| 1 | 1 | | H.R. No. 1280 |
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| 2 | 2 | | |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 5 | 5 | | WHEREAS, The Alexander Farm in Austin's Pilot Knob community |
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| 6 | 6 | | recently celebrated its 175th anniversary; and |
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| 7 | 7 | | WHEREAS, One of the oldest farms in Travis County, the |
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| 8 | 8 | | Alexander Farm was founded in 1847 by Daniel Alexander, a renowned |
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| 9 | 9 | | horse breeder and trainer; he was still enslaved at the time by the |
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| 10 | 10 | | McKinney family, whose members transferred just over 73 acres to |
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| 11 | 11 | | him through a verbal contract, which was finalized at last more than |
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| 12 | 12 | | three decades later; possession of the property allowed |
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| 13 | 13 | | Mr. Alexander and his wife, Emeline, to keep their family together |
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| 14 | 14 | | and build a legacy; he continued to breed and train thoroughbreds |
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| 15 | 15 | | and quarter horses after emancipation; and |
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| 16 | 16 | | WHEREAS, Daniel Alexander's son, Milton Winston Alexander, |
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| 17 | 17 | | expanded operations by purchasing adjacent and nearby properties; |
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| 18 | 18 | | his son, Milton Everett Alexander, eventually bought out other |
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| 19 | 19 | | heirs in order to ensure the farm's continuation under family |
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| 20 | 20 | | ownership; transitioning to dairy farming, he prospered as supplier |
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| 21 | 21 | | for six different dairy companies; he and his son, Marcellus |
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| 22 | 22 | | Alexander Sr., maintained a variety of livestock; and |
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| 23 | 23 | | WHEREAS, Over the years, the Alexanders faced the same |
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| 24 | 24 | | threats from gentrification and eminent domain as other |
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| 25 | 25 | | African-American farmers; in 1968, the Texas Department of |
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| 26 | 26 | | Transportation seized five acres when it rerouted U.S. Highway 183, |
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| 27 | 27 | | cutting off the farm's original entrance and isolating a fertile |
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| 28 | 28 | | section on the other side of the freeway, which abuts the family |
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| 29 | 29 | | cemetery; while the sixth generation of Alexanders raises beef |
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| 30 | 30 | | cattle, rampant development and proposed highway construction |
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| 31 | 31 | | present new perils; ever resolute, the family has collaborated with |
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| 32 | 32 | | the Hill Country Conservancy to protect the land and partnered in |
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| 33 | 33 | | USDA initiatives that promote resiliency; the farm has been |
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| 34 | 34 | | recognized by the Texas Department of Agriculture's Family Land |
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| 35 | 35 | | Heritage program; and |
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| 36 | 36 | | WHEREAS, Black-owned farms are increasingly rare in the |
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| 37 | 37 | | United States, and Black history has too often been erased, but |
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| 38 | 38 | | through their careful stewardship, the Alexander family has |
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| 39 | 39 | | preserved and renewed a vital heritage; now, therefore, be it |
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| 40 | 40 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas |
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| 41 | 41 | | Legislature hereby commemorate the 175th anniversary of the |
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| 42 | 42 | | Alexander Farm and commend the members of the Alexander family for |
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| 43 | 43 | | their devotion to a priceless legacy; and, be it further |
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| 44 | 44 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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| 45 | 45 | | prepared for the Alexander family as an expression of high regard by |
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| 46 | 46 | | the Texas House of Representatives. |
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| 47 | 47 | | Flores |
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| 48 | 48 | | Thompson of Harris |
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| 49 | 49 | | ______________________________ |
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| 50 | 50 | | Speaker of the House |
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| 51 | 51 | | I certify that H.R. No. 1280 was adopted by the House on May |
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| 52 | 52 | | 6, 2023, by a non-record vote. |
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| 53 | 53 | | ______________________________ |
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| 54 | 54 | | Chief Clerk of the House |
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