| 1 | 1 | | 88R15380 TBO-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Leo-Wilson H.R. No. 447 |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 6 | 6 | | WHEREAS, Family farms and ranches have long been essential to |
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| 7 | 7 | | the economy and culture of the Lone Star State, and the White Ranch |
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| 8 | 8 | | in Chambers County is indeed deserving of recognition for its |
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| 9 | 9 | | important role in the history of Southeast Texas; and |
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| 10 | 10 | | WHEREAS, The White Ranch traces its origins back to 1828, |
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| 11 | 11 | | when James Taylor White settled in present-day Chambers County and |
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| 12 | 12 | | established the first Anglo-owned cattle ranch in Texas; the |
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| 13 | 13 | | operation began with a stock of a dozen cattle, and over the years, |
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| 14 | 14 | | the herd grew to some 10,000 head; a pioneer in the cattle-raising |
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| 15 | 15 | | industry, Mr. White developed what would stand for many years as the |
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| 16 | 16 | | industry's prime business model, trailing cattle from the ranch |
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| 17 | 17 | | where they were raised to market; he drove his cattle along the |
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| 18 | 18 | | Opelousas Trail to a more lucrative market in Louisiana; and |
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| 19 | 19 | | WHEREAS, The ranch has been operated by the White family for |
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| 20 | 20 | | many generations, and its original "Crossed W" brand is the oldest |
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| 21 | 21 | | Texas cattle brand in continuous use; during the 1860s, James |
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| 22 | 22 | | Taylor White II and his brother-in-law, James Jackson, built one of |
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| 23 | 23 | | the first cattle fences at the ranch; today, James Taylor White's |
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| 24 | 24 | | great-great-great-grandson Bill White and his wife, Katherine, are |
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| 25 | 25 | | holding the reins, and they have continued the tradition of |
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| 26 | 26 | | swimming their cattle across the Intracoastal Canal each fall to |
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| 27 | 27 | | winter pasture on Bolivar Peninsula and then back in the spring; and |
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| 28 | 28 | | WHEREAS, For nearly two centuries, the White Ranch has |
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| 29 | 29 | | contributed to the rich heritage of Southeast Texas, and the White |
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| 30 | 30 | | family may take great pride in all they have done to make the ranch |
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| 31 | 31 | | one of the treasures of the Lone Star State; now, therefore, be it |
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| 32 | 32 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas |
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| 33 | 33 | | Legislature hereby recognize the White Ranch as the oldest |
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| 34 | 34 | | Anglo-owned cattle ranch in continuous operation in Southeast Texas |
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| 35 | 35 | | and extend to the members of the White family sincere best wishes |
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| 36 | 36 | | for the future; and, be it further |
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| 37 | 37 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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| 38 | 38 | | prepared for the family as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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| 39 | 39 | | House of Representatives. |
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