This Day In Texas History - May 23

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joe817
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This Day In Texas History - May 23

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1541 - Coronado gives thanks for having found friendly Indians in the Palo Duro Canyon; Texas has a Thanksgiving 79 years before the Pilgrims.

1871 - The Texas legislature directed the governor to appoint a superintendent with a four-year term to administer the Texas Bureau of Immigration, with "the purpose of promoting and protecting immigration" into the state. The superintendent was empowered to use tax revenues to write material describing Texas as a destination for the immigrant and to appoint paid agents and volunteer lecturers to travel to southern and northern states as well as to Europe, to encourage potential immigrants to seek land in Texas. Fiscal retrenchment incorporated in the Constitution of 1876 brought an end to the bureau, as the constitution included a specific prohibition against using state funds "for any purpose of bringing immigrants to the State."

1901- Former governor James Stephen Hogg acquired an option to buy 4,100 acres of the company's land in Brazoria County for $30,000. A survey established the tract at some 4,176 acres taken out of the Martin Varner and Josiah H. Bell leagues. The sale was completed in Austin on May 23, 1901, with Ira H. Evans signing for the New York and Texas Land Company. The acquisition included an old plantation home known as Patton Place. Governor Hogg soon changed the name to Varner Plantation.

1923 - Crews drilling at Santa Rita No 1 in Reagan County discovered gas bubbles rising from the well, a sign that oil was close. Drilling was stopped so that Carl Cromwell, head of the Texon drilling team could lease the surrounding property. Within days, drilling resumed.

1934 - Celebrated Depression-era Texas outlaws Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker were killed in a roadside ambush arranged by Texas Ranger Frank Hamer outside of Gibsland, Louisiana. Riddled by some 167 bullets, the bodies were taken to Arcadia and later put on public display in Dallas before being buried in their respective family burial plots.

1944 - Thomas W. Fowler, Medal of Honor recipient, was born at Wichita Falls, Texas, on October 31, 1921. On May 23, 1944, he was a second lieutenant with the First Armored Division, United States Army, near Carano, Italy. During an armored-infantry attack he came upon two disorganized infantry platoons held back by a minefield. Although a tank officer, he reorganized the platoons, cleared a path through the mines with his bare hands, led his tanks into a position to cover the infantry, then led the two platoons to reach their objectives. The enemy began an armored counterattack on Fowler's position. One of his tanks was set afire. He ran through the enemy tank fire and for a half hour, still under intense fire, attempted to save the lives of the wounded tank crew. Finally forced to retreat, but still under incoming fire, he gave first aid to nine wounded infantrymen. Fowler was killed in combat ten days later. He is buried in Crestview Memorial Park, Wichita Falls. :patriot: :txflag:
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