TITLE: Commemorating the dedication of the Official Texas Historical Marker honoring 19th-century horse breeder William B. Fleming.

SUMMARY: Commemorating the dedication of the Official Texas Historical Marker honoring 19th-century horse breeder William B. Fleming.

FULL TEXT:
WHEREAS, The Gonzales County Historical Commission is celebrating the dedication of an Official Texas Historical Marker honoring notable 19th-century quarter horse breeder William B. Fleming on May 9, 2015; and WHEREAS, Born in Lumpkin County, Georgia, in 1830, Billy Fleming arrived in Texas before he turned 20; he enlisted in the Texas Ranger Mounted Volunteers and served on the frontier with Company Cbefore joining the Confederate Army; during the Civil War, he was wounded a number of times and lost the full use of his right arm and hand; and WHEREAS, After the war ended, Mr. Fleming settled in Gonzales County, and in 1871 he purchased land on the south bank of the Guadalupe River in partnership with Charles Erasmus Littlefield; a fine judge of horses, he bought a stallion that was in terrible condition, having long been kept chained to a tree, and restored it to health; he called him Old Billy, and the steed established a line of quarter horses known as Billys, which were particularly popular with cowboys, rodeo performers, and racing enthusiasts; and WHEREAS, For decades, Mr. Fleming lived on his small ranch between Seguin and Gonzales, where the vestiges of his log cabin can still be seen; his skill as a breeder led to South Texas becoming known as "land of the Billys"; when he finally grew too old to care for his beloved horses, he sold them to a friend who lived near Seguin and then moved to stay close to them until his passing on April 30, 1911; and WHEREAS, Today, Old Billy is regarded as a foundation sire of the quarter horse, and the placement of a historical marker in tribute to William Fleming will remind future generations of the important role that this Gonzales County pioneer played in the development of that legendary breed; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas Legislature hereby commemorate the dedication of the Official Texas Historical Marker honoring William B. Fleming and extend sincere appreciation to all those involved in the effort to secure this award; and, be it further RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be prepared for the Gonzales County Historical Commission as an expression of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives. Cyrier Straus Gonz lez Otto Allen Guerra Paddie Alonzo Guillen Parker Alvarado Gutierrez Paul Anchia Harless Pe a Anderson of Dallas Hernandez Phelan Anderson of McLennan Herrero Phillips Ashby Howard Pickett Aycock Huberty Price Bell Hughes Raney Bernal Hunter Raymond Blanco Isaac Reynolds Bohac Israel Riddle Bonnen of Brazoria Johnson Rinaldi Bonnen of Galveston Kacal Rodriguez of Bexar Burkett Keffer Rodriguez of Travis Burns Keough Romero, Jr. Burrows King of Hemphill Rose Button King of Parker Sanford Canales King of Taylor Schaefer Capriglione King of Uvalde Schofield Clardy Klick Schubert Coleman Koop Shaheen Collier Krause Sheets Cook Kuempel Sheffield Craddick Landgraf Simmons Crownover Larson Simpson Cyrier Laubenberg Smith Dale Leach Smithee Darby Longoria Spitzer Davis of Dallas Lozano Springer Davis of Harris Lucio III Stephenson Deshotel M rquez Stickland Dukes Martinez Thompson of Brazoria Dutton Martinez Fischer Thompson of Harris Elkins McClendon Tinderholt Faircloth Metcalf Turner of Collin Fallon Meyer Turner of Harris Farias Miles Turner of Tarrant Farney Miller of Comal VanDeaver Farrar Miller of Fort Bend Villalba Fletcher Minjarez Vo Flynn Moody Walle Frank Morrison White of Bell Frullo Mu oz, Jr. White of Tyler Galindo Murphy Workman Geren Murr Wray Giddings Naishtat Wu Goldman Nev rez Zedler Gonzales Oliveira Zerwas Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 2420 was adopted by the House on May 11, 2015, by a non-record vote. Chief Clerk of the House