[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 64 (Thursday, May 1, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E661]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               IN RECOGNITION OF KATHRYN STONER O'CONNOR

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. FILEMON VELA

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 1, 2014

  Mr. VELA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Kathryn Stoner 
O'Connor and her commitment to historical preservation.
   Mrs. O'Connor was born on February 11, 1883, on her family's ranch 
in Victoria County, Texas. In 1905, she married Thomas O'Connor, a 
prominent rancher in South Texas.
   In 1963, Mrs. O'Connor donated approximately $1 million to restore 
the Presidio La Bahiia in Goliad, Texas. The Presidio, which lies along 
the San Antonio River, was constructed in 1749 by the Spanish army.
   During the Texas Revolution, the fort came under siege by a group of 
Texans lead by Colonel James Fannin. Following the Battle of the Alamo, 
General Sam Houston ordered Colonel Fannin to abandon the fort. 
However, Fannin and the more than 300 soldiers under his control were 
met by the Mexican army and subsequently surrendered, believing they 
would not be harmed. Fannin and his men were imprisoned at La Bahiia. 
On Palm Sunday, March 27, 1836, Colonel Fannin and more than 300 
soldiers were executed in what has become known as the Goliad Massacre.
   By the early 1900s, the fort had fallen into disrepair. Thanks to 
Mrs. O'Connor's generosity, the fort was rebuilt to its 1836 appearance 
based on archeological evidence. In 1967, Presidio La Bahiia was 
designated a National Historic Landmark.
   Today, thanks to Mrs. O'Connor's generous donation, Presidio La 
Bahiia is one the best examples of a Spanish ecclesiastical building in 
North America and hosts an annual living history event, which includes 
battle reenactments.
   Mr. Speaker, I thank you for the opportunity to honor Mrs. O'Connor. 
I appreciate you joining me in recognizing Mrs. O'Connor's generosity, 
which preserved the Presidio La Bahiia in Goliad, Texas for future 
generations.

                          ____________________