In Galveston, TX very close to Sacred
Heart Catholic Church
We find a beautiful Victorian building
commonly known as the Bishop Palace. Also known as the Gresham mansion, the
house was built between 1887 and 1893 for the lawyer and politician Walter
Gresham and his family.
The
building is very ornate and nicely decorated.
In
1923 the Diocese of Galveston purchased the house, and it served as the residence
for Bishop Christopher E. Byrne. In the 1960s’ the diocesan offices were moved
to Houston and the diocese opened the mansion to the public, with proceeds from
tours being used to fund students at the nearby University of Texas Medical
Branch. The house is now owned by the
Galveston Historical Foundation.
But
the interest topic for this blog is the heraldry located on one of the side
windows. The heraldic design neither corresponds with any Gresham lineage nor
Bishop Byrne’s arms. I am looking for help on identifying the family shield in
the images.
