36 Club has Texas history lesson

James Best, Lampasas Middle School seventh-grade Texas history teacher, spoke to the GFWC/ TFWC 36 Club March 13 in the home of Bea Hohman.

Best discussed the three navies of Texas. Government officials in Washington-on-the-Brazos established an official Texas Navy, the first navy.

In 1836, four schooners were purchased: Invincible, Brutus, Independence and Liberty.

Under the command of Commodore Charles Edward Hawkins, they became the first Texas Navy, and it was able to prevent a Mexican blockade of the Texas coast, seizing Mexican ships carrying reinforcements and supplies which were confiscated and sent to the Texas Volunteer Army.

All four ships were lost at sea, run aground or sold by 1837.

Mexico continued to refuse to acknowledge the independence of the Republic of Texas, so in 1839, Gov. Mirabeau Lamar and the Texas Congress acquired six new vessels and placed them under the command of Commodore Edwin Moore, thus the second Texas Navy.

For three years this Texas Navy raided the Mexican coast and kept the Mexican fleet focused on defending its own coastline.

Sam Houston was not in favor of having a navy and managed to get Moore and his crews labeled as pirates. When repairs were necessary on the ships, Moore usually ended up paying out of his own pocket.

In 1843, Houston announced the sale of the ships by auction at New Orleans, and many buyers attended. However, the outraged citizens of Galveston heckled the buyers to prevent them from bidding, and the ships were bought by Galveston.

When Texas joined the Union in 1845, the ships became a part of the U.S. Navy. Crew of the ships tried to go with their ships, and finally in 1850, the U.S. offered the sailors five years of salaries if they would agree to refrain from asking for more salaries. Moore was reimbursed by Congress for his contributions.

The third Texas Navy was commissioned by Gov. Price Daniel in 1958, as a commemorative organization to assure the survival of Texas' Naval history, boundaries, water resources and civil defense of the state. It also helps preserve the memory of the seaborne valor of those who helped create the Lone Star State.

Gov. Preston Smith returned the headquarters of the third Texas Navy to its original base in Galveston in 1970.

The flag ship of the Texas Navy is the USS Texas, a World War II and II battleship berthed at the San Jacinto Monument in LaPorte. Other ships in the Navy include aircraft carriers, submarines, nuclearpowered submarines, destroyers, PT boats and more. Some are still on active duty, while others are in dry dock.

Twenty members were on hand for the meeting hosted by Nada Thogmartin and Edith McCandless with Mrs. Hohman as co-hostess.

President Crystal Hammett conducted the club's business. Social committee chairman Gail Callahan announced the May social will be a fish fry catered by the Yumm Factory in the old fellowship hall at First United Methodist Church May 8 at 6:30 p.m. Club dues will be collected.

In other business, it was noted the TFWC State Convention is in Houston in April, and Mrs. Hammett and incoming president Amy McDaniel plan to attend.

The 2008 Summer Workshop is set July 16 in Waco, and all committee chairmen and officers are encouraged to attend for training.

Mrs. Hammett also announced she will install officers at the April 10 meeting. Co-hostesses will be Margaret Oberender and Jean Phillips.

Beverly Wood will present a program on design and decorating.