1/25/1834: First church meeting in Texas
On this day in 1834, the first legally organized Baptist church meeting in Texas took place at Daniel Parker's home in present Anderson County.
Parker, who came to Texas in 1833 to apply for a land grant, realized that a Baptist church could not be formally organized on Texas soil without breaking Mexican law. Therefore, he went back to Illinois, where he and seven others organized the Pilgrim Predestinarian Regular Baptist Church. The group then traveled by wagon train to Texas. In 1837 Pilgrim Church gave Parker and Garrison Greenwood authority to organize Primitive Baptist churches and ordain ministers and deacons. By 1841 they had established eight churches in Texas. Pilgrim Church had met in many different locations since 1834, and in 1848 the members voted to build a meetinghouse where Parker had been buried, at the present location of Pilgrim Church, 2.5 miles southeast of Elkhart.
1/25/1779: Isleño leader dies
On this day in 1779, Vicente Ãlvarez Travieso, leader of the isleño settlers of San Antonio, died.
Ãlvarez Travieso was born on the island of Tenerife in 1705. When Spanish royal authorities, hoping to reduce the expense of a purely military settlement, decided on a plan to transfer a number of Canary Islanders to Texas, Ãlvarez Travieso joined them. When they arrived at their new home, San Fernando de Béxar (now San Antonio), in 1731, the isleños established the first regularly organized municipal government in Texas and elected Ãlvarez Travieso alguacil mayor (chief constable) for life. He soon became a leading spokesman for the colonists and something of a problem for the colonial administration. When the islanders were refused permission to travel to Saltillo for medical attention, Ãlvarez Travieso launched a series of lawsuits on behalf of his disgruntled companions. In the 1770s the Ãlvarez Travieso clan became known for their vigorous pursuit of unbranded stray cattle, many of which had wandered away from neighboring mission pastures. To stop such "excesses" Governor Vicencio de Ripperdá conducted two rustling trials against the ranchers of the San Antonio River valley. Ãlvarez Travieso died just after these proceedings.
1/25/1839: Lone Star heraldry
On this day in 1839, the Republic of Texas Congress adopted the Texas coat of arms -- a white star of five points on an azure ground encircled by olive and live oak branches. The national seal bore these arms encircled by the words Republic of Texas. In 1845 the designation was altered from Republic to State.
Topic: 25 January Happenin's! (Read 56 times)