I've often heard stories about Sam Houston and the Battle of the Alamo throughout my life. I have always found history of every sort very interesting. I think that is a common thread that many family history researchers, historians and genealogists alike share. I never thought that one day, while researching one of my family lines I'd come across some information that would change how I knew the famous battle cry "Remember The Alamo". Even now, when people are asked about the coining of the phrase, they relate this with Sam Houston and his soldiers. While history may never change there was one piece of information that has been lost to many out there. That is - who actually said the infamous war cry. While out researching a branch of my Billingsley family tree, I became quite interested in the military documents of those who were serving from the Revolution through to the Civil War. One such thing I found was the Official Resolution Adopted by the Texas State Senate on Tuesday April 20, 1999. Senate Resolution 671:
I think it's safe to say that finding this document left me thrilled and happy. I might not have known if I had not found this. There is always something new to learn during my Adventures In Genealogy!
35 Comments
Lauren Marie Swenson
9/27/2019 03:57:39 pm
I was just reading the Senate Resolution today myself! I am also a proud Billingsley descendant and grew up knowing that Uncle Jesse started the battle cry, but it makes me happy to see that others out there also know this important piece of Texas history. How are you kin to Jesse Billingsley? I think he was my dad's mom's mom's dad's dad's brother.
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Lauren Marie Swenson
9/30/2019 10:01:13 am
so cool! Hello there, cousin :) I guess I should've stated my connection like you did lol. So I think it goes: one of Jesse's brothers was William "Buck" Billingsley. William's son Samuel Billingsley and Mary Turner had Laurel Edwina Lynwood Billingsley (yes she had that many names, and that was before she was married!) Laurel married Robert Ralph Sapp, and my grandma Rosalie was their youngest child. Grandma Rosalie married my grandpa Myron Swenson. They had my dad, and my parents had me! :) It looks like they had some Williams and Samuels in every generation there for a while! 11/28/2022 08:27:35 pm
Well these are probably mostly fake or just people trying to be cool the Billingsley family Changed there last name to plenty of other things the current one Is mcdade
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Cathy Billingsley Murphy
4/21/2020 02:12:16 pm
Good afternoon! I discovered your blog while researching our mutual cousin Jesse Billingsley. Today is the anniversary of the Battle of San Jacinto. Jesse's Father, Jeptha, was my Great Grandfather (several greats ago) brother. My Grandfather, Alvin A Billingsley wrote several books about the Billingsley family history. I will find one of them and send you the actual lineage.
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Frank Billingsley
4/21/2020 06:59:15 pm
Cathy, you must be on my dad's tree---James Franklin. His father was Jesse James Billingsley.
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Peggy Billingsley
5/2/2020 02:09:28 am
Frank I am Cathy’s sister Peggy and I was able to trace our family trees to where they connect. I could send you a picture of it. It is pretty complex but interesting.
Cathy Murphy
4/22/2020 09:44:49 am
Hey Frank! That is correct. And, we also live in Houston.
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Peggy Anne Billingsley
4/26/2020 05:33:38 pm
Frank, I am Cathy's sister and I believe I have traced where our trees meet!! I can send you a picture of what I traced.
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Liz H
1/10/2022 04:56:05 pm
Hi I am also kin to Billingsley (well my husband is!) and we love just north east of Houston !!! I would love to connect and exchange any info you got as this is new news for us as well!!! Super cool and my husband is having a blast with it! If you want to send me an e mail ([email protected] ) I would love to connect as our lines seemed to stick around !
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Cathy Murphy
4/26/2020 03:57:24 pm
This is my lineage to Jesse Billingsley:
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Weyland Billingsley
5/22/2020 06:19:07 pm
I have a digital copy of the "Billingsley Family in America.". Let me know if you want a copy.
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Laura Renee
7/25/2021 03:26:26 pm
I would love a copy… I don’t know if we are supposed to post our email address on here or not… let me know if you get this reply and we can go from there.
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Cathy Murphy
7/29/2021 07:59:03 am
I would love a copy of this!
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Raymond Benners
11/3/2023 09:36:49 am
Thank you for your offer. I would like to see your information.
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Dan Edwards
2/28/2021 07:17:26 pm
Hello, I just found this blog while doing a little fact finding on my ancestors. I'm related by blood indirectly to Jesse Billingsley through my 2nd great-grandmother Hannah Newton Billingsley-Hall (1844-1875). Hannah was married to John Marcel Hall (1845-1910) and their daughter, Cora Lamancha (Billingsley) Hall-Kirkham was my grandmother's mother who was Eula Gertrude Kirkham (1893-1979).
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Laura Renee
7/25/2021 03:21:00 pm
Hello all;
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Dan Edwards
7/26/2021 01:15:19 pm
I received your email Laura
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1/30/2022 07:51:56 pm
I am also a Billingslea descendent by means of Francis Blllingslea and Sarah(Turner) Billingslea of Mississippi. I stumbled across the information on Jesse Billingsley and found it rather fascinating. I knew of him before that but I found thee information really uplifting. What an exceptiional man he was. After reading it, I had to get out my copy of "The Billingsley Family in America" and renew my family research. I went through volume 1 and will have to get my volume 2 back and continue with it. Both of my parents are listed in volume 2. I thank you for making the indepth information on Jessie Billingslea available. Virginia Burrichter
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Frank Billingsley
10/5/2022 09:50:30 am
Sorry to have dropped the ball on this (let's blame Covid!).....any Billingsley tree you have I would love to see. My dad was James Franklin and his father was Jesse James Billingsley---I suspect he was named after Jesse. But he HATED the name Jesse James!!
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Tracy Simpson
8/16/2023 04:31:08 pm
Thank you Michele for writing this blog. I am related to Jesse B. through my 7XGGF James Billingsley who was hung in his front yard by the Tories in North Carolina. Jesse is my 2nd cousin 6Xremoved. So thankful to have such strong people as my ancestors. Being a Texan, I am sure proud of this lineage.
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Raymond Benners
10/1/2023 10:46:06 pm
I have been doing deep research myself on Jesse Billingsley. He is my great grandfather, Walter Billingsley's uncle. If there is ever a reunion in the life of Jesse of any kind in the future, I would love to know about.
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James Billingsley
11/2/2023 11:35:57 pm
Capt Jesse Billingsley was my great great great uncle. His brother William Billingsley great great grandfather. I have been to McDade, Texas where there a great monument to him. Also to the Texas State cemetery where he is burial.
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Raymond Benners
11/4/2023 03:47:44 pm
I am looking for someone who knew S. W. Billingsley who lived back in 1922. I have an original 2-page typed letter from him concerning information he received from Jeptha Billingsley of the life of his father Jesse Billingsley. The letter is dated Oct. 15, 1922. I believe this letter was written at the request of my great grandfather, Walter Billingsley.
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Michelle Clark
12/26/2023 09:26:57 pm
I purchased an antique Texas history book (1936) and found tucked away in this book a small 8x12 15 page tattered yellow book called "The Alamos Immortalization of Words" by J. Frank Dobie 1942. It speaks all about Capt Jesse Billingsley and him being the one who started the battle cry Remeber The Alamo. Email me and I will send photos of this very delicate booklet..Michelle Clark New Braunfels TX [email protected]
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Frank Billingsley
2/13/2024 09:43:56 pm
I would love a copy of the yellow book re: Jesse Billingsley! Thank you!
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Tammy Billingsley
2/13/2024 07:46:18 pm
My husband, Mark Billingsley is a great, great grandson of Capt. Jesse.
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Raymond Benners
2/13/2024 10:01:58 pm
According to all my research, Jesse Billingsley was either my great, great, uncle or my great, great, great, grandfather. Frant Dobie wrote about him in some of his books, and I have a family history book titled “The Billingsley Family in America”, it shows my great grandfather Walter Billingsley was the son of Jeptha Lafayette Billingsley who was the son of Jesse Billingsley. If this is true then Jesse Billingsley would be my great, great, great grandfather and not my great, great uncle.
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JIMMIE BERRY
3/14/2024 03:35:30 pm
I am a great great great grandson son to Capt. Jesse. His son Jeptha had a son Jesse and he had twin girls Maude and Maggie. Maggie is my great grandmother. I live in Houston.
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Peggy Pearce Dichard
3/9/2024 12:51:23 pm
Hi all!
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Dan Edwards
3/14/2024 06:57:13 pm
Hi Peggy..
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Peggy Pearce Dichard
3/14/2024 09:28:40 pm
Hi Dan!
Dan Edwards
3/14/2024 10:47:19 pm
My grandmother was Eula Kirkham McWilliams. If I’m not mistaken, Lucille was my mother’s favorite aunt. My mother was Aleta Adele McWilliams-Edwards.
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Peggy Pearce Dichard
3/15/2024 12:10:48 pm
Dan,
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Dan Edwards
3/15/2024 10:00:26 am
Yes, we’re cousins!
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AuthorMichele is an obsessed mother of 4 residing in North Alabama. Hobbies include long walks in the woods, on the beach and in strange cemeteries and libraries. Genealogy friends need only apply. Categories
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