howeenterprise.com
Page #2
Monday, September 14, 2015
Howe's historical Sam Houston pecan tree under the telephone wires. As a result, the tree has been cut back numerous times, including this winter, by utility companies. The constant trimming, however, has caused its foilage to thicken and spread out, turning it into an excellent shade tree for kids for many years. But now, the kids are gone as the building it stands in front of remains empty. Each year the tree bears thousands of small pecans which probably would be considered too small as a commercial pecan, but that doesn't stop people from passing by and picking them up. For some 50 years after its maturity, Howe students gathered up, shelled and ate every last pecan. The offspring of Sam Houston's tree People drive by it every day and very few that sits there now. people know the history and legacy of one of the most historic trees anywhere around. The tree Thompson told the reporter that some that sits in front of Howe's former high school individuals came through Howe and gave him and middle school and now administration three pecans of the Houston tree and said they building is the direct descendant of the huge were distributing them to schools around Texas. pecan tree that shades the south corner of the Blunt Brinkley, the school's custodian took the yard of the Huntsville home that Sam Houston three pecans home and planted them in his yard. loved so well and resided for 20 years. All three came up and a year later were transplanted to the present site. Of the three, Former Howe Superintendent Charles R. only one of them lived and that is the one that is Thompson told news reporters years ago that the 81-years-old - one year older than Howe's tree that has provided shade and pecans for football program. several generations was planted in 1934 when he was principal of the high school, which was Thompson said at the time that he didn't give any located at the same site of the 1938 building thought to the fact that they were planting it
The tree from which the Howe pecan sprang is an immense pecan that was reportedly planted by Sam Houston himself in 1847. His granddaughter, Mrs. Jennie Morrow Decker of Houston, said that her grandfather was returning from a trip and had a need of a buggy whip to spur his lazy horse. Having no whip, he stopped beside the road and pulled up a small pecan sappling, which served his purpose well. Arriving at his house, he saw that the roots were still intact, so he planted the sappling in the yard and it grew. continued on Page #3
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