I am the fifth generation great grand-niece of William Goyens, Jr of Nacogdoches. The Texas Centennial Commission once honored Goyens as a Republic of Texas hero and erected a monument to him, located as the grave marker for his resting place on Goyens Hill. Goyens' wife, Mary Pate Sibley Goyens rests beside him. The marker was moved by some unknown entity to the roadside where it was vandalized. A new historical marker has been erected to replace the damaged centennial marker, but the most tragic element of these events is that Goyens' grave remains unmarked. There was a time when school children would visit and place a wreath upon his grave. There are family members who wish to do this as well, but this issue has been neglected despite appeals to the Texas historical Commission and the East Texas Historical Society. It is a tragic loss of respect to those who have done so much to help Texas gain her independence. Goyens negotiated the Houston-Forbes Treaty so the Cherokees would not join the Mexican army in 1836. What would have happened if he did not succeed? Would Texas be Texas?
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