units and vents to better control moisture. Thanks to the work of Gwen Kunz, PMLHM Treasurer, we now have a maintenance contract for our four A/C units. SJC will need to re-landscape the large flower bed in front of the Log House after the City Forestry Department removes the tree stumps of the two trees which we have lost due to the storm last April. A new San Jacinto Chapter sign has been installed in front of the Log House. The previous sign was broken when the uprooted tree fell. The fence broken by the uprooted tree has been repaired. The sidewalk section which was damaged when the tree fell will not be repaired until after the City’s removal work. Extensive landscaping work has been undertaken by our Texas Heritage Garden Committee under the leadership of Margie Forster, committee chair. Roses have been pruned; beds cleaned and weeded. Margie is also evaluating steps to help our remaining trees recover from the drought. With the help of Deborah Liss-Frank, our sprinkler system is working again. The parking lot entrance drive has been damaged. The damage to our driveway coincides with an on-going construction project behind the Log House. On at least one occasion, “18 wheel” trucks associated with the on-going Ben Taub Hospital project have been seen using our lot to turn around. The broken cement and the pot holes that have been created cannot be repaired. Bids for a new drive are being evaluated. Annual Report. Our Bylaws call for the President to make an annual report to the Chapter about the Pioneer Memorial Log House Museum at the October Chapter Meeting. It cannot be timelier. It has been an expensive summer. Newsletter 3 Pioneer Log House Docents Texas Heritage Garden Open House Beginning Committee In September Workdays: September 13, 14 and 15 I am amazed at how much the Log House helpers accomplished in our Sept 13, 14 and 16 workdays on the grounds.