The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 63, July 1959 - April, 1960 Page: 150
684 p. : ill., maps, ports. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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Southwestern Historical Quarterly
of the traditional Association lanterns. The table surface in the
foreground featured the Junior Historian division, the Handbook
of Texas, and the Quarterly and Cumulative Index. Selected books
from the Association's publication list were used to separate the
three main divisions.
"Campus Showcase" received much favorable comment, and
the Association's display elicited particularly affirmative reaction.
On April 15, 1959, the Galveston Historical Foundation spon-
sored the dedication ceremony that marked the formal opening of
the Williams-Tucker House, the first historical home in the city
to be restored through the foundation's efforts. Presiding at the
ceremony was Mrs. Paul Brindley, the foundation's president,
who has carried so much of the burden of shepherding the res-
toration project to completion.
I was present as the representative of the Texas State Historical
Association and spoke on the heritage left by Samuel M. Williams
and Philip C. Tucker, Jr., the original owners of the house:
In many ways I think we may consider this an auspicious oc-
casion both for Galveston and for Texas. This is the occasion of
an exercise in good citizenship. We have assembled here in a cere-
mony which is to pay tribute to a part of the Texas heritage and
particularly to honor the memory of two outstanding Texans-
Samuel May Williams and Philip C. Tucker, Jr.-whose careers
became entwined in a house, in a city, and somewhat in the simi-
larities of their services to Texas.
Samuel May Williams, the progenitor of this house, was born in
Providence, Rhode Island, on October 4, 1795. As a young man he
learned business accuracy and record keeping as is so ably attested
by the rich documentary collection in the Rosenberg Library here.
By 1822 he was in Texas and in the fall of 1824 Williams became the
official secretary of Stephen F. Austin's Colony and took over the
public land office at San Felipe de Austin. He was systematic and
practical; he shouldered responsibilities and gave direction and lead-
ership during Austin's many absences. He was the first postmaster
at San Felipe and secretary of the ayuntamiento from 1828 through
1832.
Early in 1834 Williams joined with Thomas F. McKinney to found
the commercial firm of McKinney and Williams. Williams thus was
in part a founder of the maritime commerce of Texas. The firm and
its three small steamers on the Brazos gave support to the revolu-
tionary party and, when war finally came, gave naval, materiel, and150
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 63, July 1959 - April, 1960, periodical, 1960; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101186/m1/186/: accessed April 25, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.