We always wondered how our family had so much Texas history when Texas was Mexico. It seems as if our family was from Alabama; our great-great father, Tom Hill, was young when his parents and sibling, Mack Nolan came to Texas.

Uncle Mack was the slave holder's son, but was raised with his mother, Ada, who was married to Richard Hill. Being a light skinned black, Uncle Mack was able to assimilate, but did not completely shut off his family. He was an elected city councilman in the late 1800's but was killed under suspicious circumstances.

His portrait hangs in my great-grandmother's home to this day.