This week may be short and sweet because my granddaughter, Erzsébet, is running rampant in my office. I guess I should have nicknamed her Erwin, as in Erwin Rommel, instead of Erzsébet, because the blitzkrieg is strong with this two-and-a-half-year-old. I will also admit that her sword skills (with a plastic knife) have improved thanks to her father (a marine) and that her banzai charges have also gotten better (thanks to me) since her last visit—but I digress!
Yesterday, a few of us at the Jefferson County Historical Commission (JCHC) started a project that was a long time in the making. Before I get into our plans, I will tell you a little bit of the history of what I will call the Lincoln Rest Cemetery Project.
Back in 2012, when I joined the JCHC, I learned of an abandoned cemetery on Labelle Road. The then cemetery chair said in a meeting that she tried to enter the grounds, but the trees and the underbrush were too thick to penetrate. So here I go, a couple of weeks later, armed with a line trimmer, a hedge trimmer, and loppers. It took me two hours to make it to the first crypt, but it was the beginning of a twelve-year (and counting) journey. That day, I discovered that some of the crypts were broken. I found out later that a group of teenagers from Beaumont vandalized this cemetery in 1967. This was the first detail I learned of the cemetery, but why did it become abandoned?
Initially, we called this the Broussard Cemetery, but after doing some research, we realized that it was the Lincoln Rest Cemetery, a burial site for low-income people used between 1930 and 1950. It has been abandoned ever since. The county did a cleanup a few times through the years, but there is no overseer of this hallowed ground. The last cleanup was in 2015, and they did a great job clearing three acres of what is an eleven-acre cemetery. At the time, the public was watching. They saw a crew working in an old cemetery and blue tarps put down over the damaged and broken crypts. So, some of you called KBMT News, saying that there were people removing bodies. They weren’t, but KBMT came out and discovered the rub of the situation.
One great thing from this episode was that a man named Cleveland Dyer, a World War II navy veteran, saw the KBMT News broadcast and contacted the program because his dad was buried in the cemetery. He was ninety-seven years old at the time and had been trying to clean around his father’s crypt through the years. In 2015, he visited the cleared cemetery, pointed out his father’s crypt, and made sure we knew about it.
One problem we’ve had with identifying the crypts and graves is that we have a map of the cemetery but no names, and since this is an abandoned burial ground with no headstones, we have no information on its residents. We found one headstone in the three acres that were cleared, and it belonged to Uncle Ed Jones, who died in 1930. I would assume that one of the workers laid the stone on Mr. Dyer’s crypt during the cleanup, and yes, we thought that was where Mr. Jones was buried, but thanks to Cleveland Dyer, we now know that this is not the case. Also, we found the base of a headstone that is the perfect size for Mr. Jones’s tombstone, so that was also a win.
Since the 2015 cleanup, we’ve had floods, COVID-19, and many other issues that have meant this cemetery hasn’t been cared for as it should, but there is hope. A few individuals seem to want this hallowed ground cared for. Cleveland Dyer passed in 2018, and I have the recording of the oral-history interview we did with him the day he set foot in the cleared cemetery where his father is interred. When you hear his voice, you can feel his determination to keep his father’s resting place tidy.
We began cleaning the cemetery on Saturday; we mowed the trails to the crypts and got rid of some of the brush around them. We are not done—by any means—but it’s baby steps in a major project. If you would like to get involved and volunteer on this project, email me at rediscovingsetx@gmail.com
I hope everyone got a peek at the solar eclipse on Monday. It was cloudy here, so there was a filter effect, and you could actually get a photo or two from a regular camera. I took a few cell phone photos. I’m not that into photographing the sun. In contrast, I will go to great lengths to get a shot of a lunar eclipse. I have a few on my Flickr page. I’ll leave the link to it at the bottom of the blog.
For the past 12 months, I’ve been going through some things I’ve collected over the years, and I feel that some of this stuff needs a home now. Other things, such as the regional history books, need an exit plan—my exit plan, to be blunt. I have a considerable number of books on the history of Southeast Texas (SETX), and although most of them do not have monetary value, the references they contain are priceless for researchers, and they eventually will need homes.
My research on SETX history and my twelve years of researching Florence Stratton are in good hands. This data shouldn’t be lost because it is currently held by multiple people and a few organizations. History should be available to everyone; it should not be locked up! For the most part, this blog and its Facebook page have sought to uncover little-known SETX stories and facts. I’ve tried to show the glory of these stories because I think that they are as good as any well-promoted celebrity in our area who has a billboard dedicated to them stating “X lives in our museum.”
On a side note, I know a celebrity who doesn’t live in a museum, although part of her is in a genie lamp interred in one. That would be Scarlet O’Hara’s younger sister, and she is as awesome as the museum. I’ll leave the links at the bottom of the blog, and I will state that the Museum of the Gulf Coast is a top-notch museum, which you must visit!
Not to cause alarm, but those weather people are getting a bit giddy. No, not the ghost-hunting weather people in our area, which I wrote about in October, but those folks who think that weather forecasting should always be dramatic. Hell, they even name snowstorms now! Apparently, we are supposed to run out of names for tropical storms during this season. If that’s the case, then I hope they add phi, slama, and jama from the Latin alphabet (a couple of these characters may or may not be in the Latin alphabet). A friend at the University of Houston suggested that I recommend these names. Sometimes, I question her input concerning facts.
Honestly, I do believe that if I ever see Jim Cantore in my area, I will run like hell. He has a bit more cred than anyone at WeatherNation. I only know about this channel because I had Dish during Hurricane Laura, and they were reporting “from Lake Charles, Texas.” It’s not that I put the Weather Channel on a pedestal, but WeatherNation is its Dollar Tree version, if you see what I mean.
The 50th anniversary of the Galveston Historic Homes Tour is a few weeks away, and I acknowledge that I am a bit dizzy because of this tour. I kind of know where some of the ghosts are hiding, but they will not be on the tour, and as volunteers, we do not talk about such things. If you want to talk about such things, you can hit me up while I’m standing in the line on Saturday, May 4, as I will be taking the tour. Alternatively, you can ask the expert, Kathleen Maca, and take one of her tours. Whether it’s a Galveston cemetery tour or learning about ghosts on the strand, she is the best when it comes to Galveston history and those stories you can’t find anywhere else. I’ll leave a link to her tour schedule.
Today, I smelled summer, or at least I smelled May. The ligustrums are beginning to bloom, which is lovely for me but a death knell for those of you with allergies. I refuse to quote Lynyrd Skynyrd, but “Ooh, that smell!” Growing up, I loved the smell of ligustrums in the morning, at noon, and during the night. Unfortunately, one of my siblings is not too keen on this hedge, and she’s a step away from the ER if she goes near it. I’ll just state that I love ligustrums, but it’s bad when you invite people over for a garden party and the heads of half of your peeps explode.
Most people know that I don’t have garden parties, and if I did, I would have cetirizine as an appetizer.
Since it’s the 50th anniversary of the Galveston Historic Homes Tour, I will insert a few additions to this blog from the early days. Looking back, I’ve blogged, promoted, and taken the tour since 2012. I love the tour, and I treasure the Candy Lady, whom I volunteer with. I will also state that the homes are haunted. As far as the Galveston Historical Foundation goes, I’ll give them a positive nod and say that they have rid themselves of the parasites who used to run what was a dog-and-pony show. The tour is now a decent event to visit and volunteer for. I hope to see you on the tour on May 4 and at the 1871 Frederick and Minna Martini Cottage on 1217 Market Street on Cinco De Mayo!
March is Women’s History Month. No, I’m not going to give you a list of famous musicians, singers, Playboy bunnies, or whatever floats the boat of the Houston Chronicle concerning SETX history in 2016. I’ve done that before. Yes, I was kind of ticked off about an article that the newspaper wrote; I still am.
Here at Rediscovering SETX, we try to bring you stories, or the history of those who were not in the limelight, so to speak. I mean, the McFaddins, the Starks, and the other fine, established museums do not need our input because they do a great job of telling the stories of the families in question (and we definitely promote them!). That is why we look for forgotten stories and the history of people who deserve to be remembered. I will add that even though they do a great job of telling the stories and the history of the house, we are sentimental about the Chambers House Museum. We love the property’s history, and let’s be honest, would your grandmother live in the Chambers House or the other one down the street that has a carriage house? Actually, my grandmother’s house didn’t even have a second story, but she lived near her church, which was something she couldn’t live without.
The struggle for women’s suffrage was a pivotal movement in the fight for gender equality and political representation in the United States. Spanning several decades, it was characterized by relentless activism, political lobbying, and grassroots organizing, all aimed at securing the right to vote for women.
The roots of the women’s suffrage movement can be traced back to the mid-19th century, with the Seneca Falls Convention of 1848 marking a significant milestone in the struggle. Organized by suffragists such as Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott, the convention demanded the right to vote for women, igniting a spark that would fuel the movement for decades to come.
Despite facing widespread opposition and discrimination, suffragists persisted in their efforts to challenge the status quo. They organized rallies, marches, and petitions, tirelessly advocating for their cause. However, progress was slow, and the road to suffrage was fraught with setbacks and obstacles.
One of the most significant difficulties was the deeply entrenched societal norms and beliefs about women’s roles. Many opponents of the movement argued that women were incapable of participating in politics or that it was against their nature to do so. Others feared that granting women the vote would disrupt the traditional family structure or lead to social disorder.
However, the suffragists remained undeterred, continuing to push for change with various means. They lobbied politicians, delivered speeches, and engaged in acts of civil disobedience. Their dedication and perseverance eventually began to produce results.
The tide began to turn in the early 20th century, with several states granting women the right to vote in local and state elections. This momentum culminated in the passage of the 19th Amendment to the US Constitution in 1920, which finally gave women the vote across the nation.
The struggle for women’s suffrage in the United States was a long and arduous journey, marked by resilience, courage, and determination. It paved the way for future generations of women to participate fully in the democratic process and helped advance the cause of gender equality in the country. Though the fight for equality continues, the achievements of the suffragists serve as a reminder of the power of collective action and the importance of never giving up in the face of adversity.
Teachers are role models and on the front lines when it comes to making a difference. We all had that one teacher who was tough on us, but they wanted us to better ourselves. Mrs. Emmons B. Scott-Grogan was certainly that one teacher who made an effort for her students. Respected by all in the education community, she was the first female and first African American principal in Beaumont. She taught and became principal at Charlton-Pollard High School in the 1920s. Her story is still being uncovered by Lynn and Caroline Simon, who are great sources of Beaumont history. I will update you about their journey to find out more concerning Mrs. Grogan.
Ida Luvonia Graham spent her life helping people in the African American community along with her husband, Charles Frank Luckett Nordman Graham. Whether it was helping people in need through the Christmas Tree Project (1920), organizing the first Black YMCA (1930), helping with the plans for a YWCA (1931), or improving race relations in Beaumont, Ida played a significant role.
Ms. Mary Sandell was elected the first female school superintendent in Jefferson County in 1918. She served in this position for 10 years. She was also a rural teacher and principal in Hamshire. At the time, there was a clear shift in the norms regarding women holding this type of office. The winds of change were coming.
Catherina Jeanette Stengele moved to Beaumont from Holland in the 1880s to start her millinery business. She was an entrepreneur who was also involved in the finance business. Known throughout the region, she made her fortune as a milliner, financier, and landowner. She even owned a three-story brick building on Pearl Street in 1899. Although she couldn’t vote as an immigrant and a woman, she was well respected in the business community of her day.
In my open letter to the Houston Chronicle article mentioned above, I also cited Babe. There is no disputing her inclusion on this list. Babe was in a class of her own, whether in terms of sports, self-determination, or the ability to succeed. Her accomplishments are many and should be honored. By the way, I’ll just say that she was born in Port Arthur—not Beaumont—because some of you get irritated when I mention this. I will also state that she is big enough for everyone to claim her as their own. She is the GOAT, and her greatness is well deserved throughout the world.
There are many other women whom I could mention, and I will, but so can you. There are many important stories to tell—whether they pertain to your grandma, teacher, or neighbor. These are stories about who you are.
Last week, a couple of people asked me about books written on Texaco, and I immediately thought of Elton Gish. Elton authored Texaco’s Port Arthur Works: A Legacy of Spindletop and Sour Lake. Elton worked for Texaco for decades, and he became interested in its history early when he noticed old photos hanging on the walls of its offices. One day, he asked if he could have an aerial photo of the refinery; eventually, he was given an 8 x 10 photo and was hooked on the company’s history ever since. I have an hour of audio of him speaking at one of the Jefferson County Historical Commission (JCHC)/Certified Local Government meetings in 2016. I’ll get into that briefly, but first I want to go down the Texaco books road.
I forgot the year, but I found another book on Texaco at an estate sale (another shout-out to Heather at Ready, Set, Sale). I found both the paperback and hardback versions. The book was The Texaco Story: The First Fifty Years 1902–1952 by Marquis James. The hardcover version had a letter attached to it, signed by the chairman of the board and the president of the Texas Company. I don’t translate scribble, and the names are not significant to me, so I will skip the who’s who of Texaco’s grand pooh-bahs. However, I do believe that the letter was important to both the receiver and the company at the time.
Both books have some great photos from long ago, and I will also throw in an awesome box set of postcards I have from 2001 from the Texaco Inc. historical collection (again, Heather rocks!). I could, and did, spend hours looking at these photos and postcards.
The Elton Gish audio file from 2016 brought back many memories. I had forgotten about his journey at Texaco, and the other speakers at the meeting were also fabulous. Sarah Bellian, a JCHC member and the then curator at the Museum of the Gulf Coast, definitely added some color to the history at the meeting. Sarah is currently the curator at the Pacific Fleet Submarine Museum in Honolulu, Hawaii (more on this later). Elton’s presentation at the meeting in question was nothing less than superb. He brought many Texaco product containers, cans, and boxes from throughout the company’s history. He even donned a Texaco uniform and hat! My only regret is that I didn’t make a video of the meeting because he had a PowerPoint presentation with his talk. I do have a few photos of it, which I will post.
I ran into a good friend at H-E-B this week. I won’t go all in—like Toodlum, a.k.a. Martha Ferguson, did in the ’90s about Adam Troy Rodriguez—but I will state that there is no one else I will stand next to in the cheese section in front of the meat aisle for over 30 minutes talking about Port Arthur history. The fajita potato at his restaurant, Mi Ranchito in Groves, Texas, was all I needed back then. (Pie Face’s jambalaya was also pretty good at the time.) I got to know his family, and I loved all of them. So, I guess I’m having a Toodlum moment. It may be controversial, but I will go ahead and say that Troy’s dirty rice is the best. I don’t care what your grandmother cooks (unless her name was Mrs. Domec and she made crab cakes when I was five years old—heaven!).
Last week, I asked if anyone would be interested in volunteering for a cleanup project. Thanks to those who responded. This project is in the works, so it may take some time to dot the i’s and cross the t’s, but I will keep you informed. When the ball gets rolling, we will do a piece on it here.
I have a few audio files from the past that I want to revisit next week. One includes my uncle. I did an oral history about when he lived in Beauxart Gardens in the ’30s. I also want to listen to my friend Millie’s oral history of when she lived in Port Arthur during World War II. I have many things to do, but not the time to do them, but I’ll try.
I mentioned earlier that Sarah is now in Hawaii, at the Pacific Fleet Submarine Museum. In April of 2020, while everyone was locked down and masked up, I received a message and two photos of a letter printed with the letterhead of the Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation. The second page contained a plethora of events that happened during the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. I will say that Sarah knew of my excessive interest in the movie Tora! Tora! Tora!, and that day she threw this old mediocre dog the most significant bone from his childhood. Courtesy of the Pacific Fleet Submarine Museum at Pearl Harbor (USS Bowfin)! Everyone knows I’m obsessed with this movie and World War II history. To have a crumb of insight into what was going on at the time and the film’s preparations was gold for me. There will be a day that I will go all Yukari Akiyama 秋山 優花里 in on a blog about this movie, along with the original Midway. Heck, Les Nessman (Richard Sanders) was in it before he made history by reporting on the infamous turkey drop on WKRP in Cincinnati. I will do a whole blog on this stuff and publish it as a Sunday Extra Edition, and no one will read it because it doesn’t mention Beaumont or Port Arthur, but I will not care because it’s Tora! Tora! Tora!.
Eighty-six years ago tonight, SETX lost a friend—Florence Stratton died at Touro Infirmary in New Orleans. I’ll post the tribute to her at 6:30 this evening, but I did want to get into a few things first. I’ve been doing this blog since May 2012. Along the way, I’ve learned many things and researched many people, but Florence is the one person I’ve continuously investigated. I’ve spent an enormous amount of time and money trying to bring her story to light. Yes, there are articles written about her, and their authors did a good job with what information they had at the time. In my work, I wanted to uncover her story, which is hard to find because she was always in the background. Despite all the Susie Spindletop Weekly Letters, she offered little insight into her life. The letters mostly promoted her friends and readers, as she knew people would be interested in them. This is why there were 200 people inside her small house at 1929 McFaddin Avenue for her funeral. It is also why the funeral procession to Magnolia Cemetery was a mile long.
Thirteen years of digging into her family’s and friends’ history has been a treat, and I will continue to dig. I’ve noticed that more people, especially women, are becoming interested in her story, and I’m glad to see this because she was there in 1918, in the background, doing her part to try to get women the right to vote. They succeeded, but to my knowledge, she never wrote about her role in this struggle in her weekly letters. (Her weekly letters began on February 28, 1926, so eight years later, but it was still a special achievement.) I just hope that I have allies so that when I’m gone, someone will continue digging into the life of Florence Stratton (a.k.a. Susie Spindletop). And I think I do. I hope I’ve given them a good starting point. Florence Vor! Full speed ahead!
Until next week, I hope we can put the life preservers away while driving to H-E-B. I’m about ready for a hot drought.
Farewell To A Valued Friend:
THE DEATH of Miss Florence Stratton brings genuine sorrow to a numerous company. It is with a feeling of the greatest personal loss that those of us who had been closely associated with her through the years in newspaper work mourn her passing. And all of us who knew her well feel quite certain that when she entered that corridor of eternal darkness she did so unafraid, her head held high and her spirit uncowed.
First as a public school teacher and then as a newspaper woman, her whole life from youth to death was busy and useful. She loved her work, found no diversion that equaled it in pleasure and satisfaction,and to it devoted her talents and energy to the full. On her last assignment when she suffered a slight stroke she stood by her guns until her chore was completed, then left the office never to return. Into her work she put the sympathy and sentiment that marked her character. She was always a womanly woman, concerned primarily with the interests of women, and always a gentlewoman in the broad and best sense of the word. In the course of her long and honorable service she made and kept innumerable friends, by all of whom she will be tenderly remembered, and the still larger circle who knew her through her work will not soon forget…
The New Year is a time when some people try to change their lives for the better. Some try to get fit, while others focus on getting their life in order. Here, under the oaks on Ye Olde Block Formosan Farm, we think it’s time to revisit some of what we collected over the past twelve years. We also think that some of our treasures need a good home, so those items will be sent to a better place as we see fit. Stay tuned.
Last week, we sent a few Beaumont directories (1978–1984) to the Tyrrell Historical Library for safekeeping. This was a no-brainer, but I do have some small collections that may not fit on a larger scale. A few years back, I did a few estate sales. Shout-out to Ready, Set, Sell Estate Sales (thanks Heather!). We found a lot of interesting things that should be preserved in SETX history. One in particular was the Norma Davis World War II scrapbook. This is where I found out about Taro Kishi penning an article in the Beaumont Enterprise about wanting to serve his country. As he was Japanese American in the 1940s, there was definitely a problem with this for the powers that be, and he was denied the chance to serve. Eventually, the 442nd Regimental Combat Team was formed with Japanese Americans, but unfortunately without Taro, and it fought in the Italian campaign. They fought proud and true. Their motto was Go for Broke!, and they did!
I also learned about Kichimatsu Kishi, whom I put on the pedestal of those who had many successes and failures in life; he was the one with the most common sense. Kichimatsu and his family lived as American citizens, but after Pearl Harbor, he knew that anti-Japanese sentiment would peak. So, that Monday, he turned himself in to the FBI in Port Arthur. I guess that’s what you do when you have no idea what just happened, but you know how people will react. He spent two months in an internment camp but was released after his hearing because, according to his son Taro, he answered all the questions correctly.
One of the questions the authorities asked Kichimatsu was the following: “If the Emperor ordered you to bomb the oil refinery in Port Arthur, would you do it?”
Kichimatsu replied thus: “First, I am a farmer and businessman and know nothing about explosives. Suppose I was adopted into another family and my biological parent ordered me to harm my adopted family. I could not do so.”
He was a better man than me—I hate politicians at all levels—but he had no choice except to participate in their dog and pony show. It backfired, though, and it made way for the family to return to normality.
Another treasure I found at an estate sale was an almost complete collection of World War II Time Life Books. I have twenty-seven of the thirty-nine that were published. I think that was the total of the series.
Speaking of books, we have acquired many regional SETX history books over the years. I really don’t want to add up how much we spent on purchasing these treasures, but some of the money went to local museums. A few favorites we purchased locally were the Centennial History books from Port Arthur and Nederland, a few pictorial-history books from Hardin County, and some from Chambers County. There are many others that need to be cataloged and listed for their preservation.
Of course, we took the eBay route on a couple of occasions and visited a few bookstores. Some of these were local. All five Florence Stratton books were purchased online, along with the great find of the original edition of The White Plume in the Bunker’s Monthly magazine, published in 1928. I will also admit that an autographed Arthur Stilwell book was purchased by accident. You know the scenario. You were shopping online, and it was left in the cart, but then a month later you wanted to purchase Willie Cooper Hobby’s memorial book, which you had only seen at the LBJ library and in Woodville. Yes, the Arthur Stilwell book is autographed, but as most of you know, I’m not a fan of Mr. All Hat and No Cattle. Truth be told, I have a few other books written by him, and they are of little use to me in researching history.
My Beaumont books are many—the Walker sisters (Judy and Ellen), their father (John H. Walker), and a copy of the 1939 American Guide Series book for Beaumont. Thanks to a friend, I also have an American Guide Series book for Port Arthur from 1940. All these volumes offer a wealth of information, and they are an inspiration for me.
A couple of prized possessions from 1946 and 1947 are two phone books from Port Arthur, which were given to me by my late friend Jerry Burnett. Last week, on our Facebook page, there were many people who wanted to prank call their ancestors. Before you dial, just remember Yukon!
As I dig deeper into my collection, I see the Betty Maggio Port Arthur Collection (1979). It states “fine art for correspondence” on the stationary, and I believe this is magnificent art! I have a couple of buttons from the Amalgamated Association of Street and Electrical Railway Employees, Division 241 May 1918 and Division 1031 February 1936. I also have a Beaumont City bus token that was given to me by Beaumont History Bits. I’ll have to ask the mayor, Roy West, whether it is still valid.
I could go on and on about these treasures, and I will throughout the year. Today, though, I will end with one that was given to me by a family friend, Millie Rougeau, a few years back. She was the oral-history source for my article “Life in Jefferson County during World War II,” which was published in May 2013. Millie gave me her family’s World War II ration book, with stamps. I’ve posted a few photos of it through the years. She passed in 2023, and I thank her for trusting me with this treasure. I will find it a home.
Audio and video recordings of family and friends (oral histories) are a hell of a lot better than photos because you can still hear people’s voices.
It has been a most intriguing year for me, to say the least. We found the “Elks Love Nest,” which was given away in a raffle in December 1926. The house still stands in 2023.
We also found Beaumont’s “daredevil,” Louis Sacker, eating horseshoes and nails in 1926 while doing other strongman stuff. Grrr! (These are the types of stories that appear when you search in old newspapers.)
Eunice Stephens, Florence Stratton’s niece, was proven right about the discovery of a town called Florence. Yes, I ate crow at dismissing this because Florence, Texas, was established in 1857 in Williamson County, but a fellow researcher (thanks Kate) found an article referring to a train stop called Florence Switch in Hardin County. The depot/stop had no post office but lasted until at least 1912. I nicked a 1912 train stop map from the internet as proof. Sometimes we can be a bit dodgy, but it was the original map and I just wanted proof of the location of Florence Switch. I’ll pay $150 for a signed book by Florence Stratton and $150 to walk around the U.S.S. Texas in drydock, but I do have my limits.
I was honored to speak to the Daughters of the American Revolution, Captain William Sanders Chapter, in Port Arthur in February. And, heads up, I will be doing the same this February.
In February, I also visited the U.S.S. Texas at Gulf Copper in Galveston. I was five minutes late but managed to drive from the ferry to the shipyard parking lot in those five minutes (you do the math and the wind speeds—sorry/not sorry). On my visit, I noticed that most people there were not from Beaumont, but they opined about Beaumont being a drive-thru city and that they would hate to see the ship moored there. I had assumed it would be moored in Galveston, but for some reason, they didn’t mention it after Beaumont and Baytown were taken off the list. However, it will be moored near the Elissa.
In March and April, I participated in a ground-penetrating radar (GPR) survey at the Sabine Pass Cemeteries. Our goal was to find the mass grave of yellow fever victims from the mid-1860s, but due to the clay soil and lack of permission to access the known site, our efforts didn’t yield much. This investigation is ongoing!
In April, I visited the Tallship Festival in Galveston. Touring the four ships, plus one modern ship, was fantastic, and I managed to do it in an hour and a half. My main love at this festival was the U.S.S. Thomas Jefferson. This modern National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) ship is a federally operated hydrographic vessel out of Norfolk, Virginia. It does ocean mapping and is a vital tool for scanning shipping areas after a hurricane or any other problem that could endanger the maritime sector. The ship is here to scan the waters and make sure they are clear of debris and hazards. It was here for Hurricane Delta in 2020, and it did its thing for Hurricane Maria in 2017.
This year was Port Arthur’s 125th anniversary, and there were many efforts to tell the story. My favorite was the online map of historical markers. Les McMahen did an excellent job on this!
The 49th Galveston Historic Homes Tour was one to remember for me, at least for me. As some of you know, I take the tour on the first day and then volunteer with the candy lady Bev from Liberty County on Sunday. I stayed at a friend’s Airbnb this year, so I didn’t have to drive from Jefferson County to Galveston via Winnie. Between waiting for the ferry and that drive, it usually drives you insane. Whatever the insanity, Mama Theresa’s Pizza is there, and this is my dinner waiting on the ferry! Hope to see you at the 50th in May. I hear there’s something exciting planned!
The drought hit us hard this year. It was worse than in 2011. If you remember, that was the year that many forest fires threatened Plantersville. There was a lot of damage between Houston and Austin that you can still see today. Well, this year was more of a look at how low the river has become “and is that a ship?” While we heard about a few incidents from the news media, many boats have sunk along the Neches. If you take the Ivy Bill Tour along the Neches, they’ll point them out to you! That crew is impressive!
In May, two veterans interred at Evergreen Cemetery received headstones. The new headstones were for Sergeant George Shaw, who died in France during the Great War (WWI), and Jerry Lloyd, a Buffalo soldier who fought in the Indian wars. The replacement headstone for George Shaw was necessary because the original one erroneously stated that he was a private. Thanks to the research conducted by a member of our Jefferson County Historical Commission, a headstone with the correct information was sent, as Sergeant Shaw deserves. The situation with Jerry Lloyd’s headstone was a bit different; as far as we know, he never received one. If there was a regular one marking his grave, it had disappeared. Research confirms that he was buried in Evergreen Cemetery, but we’re unaware of his specific location.
In September, fallen Deputy John E. Hutcheson received a headstone in a ceremony at Magnolia Cemetery. Thanks to Operation Blue Remembrance (OBR) for making this happen and paying for it. OBR is a nonprofit organization from Baytown, approved by the state and the IRS as a 501(c)(3) organization on June 2, 2020. Its primary focus is “assisting the law enforcement community in any way” they can and visiting the graves of fallen officers in Texas and a few other states. OBR’s motto is Nemo Oblitus, which is Latin for “No One Forgotten.” The organization stepped in because neither the family nor the county had purchased a headstone for Deputy Hutcheson when he was buried in Magnolia Cemetery.
The 3rd Annual Historic Magnolia Cemetery Tour was well received, with record attendance this year. The Texas Historical Commission even included us in its Project Spotlight publication. This is basically their way of giving county historical commissions throughout the state a shout-out for what they are doing to preserve history. This is excellent because a lot of people involved in the tour work tirelessly to preserve various aspects of our county’s history. The stories from the tour usually stem from their own research, and they do a wonderful job. See you next year for the fourth annual tour!
So, what’s in store for 2024? I have no idea, but I’m sure it will be full of shenanigans, history, and anime references that no one gets, but that’s okay. I do know that no one here will be participating in “dry January.” Cheers!
When November starts, I make a list of research projects to conduct in the winter months, when I have more time to dedicate to my studies. I make my list, check it twice, and then I usually never stick to it because I have too many rabbit holes to go through. The Mari Lwyd and the Belsnickel keep knocking at my door and interrupting me. I’ll admit that I welcome when the Mari Lwyd brings it! But she usually wins because I don’t rap, and I have enough alcohol as well as apple and carrot cinnamon muffins to share. As far as the Belsnickel goes, I have no idea why he is around because there are no children here to use his switch on. Yes, I’ve probably been bad, but he has a tiny stick taken from a tree, and I have a Katana—four actually. At least Krampus and I get along. We respect each other, and we are both disgruntled with St. Nick. I’ll leave links at the bottom of this blog post for those not in the know.
Florence Stratton 1907
Florence Stratton
I’ve been researching Susie Spindletop since 2012, and I continue to discover new clues in her life, such as the location of the town/railroad stop that Eunice, her niece, said was named after her. Yes, Eunice, I’m still eating crow for this discovery, but I’m glad to have learned about its existence in Hardin County.
This winter I want to continue working on having a digital copy of every Susie Spindletop’s Weekly Letter. I have most of them, but some are illegible on microfilm. This is why I will be searching for all the ones I can get from the online newspaper archive. Concerning the rest, I will make a list and send it to the Sam Houston Regional Library and Research Center, where the original copies of the Beaumont Enterprise are held. After I have all the weekly letters, I will submit my research to the Tyrrell Historical Library.
All my research can be found at the Jefferson County Historical Commission, plus a few other places, in case I die after consuming too many Zummo sausages. My doctor is from New York, and she has a problem with Zummo sausages because they are not like the German sausages she grew up on, but she is not German. It’s okay, because I am also not German, and I have a problem with SETX kolaches. “How dare you call a pig in a blanket a kolache?” I say with my best Greta Thunberg voice and frown. (If you don’t know who Greta is, don’t worry. You’re not missing much, and I won’t have a link at the bottom of the blog.) Also, where are the pastries? When you know your food, then you know. I will add that the true kolaches, both meat or pastry, are made in Central Texas. Shout-out to Schulenburg and Fredericksburg.
Martha Mack
Last year, Martha Mack Cemetery was added to the Magnolia Cemetery Tour because its history overlaps with that of the Pipkin section of Magnolia. Here is its history.
For much of the 20th century, many African American Beaumonters began their education at Pipkin Elementary School on Pine Street. In 1911, when Millard Elementary School for Whites was assigned a new brick structure, its old two-story wooden building was moved to the Pipkin site on Pine Street. This building was also replaced by a brick structure in the 1920s. In 1974, the City of Beaumont acquired the school and its land and demolished the building in 1981. The property was sold to Magnolia Cemetery in 1999.
Pipkin Elementary School was named for Woodson Pipkin, who, along with Charles Pole Charlton, founded the first locally operated Black school in Beaumont. Pipkin was a former enslaved person who had received an education and realized the importance of literacy for the emancipation of African Americans. A Methodist minister, he cofounded an African Methodist Episcopal church, which also served as an education center. Pipkin also made his living as a teamster, clearing roads and hauling goods with his horse and mule teams. He lived in a two-story home on Main Street, near where the Beaumont police station is today. Woodson Pipkin died in 1918 and was buried in Martha Mack Cemetery.
We are still trying to find out if all those interred in Martha Mack Cemetery were moved. There are some documents that state that some of them were moved to Evergreen Cemetery, but we can’t confirm this. This must be addressed because the cemetery area needs to be cleaned up.
I haven’t even mentioned that Martha’s history is also a bit of a mystery. I talk about the veil thinning around this time, but boy was it thinning last year with the amount of information that came through on Martha. One thing I like is that her family is also researching her story, and we aim to share it. I put Martha in the same category as Florence Stratton and Catherina Stengele. They were all women who took no crap, but Martha’s path was harder, and I think that some sort of article and/or paper is necessary to tell her story. This will happen.
Jeanette Catherina Stengele
I need to get back to researching Catherina because there are still some unanswered questions about her life, her country of birth, and why it took until the 1980s for her twelve plots around the mausoleum to be tiled. The best line during the Magnolia Cemetery Tour came from the Jefferson County Historical Commission’s own Jerrilynn Miller, who played Catherina. Her explanation for having twelve plots all for herself was priceless: “Because a girl needs her space.”
I also want to go back and look at old research that I haven’t touched in years. One bit of history that I would like to find out more about is the Old Dutch Margaret v. Kate Dorman case. W. T. Block is my only source on this, and I would love to acquire more information concerning it. Apparently, Dutch Margaret was assaulted by someone with a parasol after she entered Kate’s restaurant talking trash. I’ll leave W. T.’s take on it in the links.
There are other things I would like to research. In the end, time will tell, and I have little time.
Until next week, Remember!
Holloa, boys! holloa, boys! make the bells ring! Holloa, boys! holloa boys! God save the King! Hip, hip, hooor-r-r-ray!
The ground-penetrating radar (GPR) survey that I was part of in March and April at the Sabine Pass cemeteries has produced some results. Although known graves were detected, nothing was found in the yellow fever mass grave, which is where the survey initially sought bodies. The conclusion is as follows:
Although we were successful in getting adequate GPR penetration on the single grave transects, we were not able to locate any mass graves in grids 1, 2, or 3. Based on William Theodore Block’s information, we should try to obtain permission from the landowner to GPR the Jeanette LaBove tract.
I’m not in the know concerning this project, and I will delve into it more in the future. What I can say now is that the aerial photo marked as indicating William Theodore Block’s area (where the mass grave is) shows the exact land that the team must be given permission to survey. Yes, I assumed that the graves were where we did the GPR survey, but couldn’t we have asked for permission before doing a grid search of Port Arthur’s concrete landfill? This is ongoing!
Last week’s historic cemetery tour at Magnolia Cemetery was a success. More people showed up this year than in previous years. The event is growing thanks to you. I must also credit those behind the scenes and our growing number of passionate researchers and volunteers. The original tour began in 2014 when Judy Linsley and I did a walking tour for the docents of the McFaddin-Ward House Museum. Thanks to everyone involved!
I will throw out this question. Would you be interested in group walking tours throughout the year? I say this because walking tours have their own appeal. Certainly, you can add a lot more history to them, as we did last year on the Friday tour after the lecture at the McFaddin-Ward House Museum. Originally, there were supposed to be two cemetery walking tours held thirty minutes apart. Judy Linsley and I were to take twenty people on each tour and walk from the office to the hill. However, some emails got mixed up (people also just see what they want to see in emails…), so we were forced to do one tour. I will say that this was probably one of the best tours that I’ve been a part of. Since Judy knows the original family plots on the hill better than I do, she took her group up there and talked for thirty minutes, while I led my group around the lower part and presented those residents. It worked out well because if you want to know about the people buried on the hill, Judy is the person to listen to. I know the people and the stories around the office and the flagpole. We agreed that we would do a prisoner exchange at the thirty-minute mark in the middle of the tour area, at the Keith plot where Tom “the Tramp” is interred. It was my idea to transfer the people on the tour between the two of us. I thought that by listening to guides who know their subject matters, the visitors would have a better experience. It was also me who called it a “prisoner exchange.” This is how my mind works, so consider this if you want me to speak at your event.
Catherina Stengele Mausoleum
Mary Oxford Englander wrote a piece in the 1991 Texas Gulf Historical and Biographical Record that I find intriguing. I would have loved to know her sources. I say this because she notes “personal interviews” among her sources. Well, as far as I know, none of these were recorded oral histories. Now, we can’t research some of these claims because there is no one left to ask. This is why recorded oral histories are essential! The whole article looks like it was written by a local photojournalist who shows up and screws up the piece even though you gave them the facts and the actual book of facts. It is possible the interviewee provided her with good information, but the dates and the times are wrong. It is not too hard to go out to the cemetery and look at Jeanette Catherina Stengele’s mausoleum to check when she died. It was 1909, not 1904. However, I will give a pass to both on the subject of Stengele because she lied about her age, even in death. The birth year, which says she was born in 1866, should actually read 1856.
My main questions are for Billy King, who managed the cemetery for years; unfortunately, they won’t be answered because he’s dead. This is how historical preservation works, people! I do have a source at the cemetery who has been there for years, and every time he opens his mouth, I need to write down the nuggets of history he offers. I see an oral history in his future, like it or not, because people need to learn about his knowledge. I did find out where the gypsies or someone else did their juju magic in the cemetery. The article mentions gypsies visiting the site and pouring whiskey on the hallowed ground of a friend or family member. The cemetery told them to stop, but they kept doing it because they were gypsies. An unmarked above-ground vault near a sago palm was usually the location for the burned-out candles as the cemetery staff showed up for work in the morning. It has been years since this has happened, but it went on all the same. It is still a mystery why someone would frequently burn candles on that grave. I guess we will never know.
Concerning ghosts haunting the cemetery, I have one story from 2016 that I will tell. The day before one of our Heritage Society tours, I was out making sure that everything was set up. I started driving down the road left of section W when my better half saw a lady in period clothes walk across the road behind the truck. This kind of freaked her out, but since living under the oaks at Ye Olde Block Farm, she has grown to see different things here. We are used to the regular culprits, especially when we do restorations.
Until next week. Nos Galan Gaeaf, Happy Halloween, and Samhain blessings.
Overall, the show was good, but when I arrived at 10:50 a.m., I discovered that they had shut the gates 30 minutes early, and walking among the planes that participated in the show was no longer possible. There was no access to the bombers or the Tora planes. This year, the jump team got to jump, which was nice, but I would have rather had access to the planes. Around noon, the Big Ugly (a B-52 bomber) showed up to do its flyby. This was more or less when the solar eclipse was at its fullest. I didn’t get any photos of the solar eclipse for two reasons. First, I didn’t care; second, putting those glasses over a camera, or even a phone camera, was a chore I wasn’t willing to do. I have many photos of the lunar eclipse, which you can check out at the links below. For a solar eclipse, you can try the following trick. Stand under a tree and behold all the crescent suns on the grass or the pavement. Through the tree’s filtered light, you will be able to see the eclipse without the pain of staring at the sky and going blind. Heads-up: there will be another solar eclipse in 2024.
The wind and the cool temperature were great for us sightseers, though not so much for the pilots. The Tora show went ahead without a hitch. They know what to do, and the Pyro Crew is always competent in creating an explosive side for the show. This is the reason I attend. The B-25 Mitchell bomber Yellow Rose flew as a B-17 trying to land during the Pearl Harbor attack. I thought that the B-17G Yankee Lady wasn’t going to fly in this fantastic reenactment, which kind of looks like a free-for-all of World War II planes gone wild. By the way, glad to see the P-40 showed up this year! Another treat was when the B-25 Mitchell bomber Doolittle Raiders flew after the Tora show. They added the story of the Doolittle Raiders taking off on the USS Hornet in early 1942 to bomb Tokyo.
The Yankee Lady did fly, along with the C-47 That’s All Brother and the B-25 Devil Dog. I’m glad that they just let the bombers fly by themselves and did not have another parade of smaller planes flying at the same time, as was the case last year. I’m no expert in aviation safety, but I do have the common sense to know that you shouldn’t put two shows on at once. Last year in Dallas we found out that doing so is a bad idea!
I have a few issues with the airshow, but I’ll keep them to an “If you were there to hear it.” Weekend warriors on their phones with no clue and locked gates in the parking lot—I digress. It’s all good. The FBI hasn’t reached out yet; I’m just saying. Next year I’ll show up at the break of dawn, so I won’t have to deal with petty BS.
The third annual Historic Magnolia Cemetery Tour was this week, and I want to thank all who were involved in the planning and the research for it, as well as the grounds crew. You made this event a success and did an excellent job! For those of you who attended, I hope you had a great time. When you think back on your experience, you can thumb through the free program you received when you signed in. Kudos to those knowledgeable volunteers who actually put this together. Technology nerds rock!
Speaking of technology and someone who is a rock in the community, Lynn Simon was supposed to explain the history of Woodson Pipkin and the Pipkin School but was unable to attend on Saturday, so he made a mini documentary. He included not only Reverend Pipkin and the school but also a few people who are interred in the Pipkin area of the cemetery. A mini cemetery tour, if you will. Lynn is a wiz at this kind of thing and did a superb job in creating another way to get history out to the masses. Those who know Mr. Simon will agree that he has a wealth of knowledge and helps on serveral projects in the community.
JCHC member Bruce Hamilton manning the golf cart.
I continuously learn new things about Magnolia Cemetery as well as other cemeteries in Jefferson County and adjacent counties. I will not get into the spooky side of things this week, but I will say that I was told some stories and have found a few articles about hauntings, gypsies, and things going bump in the night when you least expect it. That’ll be for next week.
This week is our Third Annual Historic Magnolia Cemetery Tour. The dates and times are Thursday, 4–6 PM, and Saturday, 10 AM to 2 PM. I wanted to put this out because something posted on social media says we have the tour from 10 PM to 2 PM. I don’t know about you, but there’s no chance in hell I’ll be out among the mosquitos for 16 hours. I guess we could ask the Black Shirt/Weather People to fill in, but that would be nonsense. I don’t think an SB-7 repels mosquitos. I digress.
Someone asked if the cemetery tour was the same on both days, and I responded with a yes-and-no answer. Yes, most of our new researchers are speaking on their subjects on both days, but some of our regulars and guests will be presenting on certain days. Remember, this is Museum Madness Weekend, and some presenters will be at their museums/historic homes on Saturday. Also, there’s a time limit on Thursday because it gets dark sooner, bringing out our buzzing, winged friends from the Bayou. So I wanted to put out the full schedule for you to see and decide if you want to attend both days or pick and choose. That’s your call.
History of Magnolia Cemetery
History of the Yount Mausoleum
McGreevy Plot
Sheriff Ras Landry
Photographer Frank Weber
Chambers Family Plot (Thursday only)
Original Cemetery on the Hill
Caroline Hinchee
Journalist Florence Stratton
Pipkin School and Reverand Woodson Pipkin (Saturday only)
Martha Mack Cemetery (Saturday only)
There may be a special guest up front on Thursday to introduce you to this year’s tour. All I know is she was a hatmaker, and she was prominent in Beaumont.
The tour is self-paced, with no start or finish per se. We sign you in at the front, give you a program, and you can choose where to go. There will be 9 presenters on Thursday and 10 on Saturday. Some of the names you’ll recognize from past tours, and some are new to the list. The new ones tend to be volunteers, and their research is either on family or interesting subjects in history. This is my favorite part of the tour because we have some excellent people who bring some amazing stories to light.
This year, I will be a rover. I won’t be stationed anywhere, but if any questions arise on the tour, I will gladly answer. If I can’t answer, I’ll go to my partner in crime, Judy Linsley. I remember my first year of being on the Historical Commission, in 2012, when we did a thing at the McFaddin–Ward House Museum. I was on the house’s porch, at a table, giving out Historical Marker information on Jefferson County, and my first question from someone was, “What is this Santa Anna townsite, and where is it?” Back then, I was kind of cocky, but that changed on this day because I had no idea of the history. Judy saved my backside that day, and there have been many days since when I’ve valued her input on history. And without her, this cemetery tour would never have begun. Also, thanks to the McFaddin–Ward House Museum docents for the walking tour in 2014.
I’d also like to thank the Liberty County Historical Commission for the inspiration to do a historic cemetery tour. I get why they don’t do it anymore. For my Halloween costume, I’ll dress as a cowboy pulling a wagon full of cats. Cat herding is tough.
In a little more than two weeks, it’ll be Samhain/Halloween. I would have bought my turnips already, but they don’t last more than a week when carved. I’m sure Stingy Jack would complain, but he’ll just have to wait for something to light his way through the eternal darkness. For those who don’t know the origins of Stingy Jack and turnip carving, I’ll leave a link to a video explaining why Jack is the way he is, but the origin of pumpkin carving for Halloween began in Ireland with the legend of Stingy Jack and the carving of turnips. Jack was not a good man; not only did he screw up his life, but he also screwed up his afterlife. Hearing the story of Stingy Jack and his worthless life, I put him in either the Senate or Congress. It’s pretty bad when even the devil feels for you. Watch the video. Film producer Gary Andrews created it, and it’s very well done.
Until next week, don’t let anyone tell you cat herding is not a thing, because it is. I should have used EDS!
EDS Cat herding Commercial:
Stingy Jack:
Liberty Historical Commission: Whispers From the Past
