SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 656
WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas is pleased to
join the Harris County Historical Commission in celebrating the
dedication of an official Texas Historical Marker for the
Morse-Bragg Cemetery, which is taking place May 12, 2017; and
WHEREAS, Agur Tomlinson Morse and his wife, Grace Baldwin
Morse, left their cotton plantation in Mississippi and settled in
Texas in 1851; they established the Pleasant Bend plantation,
which eventually grew to encompass nearly eight square miles of
land; today, that area includes much of modern Houston's
Tanglewood, Post Oak-Galleria, River Oaks, West University
Place, and Southside Place neighborhoods; and
WHEREAS, Through the years, numerous additions were made
to the plantation, including a grist mill, a cotton gin, a steam
sawmill, and a cemetery; the cemetery was used from the early
1850s by the Morse family and the Pleasant Bend community; and
WHEREAS, The cemetery is the final resting place for many
of the early citizens of rural Harris County, including Thaddeus
Bell, the first male child born in Stephen F. Austin's colony,
several members of the African American Banks family, and
numerous Confederate veterans; the land was deeded in 1874 for
continued use by the Morse family with an additional section sold
to Benjamin A. Bragg; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 85th
Legislature, hereby commend the Harris County Historical
Commission on its commitment to preserving the area's heritage
and extend to its members best wishes for a memorable Texas
Historical Marker dedication for the Morse-Bragg Cemetery; and,
be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared in
honor of this special occasion.
Huffman
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President of the Senate
I hereby certify that the
above Resolution was adopted by
the Senate on April 24, 2017.
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Secretary of the Senate
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Member, Texas Senate