H.R. No. 997
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, The citizens of Henderson County take great pride in
the area's rich history and in a county government with a deep
commitment to preserving the region's heritage; and
WHEREAS, Set amid the picturesque timberlands and rolling
hills of East Texas, the area was originally home to several Native
American tribes; European settlers arrived after the Texas
Revolution in 1836 and founded the community of Buffalo; carved out
of Nacogdoches and Houston Counties, Henderson County was
established on April 27, 1846, and named for James Pinckney
Henderson, the first governor of the State of Texas; two years
later, it was reconfigured within its present borders, and the
county seat was moved to Athens, which was chosen as the site for
the "courthouse under the oaks"; and
WHEREAS, Today, the county's economy benefits from cattle
ranching, timber, retail trade, and tourism, among other
enterprises, and visitors and residents alike delight in the
opportunities for hunting, fishing, and birding along the Texas
Forest Trail and the Texas Lakes Trail; and
WHEREAS, The county is fortunate to have many dedicated
public officials who work tirelessly to preserve this rich heritage
while helping to build a more prosperous future; these include
County Judge Wade McKinney and the members of the Commissioners
Court, Wendy Spivey of Precinct 1, Scott Tuley of Precinct 2,
Charles "Chuck" McHam of Precinct 3, and Mark Richardson of
Precinct 4, as well as county attorney Clint Davis, county clerk
Mary Margaret Wright, tax assessor Peggy Goodall, county treasurer
Michael Bynum, and district clerk Betty Herriage; and
WHEREAS, The county's expert law enforcement personnel
include Sheriff Botie Hillhouse and constables Thomas Goodell of
Precinct 1, Mitch Baker of Precinct 2, David Grubbs of Precinct 3,
John Floyd of Precinct 4, and Brad Miers of Precinct 5; the courts
benefit from the efforts of district attorney Jenny Palmer, Judge
Dan Moore of the 173rd District Court, Judge Scott McKee of the
392nd District Court, Judge Mark Calhoon of the 3rd District Court,
Judge Scott Williams of County Court at Law 1, and Judge Nancy
Perryman of County Court at Law 2; and
WHEREAS, The year 2021 marks the 175th anniversary of
Henderson County, and its hardworking and innovative residents
continue to honor their history as they look forward to the
challenges and opportunities that lie ahead; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 87th Texas
Legislature hereby pay tribute to the heritage of Henderson County
and extend to the county's elected officials sincere best wishes
for continued success in their important work; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for Henderson County as an expression of high regard by the
Texas House of Representatives.
Ellzey
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 997 was adopted by the House on May 8,
2021, by a non-record vote.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House