Sons of Republic of Texas reactivating in Gonzales

County Judge David Bird is spearheading an effort to reactivate Gonzales Chapter 29 of “The Sons of the Republic of Texas” (SRT).

Bird was recently designated as the president of the chapter. Ed Heath, who is a member of Alamo Chapter 40, San Antonio, in addition to being the SRT 1^st Vice President General, traces his ancestry to Richard Heath, who arrived on Oct. 24, 1828 as a member of the Dewitt Colony. Additionally, the newly designated “registrar” for the Gonzales Chapter is Eric Chester, who finalized several of the charter's applications.

The first SRT was formed on April 21, 1893, at Richmond, Texas, by several sons and grandsons of veterans of the Texas Revolution. Their main purpose was to accompany the Texas Veterans Association members to their annual reunions. The Texas Veterans Association ended when its last member, Alphonso Steele, died in 1911. With the demise of the Texas Veterans Association, the SRT slowly became inactive.

On March 2, 1922, the ideals of the Texas Veterans Association adopted by the first Sons of the Republic of Texas once again inspired the formation of a new organization. Its revitalization was due in a large part by the realization that Texas heritage would not be remembered without constant reminders to the community. Membership requirements for the SRT were broadened to include any male being a direct descendant of a resident of the Republic of Texas. The San Jacinto Chapter, located in Houston, Texas, received the first charter. On October 20, 1934, the SRT was incorporated under the laws of Texas as a non-profit corporation.

The SRT has been an active leader in preserving Texas’ rich heritage. In 1936, the SRT was an integral part in the design and construction of the San Jacinto Monument and the founding of the museum. In 1957, the SRT influenced the Texas legislature to appropriate funds for the construction of the Texas State Library and Archive Building. In 2003, the SRT and other historical organizations worked with the Texas legislature to designate March as Texas History Month. In 2005, the SRT led the movement for the Texas legislature to designate the third Saturday in September of each year as Texian Navy Day.

“Since the revolution began here in Gonzales, this is one of the key places to have an SRT chapter,” Bird said. “We think Gonzales needs to be represented because of its place in history.”