This film from the Orris D. Brown Collection documents notable locations, battles, and citizens that tell the story of early Texas at the time of its centennial in 1936. Intertittled to introduce each place and its significance, footage is included of statues of La Salle and Sam Houston, the Spanish Governor's Palace and the Alamo in San Antonio, the Battle of Gonzales battlefield, the site of the signing of the Texas Declaration of Independence in Washington-on-the-Brazos, Sam Houston's homes in Independence, Texas and Huntsville, Texas, and the graves of the Houston family. Most notably, footage of Sam Houston's slave and personal servant, Uncle Jeff Hamilton, is also included. The digital preservation of this film was made possible by a grant to the Texas Archive of the Moving Image and the Houston Public Library from the Texas State Library and Archives Commission and the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services.
Jeff Hamilton, known as Uncle Jeff, was purchased by Sam Houston as a child. He was a playmate of Houston's own children, a personal body guard and driver for Houston, and Office Boy when Houston was elected governor. He took lessons in reading, writing, arithmetic, religion, and responsibility from the family. Hamilton was with Governor Houston when he refused to join the Confederacy and stayed on with him as a personal servant after the abolition of slavery. After Houston's death, Uncle Jeff moved with Mrs. Margaret Houston to Independence, staying with her until she died, then as an employee of Baylor College, moved with the female college to Belton, Texas where he lived until his death. Late in life, Hamilton was honored throughout the United States for his association with the nation's leading men, and he spoke publicly about his life on many occasions. Two Texas historical markers, at his grave and on the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor campus, honor Uncle Jeff Hamilton still today.
Orris Dorr Brown was born in 1890 in Henderson, Texas. He married Edna Myra Webb in 1923, and together they traveled domestically and abroad teaching cake decorating techniques using edible sugar. Brown became interested in filmmaking in the early 1930s and began filming scenery and sites as he traveled. Texas became the focus of many of his films, and he traveled extensively throughout the state to document historical figures and locations, most notably scenes of Uncle Jeff Hamilton, Sam Houston's personal slave. In 1936, Brown filed for a U.S. patent for a Moving Picture Machine through which to view films. He moved into professional filmmaking as an employee of Empire and Superior Studios in the 1940s and 50s to film full-length pictures. Orris D. Brown was a Shriner and a Free Mason. He passed away in 1965.
The digital preservation of this collection was made possible by a grant to the Texas Archive of the Moving Image and the Houston Public Library from the Texas State Library and Archives Commission and the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services.
Orris Brown Orris D. Brown "Texas Centennial Snapshots" "The Raven" Marquis James Pulitzer Pulitzer Prize Sam Houston Texas History centennial Texas Centennial automobile car 1936 1930s home movie home movies pre-historic Indian Indians Native American Native Americans American Spanish conquistador conquistadors Cabeza De Vaca Coronado Espejo Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca Francisco Vásquez de Coronado Francisco Vásquez de Coronado y Luján Antonio de Espejo René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle Robert de La Salle Navasota Navasota, TX Grimes County statue memorial
| San Antonio San Antonio, TX Bexar County palace coat of arms Hapsburg Hapsburgs Habsburg Habsburgs House of Habsburg Spanish Governor's Palace fort Nacogdoches Old Stone Fort Nacogdoches, TX Nacogdoches County Stone Fort National Bank Clara Mae Brown Anglo-Saxon colony colonies colonization Washington-On-The Brazos Washington-On-The Brazos, TX Washington County Independence Hall settle settler settlers Stephen F. Austin Declaration of Texas Independence 1836 Brazos River Ben Conner revolution Texas Revolution Battle of Gonzales Gonzales Gonzales, TX Gonzales County
| Come And Take It The Alamo Alamo battle battlefield hero heroes martyr martyrs freedom land inherit inheritance Travis William B. Travis I Shall Never Surrender flag flags Bowie Crockett Bonham James Bowie Jim Bowie David Crockett Davy Crockett James Bonham James Butler Bonham Sam Houston National Forest forest San Jacinto County Walker County Montgomery County General Sam Houston Houston Houston, TX Harris County Sam Houston Monument Hermann Park downtown horseback
| military uniform Independence Independence, TX Baptist church religion religious bell ring ringing tower log logs home cabin spring water family grave graves cemetery Margaret Moffette Lea Margaret Houston Margaret Lea Houston Nancy Lea Houston-Lea Family Cemetery Baylor Baylor College Baylor College At Independence Baylor University ruins Fanthorp Inn Anderson Anderson, TX horse horses African-American African-Americans coach
| coaches stage coach stage coaches horsedrawn buggy buggies Zachary Taylor General Zachary Taylor maid maid of honor Queen Victoria slave slaves labor Belton Belton, TX Bell County Jeff Hamilton Uncle Jeff Hamilton bodyguard valet driver servant office boy Uncle Jeff medal Huntsville Huntsville, TX caretaker guide Mr. Stougaard Stougaard Sam Houston Home tour flag Texan law legal practice office
| sanctum mission Spanish Spain
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