1915: Legislature passes bill to pay for governor’s “chicken salad and punch” On this day in 1915, the state legislature passed an appropriations bill to pay for expenses incurred by former governor Oscar Branch Colquitt for “chicken salad and punch,” among other items, during his term in office. An ensuingContinue Reading
1899: “Madam Candelaria” dies at age 113 On this day in 1899, Andrea Castañón Villanueva (Madam Candelaria), who claimed to be a survivor of the battle of the Alamo, died at age 113 in San Antonio. She said she had been born in Laredo in 1785, though other sources sayContinue Reading
1902: NAACP leader born in Round Rock On this day in 1902, Juanita Shanks Craft was born in Round Rock, Texas. Her long record as a civil-rights activist began when she joined the Dallas branch of the NAACP in 1935. She was appointed Dallas NAACP membership chairman in 1942 andContinue Reading
1887: Violence presages end of notorious red-light district On this day in 1887, “Longhair Jim” Courtright, former town marshall of Fort Worth, was killed in a gunfight with Luke Short. This was one of the most famous gunfights in western history–and, contrary to the movie legends, one of the fewContinue Reading
1855: Cowboy, author, and detective born on Texas coast On this day in 1855, Charles Siringo was born in Matagorda County. Beginning in 1870, he worked as a cowboy, part of the time for Shanghai Pierce, and later helped establish the LX Ranch. While working as an LX cowboy, heContinue Reading
1879: First Czech newspaper in Texas On this day in 1879, the first issue of the Texan, the first Czech newspaper in Texas, appeared. Though the periodical, published by E. J. Glueckman, lasted little more than a decade, it reflected the rich influence of the Czech culture in Texas and wasContinue Reading
1955: Snakebite pioneer succumbs On this day in 1955, Martin Lalor Crimmins, noted herpetologist, army officer, and military historian, died in San Antonio. Born in New York, he attended Georgetown College and the University of Virginia Medical School but joined Teddy Roosevelt’s Rough Riders in San Antonio just before graduation.Continue Reading