Texas Heritage, Summer 2002 Page: 20
46 p. : ill. ; 28 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
known in total about these women. Many of the first ladies were
still alive during the author's lifetime, so the information she
gathered generally came from first-hand reminiscences of either
the former first ladies themselves, or from friends and acquaintances.The second book written almost 65 years later, First Ladies of
Texas: The First One Hundred Years, 1836 to 1936, by Mary D.
Farrell and Elizabeth Silverthorne, chronicles the lives of the
governors' spouses and includes the wives of the presidents of the
Republic of Texas. This work is by far the most comprehensive
to date.
For the most part, the biographical references to the first ladies
have, out of respect, ironed out the rough spots and diminished
any signs of unpleasantness that might have occurred in their
lives. This can lead to the assumption, at first glance, that these
ladies were somehow superhuman or candidates for sainthood.
They were not. These women tenaciously endured their share of
hardships, disappointments, and joys before, during, and after
their time in the mansion.
War, love, death, civil unrest, marriages, births, and the
sweeping change of history have swirled around the first ladies.
The stories of their lives read like a primer on Texas history. The
years they lived in the mansion may have in some ways reflected
the high point of their lives, but for most of the women, it was
merely something to be taken in stride. The very first of the first
ladies of Texas never lived in the Governor's Mansion, since
there was no mansion for her to live in. In fact, Frances
Henderson did not even venture to Austin during the term ofher husband James
Pinkney Henderson.
This choice was not
without some justification.
The new capital
in Austin was a
wilderness outpost for
all practical purposes,
so the Hendersons
continued to live in
San Augustine. That
city was not necessarily
safer than Austin,
but at least the Henderson's sturdy house offered some protection
from the dangers of the frontier. While James was away from
the plantation, carrying out his duties as governor, Frances
supervised the operations of the farm while at the same time caring
for her five children. She was too busy tending the business
of daily life to come to Austin even if there had been an official
residence for her to occupy.
Frances Henderson was nonetheless a unique woman to be
found living in the Texas wilderness. In many ways, she was a
fine prototype for the other governors' wives to emulate. Frances
eventually learned to speak 18 languages fluently while understanding
and reading seven others. In later life she wrote several
notable books, the most famous of which is entitled Priscilla
Baker, Freed Woman. Even though Frances never occupied the
mansion, she was a shining example of the grace and accomHERITAGE a SUMMER 2002
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Periodical.
Texas Historical Foundation. Texas Heritage, Summer 2002, periodical, Summer 2002; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth45381/m1/20/: accessed April 23, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas Historical Foundation.