H.R. No. 2420 R E S O L U T I O N WHEREAS, The Gonzales County Historical Commission is celebrating the dedication of an Official Texas Historical Marker honoring notable 19th-century quarter horse breeder William B. Fleming on May 9, 2015; and WHEREAS, Born in Lumpkin County, Georgia, in 1830, Billy Fleming arrived in Texas before he turned 20; he enlisted in the Texas Ranger Mounted Volunteers and served on the frontier with Company C before joining the Confederate Army; during the Civil War, he was wounded a number of times and lost the full use of his right arm and hand; and WHEREAS, After the war ended, Mr. Fleming settled in Gonzales County, and in 1871 he purchased land on the south bank of the Guadalupe River in partnership with Charles Erasmus Littlefield; a fine judge of horses, he bought a stallion that was in terrible condition, having long been kept chained to a tree, and restored it to health; he called him Old Billy, and the steed established a line of quarter horses known as Billys, which were particularly popular with cowboys, rodeo performers, and racing enthusiasts; and WHEREAS, For decades, Mr. Fleming lived on his small ranch between Seguin and Gonzales, where the vestiges of his log cabin can still be seen; his skill as a breeder led to South Texas becoming known as "land of the Billys"; when he finally grew too old to care for his beloved horses, he sold them to a friend who lived near Seguin and then moved to stay close to them until his passing on April 30, 1911; and WHEREAS, Today, Old Billy is regarded as a foundation sire of the quarter horse, and the placement of a historical marker in tribute to William Fleming will remind future generations of the important role that this Gonzales County pioneer played in the development of that legendary breed; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas Legislature hereby commemorate the dedication of the Official Texas Historical Marker honoring William B. Fleming and extend sincere appreciation to all those involved in the effort to secure this award; and, be it further RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be prepared for the Gonzales County Historical Commission as an expression of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives. Cyrier Straus González Otto Straus González Otto Straus González Otto Allen Guerra Paddie Allen Guerra Paddie Allen Guerra Paddie Alonzo Guillen Parker Alonzo Guillen Parker Alonzo Guillen Parker Alvarado Gutierrez Paul Alvarado Gutierrez Paul Alvarado Gutierrez Paul Anchia Harless Peña Anchia Harless Peña Anchia Harless Peña Anderson of Dallas Hernandez Phelan Anderson of Dallas Hernandez Phelan Anderson of Dallas Hernandez Phelan Anderson of McLennan Herrero Phillips Anderson of McLennan Herrero Phillips Anderson of McLennan Herrero Phillips Ashby Howard Pickett Ashby Howard Pickett Ashby Howard Pickett Aycock Huberty Price Aycock Huberty Price Aycock Huberty Price Bell Hughes Raney Bell Hughes Raney Bell Hughes Raney Bernal Hunter Raymond Bernal Hunter Raymond Bernal Hunter Raymond Blanco Isaac Reynolds Blanco Isaac Reynolds Blanco Isaac Reynolds Bohac Israel Riddle Bohac Israel Riddle Bohac Israel Riddle Bonnen of Brazoria Johnson Rinaldi Bonnen of Brazoria Johnson Rinaldi Bonnen of Brazoria Johnson Rinaldi Bonnen of Galveston Kacal Rodriguez of Bexar Bonnen of Galveston Kacal Rodriguez of Bexar Bonnen of Galveston Kacal Rodriguez of Bexar Burkett Keffer Rodriguez of Travis Burkett Keffer Rodriguez of Travis Burkett Keffer Rodriguez of Travis Burns Keough Romero, Jr. Burns Keough Romero, Jr. Burns Keough Romero, Jr. Burrows King of Hemphill Rose Burrows King of Hemphill Rose Burrows King of Hemphill Rose Button King of Parker Sanford Button King of Parker Sanford Button King of Parker Sanford Canales King of Taylor Schaefer Canales King of Taylor Schaefer Canales King of Taylor Schaefer Capriglione King of Uvalde Schofield Capriglione King of Uvalde Schofield Capriglione King of Uvalde Schofield Clardy Klick Schubert Clardy Klick Schubert Clardy Klick Schubert Coleman Koop Shaheen Coleman Koop Shaheen Coleman Koop Shaheen Collier Krause Sheets Collier Krause Sheets Collier Krause Sheets Cook Kuempel Sheffield Cook Kuempel Sheffield Cook Kuempel Sheffield Craddick Landgraf Simmons Craddick Landgraf Simmons Craddick Landgraf Simmons Crownover Larson Simpson Crownover Larson Simpson Crownover Larson Simpson Cyrier Laubenberg Smith Cyrier Laubenberg Smith Cyrier Laubenberg Smith Dale Leach Smithee Dale Leach Smithee Dale Leach Smithee Darby Longoria Spitzer Darby Longoria Spitzer Darby Longoria Spitzer Davis of Dallas Lozano Springer Davis of Dallas Lozano Springer Davis of Dallas Lozano Springer Davis of Harris Lucio III Stephenson Davis of Harris Lucio III Stephenson Davis of Harris Lucio III Stephenson Deshotel Márquez Stickland Deshotel Márquez Stickland Deshotel Márquez Stickland Dukes Martinez Thompson of Brazoria Dukes Martinez Thompson of Brazoria Dukes Martinez Thompson of Brazoria Dutton Martinez Fischer Thompson of Harris Dutton Martinez Fischer Thompson of Harris Dutton Martinez Fischer Thompson of Harris Elkins McClendon Tinderholt Elkins McClendon Tinderholt Elkins McClendon Tinderholt Faircloth Metcalf Turner of Collin Faircloth Metcalf Turner of Collin Faircloth Metcalf Turner of Collin Fallon Meyer Turner of Harris Fallon Meyer Turner of Harris Fallon Meyer Turner of Harris Farias Miles Turner of Tarrant Farias Miles Turner of Tarrant Farias Miles Turner of Tarrant Farney Miller of Comal VanDeaver Farney Miller of Comal VanDeaver Farney Miller of Comal VanDeaver Farrar Miller of Fort Bend Villalba Farrar Miller of Fort Bend Villalba Farrar Miller of Fort Bend Villalba Fletcher Minjarez Vo Fletcher Minjarez Vo Fletcher Minjarez Vo Flynn Moody Walle Flynn Moody Walle Flynn Moody Walle Frank Morrison White of Bell Frank Morrison White of Bell Frank Morrison White of Bell Frullo Muñoz, Jr. White of Tyler Frullo Muñoz, Jr. White of Tyler Frullo Muñoz, Jr. White of Tyler Galindo Murphy Workman Galindo Murphy Workman Galindo Murphy Workman Geren Murr Wray Geren Murr Wray Geren Murr Wray Giddings Naishtat Wu Giddings Naishtat Wu Giddings Naishtat Wu Goldman Nevárez Zedler Goldman Nevárez Zedler Goldman Nevárez Zedler Gonzales Oliveira Zerwas Gonzales Oliveira Zerwas Gonzales Oliveira Zerwas ______________________________ Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 2420 was adopted by the House on May 11, 2015, by a non-record vote. ______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House Straus González Otto Allen Guerra Paddie Alonzo Guillen Parker Alvarado Gutierrez Paul Anchia Harless Peña Anderson of Dallas Hernandez Phelan Anderson of McLennan Herrero Phillips Ashby Howard Pickett Aycock Huberty Price Bell Hughes Raney Bernal Hunter Raymond Blanco Isaac Reynolds Bohac Israel Riddle Bonnen of Brazoria Johnson Rinaldi Bonnen of Galveston Kacal Rodriguez of Bexar Burkett Keffer Rodriguez of Travis Burns Keough Romero, Jr. Burrows King of Hemphill Rose Button King of Parker Sanford Canales King of Taylor Schaefer Capriglione King of Uvalde Schofield Clardy Klick Schubert Coleman Koop Shaheen Collier Krause Sheets Cook Kuempel Sheffield Craddick Landgraf Simmons Crownover Larson Simpson Cyrier Laubenberg Smith Dale Leach Smithee Darby Longoria Spitzer Davis of Dallas Lozano Springer Davis of Harris Lucio III Stephenson Deshotel Márquez Stickland Dukes Martinez Thompson of Brazoria Dutton Martinez Fischer Thompson of Harris Elkins McClendon Tinderholt Faircloth Metcalf Turner of Collin Fallon Meyer Turner of Harris Farias Miles Turner of Tarrant Farney Miller of Comal VanDeaver Farrar Miller of Fort Bend Villalba Fletcher Minjarez Vo Flynn Moody Walle Frank Morrison White of Bell Frullo Muñoz, Jr. White of Tyler Galindo Murphy Workman Geren Murr Wray Giddings Naishtat Wu Goldman Nevárez Zedler Gonzales Oliveira Zerwas