Heritage Society sponsors cemetery marker

Members of the Texas Heritage Society, Inc., The Harris County Historical Commission and the San Jacinto Descendants gather for a photo following the Official Texas Historical Marker Dedication Ceremony at Glenwood Cemetery, commemorating Anson Jones, the Last President of the Republic of Texas.This news release comes from the Texas Heritage Society:

Members of the Texas Heritage Society, Inc., The Harris County Historical Commission and the San Jacinto Descendants gather for a photo following the Official Texas Historical Marker Dedication Ceremony at Glenwood Cemetery,
commemorating Anson Jones, the Last President of the Republic of Texas. (January 20, 1798 - January 9 1858).

The Texas Heritage Society, Inc. and the Harris County Historical Commission sponsored the Anson Jones Official Texas Historical Marker Dedication on November 21, 2009 at
Glenwood Cemetery, 2525 Washington Street in Houston. Marker financial sponsorship was provided by the San Jacinto Descendants and the Harris County Historical Commission Mentor was Gina Bouchard of the
San Jacinto Descendants. The Marker Planning Committee members are Bernice Mistrot and Debra Blacklock Sloan of the Harris County Historical Commission; Loy Anderson and Bonnie Ambrus of Glenwood Cemetery; and Kameron Kent Searle,
President of the Texas Heritage Society and his committee: Melinda R. Cagle, Brenda Horton, David Martin, Carole Lynn O'Neal, Marisa Searle, Pat Spackey, and Carolyn Terrell.

Kameron K Searle, J.D., President of the Texas Heritage Society expressed deep appreciation to all who participated in the ceremony. The ceremony began with a Bagpipe medley by Stanley Fontaine.
Will Haddock and the Sons of the Republic of Texas led Pledges to the American Flag and the Texas Flag. Flags for the ceremony were provided by Tom Green. The Invocation was given by Francita Ulmer of the San Jacinto Descendants.
Kameron Searle introduced Mayor Bill White, City of Houston who brought special greetings and appreciation for those who preserve Texas History. Following a History of Anson Jones, Kameron Searle introduced the speakers for the ceremony: Jon Fleming, M.D. - Harris County Medical Society; Nancy Morris, President General-San Jacinto Descendants; Carlos R. Hamilton, Jr.,MD, - Past President of the Harris County Medical Society; Pam Skaggs, Curator-Barrington Living History Farm, Washington-on-the Brazos State Park; Eron Brimbery Tynes, President ,The Daughters of the Republc of Texas-San Jacinto chapter; Joanne Seale Wilson, Historian - Glenwood Cemetery; and Vernon Burke, Past Grand Master of Texas - Masons of Texas. Proclamations were read by Debra Blacklock Sloan and Bernice Mistrot of the Harris County Historical Commission. Patrick Van Pelt, Chairman of the Harris County Historical Commission and Vernon Burke, Masons of Texas unveiled the marker which was followed by "Amazing Grace" provided by Stanley Fontaine, Bagpiper, and a black powder gun salute by the Sons of the Republic of Texas.

The Texas Historical Commission Official Marker reads:

ANSON JONES (JANUARY 20, 1798 - JANUARY 9, 1858)

ANSON JONES WAS BORN IN GREAT BARRINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS. HE EARNED HIS M.D. DEGREE IN PHILADELPHIA IN 1827. BY OCTOBER 1833, JONES HAD MOVED TO TEXAS, ESTABLISHING A SUCCESSFUL
MEDICAL PRACTICE IN BRAZORIA. IN 1835, HE HELPED ORGANIZE HOLLAND LODGE NO. 36, THE FIRST MASONIC LODGE IN TEXAS. IN 1836, JONES JOINED IN TEXAS' WAR FOR INDEPENDENCE AND SERVED AS JUDGE
ADVOCATE AND SURGEON OF THE SECOND REGIMENT. HE FOUGHT AS A PRIVATE IN THE BATTLE OF SAN JACINTO. AFTER THE WAR, JONES RETURNED TO HIS MEDICAL PRACTICE AND IN 1837 WAS ELECTED
TO THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE. THAT YEAR, HE WAS ALSO ELECTED AS THE FIRST GRAND MASTER OF MASONS IN TEXAS AND WAS AMONG THE NOTED CHARTER MEMBERS WHO ORGANIZED THE PHILOSOPHICAL
SOCIETY OF TEXAS. IN 1838, SAM HOUSTON APPOINTED JONES AS MINISTER PLENIPOTENTIARY OF THE REPUBLIC OF TEXAS. IN THIS POSITION, HE BEGAN TO STIMULATE AMERICAN SUPPORT FOR ANNEXATION BY
STRENTHENING TEXAS' TIES WITH GREAT BRITAIN AND FRANCE, PLAYING AT U.S. INSECURITIES. JONES MARRIED MARY SMITH McCRORY IN 1840; SHE WAS LATER ELECTED THE FIRST PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF TEXAS.
IN 1841, PRESIDENT HOUSTON APPOINTED JONES AS SECRETARY OF STATE, WHERE HE FURTHER ENCOURAGED ANNEXATION, IN 1844, JONES WAS ELECTED PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBIC OF TEXAS; HE BECAME THE
COUNTRY'S LAST PRESIDENT WHEN THE U.S. ANNEXED TEXAS ON DECEMBER 29, 1845. AT A FORMAL CEREMONY IN AUSTIN ON FEBRUARY 19, 1846, JONES LOWERED THE LONE STAR FLAG AND DECLARED. "THE
REPUBLIC OF TEXAS IS NO MORE." HE RETIRED TO BARRINGTON, HIS PLANTATION NEAR WHAT IS NOW WASHINGTON-ON-THE-BRAZOS, WHERE HE SPENT MUCH OF HIS TIME WRITING. TODAY, ANSON JONES IS
REMEMBERED FOR HIS MULTITUDE OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS, INCLUDING THOSE THAT EARNED HIM THE NICKNAME, "THE ARCHITECT OF ANNEXATION."

The Harris County Historical Commission is composed of 50 local historians who are appointed by the County Judge and Harris County Commissioners Court for two year terms. All are volunteers, dedicated to preserving, protecting, and
documenting Harris County history. HCHC reviews all Harris County applications for state historical markers and Historic Texas Cemetery designation before they are submitted to the Texas Hisorical Commission and assists applicants
throughout the application process. At this time, there are nearly 400 Official Texas Historical markers and dozens of designated Historic Texas Cemeteries in Harris County.
For further information on the Harris County Historical Commission, visit the website at www.harrischc.org [1]. The website for the Texas Historical Commission is www.thc.state.tx.us [2]

The Texas Heritage Society, Inc. is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting awareness and appreciation of Texas' rich and unique history. It is based in The Woodlands, Texas. One of the main goals of the Texas Heritage Society
is to provide historians with a forum to present their research over a broad range of Texas historical subjects. THS publishes scholarly articles in the Journal of Texas Heritage, selected articles on its Web site, and other books and pamphlets.
General meetins are held quarterly in March, June, September, and December. Historic Site Tours are held quarterly in February, May, July and November. For further information on the Texas Heritage Society, Inc, visit the website at
www.texasheritagesociety.org [3] or call (281) 398-8871 or (832) 326-0835. Membership is encouraged from throughout the state of Texas and dues may be mailed to The Texas Heritage Society, 71 East Kentwick Place, The Woodlands, Texas 77384-5109