Texas 2015 - 84th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SR817 Compare Versions

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Old	New	Differences
1	1	SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 817
2	2	WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas is pleased to
3	3	recognize the members of the Williams-Livingston family on the
4	4	grand occasion of their family reunion, which is being held
5	5	June 5 through 7, 2015, in Kirvin; and
6	6	WHEREAS, Every year on the first Saturday in June, members
7	7	of the Williams-Livingston family hold a reunion to celebrate
8	8	their heritage and to commemorate the birth of Mamie Elizabeth
9	9	"Mama Mae" Williams; they invite friends from across Texas and
10	10	the United States and share their celebration of family love and
11	11	unity, religious roots, and community; and
12	12	WHEREAS, Family history reveals that the Charles Livingston
13	13	family moved from Virginia as freed slaves and arrived in the
14	14	Freestone County area in the early 1800s; the family settled in
15	15	the area known as Cotton Gin and sharecropped on various local
16	16	farms; and
17	17	WHEREAS, Caroline Livingston's family moved from Alabama
18	18	to Kirvin in Freestone County, arriving in covered wagons, on
19	19	foot, and on horseback; they settled on the Alfred Carter farm
20	20	and worked his land; and
21	21	WHEREAS, Caroline and Charles Livingston's children, Elbert
22	22	Jefferson, Fannie, Foster, Elizabeth, and Callie, supported their
23	23	community and were instrumental in establishing Woods Chapel
24	24	Primitive Baptist Church, which is still an active church today;
25	25	they also helped create a public school system for their children
26	26	and for the children from surrounding communities; and
27	27	WHEREAS, The members of the Williams-Livingston family who
28	28	host the annual reunion are the descendants of Caroline and
29	29	Charles Livingston's daughter Elizabeth Livingston; born July 2,
30	30	1866, she married Austin Williams, a freed slave from Tennessee,
31	31	and the couple had 10 children, one of whom was Mamie Elizabeth
32	32	"Mama Mae" Williams, who was born June 1, 1889; and
33	33	WHEREAS, Over the course of her long life, Mamie Elizabeth
34	34	"Mama Mae" Williams became the matriarch of the Williams-Livingston
35	35	family; she died in 1987 at the age of 98; one of her children,
36	36	Cathelyn Francis Dawson Butcher, carries on as her living legacy; and
37	37	WHEREAS, Other strong women who continue to fulfill the
38	38	traditional role of family matriarch are Ethelyn DeLon Washington
39	39	Oliver, Patricia Butcher Barton, Thelma Mae Butcher Johnson,
40	40	Evelyn Butcher Smith, Seri Butcher Nolan, Dianne Pelton Hooper,
41	41	and Ursla Howard; the patriarch of the family is Johnnie Franklin
42	42	Carter, with Charles Barton, Robert Powers, Larry Pelton, and
43	43	Gary Pelton sharing their wisdom and support; Joe Rogers, Kenneth
44	44	Payne, Joe Fletcher, David Hill, and Archie Pelton Jr. also
45	45	unselfishly serve the family; and
46	46	WHEREAS, The branch of the family extending from Mama Mae
47	47	has successfully worked to reconnect with other branches of the
48	48	family from across the state and nation, and today, more new
49	49	family members attend each reunion; and
50	50	WHEREAS, Williams-Livingston family members are successful
51	51	men and women who have contributed greatly to their communities
52	52	though their leadership, their professionalism and entrepreneurial
53	53	spirit, and their concern for others; they are exemplary citizens
54	54	who believe strongly in tradition and who instill in their
55	55	children the values of love, family, and hard work; and
56	56	WHEREAS, The annual Williams-Livingston reunion is the
57	57	manifestation of the family's belief in unity, loyalty, and pride
58	58	in one's heritage; and
59	59	WHEREAS, Each year a family member is selected as the recipient
60	60	of the Mamie Williams Humanitarian Award and recognized at the
61	61	reunion for unselfish commitment to the furtherance of the family's
62	62	core values; and
63	63	WHEREAS, Children and young people are also recognized at
64	64	the reunion for their academic and athletic accomplishments, and
65	65	the family also recognizes the wedding anniversaries, employment
66	66	anniversaries and honors, and births and deaths of family members;
67	67	now, therefore, be it
68	68	RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 84th
69	69	Legislature, hereby extend to the members of the Williams-Livingston
70	70	family best wishes for a joyous and memorable family reunion and
71	71	recognize June 6, 2015, as Williams-Livingston Day in this state;
72	72	and, be it further
73	73	RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for
74	74	the family as a memento of this special occasion.
75	75	West
76	76	________________________________
77	77	President of the Senate
78	78	I hereby certify that the
79	79	above Resolution was adopted by
80	80	the Senate on May 15, 2015.
81	81	________________________________
82	82	Secretary of the Senate
83	83	________________________________
84	84	Member, Texas Senate