From the desk of Jan Hommel, American Freedom Museum Director:

Texas Secretary of State Carlos Cascos visited the American Freedom Museum on Thursday and also spent time speaking to a group of Brook Hill juniors and seniors. Secretary Cascos encouraged the students to register to vote and stressed what a difference one vote can make in the upcoming elections. He reminded the students what a great state they live in and that its greatest asset is the people and their friendliness and willingness to work together. He also emphasized that Texas continues to be a great state for business and how it has been blessed with a continued growing economy.

In 2015, as his first appointment as governor, Greg Abbott nominated Carlos H. Cascos to serve as Texas Secretary of State. He is the 110th Texas Secretary of State. Not new to public service, Secretary Cascos was elected as Cameron County Judge in 2006 and was re-elected in 2010 and again in 2014. Previously, Secretary Cascos served on the Texas Public Safety Commission and as a Cameron County Commissioner from 1991 through 2002. Born in Mexico and becoming a U.S. citizen in adolescence, Secretary Cascos attended Brownsville public schools and is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin.

The Secretary serves as Chief Election Officer for Texas, assisting county election officials and ensuring the uniform application and interpretation of election laws throughout Texas. The Office of the Secretary of State also provides a repository for official, business and commercial records required to be filed with the Office. The Secretary publishes government rules and regulations and commissions notaries public. The Secretary also serves as keeper of the state seal and attester to the Governor’s signature on official documents. In addition, the Secretary serves as senior advisor and liaison to the Governor for Texas Border and Mexican Affairs, and serves as Chief International Protocol Officer for Texas.

The first Secretary of State of the Republic of Texas was Stephen F. Austin. After attending school in Connecticut and Kentucky, Austin returned to his family in Missouri. In 1821, Austin traveled to San Antonio to recruit United States citizens to settle in Texas. Austin negotiated with federal officials in Mexico, to which Texas then belonged, to acquire large grants of land. During the next 15 years, Austin brought thousands of settlers from around the United States to Texas. He also created many early maps of the area and remained devoted to the development of the land now known as Texas.

After Texas won independence from Mexico in 1836, the newly elected President of the Texas Republic, Sam Houston, appointed Austin Secretary of State. Austin served as Secretary of State for only three months. He died of pneumonia while in office in December 1836 at the age of 43.

 “The prosperity of Texas has been the object of my labors, the idol of my existence, it has assumed the character of religion, for the guidance of my thoughts and actions, for fifteen years.” Stephen F. Austin