By: Hegar S.C.R. No. 11
(Morrison)
SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, Accomplished Texans who serve as positive role
models for today's youth are deserving of special recognition, and
one such individual is Shiner native William Elmo Merrem, the first
person in the Lone Star State to become an Eagle Scout; and
WHEREAS, Born on May 22, 1897, Mr. Merrem was the son of Edgar
Jacob Merrem and Willie Crane Merrem and grew up in Shiner alongside
his three siblings; he joined the town's first Boy Scout troop as a
charter member, and on July 3, 1913, he was awarded the Eagle Badge;
not only was he the first Texan to receive the highest rank that
scouting offers, he also was the first person west of the
Mississippi River to do so, and he joined that elite group when
there were fewer than 50 Eagle Scouts in the entire United States;
and
WHEREAS, The leadership and dedication that Mr. Merrem
demonstrated as a Boy Scout served him well throughout his life; a
1914 graduate of Shiner High School, he served his nation during
World War I as a pilot in the United States Marine Corps; after
completing studies at Southwestern University, he went on to earn
his law degree at The University of Texas at Austin School of Law
and embarked on a distinguished career in business; he served as
vice president of the Houston Oil Company, president of the
Southwestern Settlement and Development Company, and founder and
vice president of the East Texas Pulp and Paper Company, and he held
prominent positions in the Texas and American Forestry
Associations; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Merrem and his wife, the former Mary Elizabeth
Caldwell, were longtime residents of Houston and active members of
the congregation at Saint Luke's United Methodist Church; through
the years, he volunteered his time to assist various civic
initiatives, and he was a 32nd-degree Mason who devoted more than 50
years to the charitable work of the Shriners; after a lifetime of
service and achievement, he passed away on June 29, 1982, at the age
of 85; and
WHEREAS, A pioneering figure among the Boy Scouts of Texas
and a successful business and community leader, William Elmo Merrem
stands as a meaningful source of inspiration for young people, and
it is indeed appropriate that his legacy be celebrated and
appreciated throughout the Lone Star State on the anniversary of
his birth; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the 82nd Legislature of the State of Texas
hereby designate May 22 of each year from 2011 through 2020 as
William Elmo Merrem Day in honor of the first Eagle Scout from
Texas.