89R27898 BPG-D
By: Hall S.R. No. 520
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Rosser Coke Newton Sr. of Dallas has published an
important biography of our state's 15th governor, Richard Coke:
Texan; and
WHEREAS, An indirect descendant of Governor Coke, Mr. Newton
recognized that the politician's life and the post-Reconstruction
era had been largely unexplored; Governor Coke led the state in its
recovery from the upheaval of the Civil War, quelled lawlessness at
the border, and oversaw the drafting and ratification of the Texas
Constitution, which endures as the state's governing document;
elected in 1874, he was a fierce proponent of states' rights and a
critic of federal intervention, and he went on to serve as a U.S.
senator; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Newton conducted extensive research in a wide
range of sources, including first-person accounts, correspondence,
family records, and documentation of debates during constitutional
conventions, the Secession Convention, and legislative sessions;
his book was published in November 2024 by Stoney Creek Publishing
Group, part of the Texas Book Consortium, which is affiliated with
Texas A&M University Press; and
WHEREAS, By profession a prominent businessman, Mr. Newton
collects Texas memorabilia and serves as a trustee for the Dallas
Historical Society; he is a cofounder and co-chair of the Alamo
Letter Society, which places bronze plaques engraved with William
B. Travis's historic "Victory or Death" missive in county
courthouses around the state; and
WHEREAS, Rosser Newton has demonstrated an admirable
commitment to expanding knowledge of our state's fascinating
history, and his work is sure to be appreciated by future
generations; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the Senate of the 89th Texas Legislature
hereby honor Rosser Coke Newton Sr. for his biography of former
Texas governor Richard Coke and extend to him sincere best wishes
for continued success in his scholarly endeavors; and, be it
further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for Mr. Newton as an expression of high regard by the Texas
Senate.