1/26/1839: Republic passes homestead law, sets aside land for education
On this day in 1839, the Congress of the Republic of Texas passed two important pieces of legislation: a homestead act and an act setting aside land for public schools and two universities.
The homestead act, patterned somewhat after legislation of Coahuila and Texas, was designed to encourage home ownership. It guaranteed every citizen or head of family in the republic "fifty acres of land or one town lot, including his or her homestead, and improvements not exceeding five hundred dollars in value." The education act was inspired by President Mirabeau Lamar's determination to establish a system of education endowed by public lands but failed to produce the desired results immediately because land prices were too low for this endowment to provide revenue. There was also some popular indifference on the county level to the establishment of schools, as evidenced by the fact that by 1855 thirty-eight counties had made no effort even to survey their school land. Nevertheless, Lamar's advocacy of the program earned for him the nickname "Father of Texas Education."
1/26/1839: Republic of Texas charters Houston and Brazos Railroad
On this day in 1839, the Republic of Texas chartered the Houston and Brazos Railroad, one of four lines chartered by the Republic.
The company was granted the right to build railroads and turnpikes from Houston to the Brazos River. Michel B. Menard, Augustus C. Allen, James Love, Moseley Baker, and William A. Pettus were among the company's directors. The ceremony marking the beginning of construction was set to coincide with the fourth anniversary observance of the Odd Fellows in Texas. On the morning of July 25, 1840, the celebration began at the Presbyterian church in Houston with an address commemorating the Odd Fellows anniversary. From the church a procession of volunteer companies, members of the bar, medical faculty, army and naval officers, citizens, county officers, mayor and aldermen, Odd Fellows, Masons, the president and directors of the railroad company, the committee of arrangements, orator, and officiating clergyman formed and marched to the terminus of the railroad. Mayor Charles Bigelow broke ground with a spade, Holland Lodge No. 1 laid "a neat slab with fitting inscriptions," and the Milam Guards fired a salute. The procession then proceeded to Corri's Theater for more speeches. Despite these beginnings, however, the company was unable to construct its railroad and soon lost its charter privileges.
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