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Philosophical Society of Texas founded in Houston
On this day in 1837, the Philosophical Society of Texas was founded by twenty-six prominent Texans who met in the capitol of the Republic of Texas at Houston. The purpose of the organization was stated as "the collection and diffusion of correct information regarding the moral and social condition of our country; its finances, statistics and political and military history; its climate, soil and productions ... animals ... aboriginal tribes ... natural curiosities ... mines ... and the thousand other topics of interest which our new and rising republic unfolds to the philosopher, the scholar, and the man of the world." Charter member Mirabeau B. Lamar was elected the society's first president and occasional meetings were held during the annual sessions of the Congress of the Republic of Texas, but the society became inactive before 1845. In 1935 the organization was revived by a group that included George Waverly Briggs, James Quayle Dealey, Herbert P. Gambrell, Samuel Wood Geiser, Umphrey Lee, Charles Shirley Potts, and Ira Kendrick Stephens. Membership was by invitation and was limited to persons who were born within or had resided in the geographical boundaries of the Republic of Texas and who had contributed to the achievement of the original aims of the society. The Philosophical Society had its office in Dallas upon its reorganization, but by the 1990s was headquartered in Austin.
- Links to Related Handbook of Texas Online Articles
- PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY OF TEXAS
- LAMAR, MIRABEAU BUONAPARTE
- BRIGGS, GEORGE WAVERLEY
- DEALEY, JAMES QUAYLE
- GAMBRELL, HERBERT PICKENS
- GEISER, SAMUEL WOOD
- LEE, UMPHREY
- POTTS, CHARLES SHIRLEY
- STEPHENS, IRA KENDRICK
- Links to other Web sites (will be opened in new browser window)
- PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY OF TEXAS
- Other Texas Day by Day Articles for This Date
- Texans assault Mexican garrison at Béxar (1835)
- "Dusky Deamon" Bill Pickett born in Travis County (1870)
- Spanish priests launch "peace offensive" (1791)
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