Shown here is "Austin's Last Journey" (24" by 36")
This painting depicts the moment near noon on December 29th, 1836 when the body
of "The Father of Texas" was loaded on the historic steamboat Yellow Stone at
present-day East Columbia for a trip to the Austin family's cemetery at Peach Point,
just a few miles down the Brazos River. Nine years later on this date- nearly to the
hour- the Texas national flag (The first version of which, designed by Lorenzo De
Zavala, is shown here on the ninth day of its official existence) would be lowered to be
replaced by the American flag in ceremonies recognizing Texas' admittance to the
Union. This somber moment represents a fitting swan song for the Yellow Stone. The
most historically significant steam vessel since Fulton's Cleremont, the Yellow Stone
seems to disappear from the public record shortly after this date.
Click here or on the image to see a legend of the image explaining its features.
Thanks to Dr. William Reaves, who sponsored this painting and was most patient
through the long process of creating it.
This painting depicts the moment near noon on December 29th, 1836 when the body
of "The Father of Texas" was loaded on the historic steamboat Yellow Stone at
present-day East Columbia for a trip to the Austin family's cemetery at Peach Point,
just a few miles down the Brazos River. Nine years later on this date- nearly to the
hour- the Texas national flag (The first version of which, designed by Lorenzo De
Zavala, is shown here on the ninth day of its official existence) would be lowered to be
replaced by the American flag in ceremonies recognizing Texas' admittance to the
Union. This somber moment represents a fitting swan song for the Yellow Stone. The
most historically significant steam vessel since Fulton's Cleremont, the Yellow Stone
seems to disappear from the public record shortly after this date.
Click here or on the image to see a legend of the image explaining its features.
Thanks to Dr. William Reaves, who sponsored this painting and was most patient
through the long process of creating it.
"The Heroes of the Alamo Write their Wills."
You might guess that I loved the new movie "The Alamo", though this painting
was five years old when I saw it. At the time I painted this in 1999 I had never
seen a painting of the Alamo that made a point of looking away from the facade
of the chapel. Using as sources drawings and watercolors primarily from
Capt. Seth Eastman, who was posted at the Alamo when it was taken over by
the Army Corps of Engineers three years after annexation (1848), this painting
shows a view of San Antonio de Bexar from the southwest gun emplacement
at about 4:00 a.m., March 6th, 1836. Just beyond our heroes (just to the left
You might guess that I loved the new movie "The Alamo", though this painting
was five years old when I saw it. At the time I painted this in 1999 I had never
seen a painting of the Alamo that made a point of looking away from the facade
of the chapel. Using as sources drawings and watercolors primarily from
Capt. Seth Eastman, who was posted at the Alamo when it was taken over by
the Army Corps of Engineers three years after annexation (1848), this painting
shows a view of San Antonio de Bexar from the southwest gun emplacement
at about 4:00 a.m., March 6th, 1836. Just beyond our heroes (just to the left
of the head of the man peering over the wall) one can see smoke rising from a gun battery across the river. Several Mexican soldiers paid their lives to
Davy Crockett's "Betsy" to build this battery and another like it a few hundred feet to the left. Directly above the same man's head fires in Military Square
glow against the facade of the San Fernando Church where Santa Anna flew the red "flag of no quarter". The torched footprints of houses which once
dotted the area around the walls of the old mission can be seen on this side of the river. In the moonglow in the river itself one can see the silhouettes of
Mexican soldier's headgear and guns.
Within ninety minutes the big cannon on which this corner of the Alamo depends will be turned on its interior, and will be smashing the interior fortifications
protecting the last of the fortresses survivors. The wheel of this largest gun to be held by either army (forget the nonsense in the John Wayne version)
through the whole of the revolution can be seen on the far right. Now, if you haven't seen the new Disney version of "The Alamo" go rent it and see why I
liked it so much!
Davy Crockett's "Betsy" to build this battery and another like it a few hundred feet to the left. Directly above the same man's head fires in Military Square
glow against the facade of the San Fernando Church where Santa Anna flew the red "flag of no quarter". The torched footprints of houses which once
dotted the area around the walls of the old mission can be seen on this side of the river. In the moonglow in the river itself one can see the silhouettes of
Mexican soldier's headgear and guns.
Within ninety minutes the big cannon on which this corner of the Alamo depends will be turned on its interior, and will be smashing the interior fortifications
protecting the last of the fortresses survivors. The wheel of this largest gun to be held by either army (forget the nonsense in the John Wayne version)
through the whole of the revolution can be seen on the far right. Now, if you haven't seen the new Disney version of "The Alamo" go rent it and see why I
liked it so much!
March 12, 1836-"Counting the Troops near Peach
Creek."
This work can be seen at the Sam Houston Memorial Museum in Huntsville,
Texas. In the distance one can see the smoke rising from the burning of the
town of Gonzales, from which Houston, the army of the fledgeling republic
and the town's population had fled the evening before. The mad flight which
would later be named "The Runaway Scrape" had begun on hearing from
Suzanna Dickinson of the fall of the Alamo- and with it the deaths of some
forty citizens of Gonzales.
Here, in a feat of P.R. only he could pull off Houston seeks to raise the
spirits of the people by counting the size of his army. He announced the
presence of 800 "able-bodied" men, and then claimed to be ready to
"...whip ten to one of the enemy!"
Creek."
This work can be seen at the Sam Houston Memorial Museum in Huntsville,
Texas. In the distance one can see the smoke rising from the burning of the
town of Gonzales, from which Houston, the army of the fledgeling republic
and the town's population had fled the evening before. The mad flight which
would later be named "The Runaway Scrape" had begun on hearing from
Suzanna Dickinson of the fall of the Alamo- and with it the deaths of some
forty citizens of Gonzales.
Here, in a feat of P.R. only he could pull off Houston seeks to raise the
spirits of the people by counting the size of his army. He announced the
presence of 800 "able-bodied" men, and then claimed to be ready to
"...whip ten to one of the enemy!"
March 31 -April 1, 1836- "The Runaway Scrape: Loading the
Yellow Stone at Groce's Plantation."
This work and a panoramic painting depicting the last moments of the defenders of the
Alamo in San Antonio (March 6, 1836)can be seen at the Taste of Texas Restaurant on
the Katy Freeway near Beltway 8 in Houston, Texas.
Yellow Stone at Groce's Plantation."
This work and a panoramic painting depicting the last moments of the defenders of the
Alamo in San Antonio (March 6, 1836)can be seen at the Taste of Texas Restaurant on
the Katy Freeway near Beltway 8 in Houston, Texas.
The Lon Morris College Millennium
Mural
Click on the image to see the story of the oldest
surviving junior college west of the Mississippi
river and the second oldest college in Texas.
Mural
Click on the image to see the story of the oldest
surviving junior college west of the Mississippi
river and the second oldest college in Texas.
As the father of four school-aged children I am very concerned with educational issues.
Many of my projects have been directed at schools and intended for educational purposes. A
good example of this is the Scott E. Johnson Memorial Mural at Scott Johnson Elementary
School in Huntsville, Texas. This mural tells the story of a man who didn't have the chance
to go to school at all until he was twelve, only to make his way all the way to a graduate
degree in Education from the finest black college in America. He then used that education to
educate blacks in Walker County, TX. Click on the image for an explanation of the mural.
Many of my projects have been directed at schools and intended for educational purposes. A
good example of this is the Scott E. Johnson Memorial Mural at Scott Johnson Elementary
School in Huntsville, Texas. This mural tells the story of a man who didn't have the chance
to go to school at all until he was twelve, only to make his way all the way to a graduate
degree in Education from the finest black college in America. He then used that education to
educate blacks in Walker County, TX. Click on the image for an explanation of the mural.
Interested in telling your own story?
Contact Lee Jamison.
Contact Lee Jamison.
History Paintings by Lee Jamison
The Bastrop History Mural at the First National Bank of Bastrop, Texas (member F.D.I.C.)
There are over a hundred points of Bastrop's history represented in this site,which means the effort to build a proper web page has been a challenge. It's coming,
though!
There are over a hundred points of Bastrop's history represented in this site,which means the effort to build a proper web page has been a challenge. It's coming,
though!