Category Archives: Places

Thoughts and Ramblings: Too fat to put on booties, Pie Face, Seven Oaks, Berthe DeBretagne, Old Sparks Cemetery, moved in the 50s, and thanks to Albert.

Posted on by

Well, I’ve been dieting again. The main reason is that I couldn’t bend down and put on the booties during the Historic Homes Tour in Galveston. Actually, this makes me think of all the food I grew up eating. There were many good places in Port Arthur, but I stand by my Hartmans, Monceauxs, and Fish Net picks. I also want to mention Pie Face. Her jambalaya was not of this world in the 1990s. This was when she was cooking in the Jefferson City Shopping Center. It was the old Ted’s Record Shop. I know that she was previously located near Church’s Chicken on Bluebonnet. Pork Jambalaya that only an angel from Heaven could have cooked, and sweet tea for $5.

As a kid, my family didn’t travel much. As I stated a few weeks ago, we were the poor sods who ate sandy hotdogs on McFaddin Beach, so I don’t know the appetite of North Jefferson County or even the other counties in SETX. Except for Tyler County, we all know that your Pickett House is almost a religious experience. Our Boondocks was too. What was your favorite dining spot in the counties that make up SETX, and is it still around?

When traveling along Twin-city Hwy, just before the point where Hwy 366 connects to it, you will see seven Oak trees planted back in the 1980s in a circle near the train bridge. TxDOT did not do this landscaping. The tribute to the seven astronauts who perished in the Challenger explosion in January 1986 was made by the Nederland Historical Society. I’ll give a shout-out to William D. Quick for this. When I first heard about the disaster, I was on the same porch where I saw a formation of T-6 Texans all dressed up to look like Mitsubishi A6M Zeros for the Tora, Tora, Tora airshow at the Jefferson County Airport. I also saw Air Force One in 1980. The president was here doing what politicians do. I’m still in awe of the planes but don’t care for politicians unless it’s Winston Churchill. I will go on record to say that I’m pro-peanuts, though.

Last weekend I used my time wisely. It had been a while since I updated my files–what a weekend of filing! Nine months of files uploaded and sent to the database for humanity. You’re welcome. There were many interesting things waiting to be uploaded, such as several Port Arthur News clips of Mrs. Hugo DeBretagne. She was quite a patriot, I believe. If you have followed this blog, you’ve seen me mention Hugo J. DeBretagne. She was his mother. Although I haven’t done an in-depth article on H.J., it remains an ongoing project. Below I offer a storyline for this family and hope to expand it in the future.

The father, Hugo S. DeBretagne, fought in WWI and found a bride in Belgium, named Berthe. After the war, they lived in Port Arthur and had two sons, Hugo J. and James. Throughout the 1920s and 30s, there are many mentions of Berthe DeBretagne giving public speeches or heading the Women’s Auxiliary. Since she was mentioned more than her children and husband, I can only assume that she was a go-getter.

In the 1940s, both sons enlisted and were sent to fight in the Pacific. This is where it gets fuzzy for me as a researcher. I do know that James fought at Guadalcanal, but there is no mention of Hugo. The only information I could find is for the Battle of Tarawa. Hugo J. DeBretagne was killed in action on the third and last day of the battle (November 23, 1943). His brother James survived the war. He died in 2008, but I am yet to find his story. Mrs. DeBretagne continued to be in the spotlight with the Women’s Auxiliary in the newspapers, but in 1946 she divorced her husband and went her own way. I will not attempt to explain this decision because I can’t. It is what it is. Berthe eventually remarried an immigrant from Australia named William George Hay. She is buried near her son’s memorial stone in Greenlawn in Groves, Texas. This is one story I will continue to research.

Sparks Cemetery

Another group of files I uploaded was on the Sparks Cemetery and how it was moved in the 1950s. The cemetery was located on Dupont land between Nederland and Beaumont on TwinCity Highway. The McFaddins owned the ground at the time, and both they and Dupont moved all 30 residents of the cemetery to Forest Lawn in Beaumont. I will give the McFaddins and Dupont kudos for actually moving the bodies to their new resting place. There are many accounts of Beaumont cemeteries simply left underneath sites of urban expansion. I will get into that in the future.

Well, that’s it for this week. I’ll mention that I was surprised to make it in the Out and About with Albert section of The Examiner newspaper for the Memorial Service at Magnolia Cemetery. It’s better than the police beat. Au revoir.

Food for Thought in Port Arthur Texas (70s -80s)

https://www.rediscoveringsetx.com/2013/01/23/food-for-thought-in-port-arthur-texas-70s-80s/

Thoughts and Ramblings: Hurakan Season begins, Miss Jack McDonough, Anahuac, Mr. Austin, or Mr. Crowley

Posted on by
T.J. Chambers House Anahuac Texas

As I mentioned last week, hurricane season officially began on June 1st, sending me to HEB and Market Basket to stock up on several necessities. I currently have ample stocks of Chef Boyardee Spaghetti & Meatballs and Dinty Moore Beef Stew. What’s not well-stocked is the strategic fuel reserve, and I cringe every time I’m at the pump. Hopefully, Jim Cantore and Hurakan will spare us this year.

Around this time, I usually think of Miss Jack McDonough, Postmistress of Sabine Pass (1885–1886). Her memorial is located in Magnolia Cemetery behind the firefighters’ plot. She perished on October 12, 1886, in Sabine Pass. According to family lore, she met her end after refusing to leave the post office until she counted the money and put it in a bag to take with her. Jack’s father, mother, brother, and nephew used a small boat to try to rescue her. As the father and the brother pushed the boat along, it overturned, and Miss Jack, her mother, and nephew were lost to the waves. The bodies of Adalissa (the mother) and Benjamin Foley (the nephew) were recovered, but Jack’s never was. Adalissa and Benjamin are buried in Sabine Pass Cemetery, along with many others who shared the same date. Jack’s father, Benjamin F. McDonough, survived but died two years later in Wallis, Texas. Her brother, Andrew McDonough, also survived; he erected the stone memorial to his beloved sister at Magnolia Cemetery. Their stories are also interesting, but that’s for another time.

It’s been a while since I’ve gone to Anahuac. I’ve passed it on my way to Houston, but to see a few hidden gems, you need to get off the eternal construction zone that the powers that be refer to as Interstate 10. My last trip was around Christmas 2012 when I visited the area with a friend I would call a Texas Historian, Charles Irwin. He has written a few books on Texas history, which I believe are still available for purchase at the Museum of the Gulf Coast in Port Arthur. I have more info about this at the bottom of the page. We visited Heritage Park in Wallisville and had some interesting conversations, then passed the Archie and Effie Middleton House (circa 1906). I would love to tour this house, but it was privately owned at the time. After stopping at a historic cemetery, we visited the Chambers County Historical Commission Museum. More engaging conversations ensued, but the main reason for the visit was the T.J. Chambers House.

A year before, I had taken a different street when leaving work and noticed this glorious upper window that both Stephen F. Austin and Aleister Crowley would approve of. It was definitely made in honor of the Lone Star of Texas, but the Thelemic crowd would also look at it in awe. We were fortunate to have the house opened on our visit, and it was a great experience. All the vintage furniture and the Christmas theme were perfect at the time. The story and tragic murder of T.J. Chambers are also worth hearing. This area played an important part in Texas history. It was the site of the first armed confrontation between the Anglo-Texan and Mexican troops in June 1830. The bluff where Fort Anahuac was built and defended was a site where immigrants were required to pay taxes upon arrival! (In Texas, that did not go well).

I will say this about Charles Irwin: he taught me a lot about Texas history. Yes, I knew the basics from school, but I don’t recall learning that Texas had a navy. Yes, they were poor and couldn’t pay their shipyard repair bill in the New Orleans drydocks, but Sam Houston did a pretty good job of getting things in order in the end. Or was that Stephen F. Austin? Both men are well represented in my files of Southeast Texas history, as they should be. Heck, Florence Stratton was even related to SFA by the marriage of a cousin and some fuzzy math that I don’t want to get into right now. Only the Bryan family could explain it, and this is why I need to visit the Bryan Museum in Galveston.

The memorial service at Magnolia Cemetery that we held the Saturday before Memorial Day went well. I was very impressed with all who participated—especially the young scouts and the color guard. It gives me hope for the future. I know from a reliable source that this was the first time that a Memorial Day service was performed in Magnolia Cemetery. Things are looking up, and it won’t be the last one.

We are also planning on identifying all the veterans in the cemetery. This is called the Historic Magnolia Cemetery Veteran Recognition Project. It is a massive undertaking since the cemetery has around 30,000 residents. If you have family in Magnolia and they served, please get in touch with us.

rediscoveringsetx@gmail.com

Well, that’s it for this week. Go visit Anahuac, whether you’re on the SFA bandwagon or in Crowley’s bunch.

Miss Jack McDonough:

https://www.rediscoveringsetx.com/2017/02/21/tales-from-hallowed-ground-miss-jack-mcdonough/

Rediscovering Anahuac/Wallisville:

https://www.rediscoveringsetx.com/2012/12/31/rediscovering-anahuac-wallisville/

Chambers County:

https://wallisvillemuseum.com/

Charles Irwin’s books:

Charles Irwin

Unheralded Texas Heroes ISBN: 9781935377009

The Creed Taylor Story ISBN 978-1-4675-4458-0

Peerless Texas Empresarios ISBN 978-1-4675-4760-4

Benjamin Franklin Highsmith (Alamo Courier 1836) ISBN 978-1-4675-8482-1

https://www.museumofthegulfcoast.org/museumofthegulfcoast

Thoughts and Ramblings: Candy Lady, Whine, Little League, and Memorial Day

Posted on by

The 48th Annual Galveston Homes Tour is a wrap, and I hope everyone had a chance to visit the beautiful houses. There were more long lines than in some previous years, but it was certainly worth it for some homes. As a gatekeeper, I am the one you usually meet first, and I can say we had one great bunch of people visiting the cover house. You were great because some things went wrong, especially with the technology, but we all soldiered on. One thing to remember for next year is that you MUST keep hydrated during the tour. Free water stations were available in all the houses this year, and I’m sure it will be the same next year, so there is no excuse: hydrate! If you visit the home I volunteer at, you will also find candy for an extra boost. The candy is donated by Beverly Davis (you might know her as the “candy lady” on the tour). Beverly is in charge of our group, and she is incredible. I have volunteered with her for a good many years now, and I’m already looking forward to the next.

Every Monday morning, I drive to a work site through Orange County, which takes around 30 to 40 minutes. Al and the gang on 560 KLVI usually blare on the radio until I get to the site; Sirius XM follows. Why KLVI? Probably because I’m used to a little whine on my daily commute. This Monday I heard that the Cincinnati Reds baseball team pitched a no-hitter. I should be ecstatic because in the 70s that was my team! For all you Astro fans, y’all were the farm team for Cincinnati. I know this because we used to go to the Astrodome every time the Reds were in town for a doubleheader and watch them sweep. (But I will always love Jose Cruz.) They also stole many of your players, but I digress.

The Seagull 1918

I mention this because Cincinnati pitched a no-hitter and lost, which brings me back to when I played in the Bellaire little league for Duraso Pharmacy. We weren’t the most athletic of sorts. There was no name for the team other than the company that sponsored us, so we named ourselves the Dirty Pigs because of the DP on the hat. (Shocking that a group of 10-year-olds would do that.) Our team was involved in a no-hitter, but unlike Cincinnati, we had one pitcher. I don’t remember the strategy, but either our pitcher or the coach, who was usually intoxicated, decided to wear out the other team by walking them. We lost 9-2. I’m really surprised that we managed to score two runs.

Memorial Day is coming up, which usually confuses me. Not the reason, but the date. I’m aware it’s linked to European history and World War I, but for us it goes back to the Civil War. The day was known as Decoration Day because both the North and the South poignantly put flowers on the graves of the fallen. Usually, the women tended to the graves because the men were lying underground. This wasn’t a good scenario for either side. All who were left did what they could. In my opinion, it’s good to look back at history, especially to learn from the past. George Santayana once said, “Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”

Magnolia Cemetery has a memorial service on Saturday, May 28. It’s just a way to remember all the veterans who didn’t make it home and thank them for their sacrifice. We also include all the veterans that came back and lived great lives, but have passed. It’s a small service from 11 to 12. I hope you can make it. We are also working on a database of veterans buried at Magnolia Cemetery. This is a big project because the cemetery has about 30,000 residents, and half of them served in some form or another.

Speaking of veterans and Memorial Day, my friend and fantastic finder of things, Don Smart, gave me a 1918 edition of the Seagull. I’ve talked about this before. The Seagull was the high school yearbook of Port Arthur High School. Since this edition is from World War I, I want to delve a little deeper into its pages. I love these old books.

I guess I should up the ante on researching old cemeteries. I do know that the Lewis Cemetery hasn’t been seen since 1932. In Mildred Wright’s cemetery book, it is located between 19th and 23rd streets. To my knowledge, it was never moved, so if you live 200 yards north of the Olive Garden in Beaumont, you may not want to put in a pool. I might also throw in the old Civil War Cemetery under Fire Station One. Apparently, that cemetery was also never moved, and yes, it was haunted.

Until next time, stay hydrated—my old Little League coach did.

Cheers!

Thoughts and Ramblings: Scary Trees, Kishi Colony, Lucian Adams, and a Rant

Posted on by

I believe we’ve lost a few friends. If you’ve ever traveled down Highway FM 105, west of FM 1442 in Orange County, you might have seen some odd old trees. They looked like they would be perfectly at home on Almira Gulch’s land in Kansas/Oz, ready to grab Dorothy and her little dog “too.” I love Margaret Hamilton. They were Camphor trees planted by Toraichi Kishi, brother of Kichimatsu Kishi, who immigrated from Japan to farm rice. These trees were registered with the Texas Forest Service at some point, and according to the TAMU website, one of them was on the Texas Big Tree Registry. Now, only one colossal tree is left. The others sadly succumbed to the freeze of February 2021. These trees were apparently planted in the 1910s.

Growing up, we had a Camphor tree. When I was 7 years old, the plant was my link to traveling the seas on a boat called the Westwind. Thinking back, I have little knowledge of the TV show, but I do know that my Camphor tree smelled better than that yacht from the 1970s.

Speaking of the Kishis, a few years back, I came across a scrapbook filled with newspaper articles from the 1940s at an estate sale in Port Neches. Its owner, Miss Davis, kept many articles leading up to and during the war. One was a Beaumont Enterprise article about a young man named Taro Kishi, an American born into a family of Japanese descendants (a Nisei). His words in the article spoke of patriotism and wanting to fight against the aggressors of the United States. Still, the U.S. military was not recruiting Japanese Americans at this point. Eventually, the 442nd Regimental Combat Team was formed with Japanese Americans and fought in the Italy campaign.

As I mention the history of WWII and the Italy campaign, I have to bring up Lucian Adams from Port Arthur. He was one of twelve siblings: nine boys and three girls. Eight of the boys served during the war, and fortunately, all of them returned home. Lucian carried out many heroic acts. The first one was during the landing at Anzio, where he knocked out an enemy machine-gun position, leading his unit to advance. Lucian earned a Bronze Star for this. During another campaign in France, he knocked out three machine-gun nests all by himself, two using grenades and the other one with his Browning Automatic Rifle. For this, he received the Medal of Honor. There go a couple of tales from my “Greatest Generation file”—because they were our greatest generation!

I’ve volunteered for many organizations and will continue to do so in the future, but I am a bit irked at a few non-profits in our area. In the past, I’ve had a couple of bad experiences with these Wine and Cheese factories that communicate nice messages about supporting “our history” but treat their volunteers like cannon fodder. Admittedly, the organizations I refer to have gotten rid of the people in charge at the time, but I still have no desire to become one of their winos. I will not mention the organizations here, but if you ever see me out on the street, I would love to tell you about the dark side of this history.

My real gripe here is that someone takes time out of their life to help your non-profit, and you, as the organizer, are being well compensated. I do believe these people should be paid, but please treat your (unpaid) volunteers with respect, and know that if it weren’t for them, your organization would cease to exist. Treat us right, and we will come; treat us wrong, and you will die a horrible death.

Well, I had a whole other rant about volunteers being given a 3×5 card of historical information, but low and behold, I was just emailed three pages of facts about the house I’ll be volunteering at. I like whoever is the powers that be currently. Things are looking up. Hope to see you in Galveston this week and next. Even you, Wanda. Just wear comfy shoes. No heels!

48th Annual Galveston Historic Homes Tour

Posted on by
1874 Robert and Ellen Hughes House

What a day taking the 48th Annual Galveston Historic Homes Tour; all I can say is booties, booties, and more booties. No, I wasn’t at the beach, but we did visit all nine homes yesterday. There were some fantastic homes this year, which is why I think that this was the Year of Bootie. Five houses, including the cover house, required barefootin’ or using booties. This slowed the flow in some homes, but I wouldn’t let that deter you from having a peek inside these beautiful structures.

Old City Cemetery

After a mandatory trip to Old City Cemetery, our first stop was the jewel of this year’s tour, the 1874 Robert and Ellen Hughes House. As expected, the lines were long, but the flow was good. I arrived about twenty minutes before the tour started, and I was in the sixth group of the morning. To put that into perspective, there were twelve people in a group. This is truly a must-see home. In the future, there may even be a way to spend the night in this treasure. The structure is a work in progress six years in the making, and it will eventually become a bed in breakfast.

Second on the list was the 1897 August J. Henck Cottage, where we experienced probably the longest wait time. The main reason is the small size of the property and the single staircase to access different parts of it. Like the cover house, this is a must-see, but know that booties are involved and the lines may be long. I suggest an early visit to this one.

We arrived at the 1931 Dr. Albert and Willie Dean Singleton House around noon. (Did I mention that eight of the nine houses have working ACs? All the porch docents did. Yes!) It was a pleasure to tour this gem without wait or booties.

The rest of the tour flowed smoothly for the most part. Our fourth stop, the Stubbs- Garrigan Bungalow, had no wait at all. It is located away from the other homes, so I guess this played a role. It’s a beautiful house that I could see myself relaxing in on weekends.

Number five was the 1906 Romanet-Glenn House. I enjoyed all the information the docents gave us here. They did an excellent job—the same goes for the 1894 Adolph and Augusta Helmann Cottage and the 1896 Oscar and Mary Walker House. You will need to wear booties for both these properties. The 1896 Walker House had long lines all day, but it’s worth a visit. However, it may be haunted! (I heard that while waiting in line.)

The eighth stop, the 2020 Magruder Cottage, was a head-scratcher. New construction on a historic homes tour? There were a few minutes of wait because the house is 1,000 square feet, and only six people can go in at once. I really enjoyed this one. It is not often that the owners, who are also the builders/designers, give the tour. This is the first-ever new construction on the historic homes tour. The reason is probably that the couple has remodeled around twenty houses in Galveston over the years. The property was built to be a traditional Galveston raised cottage. A lot of antiques and reclaimed wood were used in the construction. The owners made the floor with reclaimed Red Oak, White Oak, and Maple. I love this property, but feng shui people beware: it is a shotgun house!

Our last stop was the 1866 Thomas and Frances Blythe House—a restoration in progress. This property is similar to The French House in Beaumont, Texas. I say this because of the odd dog trot middle that it may once have had. Anyway, I hope to see this one after it’s finished.

Well, that’s it for now. Enjoy the tour. It was a long day but worth every minute of it. And there was no wait on the ferry! I must be living right.

Galveston’s Historic Homes Tour

Posted on by

What you need to know

The Galveston Historic Homes Tour begins next week, and I am ready! I hope you are too and look forward to seeing you there. Here I want to offer a few tips on tour etiquette that will make your visit much more pleasant.

  1. Each ticket is valid for one visit to every house on both weekends. If you can go both weekends, taking the tour with family and friends is a great experience. However, if you only have one weekend or even only one day, then it is better to take the tour with no more than three people. Long lines can be an obstacle. One year I took the opening day tour solo, and there was a point when I passed in front of 14 people because they only had enough room for one more person in the group.
  2. Some of the houses are in the same neighborhood, so have a plan to park centrally. You will be able to walk to multiple places without wasting time looking for a parking spot to the various destinations.
  3. NO HEELS! I should have put this up top. This is the one thing I’ve never understood. Why would someone wear heels on a home tour that involves walking upstairs and on lovely restored floors? If you do wear heels, you’ll end up walking through some stranger’s house shoeless. There was an instance when a homeowner had their beautiful restored floor damaged by someone who chose not to wear comfortable shoes. The money raised by the tour paid for the floor to be restored once more.
  4. Booties! Speaking of shoes, it is always inevitable to have one house on the tour that doesn’t want West End Wanda prancing around in heels or people walking on their newly restored floors. I get it, restoration is expensive! But then why have your home on the tour? Anyway, I digress. This will undoubtedly slow down the number of people taking the tour. So, there may be some waiting time.
  5. In popular homes, such as the cover house, it may be better to visit at the opening, during lunchtime, or near the last tour (6 p.m.). I’ve found that these times have fewer lines.
  6. Volunteers. Most of the people checking your ticket, selling you the excellent wares that the Galveston Historical Foundation (GHF) has to offer, and who are stationed throughout the property are all volunteers. This means they are not getting paid. The white shirt-black pants army is there to keep the tour rolling and help you visit these beautiful homes. I say this because when you find yourself in a line, know that most of these people are doing the best they can to give you a great experience. Concerning the historical knowledge of these places, I am looking forward to seeing what the GHF will offer its volunteers. One year, I volunteered to be a docent on the front porch and all I got was a 3 x 5 index card of information. I’ll get into this next week.
  7. Visit the City Cemetery! The wildflowers are lovely and a great photo opportunity for photographers.
  8. Make sure to look for the cemetery tours hosted by Kathleen Maca. They sell out fast! The reason is that she is a great storyteller and has written several books on Broadway’s prominent cemetery.
City Cemetery

Until next week, I bid you adieu! And remember, no heels!

43rd Annual Galveston Historic Homes Tour

Posted on by

This past weekend marked a beautiful start to the 43rd Annual Galveston Historic Homes Tour. The weather was gorgeous, and the powers that be expect the same for this coming weekend. Given such good weather, I anticipated that the tour would have a huge turnout, and boy was that confirmed as the day progressed. Lines were long at some houses, but they moved swiftly. Most homes on the tour have shade for visitors, with the exception of the c1880 Alley House, so you might want to see this one first, before the sun gets too hot.

 

 

 

 

After a stop at the Old City Cemetery on Broadway to photograph the wildflowers, we began at the tour’s Cover House, the 1868 Charles and Susan Hurley House. I immediately understood why this was the premier house on the tour. Its posh landscape along with its lovely exterior can entice all who visit, but a look inside is also a must: this is truly the jewel of the tour. My fondness for this gem only grew during the additional day I spent volunteering there as the gatekeeper on Sunday.

Our next stop was the c1880 Alley House: a very tiny abode, but a well-done restoration. The current owner has done a fabulous job. While you are visiting, please make a note to stay on the runners; although the owner has not requested that all who enter wear booties, he still would not like his floors tarnished from the gravel outside. So wipe your feet!

Our next venture was touring the 1904 Thomas and Maggie Bollinger House. Note that this is the only house in which the owners requested all visitors to wear booties. It’s a beautiful house, with varying decor. My favorite was the original 1910 Ouija board!

 

Moving on, we visited the 1905 James and Emma Davis House, where I noticed the amazing wood floors. I decided they surely could not be original, and I was correct in my assumption – but as usual, I was totally wrong on the period! Originally from a bank, they were installed in the house in 1915.

 

Next on the list were two abodes side by side: the 1925 Joseph and Helen Swiff House and the 1926 Harry and Harriet Wetmore House. The Wetmore house had long lines, but as with the other properties, they moved quickly. Inside, both dwellings had appeal. The blueprint reproductions of the house, including the fireplace, was a nice touch in the Swiff house, and the elevator inside the Wetmore House was priceless.

 

 

Lunch was our usual. I don’t think we can go to Galveston and not eat at Shrimp and Stuff.

 

 

Our second leg of the tour began at the largest house, the 1916 Hans and Marguerite Guldmann House. By size, this castle dwarfed most of the other houses on the tour, and understandably, there was a wait. If you want to see this house, please be prepared for the wait, both in line beforehand and throughout the tour. There is a lot to see.

The final stop for the restored houses was the 1899 William and Ella Dugey House. It’s a beautiful house, both inside and out, and should be a definite stop on your tour. And yes, 15 people did live in the house. I know this because I was reminded by each docent as we walked through.

 

 

 

 

 

We also visited the 1915 H.W. Hildebrand Tenant House, a restoration in progress. I hope to see it on future tours, along with the 1920 City National Bank Building, which is also being restored.

Overall, the tour included beautiful houses with some modern flair, as expected. The lines for entry were long in a few cases but were generally fast moving, with the exception of the 1916 Hans and Marguerite Guldmann House. The scripts were shortened this year by the Galveston Historical Foundation to help the tour flow more smoothly. After all, most visitors (including me) are there to see the wonderful restorations that the current owners have made inside the houses. So hopefully this will make your visit even grander.

The Galveston Historic Homes Tour will resume this weekend. Hours for both Saturday and Sunday are 10:00 am to 6:00 pm. I will be at the 1926 Harry and Harriet Wetmore House on Sunday from 12:30 to 3:30, so stop by and take a look at this beautiful house. I’ll try not to stand in the way!

Tyrrell Historical Library

Posted on by

My ongoing research into all things SETX has spanned many counties—even taking me off our clay paths to places like Austin—and the search continues. For instance, last month I talked about my affection for the Sam Houston Research Center and all the great things they offer. Well, this month I thought I’d stay closer to home and give the number one research hub in Jefferson County the opportunity to be in the spotlight. Through my research on Susie Spindletop and her “Weekly Letter,” I’ve spent many hours—and a fair sum of money—at the old Baptist Church. In fact, I’m sure I’ve personally kept them well stocked in quarters over the past two and a half years by printing out the Sunday Enterprise’s “Weekly Letter” from their microfilm machine at $0.25 per page. To be honest, I get a lot more out of a roll of quarters at the Tyrrell than I do at our neighboring state’s casinos!

The Tyrrell Historical Library has been a fixture in Beaumont since its inception in 1926, but the intention wasn’t always for it to be a library. Indeed, this classic structure had its own history before being converted into its current form. Built to be the First Baptist Church in 1903, it served as a replacement for the original brick church previously erected on the same grounds. In the early 20s, the congregation had outgrown that building, so they constructed a church at the corner of Broadway and Willow that was sufficiently large to host the masses of new members each Sunday.

In 1923 W.C. Tyrrell, a venture capitalist and one of Beaumont’s most prominent businessmen, purchased the building and donated it to the city for use as a public library. The library opened in 1926 and served as the main public library until the new structure was built in 1974. The building was subsequently renamed the Tyrrell Historical Library in honor of Mr. Tyrrell.

To assist those doing genealogical research, the Tyrrell has an extensive collection of family archives, city directories, and newspapers, and has gateway access to other research venues such as Ancestry.com. As an aside, volunteers from the Daughters of the Revolution (DAR) are usually on hand on the first Saturday of each month to help anyone doing family research. But it is a good idea to call beforehand to make sure that they will be there.

The Tyrrell has been a very useful resource for me, especially when I was doing research on old Beaumont through the pages of the former Beaumont Enterprise and Beaumont Journal. I do have private access to a newspaper archive, but unfortunately neither newspaper is digitized so are not currently available there. I have also found the collections at the Tyrrell to be excellent. Old photos and letter archives of a few subjects that I’ve written about in the past can be found there. One collection in particular is the Stratton-Stevens-Follin family papers, which were donated in October 2013. This collection comprises 60-plus letters by the Stratton family. Those of Asa Evan Stratton, the father of Florence Stratton (Susie Spindletop), account for most of them. Notably, it was here that I obtained a copy of a letter proving the year of Florence’s birth. Most of the other letters are general correspondence between various family members, which are not of particular interest at the moment. However, they should provide me with further insights into her parents’ lives during my future research.

The Tyrrell Historical Library is certainly a gem, not only to Beaumont, but also to all our surrounding counties. The archives are a pivotal resource documenting our history. And I for one am glad to have it as my number one starting point when delving into our past.

Did You Know:

You can support the Tyrrell Historical Library by joining the Tyrrell Historical Library Association.

$15 Associate Membership

$25 Family Membership

$50 Sustaining Membership

$100 Patron Membership

—– Institutional Membership

Your tax-deductible membership dues and donations are used to support the library’s restoration, promote the development of its diverse collections, and encourage the use and enjoyment of the library.

Mail contributions to:

Tyrrell Historical Library Association

P.O. Box 12563

Beaumont, Texas 77726-2563

Sam Houston Regional Library and Research Center

Posted on by

 

 

I believe that here in SETX we are a lot better off than in some areas, where gathering historical documents can be next to impossible at times. I found this out in my first year researching Florence Stratton’s college years at Troy Normal College in Alabama (now called Troy University). I will say it is still an ongoing process. But when the archives are in shambles, and there is no one to sort them out, it is quite frustrating to say the least. Nevertheless, I hope to persevere.

To begin with, I would say that we certainly have some great places that are top-notch institutions, which provide a home for most of our historic archives. They keep them safe and accessible for those of us laying the groundwork into our historical past. These sanctuaries of history are certainly an essential part to my research. I could never see myself obtaining as much documentation about my subjects without them.

Over the past five years, I’ve visited many places, seeking information on many different subjects. There are too many, in fact, to mention them all in this article, but I do have a couple of “go-to” places I will use regularly. The first is the Tyrrell Historical Library, which I hope to cover in depth in another upcoming article slated for March. The second would be the Sam Houston Regional Library and Research Center.

I first visited this library back in 2012. I learned about it through Darlene Mott, whom I met at Dick Dowling Days in Sabine Pass. She was a reenactor portraying Kate Dorman in a living history scenario at the event. I was new to this research thing, and to the history of Mrs. Dorman, but I wanted to find out a little more information on her other than the lone W.T. Block article that everyone writing about her uses as a source. (I will admit that I was guilty of this as well.)

I emailed the research center and set up a day on which I could visit. What I found that day was nothing less than amazing. The treasure trove of information stored at the library is beyond belief. Not only can you sort through government records, tax rolls, and such (which I did researching Kate Dorman), you can also browse through many family and other collections on file. Most of the collections are accessible, but as always, you should plan your trip and give the library notice about which contents you want to research. The staff is astounding at what they do, but it would be best to let them know ahead of time what you are researching. It will save time.

I have since returned a multitude of times these past four years for different research topics and projects, and have always enjoyed my times there. I had the good fortune to help in the inventory of historian Bill Quick’s research papers, along with Don Smart and Bruce Hamilton. These colleagues from the Jefferson County Historical Commission are “foot soldiers in Bill Quick’s army,” as Bruce always refers to himself. On a side note, I never met Mr. Quick, but I will say that through learning about the man and his research, and from the many who hold him dear, he has definitely been an ongoing inspiration to me and my own fact-finding missions.

Another treasure that the Sam Houston Center holds is their collection of Beaumont newspapers. I’ll admit that through my research of Florence Stratton, I have spent many hours in Beaumont at the Tyrrell looking at old microfilm. I have nearly all the “Susie Spindletop’s Weekly Letter” articles (Miss Stratton’s weekly journal of Beaumont happenings, published in the Beaumont Enterprise from 1926 to 1938). But with no fault to the Tyrrell, some of the film is blurred and unreadable. Fortunately, most of the originals are at the Sam Houston Center, and I have been able to make much-needed copies.

On the grounds of the property, you will no doubt see the multiple structures near the library. You can tour these buildings, along with the Price Daniel mansion, but must reserve them two weeks in advance.

About the library: The Center was built in 1975 on land donated by former Texas Governor Price Daniel and his wife Jean to the Texas State Library and Archives Commission to construct a regional historical resource depository. Most of the funds for the construction came from private donations. The Center takes its name from Jean Daniel’s great-great grandfather, Sam Houston.

 

Before you visit: www.tsl.texas.gov/shc/visit

Contact information:

Physical Address: 650 FM 1011, Liberty, TX 77575

Mailing Address: P.O. Box 310, Liberty, TX 77575

Telephone: (936) 336-8821

Email: SamHoustonCenter@tsl.texas.gov

Kirby Hill – House

Posted on by

Last year, a friend entrusted me with the task of finding a home for some historical papers belonging to W.W. Cruse, dated between 1911 and 1928, and a Hardin County map dating back to roughly 1900. While sorting through these treasures, I found that most of them were legal documents pertaining to either abstracts, wills, or business ventures. Some of these ventures were Beaumont-related, such as the Beaumont Brick Company, but most of them were based within the borders of Hardin County. I contacted the Museum of Hardin County, and they gladly gave this piece of history a home.

So, in December, while dropping off these papers at the museum, I made it a point to see if the historic Kirby-Hill House of Hardin Country was open to tourists. When I made an enquiry a few years ago, there were unfortunately no volunteers to hold regular tours of the house. I did learn about their Murder Mystery Dinner Theater events but found that they were usually sold out.

 

One thing I learned about Hardin County is that they are workers. All their historical houses, museums, etc., are sponsored, paid for, and established by private donors and volunteers. It amazes me just how much gets done without monetary help other than that from the good people of Hardin County. I know this also holds true for the Kirby-Hill House.

The house was built by James Kirby in 1902. James was the brother and partner of the lumber mogul John Henry Kirby. In 1907, Lucy Kirby Hill, James’ daughter, purchased the house from her father. It would remain family-owned until 1987 when it was put on the market by Autie Lois Hill.

In 1992, the Kirby-Hill House Educational Foundation was established by a few concerned citizens with the intention of saving the deteriorating home from demolition. The foundation’s main goal was to purchase the house and restore it to its original glory. The house has since been exceptionally renovated to its former beauty, thanks in part to donations and the money earned from tours, rentals, as well as the popular Murder Mystery Dinner Theater events.

As stated before, the Murder Mystery Dinner Theater events sell out quickly, so if you are interested in attending, be sure to get your tickets early! These funds go toward the upkeep of this house, and your support would be greatly appreciated.

The Murder Mystery Dinner Theater is held in the fall and spring. Tickets cost $64 per person for a live play performed while you enjoy a five-course meal.

The house is open every Wednesday and every 2nd & 4th Saturday of the month from 10 am to 4 pm.

You can also call 409-246-8000 to make reservations for renting this gem.