A Guide to the Daughters of the Republic of Texas, William Barret Travis Chapter, Records, 1892-1994

Historical Note

The Daughters of the Republic of Texas (DRT) was formed by Hally Bryan, Betty Ballinger, Mrs. Andrew Briscoe, and other Texas women in 1891 and was officially chartered by the State of Texas on March 9, 1895. Although begun as a companion to the Texas Veterans Association, the TVA disbanded in 1907 while the DRT continued its operation. The organization joins together women descended from Texas pioneers of the colonial and republican periods in order to perpetuate the memory and spirit of the men and women who achieved and maintained the Independence of Texas. The DRT encourages historical research into the earliest records of Texas, especially those relating to the Revolution of 1835; fosters preservation of documents and relics; and supports the publication of records of the individual services of the soldiers and patriots of the Republic and other source material for the history of Texas. Additionally, the organization promotes the celebration of Texas honor days such as Texas Independence Day and San Jacinto Day and memorializes historic locations by erecting monuments. The DRT received custodianship of the Alamo in San Antonio in 1905 and the French Legation in Austin in 1949.

The William Barret Travis Chapter was the third chapter of the DRT, chartered in Austin in 1892 with 27 members and Rebecca Fisher as its first president. The William Barret Travis Chapter established the Republic of Texas Museum in 1903 in a single room of the State Capitol. The collection of Republic era artifacts grew rapidly through the efforts of the chapter, and less than two decades later the museum required more space. In 1916, the Land Department moved from the Old Land Office Building on the Capitol grounds, and the second floor was turned over to the DRT for the organization's headquarters and museum. Restoration of the deteriorating structure began in 1989. Four years later, the Daughters purchased a new building in north Austin to house the museum and headquarters of the entire organization.

Sources:

The Daughters of the Republic of Texas. Accessed November 15, 2010.

Rash, Mrs. Grady, Jr. "Daughters of the Republic of Texas." Handbook of Texas Online. Accessed November 15, 2010.

Scope and Contents

The Daughters of the Republic of Texas, William Barret Travis Chapter, Records, 1892-1994, document the history and activities of the historic preservation society from its founding. Consisting of chapter records, the collection includes minutes, treasurer’s records, and an officer list from the organization’s early history (1892-1921); chapter histories (1987); bylaws (1916-1988); meeting minutes (1942-1979); yearbooks (1923-1946); and correspondence and reports (1907-1957). Scrapbooks compiled by chapter historians (1969-1993) include by-laws, reports, awards, photographs, obituaries, and clippings on Texas history. Additionally, the records contain a sketch for a statue of a pioneer woman (1994) proposed for placement on the Texas Capital grounds.

Restrictions

Access Restrictions

This collection is open for research use.

Related Material

Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Daughters of the Republic of Texas, William Barret Travis Chapter, Records, 1892-1994, Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, The University of Texas at Austin.

Processing Information

This collection processed by Allison Beck, 1986. Subsequent revisions made by archive staff, 1999.

Basic processing and cataloging of this collection was supported with funds from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC) for the Briscoe Center’s History Revealed: Bringing Collections to Light project, 2009-2011.

Detailed Description of the Papers