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| 3 | 4 | | |
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| 4 | 5 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 5 | 6 | | WHEREAS, Current and former residents of Ables Springs, in |
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| 6 | 7 | | Kaufman County, celebrated the Ables Springs Cemetery centennial |
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| 7 | 8 | | homecoming on July 16, 2017; and |
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| 8 | 9 | | WHEREAS, The community of Ables Springs is situated on land |
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| 9 | 10 | | that was granted in 1838 to Ezekiel Ables; Mr. Ables's son and |
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| 10 | 11 | | daughter-in-law, James and Eliza Ables, settled on the property in |
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| 11 | 12 | | 1853, and in 1878 they donated approximately nine acres to the |
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| 12 | 13 | | Methodist Episcopal Church, South; in addition to using that land |
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| 13 | 14 | | for campground meetings, area residents built a tabernacle, church |
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| 14 | 15 | | building, and school there and also established a cemetery; the |
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| 15 | 16 | | first known burial took place in 1880, and a number of Civil War |
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| 16 | 17 | | veterans were subsequently interred in the graveyard, which was |
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| 17 | 18 | | designated a Historic Texas Cemetery by the Texas Historical |
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| 18 | 19 | | Commission in 2002; the cemetery has continued to expand over the |
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| 19 | 20 | | years, and today it remains a place where residents can lay their |
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| 20 | 21 | | loved ones to rest; and |
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| 21 | 22 | | WHEREAS, Individuals with ties to this close-knit community |
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| 22 | 23 | | have been coming together for an annual homecoming celebration |
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| 23 | 24 | | since 1917; this year's gathering, organized by the Ables Springs |
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| 24 | 25 | | Cemetery Association, featured a lunch, a memorial service, and a |
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| 25 | 26 | | cookbook sale that helped raise funds for cemetery maintenance; and |
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| 26 | 27 | | WHEREAS, The Ables Springs Cemetery has played an important |
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| 27 | 28 | | role in the community for nearly 140 years, and this special |
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| 28 | 29 | | occasion presents a welcome opportunity to recognize this historic |
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| 29 | 30 | | site; now, therefore, be it |
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| 30 | 31 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas |
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| 31 | 32 | | Legislature, 1st Called Session, hereby commemorate the 100th |
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| 32 | 33 | | anniversary of the Ables Springs Cemetery homecoming and extend to |
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| 33 | 34 | | all the members of the Ables Springs Cemetery Association sincere |
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| 34 | 35 | | best wishes for the future; and, be it further |
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| 35 | 36 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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| 36 | 37 | | prepared for the association as an expression of high regard by the |
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| 37 | 38 | | Texas House of Representatives. |
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