H.R. No. 709 R E S O L U T I O N WHEREAS, Citizens of Wharton County are gathering in Austin on February 28, 2017, to celebrate Wharton County Day at the State Capitol; and WHEREAS, Wharton County was founded in April of 1846, and its name commemorates two heroes of the Texas Revolution, brothers William Harris Wharton and John Austin Wharton; and WHEREAS, Wharton County is located on the Coastal Plain southwest of Houston; the county is bounded by Matagorda, Colorado, and Jackson Counties and by the San Bernard River, which forms its northeastern border and marks the county line with Fort Bend County; and WHEREAS, Wharton County has more than 41,000 residents and encompasses 1,086 square miles of land, which is divided primarily between prairie and timberland; the Colorado River traverses the county from northwest to southeast, dividing it roughly in half and flowing through Wharton and Glen Flora; and WHEREAS, Prospective landowners first came to the plains of the Colorado River in 1822, led by Stephen F. Austin under contract with the Mexican government; the Mexican Imperial Colonization Law of 1823 granted 177 acres to the heads of families for farming and 4,428 acres for raising cattle; and WHEREAS, During the time of the Republic of Texas, the area was divided into three counties, Matagorda, Jackson, and Colorado, and the area consisted of isolated plantation homes and two growing towns, Preston and Egypt; and WHEREAS, After Texas entered the United States in 1845, Wharton County was formed of parts of the three existing counties near the intersection of the mail routes from Matagorda to Columbus and from Houston to Victoria; and WHEREAS, The advent of railroads and irrigation brought increased settlement to the area, which remains a center of agricultural, educational, industrial, and medical services for a large region; and WHEREAS, Wharton County's largest cities and townships are El Campo, Wharton, East Bernard, Boling, and Louise; and WHEREAS, Wharton, the county seat, is known for its small-town way of life and its Czech, Danish, and Mexican heritage; it offers proximity to both Houston and the Gulf Coast, and outstanding festivals; it is also noted for its excellent schools and championship football teams; and WHEREAS, Residents of Wharton County can take pride in their rich history and heritage as they look forward to a promising future; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas Legislature hereby recognize February 28, 2017, as Wharton County Day at the State Capitol and extend sincere best wishes to all participants for an informative and enjoyable day in Austin. Stephenson Straus Goldman Oliverson Straus Goldman Oliverson Straus Goldman Oliverson Allen Gonzales of Williamson Ortega Allen Gonzales of Williamson Ortega Allen Gonzales of Williamson Ortega Alonzo González of El Paso Paddie Alonzo González of El Paso Paddie Alonzo González of El Paso Paddie Alvarado Gooden Parker Alvarado Gooden Parker Alvarado Gooden Parker Anchia Guerra Paul Anchia Guerra Paul Anchia Guerra Paul Anderson of Dallas Guillen Perez Anderson of Dallas Guillen Perez Anderson of Dallas Guillen Perez Anderson of McLennan Gutierrez Phelan Anderson of McLennan Gutierrez Phelan Anderson of McLennan Gutierrez Phelan Arévalo Hefner Phillips Arévalo Hefner Phillips Arévalo Hefner Phillips Ashby Hernandez Pickett Ashby Hernandez Pickett Ashby Hernandez Pickett Bailes Herrero Price Bailes Herrero Price Bailes Herrero Price Bell Hinojosa Raney Bell Hinojosa Raney Bell Hinojosa Raney Bernal Holland Raymond Bernal Holland Raymond Bernal Holland Raymond Biedermann Howard Reynolds Biedermann Howard Reynolds Biedermann Howard Reynolds Blanco Huberty Rinaldi Blanco Huberty Rinaldi Blanco Huberty Rinaldi Bohac Hunter Roberts Bohac Hunter Roberts Bohac Hunter Roberts Bonnen of Brazoria Isaac Rodriguez of Bexar Bonnen of Brazoria Isaac Rodriguez of Bexar Bonnen of Brazoria Isaac Rodriguez of Bexar Bonnen of Galveston Israel Rodriguez of Travis Bonnen of Galveston Israel Rodriguez of Travis Bonnen of Galveston Israel Rodriguez of Travis Burkett Johnson of Dallas Romero, Jr. Burkett Johnson of Dallas Romero, Jr. Burkett Johnson of Dallas Romero, Jr. Burns Johnson of Harris Rose Burns Johnson of Harris Rose Burns Johnson of Harris Rose Burrows Kacal Sanford Burrows Kacal Sanford Burrows Kacal Sanford Button Keough Schaefer Button Keough Schaefer Button Keough Schaefer Cain King of Hemphill Schofield Cain King of Hemphill Schofield Cain King of Hemphill Schofield Canales King of Parker Schubert Canales King of Parker Schubert Canales King of Parker Schubert Capriglione King of Uvalde Shaheen Capriglione King of Uvalde Shaheen Capriglione King of Uvalde Shaheen Clardy Klick Sheffield Clardy Klick Sheffield Clardy Klick Sheffield Coleman Koop Shine Coleman Koop Shine Coleman Koop Shine Collier Krause Simmons Collier Krause Simmons Collier Krause Simmons Cook Kuempel Smithee Cook Kuempel Smithee Cook Kuempel Smithee Cortez Lambert Springer Cortez Lambert Springer Cortez Lambert Springer Cosper Landgraf Stephenson Cosper Landgraf Stephenson Cosper Landgraf Stephenson Craddick Lang Stickland Craddick Lang Stickland Craddick Lang Stickland Cyrier Larson Stucky Cyrier Larson Stucky Cyrier Larson Stucky Dale Laubenberg Swanson Dale Laubenberg Swanson Dale Laubenberg Swanson Darby Leach Thierry Darby Leach Thierry Darby Leach Thierry Davis of Dallas Longoria Thompson of Brazoria Davis of Dallas Longoria Thompson of Brazoria Davis of Dallas Longoria Thompson of Brazoria Davis of Harris Lozano Thompson of Harris Davis of Harris Lozano Thompson of Harris Davis of Harris Lozano Thompson of Harris Dean Lucio III Tinderholt Dean Lucio III Tinderholt Dean Lucio III Tinderholt Deshotel Martinez Turner Deshotel Martinez Turner Deshotel Martinez Turner Dukes Metcalf Uresti Dukes Metcalf Uresti Dukes Metcalf Uresti Dutton Meyer VanDeaver Dutton Meyer VanDeaver Dutton Meyer VanDeaver Elkins Miller Villalba Elkins Miller Villalba Elkins Miller Villalba Faircloth Minjarez Vo Faircloth Minjarez Vo Faircloth Minjarez Vo Fallon Moody Walle Fallon Moody Walle Fallon Moody Walle Farrar Morrison White Farrar Morrison White Farrar Morrison White Flynn Muñoz, Jr. Wilson Flynn Muñoz, Jr. Wilson Flynn Muñoz, Jr. Wilson Frank Murphy Workman Frank Murphy Workman Frank Murphy Workman Frullo Murr Wray Frullo Murr Wray Frullo Murr Wray Geren Neave Wu Geren Neave Wu Geren Neave Wu Gervin-Hawkins Nevárez Zedler Gervin-Hawkins Nevárez Zedler Gervin-Hawkins Nevárez Zedler Giddings Oliveira Zerwas Giddings Oliveira Zerwas Giddings Oliveira Zerwas ______________________________ Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 709 was adopted by the House on February 28, 2017, by a non-record vote. ______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House Straus Goldman Oliverson Allen Gonzales of Williamson Ortega Alonzo González of El Paso Paddie Alvarado Gooden Parker Anchia Guerra Paul Anderson of Dallas Guillen Perez Anderson of McLennan Gutierrez Phelan Arévalo Hefner Phillips Ashby Hernandez Pickett Bailes Herrero Price Bell Hinojosa Raney Bernal Holland Raymond Biedermann Howard Reynolds Blanco Huberty Rinaldi Bohac Hunter Roberts Bonnen of Brazoria Isaac Rodriguez of Bexar Bonnen of Galveston Israel Rodriguez of Travis Burkett Johnson of Dallas Romero, Jr. Burns Johnson of Harris Rose Burrows Kacal Sanford Button Keough Schaefer Cain King of Hemphill Schofield Canales King of Parker Schubert Capriglione King of Uvalde Shaheen Clardy Klick Sheffield Coleman Koop Shine Collier Krause Simmons Cook Kuempel Smithee Cortez Lambert Springer Cosper Landgraf Stephenson Craddick Lang Stickland Cyrier Larson Stucky Dale Laubenberg Swanson Darby Leach Thierry Davis of Dallas Longoria Thompson of Brazoria Davis of Harris Lozano Thompson of Harris Dean Lucio III Tinderholt Deshotel Martinez Turner Dukes Metcalf Uresti Dutton Meyer VanDeaver Elkins Miller Villalba Faircloth Minjarez Vo Fallon Moody Walle Farrar Morrison White Flynn Muñoz, Jr. Wilson Frank Murphy Workman Frullo Murr Wray Geren Neave Wu Gervin-Hawkins Nevárez Zedler Giddings Oliveira Zerwas