[2] In early 1892, the Texas government was preparing materials for a building at the World's Columbian Exposition to be held the following year in Chicago.

After a meeting, Ney was invited to sculpt portrait statues of Sam Houston and Stephen F. Austin for the exhibit, though the commission had no funds to pay the artist for her work.

[4][3]: 93  An additional copy of each statue was cut for submission to the National Statuary Hall Collection and unveiled in the United States Capitol in 1905.

The lowered hands hold a partially unrolled scroll, meant to represent a map, while a Kentucky long rifle leans against the left hip and leg.

Ney used authentic period objects for reference in developing the details of the sculpture, including the long rifle and scroll map.