Fort Bend County, Texas - Chapter 57, 1904

Chapter 57

To give a detailed history of the Jaybird and Woodpecker parties of Fort Bend County is not in the scope of this work, for it would require more space than is contained in the book. The reader is asked to be satisfied with a brief statement of the causes and results. The Jaybird party originated in the desire of the white people to have a government of the white people, by the white people, for all the people. Prior to 1888, the administration of the county affairs had largely been in the hands of negro officials, and those selected by this class, resulting in gross mismanagement in many departments of the county government at various times. The taxpayers had protested against the state of affairs without substantial results, and in the early part of 1888 the Rosebud Club was formed by a small number of white citizens. The membership was gradually increased, gathering members from all parts of the county, which finally resulted in the formation of the Young Men's Democratic Club. This association determined to attempt to correct the evils and establish a pure government by the white people, and several conferences were had with the opposing parties without results. In due time each side nominated a full county ticket, and after a heated canvas the candidates of the white people were defeated. During this canvas the term Jaybirds was applied to the defeated party and Woodpeckers to the others, and the name stuck to each. Many matters occurred that intensified the feeling, personal difficulties occurred, families were divided, and finally, on August 16th, 1889, a deadly conflict resulted, and after the smoke of battle cleared away it was found that H. H. Frost, V. M. Gibson and W. M. Andrus, of the Jaybirds, J. W. Parker and H. S. Mason, of the Woodpeckers, and Frank Smith of the State Rangers, were wounded, and James Garvey and J. W. Blakely of the Woodpeckers were killed. Frost died a few days afterwards, but all the others recovered. Shortly after this occurrence the Woodpeckers resigned, the prominent members removed from the county, leaving the Jaybirds in control, and on October 3rd, 1889, the organization now in existence, and known as the Jaybird Democratic Association, was formed, after adopting the following Constitution and By-Laws, to-wit :

The undersigned committee, appointed hy you on the 3d day of October, 1889, for the purpose of drafting a (Constitution and By-Laws for an association of the people of this County, beg leave to submit for your consideration the subjoined Constitution and By-Laws for an organization by the people of the County.

Your committee has labored diligently to draft such an organic law and code of rules as will conduce to the formation of an organization that is of paramount importance, and that will prove a lasting blessing to the people of our County.

Whereas, For years past the laws of the State of Texas have been administered in Fort Bend County by corrupt and infamous officials in the manner that the lives, liberty and property of the white citizens have had no protection, and who have been taxed to the limits of the law, without representation, by a set of ignorant and dishonest officials, for their own personal aggrandizement, retarding the development of our county's resources and its financial prosperity by squandering the public money for private uses; and.

Whereas, We the white citizens of said county, realize that there should be some concert Of action among us for the protection of our lives, liberty and property, and that an honest and economical county government cannot be maintained and perpetuated without honest and capable officials, we have formed ourselves into an association, whose object shall be the mutual protection of the white race, and the maintenance of an honest and economical county administration. We, therefore, organize ourselves, to be known as the "Jaybird Democratic Organization of Fort Bend County, Texas."

Constitution

Article 1. The object of this Association shall be to secure to the people of Fort Bend County economical and honest county government, and the election of honest and faithful county officials.

Art. 3. The officers of this Association shall be elected by ballot at the first annual meeting of each year, and shall serve for the period of one year; provided, the officers elected at the organization of this Association shall hold their offices until the third semi-annual meeting of this Association.

Art. 4. It shall be the duty of the President to preside over all meetings of the Association, and perform such other duties as may be required of him by the By-Laws of this Association.

Art. 5. It shall be the duty of the First Vice President to preside over the meetings of this Association and perform all duties devolving upon the President, in the absence of the President; and in the absence of the President and First Vice President, then the powers and duties of the President shall devolve upon the Second Vice President.

Art. 6. In the absence of all the officers named in Aiticle 5, then the Association shall, by ballot, proceed to elect from the members of the Association a President pro tern.

Art. 7. It shall be the duty of the Secretary to keep a roll of the membership of the Association and correct minutes of the Association in a well bound book, and receive all moneys due the Association, and pay the same over to the Treasurer, and take his receipt therefor. He shall keep a correct account of all moneys received by him for the use of the Association, which said account shall be open to the inspection of the members at all times.

rants drawn by the Finance Committee and countersigned by the President. Said Finance Committee to be composed of five (5) members of the Association, who shall be appointed by the President.

Art. 9. All persons nominated for Court office or subject to the Commissioners' Court for appointment to office shall be voted' for by ballot.

Art. 11. There shall be held at the town of Richmond two (2) regular meetings of this Association each year, said meetings to be held on the first Monday of each term of the District Court of Fort Bend County; provided, there shall be held at such place such special meetings as shall be called by the President.

Art. 13. The members of this Association shall support and use all legal and honorable means to secure the election of its candidates, and in the event of their election the members pledge themselves to make their official bonds and accord them their moral support so long as they merit the same by a faithful and conscientious discharge of official duty.

Art. 14. All tona fide white residents of Fort Bend County, who shall sign the Constitution within thirty (30) days after the date of organization, shall thereby become members; provided, that any person eligible to membership may, during thirty (30) days, become members by requesting the secretary to place their name on the roll of membership

Art. 15. The object of this Association is to combine and unite the white people for the advancement and prosperity of the county; for the purpose of securing a faithful and honest discharge of official duty by all public servants, and to prevent forever this county from relapsing into the disastrous and disgraceful administration of public affairs which has oppressed this county for a quarter of a century. We, therefore, declare that any white man, now residing in this county, or who shall hereafter acquire citizenship in this county, who shall undertake to lead against this Association any political faction or voting population opposed to the principles and objects of this Association, shall be considered and treated as a social and political outcast.

Amendment To The Constitution

That we are opposed to a second term in any office unless it is supported by three-fourths (3-4) of the members of the Jaybird Democratic Association.

No. 1. There shall be a standing Committee on By-Laws, to be appointed by the President, whose duty it shall be to propose such amendments to the By-Laws, and such new By-Laws, as may be necessary to govern this Association.

No. 3. No member of this Association shall become a candidate before the people for any county office without the indorsement of this Association, and no member of this Association shall accept an appointment to a county office except by request of this Association; said request and indorsement in either instance to be expressed by the Association at a regular or call meeting.

No. 4. No member of this Association shall become security upon the official bond of any officer who accepts office without the consent and indorsement of this Association, and no member shall aid or abet any officer in securing securities upon his official bond who shall accept office without the consent and indorsement of this Association.

No. 5. Any member of this Association who shall be guilty of gross violation of its Constitution or By-Laws, shall be suspended by the Executive Committee for such length of time as said committee may deem proper, and may be expelled by a two-third vote of the Association; provided, any member violating By-Law No. 4 shall be considered as having severed his connection with this Association, and his name be stricken from the roll of membership of this Association.

No. 6. There shall be an Executive Committee of fifteen (15) appointed by the President, who shall serve until the third semi-annual meeting of this Association, whose duty it shall be to receive applications for membership, to fill vacancies which may occur in the offices of the Association, to see that all county officers get good bonds, and generally to look out for the interests of the Association and welfare of the county.

No. 7. The Executive Committee shall be composed of the President of this Association, who shall be chairman of the committee, and three (3) members from each commissioners' precinct and two (2) from the county at large.

No. 8. The Executive Committee shall meet at the town of Richmond every three (3) months, on the first Monday in February, May, August and November of each year, for the transaction of such general business as may come before them, and to receive and act upon all applications for membership; said applications shall receive a twothird vote of the committee in order to entitle the applicant to membership.

No. 10. If at any meeting of the Executive Committee, the President, First and Second Vice President should be absent, said committee shall select from its members a chairman, who shall, for the time 1>eing, exercise all the powers and duties of a regular chairman.

No. 11. There shall be a Finance Committee appointed by President, composed of five (5) members of the Association, whose duty it shall be to audit all accounts due by the Association, and to draw drafts upon the Treasurer for such amounts as they may find to be due by the Association, and said committee shall discharge such other duties as may be required of them by the President.

Committee On By-Laws

their political creed, and has continuously furnished an efficient and honest government by the white people; the bitter feeling engendered during these stormy times has subsided, and all is quiet along the ''Potomac.'' A number of Woodpeckers are now enrolled with the Jaybirds, the darkies are fully satisfied, content to leave the county affairs in the hands of the white people. The movement started by the Fort Benders has spread to the adjoining counties, all of which now have associations of white men who direct the county business.