THREE ILLUSTRATED LETTERHEADS OF THE DAUGHTERS OF THE REPUBLIC OF TEXAS.
San Antonio: [n. d. @1905?]. Brilliantly colored letterheads: "Daughters of the Republic of Texas. Texas, One and Indivisible. Miss Clara Driscoll President and Treasurer Alamo Mission Fund Organization. Box 1021, San Antonio Texas." Crossed single-star Texas flags, over image of The Alamo. Each of the three has been extracted from DRT stationery. Two of the three are in Fine condition; the third has some browning with pencil notations on verso and is in Good plus condition.
The Daughters of the Republic of Texas became custodians of The Alamo in 1905.
"The Daughters of the Republic of Texas is the oldest patriotic women's organization in Texas and one of the oldest in the nation. In 1891 Betty Ballinger and Hally Bryan (later Hally Bryan Perry) formulated plans for an association to be composed of women who were direct descendants of the men and women who established the Republic of Texas. They were encouraged in their efforts by Hally Bryan's father, Guy M. Bryan, a member of the Texas Veterans Association. The organizational meeting was held on November 6, 1891, in the Houston home of Mary Jane Briscoe. Mary S. M. Jones, widow of the last president of the Republic of Texas, agreed to serve as president. The motto 'Texas, One and Indivisible' was suggested by Colonel Bryan" [online Texas State Historical Assn article].
Clara Driscoll [1881-1945] was the granddaughter of a veteran of the battle of San Jacinto, and the daughter of millionaire Robert Driscoll, who had made his millions in ranching, banking and commercial developments in Corpus Christi. By 1903, the Alamo was in such disrepair that it was almost torn down and replaced with a hotel. Clara collaborated with the Daughters of the Republic of Texas to save the Alamo, setting up the Alamo Mission Fund. In March 1903, Clara put up some of the initial money needed by the association to begin the purchase of the property. Her generosity earned her the name "Savior of the Alamo." Item #40535
Price: $150.00