Tag Archives: Florence Stratton

Tribute to Florence Stratton

Posted on by

Tribute to Florence Stratton

Dear Della,

Susie died last night. That’s why her letter won’t be in its usual place in the Enterprise tomorrow morning. We thought you ought to know. Here at the office we’re all rather stunned. Susie belonged to both papers, you know. She gave about 35 years of her life to these papers, Susie did, and from the editor who read her copy to the boys upstairs who set it there’s a strange, hard reluctance to accept the fact that her desk over there in the corner is closed for good.

Susie was … well, call it a tradition. She had more sheer newspaper sense up in her little finger than we brash younger fry have in our collective brain. We used to ride her a lot. Kidding Susie was good fun?—because she was “old school.” Hers were standards of that first brave sortie of women into curt, intense business of journalism. And she clung to them to the last in spite of us. Underneath, we loved her for it. She knew that, thank goodness. Good old trail-blazer.

Della, just to look at Susie you’d never have guessed the enchanting glamour of her life, Quiet and self-effacing, Susie was, with a funny little habit of tidying her hair all the time. But she’d met presidents, interviewed princesses, attended the highest functions of Washington. Long-distance calls came to her from Harper’s Publishing company, from the New York Times, from senators. I never knew a woman could have so many contacts—important ones. I never knew a woman who could, even by virtue of long service to a specialized profession like journalism, find somebody she knew in every city of importance in the nation. I never went to Susie with a question and came away without an answer.

M.M.

Beaumont Journal January 29, 1938

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 soo forget…

Beaumont Journal January 29, 1938

Beaumont Enterprise January 31, 1938

Friends of Low and High Estate pay final respects to Miss Florence Stratton

-One, Only ‘Susie Spindletop’ Called Rare and Gracious Influence, Versatile Genius

Several hundred people, her friends in life, paid the last tribute yesterday afternoon to Susie Spindletop. Miss Florence Stratton, for more than 35 years a Beaumont newspaper woman, and one of the most beloved figures in the newspaper world of her Texas, was buried on a hillside in Magnolia cemetery following impressive services at her home on McFaddin avenue. Her grave was covered with flowers, great sprays of blossoms she dearly loved, and smaller offerings from friends representing every walk of life in her city.

Rev. George E. Cameron, rector of St. Mark’s Episcopal church, who conducted the rites at the residence and at the graveside, said of her that there was but one Susie Spindletop– one Florence Stratton, and that she was the exception to the rule that everyone’s place could be filled satisfactorily by someone else.

While he spoke there was hardly a dry eye. Every room on the lower floor was filled, while scores stood outside. Every old family of Beaumont was represented. In the throng were many of Beaumont’s most prominent figures in the world of business, its courts, and professions.

                                                            Associates Attended

Scattered among those attending, often in little groups with saddened, downcast faces, was almost every newspaper man and woman in the city, with many of the Fourth estate who had worked with her in years gone by.

During the services several red camellias lay on her stilled typewriter in the editorial room of the Enterprise, place there by some member of the staff.

Miss Stratton’s body lay in a gray casket in the quaint dining room of her home beneath the portrait of her beloved grandfather, the late Asa E. Stratton, Sr. The casket was covered with a gorgeous blanket of white carnations, the offering of The Enterprise company, to which Miss Stratton had been attached for about 18 years. Upon her breast was a small spray of lilies of the valley and violets, which were perhaps her favorite flowers.

                                                         Floral Memorials

The entire house –the one spot on earth she loved best –was filled with blossoms. They came from every section of Texas –Houston, San Antonio, Dallas –from New Orleans, Lake Charles and other cities of Louisiana, from Tulsa, from her beloved Brazoria County, her birthplace, and from as far away as Virginia. The floral offerings from distant points, however, were limited only by the fact that distant friends did not know of her sudden passing in New Orleans Friday night.

Near the casket stood an appealing floral piece made of Japanese magnolias, sent by Miss Stratton’s fellow workers of the Enterprise staff. There was another from the editorial staff of The Beaumont Journal and other employees of the newspaper, on which she was employed prior to that paper’s being taken over by The Enterprise in 1920.

There were also flowers from the typographical chapels of The Enterprise and Journal –the men who for years “set” the Sunday column known as “Susie Spindletop’s Weekly Letter,” and her garden features and others. Among the offerings were those from Mrs. Ruth Sergent of San Antonio, her close friend; Miss Matilda Gray of Lake Charles, and her nephew, Lieut. Ernest Stevens of the United States navy, stationed at Portsmouth, VA.

                                                         From Out of Town        

Among relatives and friends from out of the city were Mrs. Tom Stratton of Angleton, Mrs. Jessie Stratton of Angleton, Bryan Stratton of Houston, Mr. and Mrs. J. E. Burkhart, Jr., of Houston, Mrs. W. V. Ezell, her aunt, of Houston, and Miss Mary Masterson, Mrs. Edna Saunders, Underwood Nazro, Martin Miller and Jimmy Bonner of Houston.

There were several long-distance calls of condolence, as well as telegrams of those of her friends –and she numbered them from New York to San Francisco –in every part of the country.

Rev. Mr. Cameron opened the Episcopal service with a part of the 14th chapter of St. John –“Let not your heart be troubled.”

Then he spoke tenderly of Miss Stratton, telling of the unusual place she held in Beaumont and in Texas. He called special attention to her charities, all of which were little known to any save those who accidently found them out. He said that her spirit was as exquisite as old lace, and that “like old lace, she fitted into any environment.” He said that her heart had a tremendous capacity for affection.

                                                        “A Gracious Influence”                                          

His remarks follow:

“This hour is one of deepest bereavement. Standing here among these books, the old family heirlooms, these beautiful flowers and loyal friends, and in this little humble cottage, surrounded by green trees and shrubs each planted by their mistress with a yearning and searching heart we feel the gentle impact of the spirit of her who only a few hours ago, was such a lively gracious influence in our lives.

She was a genius as rare as she was versatile. She is an exception to the rule that everyone’s place can be filled satisfactorily by some other person. There was only one ‘Susie Spindletop.’ Our beloved was an extremely keen intellect that brought meaning out of every phase of human activity. Nothing escaped her notice, and with her imagination awakened her literary paragraphs ran on endlessly and interestingly because they were as broad and as deep as life, itself.

We wonder if these treasured symbols can speak to our hearts as they spoke to our beloved. Among these books there walked a veritable host of literary minds that provided a congenial fellowship; these fragrant blossoms were messengers of peace and refreshment that called to mind the shady lanes and quiet places of childhood and youth; this humble cottage was a friendly home where acquaintances could meet and exchange ideas, without fear of misunderstanding and without criticism, and every bush that bloomed and every bird that sang around this home brought messages from the mysterious spaces of life.”

                                                                Her Charities                                              

“Her heart had a tremendous capacity for affection. Not only was she at home with and an inspiration to every accomplished scholar she met, but she loved without stint the poorest, lowest creature on earth. Suffering and injustices aroused her deepest emotions, and upon the helpless she spent herself in affection, bringing help, and relief to untold numbers among the poor of the city.

Her spirit was as exquisite as old lace, and like old lace she was adaptable and fitted pleasantly into any environment. Hence she never complained, and often we marveled at her patience. She was the embodiment of gentility and had absorbed into her personality the nectar of fragrance from the roses of her own garden.

Yet there was a wistful element in her nature. She saw so much to do, so many distressed people to be helped, so many important events still unwritten, so many books yet unborn, one was immediately impressed with her yearning to work and help. We commend her to our heavenly father the source of all intellect, the prime mover of every human impulse, the inspiration of every noble deed, with the belief that in his hand, under his guidance, her yearning for completeness and goodness will be fulfilled. May the Lord bless her and keep her, and make his face to shine upon her and be gracious unto her.”

                                                       Miss Kent Plays                                                                  

At the close of his talk, which brought tears to many, he offered a prayer, and Miss Alice Kent, a friend of Miss Stratton, played the violin.

Tenderly her body was taken from the home she loved by a group of her friends. Acting as pallbearers were Ashley Weaver, Alfred Jones, Terry Duff, Sam Lipscomb, Norval McKee, Bernard Deufser and Frank Godsey, of Beaumont and her friend Watson Neyland, of Liberty. Employees of The Enterprise and Journal were honorary pallbearers.

The procession of cars from the home to Magnolia Cemetery, escorted by motorcycle police, was more than a mile long. Silently as they left her under the blankets of flowers her newspaper people wrote “30,” their farewell.

Florence Stratton  March 21, 1881- January 28, 1938

Thoughts and Ramblings: Researching Susie, Willie’s Memorial Book, the 125th Anniversary of the Lucas Gusher, Rice Dryers, and VMSB-931

Posted on by

Over the last few weeks, I’ve been back to researching Florence Stratton. I’ll get into her life in more detail later this month, but regular readers of this blog know that I’ve been researching her since 2012. My ongoing endeavor—collecting all of her “Susie Spindletop’s Weekly Letter” articles from February 28, 1926, to January 23, 1938 (the final letter, dated January 30, 1938, was written by someone else)—continues.

I do have most of the letters, but my goal is to obtain legible photocopies of every Weekly Letter, and that has proven to be a challenge. While all of them were scanned at some point, many of those on microfilm—as well as some available online—are barely readable. If you do the math, that’s about 520 letters. It’s not an overwhelming number, but it will still take time. Physical copies exist at the Sam Houston Regional Library and Research Center (the Sam Center) in Liberty, which adds another layer to this already lengthy project. We’ll see how it goes.

The new year also came with a resolution to find new homes for some of my books. Between 2012 and 2016, I acquired many volumes that are difficult—if not impossible—to find unless you’re physically at the Sam Center. Phase one of this effort resulted in a donation to the Jefferson County Historical Commission (JCHC) library. Phase two is still undecided, as I’m not yet sure where the remaining books will go—except for my Florence Stratton books. I know exactly where those are headed.

One of my prized possessions is the Willie Cooper Hobby memorial book, which was never formally published. I assume it was distributed only to a select group of people. I’ve seen only two other copies: one at the Lyndon B. Johnson Library (which holds Willie Cooper’s papers) and another at the Tyler County Historical Commission in Woodville. Willie Cooper Hobby was the first wife of William P. Hobby, Governor of Texas from 1917 to 1921; the daughter of Sam Cooper, who was instrumental in securing Beaumont’s deepwater port; and the best friend of Florence Stratton. I’ll leave a link here for those interested in Willie’s story:

Willie Chapman Cooper Hobby

In other news, last week I attended a ribbon-cutting ceremony at Spindletop Park on Port Arthur Road. The event showcased new interpretive panels commemorating the 125th anniversary of the Lucas Gusher and the beginning of the Spindletop oil boom. The park has been in disrepair for some time, but the Beaumont Heritage Society (BHS) applied for and received a grant from the McFaddin-Ward Foundation to fund the panels, which are designed to last at least 25 years. A big shout-out to Shelby Brannan, director of BHS, for making this happen.

Judith Linsley was the main speaker that day. Along with her sister Ellen Rienstra and Jo Ann Stiles, she co-authored Giant Under the Hill: A History of the Spindletop Oil Discovery at Beaumont, Texas in 1901, an excellent and highly recommended book. Also in attendance were descendants of August Nelson of the Nelson & White surveying firm, who brought along a 1913 map of Jefferson County and a 1902 map of the Spindletop oil field. I’ve added photos of these items.

This was one of the first events I’ve attended in quite a while, and I truly enjoyed it. I also dusted off my camera and photographed the event—doing a respectable job, considering how long it’s been. Here’s a link to the photo set:

IMG_3782

On Wednesday, I played hooky from work because I was invited to tour a rice dryer. Most people probably wouldn’t find that exciting, but I have a long-standing obsession with these structures and have wanted to see the inside of one for years. Thanks to the owners, I finally got my chance—and I wasn’t disappointed. I’ll share a few photos here, but I will say this: riding the elevator is an experience. Now I know what a torpedo feels like when it’s fired in slow motion.

I hope to dive deeper into this subject later in the year, but lately I’ve felt the urge to cross more items off my bucket list. On that note—does anyone happen to have a B-17, B-24, or T-6 Texan with an extra seat? I feel a strong need to expand my list.

Thursday morning found me back at work, but that wasn’t so bad because I was working at the tower at Jack Brooks Regional Airport—always a treat, especially when you can watch takeoffs and landings. Being there also reminded me of the history of Marine Scout Bomber Squadrons VMSB-931 and VMSB-932, which were based here briefly in 1944 for dive-bomber training. Below is a recap of research I conducted in 2019.

It was fall 1944, and the war was still raging on both fronts. Like most periodicals across our nation, local SETX newspapers centered on the liberation of Belgium and the European theatre. The heavy fighting on Peleliu and throughout the Pacific were occasionally mentioned, but these events seemed to take a back seat to the success in Europe. It would be at this theatre that Marine Aircraft Group 93 (MAG-93) would train its pilots for battle. MAG-93 began in April 1944 at Cherry Point, North Carolina. Its first squadron was commissioned on April 15th under the command of Major John L. Dexter and was known as Marine Scout Bomber Squadron 931. Other squadrons, such as VMSB-932, would also be commissioned into MAG-93 and would spend countless hours (round the clock, for a brief time) in training centered at Jefferson County Airport. However, the Marine Scout Bombing Squadron (VMSB-931) will be our main focus in this article.

Jefferson County Airport 1945

In May, VMSB-931 was transferred to Eagle Mountain Lake, Texas (near Ft. Worth) to begin their operational training. It also became attached to Marine Aircraft Group 33 (MAG-33). The squadron consisted of 18 SBD-5 (Dauntless)-type aircraft with 37 commissioned officers and 160 enlisted men. Records show that only one operational accident occurred during this period, which resulted in the damage and loss of an SBD-5. Fortunately, there was no loss of life, and the squadron continued their training through July, attaining a 43.1% readiness for combat rating by their superior.

By August, it was time for the squadron to begin the second phase of their training; thus, the VMSB-931 were temporarily detached to the U.S. Naval Section Base in Sabine Pass, Texas “for duty in connection with the basing of tactical squadrons of Marine Aircraft Group 33 at Jefferson County Airport, Beaumont, Texas. This duty includes gunnery, dive-bombing, and overwater navigation training,” wrote Commander John L. Dexter in the squadron’s war diary on the first of August. The next week would consist of setting up operations at their new location and finally beginning their overwater flight training on August 8th.

As most of us know, the Gulf can be very unpredictable in September, and 1944 was no exception. On September 9th, a tropical storm formed about 170 miles southeast of Matamoros, Mexico, and began to move north. All planes were evacuated out of the area to where I would assume was back to Eagle Mountain Lake. Their absence would not last long, however, because Tropical Storm Six would move northeast and make landfall at the Mississippi River Delta on the 10th with top winds of 65 mph. Needless to say, all planes were back on September 11th. Training resumed the next day, and here is where our story takes a deadly turn.

During overwater flight training off the coast of the Sabine Pass, 2nd Lieutenant Marion M. Puliz attempted to rendezvous from below the lead plane flown by 2nd Lieutenant Richard L. Savoie, resulting in a mid-air collision. Both planes crashed into the Gulf and sank in 35 feet of water. Both pilots and the two gunners, Corporal Richard R. Stoddard and Private First Class William C. Bathurst, were killed. 2nd Lieutenant Puliz’s body was the only one recovered out of the four.

More tragedy hit 931 eight days later when 2nd Lieutenant William G. Duvall “attempted a slow roll at low altitude. He lost control and went into a progressive stall, hitting the water on the left wing. Plane was observed to explode and sink immediately upon striking the water,” wrote Commander Dexter. Both the pilot and the gunner, Private First Class Albert W. Bitner, perished in the crash, and neither body was recovered.

Amazingly, there are a few newspaper accounts of these tragedies; however, with few of them offer details of the actual crashes. For instance, the Port Arthur News reports consisted of the identities of the victims and, oddly enough, a few mentions of sightings of a body a few weeks later off the coast of High Island. A search for the bodies after each accident occurred was conducted by the Coast Guard, but no remains were found.

An article dated September 27 reported that a swimmer informed the Coast Guard that he had brushed against a body while swimming just off the coast of High Island. A search ensued that lasted until 2 a.m. but was deemed “fruitless” by Coast Guard officials who, in their statement, said that the swimmer “had been mistaken.”

The following day, the Port Arthur News reported, “Louis Welch of Sabine Pass, county commissioner of Precinct 3, also reported seeing the body to Coast Guard officials. According to Welch, he sighted the body floating in the Gulf water about one mile east of the Chambers and Jefferson Counties boundary line.” Welch tried to “tow it ashore,” but a wave swept the body away. The search for the body was resumed, but it was never recovered.

Operational training ended September 21st for the VMSB-931, and the squadron returned to Eagle Mountain Lake a few days later. But this was not the end of the Marine Aircraft Group’s training facilities here in Jefferson County, as the 932 (VMSB-932) would arrive at Jefferson County Airport on September 26th to begin their operational training as well. I am unsure where these brave young men ended up after their training, but I can only guess that a few would have participated in ending this long, drawn-out war. I researched further, but there are thousands upon thousands of war diary documents to sift through and many more rabbit holes that I find myself not capable of going down in a relatively short amount of time. One day, if time permits, I would like to continue on the trail of the 931, but plenty more tales are coming soon.

Sources:

Jefferson County Historical Commission archives

Fold 3

Until next week!

Thoughts and Ramblings: Florence Stratton Was Related to SFA; Save Our Babies, Mystery Solved; Mr. Bossier Moved Part of the Windsor Hotel to Sabine Avenue in Port Arthur; Galveston Historic Homes Tour

Posted on by

This Thursday was Florence Stratton’s birthday. She would have been—um, well, that’s not important (she would lie about her age anyway, so we will not spread the facts about her longevity). I will say that she was born in Brazoria County in 1881 to Asa and Lousia Waldman Stratton, and she was educated at Troy Normal College in Troy, Alabama, which is now Troy University. Another tidbit of information that is less known is that she was related, by marriage, to Stephen F. Austin (SFA). We’re kinda going to get into the “I’m My Own Grandpa” scenario, but it is true. Sarah Emily Stratton, the daughter of Florence’s grandfather Major Asa Stratton Sr., married Sam Bryon. Sam’s great-uncle was Stephen F. Austin. So, in a twisted sort of way, this made Florence related to SFA. Thank you, Willie Nelson, for the background music as I write this. Link at the bottom of the blog.

Speaking of Florence, another mystery has been solved thanks to fellow researcher Kate Hambright. Kate noticed that Genealogy Bank, a newspaper archive that most of us use, finally updated its access to the Beaumont Enterprise. The website was missing the years 1912–1919. Now that we can access these years, I’ll do a few searches I’ve meant to do for a long time. One will be on Florence Stratton. The second one will concern Mary Sandell being elected superintendent in 1918. With the third, I want to find more information on the Milk and Ice Fund, which began in 1915. We are certain that it was formed on June 26, 1915, because Kate found the original article stating this.

Organization of the “Save Our Babies” free ice and milk campaign inaugurated by The Journal was perfected this morning. Working in co-operation with the United Charities, The Journal has selected a committee of women, representative of all sections of the city, and it will be the duty of this committee to investigate all cases of suffering babies and children reported, arrange for the distribution of ice and milk by the dealers operating in those sections of the city, and make a report at the end of each month on the number of cases relieved and the exact amount expended for this relief. (Beaumont Enterprise, June 26, 1915)

On a side note, the Genealogy Bank access to these years from the Beaumont Journal has not been updated, but I do see a trip to the Tyrrell Historical Library in my future since I have the actual date of the organization’s formation, which I want to check out on their microfilms. The other charity Florence was involved in, the Empty Stocking Fund, which was formed in 1920, originated from this campaign. You could say the latter morphed into the former. United Charities was also there aiding this campaign. I doubt that Beaumont was the first city to have a milk and ice fund because I have seen relevant articles also in the San Antonio Light from 1915. It is possible that Florence brought the idea to our area as she had ties to San Antonio; she also had unlimited knowledge of and resources in the newspaper business, as well as ties to politicians.

A couple of weeks ago, while going through maps of early Sabine Pass, I rediscovered a photo of the Windsor Hotel that I had originally found in the Jefferson County Historical Commission archives. I also found a copy of a handwritten map and a note from the owner of a property in Port Arthur. Mr. Bossier, who owned a property on Sabine Avenue in Port Arthur, was relocating the wood from the hotel after its demolition to build a structure on his land. The house on Sabine Avenue was located between Gulfway Drive and Lewis Drive. I passed this property many times, and I always thought it was out of place. Now I know why it looked different—it was because of the round arches. Those I’ve spoken to have told me that it was a rental house for years, but now it has been demolished. I do have a photo of it.

For the past few weeks, my inbox has been full of emails about Galveston this week and Galveston that week. Things are afoot in Lafitte’s old hangout. I also noticed more traffic on my blog, Rediscovering SETX. I guess that when you write a post entitled “Visiting the Mansard House,” it gets the attention of other people, not your regulars. Thanks to the Cordrays, Save 1900, and the Mansard House for organizing last week’s event. I’ll be looking forward to their new episodes on Restoring Galveston. I can’t overstate that they did a wonderful job restoring the Mansard House.

More Galveston emails pertained to the 50th Annual Historic Homes Tour. I already have my marching orders—that is, I know which house I will be marching in front of with my clipboard and clicker. However, even though I will have a clipboard, I will not be in charge. Our leader is Bev, the Candy Lady, and she is the reason I volunteer. If you know her, then you know.

Like you, I am waiting for the house list of the tour, which is supposed to be released in mid-March. As I write this post on Florence’s birthday, I have not seen it updated. I know what house I will be at, but I will not spill the beans on the secrets of the Galveston Historical Foundation—not that I actually know any of their secret handshakes or stuff like that. Until they release the list, we will be in the dark. With that said, I already have my boots-on-the-ground plans for May 4, and the blog will be there on Sunday morning to send you in the right direction on Cinco de Mayo and the second weekend of the tour. We love both taking the Annual Historic Homes Tour and volunteering at it, and we will continue our coverage until Mama Theresa’s runs out of large pepperoni, hamburger, and mushroom with extra cheese pizzas for our dinner while we wait in line at the ferry to go home.

Until next week!

It’s International Women’s Day; Nachthexen; Boudica; The Trung Sisters; Jane Long; Catherine Magill Dorman

Posted on by

It’s International Women’s Day, so I can cross borders with my regional blog. (I don’t make the rules!) Florence Stratton, the Beaumont newspaper journalist who wrote for both the Enterprise and the Journal, crossed borders in 1920 with her best friend Willie Cooper-Hobby and her husband, Texas Governor W. P. Hobby. They went to Mexico to see Álvaro Obregón Salido being sworn in as the country’s nuevo presidente. Florence had a knack for mingling, but it was done on Willie’s tab at first, or should I say on that of Sam Bronson Cooper, Willie’s father. He was a congressman, which is why his daughter Willie and her friend Florence went to Washington DC to do socialite things, such as going to a party at the White House in 1908. I should also state that thanks to Sam Cooper, Beaumont has a deep-water port. I’ll leave a link in Sunday’s blog.

Nachthexen

During World War II, the Night Witches emerged as a formidable force in the Soviet Union’s 588th Night Bomber Regiment. Made up entirely of women, this courageous regiment struck fear into the hearts of its Nazi adversaries. Operating obsolete biplanes under the cover of darkness, they executed daring bombing raids, relentlessly harassing German troops on the eastern front. Flying low to avoid detection, they faced constant danger from enemy fire. Despite the odds, the Night Witches displayed unparalleled bravery and resilience, and their stealthy, lethal attacks earned them their nickname. Their extraordinary feats continue to inspire awe and admiration, and they highlight the indomitable spirit of women in wartime. I will also add that Yevdokiya Yakovlevna Rachkevich traced the regiment’s path during the war and managed to locate the remains of some of the women who were listed as missing in action so that they could receive proper burials.

Boudica

Boudica, the Celtic warrior queen of the Iceni tribe, remains a symbol of rebellion and defiance against Roman oppression during the first century in Britain. After the brutal annexation of her kingdom and the mistreatment of her family, Boudica led a fierce uprising against Roman forces. With her rallying cry for freedom, she united various tribes in a formidable resistance, wreaking havoc on Roman settlements and armies. Despite facing overwhelming odds, Boudica struck fear into the hearts of her enemies with leadership and determination. Although her rebellion was eventually crushed, her legacy endures as a symbol of courage and resistance against tyranny. Don’t ever dis this miss!

The Trung Sisters

Trưng Trắc and Trưng Nhị are legendary figures in Vietnamese history. They are revered for their bravery and leadership during the first century. During the Chinese domination of their country, these sisters ignited a widespread rebellion and united Vietnamese clans against their oppressors. Fearless in battle, these charismatic leaders led their army to numerous victories, reclaiming territory and inspiring hope among their people. Even though they were eventually defeated, they are still remembered as symbols of Vietnamese independence and female empowerment. The Trung sisters’ unwavering spirit continues to inspire generations, reminding the world of the power of determination and unity in the face of adversity.

Jane Long

A pioneer and heroine of early Texas, Jane Long embodied resilience and courage during the tumultuous nineteenth century. Jane arrived in Texas in 1819 with her husband James Long, and she faced the challenges of frontier life with determination. Following her husband’s death and the outbreak of the Texas Revolution, Jane found herself a widow with children in a hostile land. However, she refused to succumb to despair, becoming a symbol of strength and self-reliance. Her ingenuity and resourcefulness—she delivered her own child in a difficult situation—epitomized the pioneer spirit. Jane Long’s legacy is integral to Texas history, and it showcases the indomitable spirit of its early settlers.

Catherine Magill Dorman

Kate arrived in Southeast Texas in 1851. Most historians believe that she lived in Sabine as early as 1847; however, the census records of her home state of Georgia show that both Kate and her husband, Arthur Magill, were still living there as late as 1850.

In 1852, Kate and her husband built the Catfish Hotel, a two-story dwelling located about three hundred yards from Fort Griffin. The hotel housed around two dozen permanent residents, along with the standard passing trade, which comprised merchants and seamen.

The Catfish had a wharf where steamers would dock regularly to indulge in the fare at the hotel’s popular eatery. During the Civil War, one patron, a certain William Berry Duncan (confederate officer, Liberty County sheriff, and cattleman), wrote that he made frequent visits to the hotel, sometimes leaving his post at Grigsby’s Bluff to dine and enjoy what he called “some tolerable good music.”

On November 2, 1859, tragedy struck. Arthur Magill, by then the chief engineer on the T. J. Smith, a Neches River mail packet, was killed when its boiler exploded. This left Kate alone to care for their two young daughters. Kate would later sue Captain H. C. Smith, the owner of the T. J. Smith, for her deceased husband’s wages. This would be one of many legal confrontations between the two.

H. C. Smith wasn’t the only thorn in Kate’s side. One day, a woman nicknamed Dutch Margaret entered the Catfish Hotel while Kate was serving meals. Dutch Margaret proceeded to vilify and yell obscenities at Kate in front of all the diners. Kate immediately retaliated with her own set of obscenities before resuming her duties. Unbeknownst to Kate, three of her friends met Dutch Margaret on the street and caned her with a parasol (an umbrella).

Dutch Margaret filed a lawsuit on the grounds that she had suffered a miscarriage from the caning. The plaintiff’s attorney, H. C. Pedigo, questioned the legality of a juror named Will J. Collins and the claim that he lived in Jefferson County. This resulted in the first survey of the West Jefferson County line. The case was postponed until Mr. Collins’s legitimacy as a county resident was verified, and it was eventually thrown out. Three months later, Dutch Margaret gave birth to a son.

In 1860, Kate married a widowed friend of her deceased husband. His name was Captain John Dorman, and he was the master of the Neches River cotton steamer Doctor Massie.

In July 1862, the yellow fever epidemic hit Sabine after a vessel ran the blockade put in place by the Federals. At least one thousand people fled the area afraid of what was known as yellow jack. The fever killed a hundred people in Sabine and Beaumont, forty of whom were Confederate soldiers.

With the tenants of the Catfish Hotel fleeing and nearly everyone else in Sabine escaping due to the dreaded disease, Kate stood strong. With no regard for her health, she, along with her two friends Sarah Vosburg and Sarah Ann King, turned the hotel into a makeshift hospital to care for the sick and the dying.

In October of that same year, fifty Federal troops came ashore in Sabine with a howitzer. They were on their way to burn the Confederate cavalry barracks. While marching through Sabine, they confiscated Captain Dorman’s horse and cart in order to mount the howitzer on it.

Witnessing this, Kate’s Irish temper boiled. Without thinking about the consequences, she began shaking her fist in the air and scolding the Federal invaders, telling them she hoped the Confederate boys would kill every last one of them. She added that if she had twenty-five men, she could take out the Federals and their cannon herself.

After the Federals burned down the Confederate barracks and stable, they marched through Sabine again. They returned Captain Dorman’s horse and cart with a word of warning—if he did not keep his “damn wife’s mouth shut,” they would hang him. Also, if she did not apologize to them, they would burn down the hotel. Kate replied that she would see them in hell first and that they could set fire to the building if they wanted to.

A week later, the Federals sent another patrol ashore. They burned a quarter of the town, including a sawmill and some residences, but they left the Catfish Hotel untouched.

All the stories above—some local, some international—show women’s will and determination to succeed.

Thoughts and Ramblings: Rediscovering Florence Stratton

Posted on by

A fellow researcher texted me last week to see if I had a couple of articles on Florence Stratton, one from 1975 and the other from 1980. I looked, and I found that I did have the one from 1975, but not the other. Unfortunately, the Beaumont Enterprise issues after 1940 are not available on Genealogybank.com. I believe you can search the Beaumont Journal up to the 1970s, but there are only a few mentions of her there. I don’t know if any other newspaper archive has the Beaumont Enterprise digitized, but if you see one, hit me up! Rediscoveringsetx@gmail.com

Laura Young wrote the article from 1980, which has some good crumbs from the past in it, although it states that the town of Florence in Williamson County, Texas, was named after Florence Stratton. Of course, this isn’t true because the town was founded in 1858, twenty-three years before Florence was born. At the time, I dismissed this and thought that Eunice might have been wrong; but as I reread the article, I developed a different view of what might have happened. The reporter most likely put two and two together and came up with a fractional number because that sometimes happens when you interview someone. I’ve done a few interviews, and occasionally, when you tell them “this, that, and the other thing,” they’ll only use “that” and forget about “this and the other thing.” I do get that there’s a deadline, but get the story right. I will also state that some researchers have also been guilty of this in the past. So, as Bill Quick would often say, you need at least three sources, not one. I’m not perfect, but this is the rule I follow.

As I said, the 1980 article does have some spot-on facts and some nuggets of oral history that researchers and historians can use. The people interviewed knew Florence, so they can give us a behind-the-scenes account of who she was—a phrase she would say, how she wore her hat, or how people reacted to her. This is all of great importance when researching someone who was not in the limelight. I began my journey researching Florence in 2012, and I have a decent database on her life, which allows me to say that she never put herself on a pedestal. Florence made others feel like they were the talk of the town. I guess this is why, initially, I had so much trouble finding anything about her.

Col. R.C. Duff Drives Gold Spike July 1907

The article from 1975 was written by Susan Gilbert, and it has a lot of the same information on Florence’s life as the other article. It has Eunice, her niece, along with others who knew her, telling stories. One thing this article has that the 1980 one doesn’t is that it mentions the railroad station/town (there is even the same photo) but not Williamson County. There is no mention of a location. But we know now, and we have a map to back up this information. I’m not patting myself on the back for finding the map; I’m just saying this out loud to get Mr. Quick’s approval, as I put him on the research pedestal. I only know him through his research and from stories told at the Historical Commission. I guess it’s just a coincidence that my first meeting as part of the commission was a year to the day after he passed away. I didn’t know him personally, but we share some of the same goals for how SETX historical preservation should be done. Everything happens for a reason, and I will fly this flag! (I keep it right beside my Queen’s Park Rangers pennant, even though they lost to Watford 4-0 on opening day. Sigh.)

Visitors in Mrs. Stephens Garden (Lake Carles?) Florence Stratton and Watson Neyland

My research journey began in 2012, and it’s been hard to find details on Florence’s personal life. It took me fifteen months to figure out her birthday, and what about her birth year? It took one mention in the 1900 census and a letter donated to the Tyrrell Historical Library penned by the ten-year-old Emily Stratton, Florence’s older sister, and addressed to her father, Asa, in February 1883. (Asa E. Stratton Jr. was a Texas senator from 1883 to 1884.) At the end of this letter, Emily writes that Florence can say her name. If you read all the earlier research, it states that Florence was born in 1883. I have no idea where that information came from (maybe Eunice, her niece?). I have no idea, but I also have six mentions in Susie Spindletop’s Weekly Letter that her birthday was on the spring equinox, and two mentions when her article came out on March 21 saying that this was her birthday.

After reviewing my database on Florence, I realized that I need to look into her father’s history more. I believe this will explain her friendship with Willie Cooper, the daughter of Sam Cooper. Both Asa and Sam served in the Texas Senate in 1883 and 1884, but Asa Stratton resigned in the latter year. Sam Bronson Cooper was from Woodville, and Asa Stratton was from Brazoria County; their daughters were best friends in their adult years. We can also add William P. Hobby (from Woodville) to this mix because all three were together in the early days. There is a lot of history to uncover here, but since this is the eleventh year of my research, it may take a while.

Speaking of taking a while, Florence penned or played a part in publishing five books. The Story of Beaumont (1923) was her baby and her most popular volume here in SETX, but republishing O. Henry’s articles in book form in 1923 made her at least $10,000 thanks to W. P. Hobby, who owned the Houston Post at the time O. Henry (a.k.a. William Sidney Porter) wrote his columns.

To me, Favorite Recipes of Famous Women, published in 1925, has the best foreword. Florence was mad because some man had published a book called Famous Recipes of Famous Men, and she was determined to set the record straight about the recipes in his book—even at the expense of her dog. But she did give it a military funeral! I always thought that Willie Cooper, Hobby’s first wife, collected the recipes for this book when she lived in the governor’s mansion in Austin. I guess being a first lady has its advantages. Willie was a socialite, and as the daughter of Sam Bronson Cooper, she was pretty good at schmoozing with the elite. I believe most of the recipes were from Willie. However, in the 1975 article, Eunice said that Florence “wrote to persons asking for recipes even though she had never met them.” I guess this is why there are a lot of “motion picture stars” in the book, such as Gloria Swanson and Mary Pickford. But let us give a big shout-out to Mrs. Thomas Edison for her cheese soufflé in ramekins and, of course, to a former congresswoman from Oklahoma for her recipe for boiled potatoes.

Florence Stratton’s next book, The White Plume, was published in 1931 but copyrighted in 1928. I thought this was odd until I found out the reason. The book was cowritten by Vincent Burke, sports editor at the Beaumont Enterprise, and was first published in the July 1928 issue of Bunker’s Monthly. This magazine only lasted about two years. I paid more for it than the original price of five cents, but it answered a big question in Florence’s story.

When the Storm God Rides: Tejas and Other Indian Legends was published in 1936; it was used as a textbook in this area for years. Florence’s friend Bessie Reid wrote the book, and Florence contributed the foreword. Most know Bessie as the author of the story of Kisselpoo, which was published in the Port Arthur News on July 1, 1923.

It’s amazing just how much you can get out of two articles based on oral history along with eleven years of research. It’s not perfect, but we are getting there. I believe that everyone I mentioned should be researched more, but doing so takes time, money, and the drive to delve into history. I’ll continue to do this, but can I actually get a solid team that doesn’t lose to Watford 4-0 on opening day?

Until next week, Della.

Thoughts and Ramblings: SETX History; Pigs in a Blanket Are Not Kolaches; Musician Talk; Whispers from the Past; Magnolia Cemetery Tour; The Stringbean

Posted on by
Whispers from the Past (2013)
Whispers from the Past (2013) Liberty County Historical Commission

My interest in SETX history is vast, but I do have my favorite topics. Of course, Florence Stratton comes to mind. I’m sure no one is surprised about this since I bring her up during most of my ramblings. I have been researching her and her family since 2012, and I have a good database by now. Truth be told, that database is already in the hands of a few friends should I eat too many Zummo sausages and become an ex-parrot. (Monty Python was the best!) I’ve got to admit that Zummo’s party time links are the best if I can’t get to Billie Joe’s BBQ for their links, which I grew up eating. My doctor, a native of the state of New York, is not so positive about local sausages because she grew up eating those made from the recipes of actual German immigrants, but we have the same view on kolaches. Pigs in a blanket are NOT kolaches. Kolaches are also pastries in the old country. I’ll move on before my cholesterol rises.

Two of my main interests besides Florence are the Sabine Lighthouse and the interurban. I first saw the lighthouse in the 1980s while fishing with friends. I was impressed that we had something like this in our area. Yes, technically, it is in Southwest Louisiana, but we still claim it as part of our history. There is a group trying to preserve this treasure. I will leave the link at the bottom of the page. The interurban is something that I learned about in 2012 when I joined the Jefferson County Historical Commission. My friend Jerry Burnett and I would talk about this regularly instead of doing what I was there for—renewing my insurance. He was a train guy and also loved to reminisce about Port Arthur’s history. I miss him.

On my website, I usually write about people who are not well known. I enjoy diving into the history of those who are not on the social media pages of our area’s museums historical houses. These people still have something to add to our understanding of ourselves. Also, I don’t write about musicians much unless it’s the Rowleys, in which case I’ll fly that flag, because it’s a forgotten story. There is no museum or city propping them up like every other musician, and I get it. What I don’t get is Groves, Texas, adding the name “ZZ Top” on their water tower. ZZ Top was NOT from Groves, Texas. Yes, they played one gig in Groves, but didn’t they also play a high school prom in Little Cypress? They were from Houston! If you want to leave a rebuttal, come with facts.

I’ll also stand behind Blind Willie Johnson’s music because it is currently flying through the outer regions of the solar system on the Voyager spacecraft, along with Bach, Mozart, and Beethoven. I think this is impressive, and the backstory is also notable. The blues pioneer signed a contract with a major record label in 1927, but he died penniless and lived his last six months in a half-burned-out house. He influenced many British blues bands. Also, Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, and Peter, Paul, and Mary covered his songs.

I like all kinds of music. The music of Harry James’s era is great, and I will say that I enjoyed the Night & Day Orchestra back in 2014, when they played for the Beaumont Heritage Society’s “fundraiser.” I even have a video. It was the first time I photographed an event like that, and I was showing solidarity with my cohort from KFDM News—at least with regard to the khaki clothing. No black tie for us. Also, no alcohol and no food, but that was my decision. And “It Was Five O’Clock Somewhere” when I arrived home.

Back in 2013 and 2014, the Liberty County Historical Commission (LCHC) held a fundraiser of their own called Whispers from the Past. They did a fantastic job of bringing Liberty County’s history to life through a cemetery tour during which the members dressed in period clothing and portrayed their characters perfectly. I wrote about these events and will leave a link to the article, plus links to some photos, at the bottom of the blog.

As I’ve said before, our Magnolia Cemetery tours were born thanks to this event. I give full credit to the LCHC for inspiring us to bring something similar to Magnolia Cemetery. Our first event was a walking tour with the docents of the McFaddin-Ward House. We did a few Heritage Happy Hours with the Beaumont Heritage Society, but we ended the events after Hurricane Harvey. With a new board and management at the cemetery, the tour was brought back in 2021 as the Historic Magnolia Cemetery Tour. One thing about these events was bringing Beaumont’s history back to life together with the characters that were part of it.

Today, the tour is similar to what the LCHC did but without the period clothing (although Kate Beavers wore such clothing while presenting Caroline Hinchee). Personally, I refuse to wear Miss Catherina Jeanette Stengele’s period hats or Florence’s attire (not that I could actually fit in her clothes—I digress). But we do have presenters who know their subjects, and that’s a good thing.

Speaking of the Historic Magnolia Cemetery Tour, it’s the weekend, and I need to work on the tour preparations. But before I leave, I want to recommend this week’s Bayoulands podcast with Katharine Leister from the Tyrrell Historical Library. They talk about the history of the library and its many resources, as well as Leister’s research on the history of Pleasure Island. They even mention the Stringbean! I hope to dive into the Stringbean Trolley next week.

Until next time.

Ex-parrot:  https://youtu.be/vZw35VUBdzo

Sabine Lighthouse:  https://www.rediscoveringsetx.com/2012/12/11/sabine-lighthouse/

Cameron Preservation Alliance: https://www.facebook.com/SabinePassLighthouse/

The Rowley Trio:  https://www.rediscoveringsetx.com/2017/04/11/the-rowley-trio/

Blind Willie Johnson:  https://www.rediscoveringsetx.com/2012/08/23/blind-willie-johnson/

Voyager Space Probe:  https://sclsnj.org/a-song-for-the-cosmos-blind-willie-johnson-and-the-voyagers-golden-record-by-jan-lower-illustrated-by-gary-kelly/

Day and Night Orchestra (2014):  https://fb.watch/lOXquF6yUG/

https://www.facebook.com/TheNightDayOrchestra

Whispers from the Past (2013):

Article: https://www.rediscoveringsetx.com/2013/11/06/whispers-from-liberty-county/

Photos: https://flic.kr/s/aHsjLufFaP

Whispers from the Past (2014):

Photos: https://flic.kr/s/aHsk5BkJk1

Bayoulands Talks

Katharine Leister: Tyrrell Historical Library/Pleasure Island History:

https://www.npr.org/podcasts/970687057/bayoulands-t-a-l-k-s

Thoughts and Ramblings: Hillebrandt Bayou; ChatGPT; Bolivar Peninsula; the Beach Road

Posted on by
905 Edmund and Lorena Toebelman House | 1113 Church Street

Despite the many years I’ve spent running the roads of Beaumont, I never realized that Hillebrandt Bayou ran through the city. I always thought it was a ditch. And before some of you get all huffy about me calling Hillebrandt Bayou a ditch, parts of it are paved. Paved = ditch. I guess you wouldn’t be the first to be irritated by my choice of words this week. Earlier, a docent became pretty arrogant when I called the City National Bank Building in Galveston a house after I found out they were going to make it a rental.

Docent: “Oh no, this will be a residence.”

Me: “No, it’s a bank! Maybe event rental?”

Someone else on the tour: “When was it built?”

Docent: “I’m not sure.”

Me: “In 1920. Our book and your script say 1920.”

Docent: “Probably 1921.”

I’m not blaming the Galveston Historical Foundation for this melee with the suspected realtor with the clipboard. Still, unfortunately, you get Wanda’s family when the pickings are slim for volunteers, but I digress.

I’ve meant to do this for a while, and this week I managed to try out ChatGPT. For those who don’t know, ChatGPT is an artificial intelligence (AI) engine used to create content. You type in what person or subject you want to write about, and the bot does the rest. Yes, I’m playing with Terminator-type stuff, but it’s not the liquid metal one at this point. The Florence Stratton essay was interesting but very vague, almost like a political speechwriter wrote it. A friend noted that ChatGPT made Florence sound like a combination of Ida Tarbell and Erin Brockovich. I’ll post the essay unedited, but THIS IS NOT A SOURCE OF ACCURATE INFORMATION, so don’t use it as such.

The 500-word essay describing Rediscoveringsetx.com was better but still a bit off. Finally, I typed my name and asked it to do a bio. Boy, this was interesting. I think it just wrote my obituary! I’ll have to tweak it a bit because I don’t have a degree in AI, but I could replace that with my elf spotting certificate. Yes, I have one, and I didn’t have to pay $4K for it. I’ll leave a link at the bottom of the blog so you can see how I got it.

Today is the last day of the Galveston Historic Homes Tour, and I couldn’t leave them hanging. They need volunteers, and I’m still fed up with work, so it’s a win-win situation. I’ll be at the 1905 Edmund and Lorena Toebelman House at 1113 Church Street. With air conditioning, I might add. I have my script, in case someone from Wanda’s family is around. However, in some weird way, I can coexist with people from her family because they are just there for the shiplap, the plaster, and the pretty flowers at Old City Cemetery.

I look forward to my Mama Teresa’s pizza while parked in the parking lot known as Ferry Road. For all you newbies, don’t cut in line or Maria Maria la Policia WILL get you. She has no patience for idiots, and that’s a good thing.

I heard that they are building multitudes of rentals and possibly also an airport on the peninsula. I guess this is a good thing because an airport would be another way to get off the peninsula during the next hurricane. Hurricane Ike really sucked. At that time, everyone thought that all their properties would be lost and there would be no beach for them. Well, the powers that be have rebuilt, and kudos to all of you Parrot Heads for making my drive to Galveston always interesting. Y’all will never let this line in the sand fail, and I’m happy about that. I guess we need to get our beach-road lobbyist going because we need this back. We just need to put it more inland because I don’t want to pass the nudist beach. Sorry, I am not a fan and don’t care for your struggle. Google Maps won’t even go down that road.

I would really love the beach road back for one reason—it would be twenty minutes to High Island! Not an hour of driving on Highway 73, Highway 124, and Highway 87. I’m not reminiscing about sandy hotdogs on McFaddin Beach; I want less driving time! I’m getting old and can’t afford to live with you Parrot Heads. I doubt this will get fixed soon, but at least the Whataburger in Winnie is my one great breakfast stop.

What is the equivalent of Aloha in Karankawa? Lunch? Until next time and hope to see you on the tour.

Thoughts and Ramblings: The Rowleys; No Word on the GPR Survey; Hoppy Easter; So Says Susie

Posted on by
Johnny Horton with the Rowley Trio

The Rowleys are trending again. I don’t often check my stats, but when I do, it’s either “The Legend of Sarah Jane Road” or “The Legend of Bragg Road.” The people who share my articles are into ghost legends, growing up in Port Arthur, or the restaurants they would eat at. I guess it’s food for thought. But I usually also see interest in the Rowley family articles—to me, they are a part of history that needs to be told. Yes, most of the hits come from the family itself, but the historical aspect inspired me to search for answers in order to tell the correct story of what happened to each member of this family. I often think about Gene, Dido, Jerry, Rex Jr., and their father, Rex. I have a photo of the Rowley Trio with Johnny Horton in my office. I nicked it from a YouTube video; since then, I offered it to the interweb and the family. I’ll leave a link to the Rowley Trio and their amazing story below.

My first association with the Rowleys was at Greenlawn Cemetery in Groves while I was visiting the plot initially reserved for World War I veterans and their families. Walking through the rows, I noticed a headstone with a photo of a young girl and a poem under it. The poem was odd and depressing, so I wanted to know her story.

Virginia Lee Rowley

If I must die then die I must and when the coffin round me rusts my bones will go whence they came and all that’s left is my name. To shield that name I’ll do my best; that’s all that’s left when I’m at rest. I’ll do no harm and bring no shame upon my dad and mother’s name.

When I first saw the headstone, I immediately began to research its story. I found that someone from Port Arthur had made a twelve-minute movie about the girl’s presumed life. I won’t get into the crap that this jackass put out because he was wrong for doing this. Virginia “Gene” Rowley died in San Antonio in a car accident. She was there working as a radio operator at Kelly Field.

Her mother probably added the poem to the headstone because Gene was a poet and had won awards for her writing. She may have also been saddened by her father’s suicide in 1934. Rex was in the Great War, but I have no information on how and where he served. According to the newspaper articles, he was upset that he couldn’t find a job. Remember, this was during the Great Depression. Although our SETX area did not suffer as much as most of the country, some of its residents did. Both Rex and Gene are buried in the World War I plot. They are not side by side but giving their backs to each other. Although they are facing away from one another, I have a feeling they are looking at each other eye to eye. In the end, we can only guess how it is.

Jeanna Clare and Don Mahoney

There is a lot of tragedy here. Fortunately, a descendant sent me some information on Vera (Dido) and Jerry, who had a different life. The story of the Rowley Trio is amazing. They played with some big names at the time. One was Johnny Horton. They even played on the Louisiana Hayride radio show, which launched many careers during that era, including Elvis Presley, Hank Williams, Kitty Wells, and Jim Reeves. The Rowley Trio didn’t rise to that level of stardom, but Dido continued her career in show business. Some of you here and in Houston who grew up in the 1960s might remember the name of Don Mahoney if you watched KPRC on Saturdays. Don Mahoney had a local television show called Don Mahoney and Jeanna Clare and Their Kiddie Troupers. It was a talent show for kids, but the two hosts emulated Roy Rogers and Dale Evans. Yes, Dido was Jeanna Clare!

Between the tragedy and the triumph, there is a lot here that the family can be proud of. They are not the Kennedys, which is a positive thing, and I see their part in SETX history as a source of great inspiration. And yes, I wanted to tell their story correctly. They deserved as much. Well, Nederland, you have other celebrities in the world of entertainment. Move over, Tex Ritter, and let the Rowley Trio and Jeanna Clare join you on the pedestal of entertainers from Nederland, Texas. I know you would Welkom that because it’s on your Boston Avenue sign!

As I write, I still haven’t heard anything back from the ground-penetrating radar (GPR) survey. It may take a few weeks, but hopefully there will be something of substance that we can use as proof of where the yellow fever victims are buried. I’m crossing my fingers but not holding my breath. The GPR machine can penetrate concrete but has trouble with the clay soil of Sabine Pass. The more sand in the soil the better it works. Those thinking of using something like this tool should keep this issue in mind.

Well, it’s Easter Sunday, and I’m working because there is no rest for the wicked. So, I’ll bid you farewell and let Susie Spindletop take over for some Weekly Letter “hoppy” memories.

Dear Della:

I am like Tom Heflin, Easter makes me sick. The Alabama senator has been egged so often during his speaking tours that I hear he dodges every time any one mentions Easter to him.

Easter makes me sick, however, for an entirely different reason. According to my way of thinking Easter is divided into three classes:

Too cold for Easter hats.

Too wet for Easter hats.

No Easter hats.

I have never known any other kind of Easter Sunday. Therefore Easter makes me sick.

                                         *                         *                         *

It is intriguing to delve into the beginnings of a festival such as Easter, isn’t it? So many whimsical customs come to light which account for many of our modern observances of the day.

Frinstance, Della, where did the custom of the Easter bonnet originate? An old superstition to the effect that a new bonnet worn on Easter Sunday would insure love and happiness in the ensuing year is back of it.

                                          *                          *                         *

And how come the Easter egg? Many hundreds of years ago the egg stood as a symbol of a new life, I read, and played an important part in the religious ceremonies of the Egyptians, Persians, Greeks, Gauls, and Romans. Later, the Christians took an egg as an emblem of the resurrection.

                                         *                             *                       *

About egg rolling?

Well as far as I can find out, egg rolling had its inception in England.

It seems in ancient days it took a most astonishing form. People themselves were accustomed to roll down Greenwich Hill, supposedly for the purpose of expressing the ecstasy which the return of spring incited. This custom was abandoned and in its place came the charming practice of egg rolling.

It is related that in olden times, poor children would wander through the streets singing. For reward people would give them colored Easter eggs which they would take up to the same hill. Arrived at the hill they would roll their eggs down and the child who succeeded in rolling his so that they reached the bottom intact would be proclaimed the winner.

                                    *                             *                           *

Della, from England, too, I notice, came the quaint superstition that the sun danced on Easter morning—a superstition which to this day is solemnly believed and celebrated in parts of Ireland. In order to see the “sun dance” the people would arise at dawn and go forth in masses. I’ll take their word for it. How about you?

So wrote Susie,

Easter Sunday, March 31, 1929

Don Mahoney and Jeanna Clare with Their Kiddie Troupers | Segment (1970)

https://texasarchive.org/2016_04235

The Rowley Trio:

https://www.rediscoveringsetx.com/2017/04/11/the-rowley-trio/

Virginia Lee Rowley:

https://www.rediscoveringsetx.com/2015/12/29/tales-from-hallowed-ground-virginia-lee-rowley/

Louisiana Hayride: 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louisiana_Hayride

Dido Rowley And The Troupers – When The Chips Are Down (Enterprise GS-1206) [1957 country bopper]

Thoughts and Ramblings: Florence Stratton, New Headers, Derrick Riggs, the Big O, the Grey Ghost, and Fold3

Posted on by

Last week was the eighty-fifth anniversary of Florence Stratton’s death, and I gave a brief account of her life on Saturday. Unfortunately, I could never tell an accurate story like those around her would have been able to. So, on Sunday’s Thoughts and Ramblings, I published a tribute to the Beaumont Journal/ Beaumont Enterprise journalist. I added no content because I wanted to use actual sources who knew her and worked with her. One thing that was mentioned in a few accounts was that her coworkers used the 30 as a tribute to their fallen comrade. As far as I can tell, the 30 was used to indicate the end of the story or say goodbye. However, as a researcher, I could never use the 30 because in 2012 I began my journey to learn more about Florence and keep her story alive.

After eleven years of research, I am still learning. Yes, Florence’s life ended in January of 1938, but her legacy should be treasured and live on as an inspiration to those who may want to follow in her footsteps. Whether it’s journalism, charity, or just caring about people and trying to make a difference, we need this. Florence cared about everyone and did her best to make things right.

Here at RediscoveringSETX, we have some new headers, and I for one am ecstatic about it. To me, it’s almost like looking at one of those Iron Maiden album covers minus the little devils with pitchforks. You can find all kinds of SETX things in them. Sorry if you don’t know who Derrick Riggs and Iron Maiden are. Actually, I’m sure Steve Harris, the founder of Iron Maiden, probably forgot who Derrick was because he went with someone else, but the fans didn’t forget—I digress. Up the Irons, Eddie! And no, I’m not a West Ham fan. Queen’s Park Rangers all the way!

Speaking of Iron Maiden, a few months ago, I was digging through my box of old Kodak moments for some pictures of airshows from the 1990s and found a few photos from their 1983 visit to Beaumont, with the Scorpions. I had no idea who the Scorpions were, but at the time, they played their hit “Blackout” on the radio every hour. Unlike most people, I hear lyrics differently, and all I heard Klaus Meine singing about was that he had a really big nose, or that’s how I understood the lyrics. I’ve seen the photos, and I agree. I also witnessed him swinging the mic and tossing it into the air, nearly hitting the rafters of the Beaumont Civic Center, or was it the Montagne Center? I’m going to have to ask Mikey Mayhem, a fellow connoisseur of local history who was also there. If you subscribe to any of Facebook’s local history pages, you may know him. I’m going to say that he’s into all sorts of shenanigans. Mikey is researching some forgotten family histories that should probably be turned into a movie. Stay tuned!

In the same box, I found some photos of an aircraft carrier being towed through the intercoastal canal in 2006. To give a bit of background, back then I was working on Lakeshore Drive and had no idea that there was a small carrier in the mothball fleet at McFaddin Bend in the Neches River. The USS Oriskany, or the “Big O” as some called it, was put there to be scrapped. The ship was a veteran of both the Korean and Vietnam wars. It was decommissioned in 1976, sold for scrap in 1995, and then repossessed in 1997. Its fate was finally sealed when, in 2006, the 880-foot carrier was sunk off the Florida coast to create an artificial reef. To my knowledge, it was the largest vessel ever sunk to make a reef, but if you had seen it, you might have wondered how anyone could land a plane on it. Knowing nothing of what I know now, I looked up and saw an aircraft carrier being towed down the intercoastal canal! Yes, this was a wow moment.

The USS Oriskany had a rich history, and its burial at sea was a fitting tribute. I wish they’d done something similar to the Grey Ghost. The USS Enterprise was scrapped with no regard for its history. It’s disgusting that a ship with so much importance was thrown away. A watery grave would have been better, if not a museum! I won’t get into a Yukari Akiyama 秋山 優花里-type rant about ships instead of tanks, but I know that she would back me up on this. I would have loved to see the Grey Ghost docked anywhere instead of becoming a pile of garbage. It was the only carrier that lasted the war, and after the Battle of Midway, it was even, at one time, the only carrier in the Pacific. Admiral Nimitz knew this; fortunately, the Imperial Japanese Navy didn’t. Yes, the Battle of Midway was a great victory, but you can lose your advantage when you’re in the Pacific theater and your commander in chief is not thinking about you and is too busy sending everything to the European theater. Yes, that was a thing.

My Yukari rant is finished for now. Changing the subject a bit, we all know that the USS Texas should be in Beaumont, so if you’re in the know, let’s bring her here. She’s self-sufficient.

A friend of mine has been looking into his father’s history. I’ve known this for a few years. Recently, he asked me if Fold3, a military history website owned by Ancestry.com, would be worth the money. I told him that it was worth it for me because I do significant research on multiple people but that if he just wanted to look at his family history, I could do it for him. Fold3 is a great site for researchers interested in finding someone’s military background. It’s also a great place to find war diaries from WWII, which I use. In 2012, a lot of information was released by the government from this time, which is why I found it on Fold3.

Well, that’s about it for now. Until next week, we don’t #uptheirons or support #WestHam. #WeRQPR #ForeverRs

Scorpions Blackout:

Derrick Riggs: 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derek_Riggs

U.S.S. Oriskany:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Oriskany_(CV-34)

U.S.S. Enterprise: 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Enterprise_(CV-6)

Fold3: 

https://www.fold3.com/

U.S.S. Texas: 

Home

Qpr:

“Thoughts and Ramblings: Florence, Willie, and William; Queen of the Elks; Elks Love Nest; JPOTS; World War I Monument.”

Posted on by

Last week, I mentioned that Florence and Willie Cooper were best friends. Their story goes possibly back to childhood. Florence’s father, Asa E. Stratton, served as a Texas legislator from January 1883 to May 1884. I have no idea why it wasn’t a full term because I haven’t researched this, but it’s another subject that I’d like to pursue. Willie’s father, Sam Bronson Cooper, also served as a Texas legislator at the time (1880–1884). Let’s add William Hobby from Moscow, Texas, into the mix, and we have a threesome of influential SETX individuals from both local and Texas history.

Willie Cooper

It is important to note that all three had ties to Beaumont in the 1900s; slowly, all three would end up here. Florence would take a teaching job in 1903; William Hobby would acquire the Beaumont Enterprise in 1907, and Willie would be elected Queen of the Elks in November 1901, beating Miss Eddie Ogden by 2,216 to 643 votes. However, there may have been shenanigans in the vote count, or at least that’s how the Beaumont Enterprise article tells the story. I don’t really know when the Cooper family first came to Beaumont, but they were a positive force for the city.

Speaking of a positive force and the Elks, I discovered an exciting raffle in the pages of the Beaumont Enterprise of 1926. It was a fantastic giveaway of a newly built home with all the amenities. It even came with a brand-new Chevrolet Coach worth $645. All this could be yours for a one-dollar raffle ticket, and oh, by the way, you needed to be newlyweds because the property was promoted as the “Elks Love Nest.” I remind you of this because it was 1926, and there was no shacking up in the Oaks Addition.

The response was amazing, and many purchased tickets. The Elks even kept the raffle going after the deadline to ensure that some folks who were sailors would be here for the draw. It’s kind of hilarious that they kept putting off the draw because they kept selling more tickets. I don’t know where the money went eventually, but the Elks were masters of promotion. The Elks are still a thing, and if you know one, I wonder if they keep track of their history. P. F. Armstrong ended up winning the love nest in December of 1926, and the house is still there. However, I don’t know the whereabouts of the Chevrolet Coach.

photo credit: Portal of Texas

As I drove to HEB yesterday in an impending rain storm, I could only wish that Howard’s Food Store in Port Arthur was still open. Not because of Just Part of the Store (JPOTS) and their great prepared food, but because Howard Hatfield had a covered parking lot that was a treasure. I have no idea what you Beaumonteers had (probably Piggly Wiggly), but we all went to Howard’s back in the day. And, of course, we would also grab a greasy burger at Judice’s on Seventh Street. I will say that Monceaux’s was the best; Judice’s came in second because I don’t remember them having greasy onion rings. Otherwise, it would have been a tie! Yes, my blood pressure is high, but I do take statins!

I’ve talked before about the World War I monument in Triangle Park, in front of the old Beaumont Enterprise building. There is a movement that wants to relocate it to Magnolia Cemetery. Currently, they are talking to the city authorities and finding the right people to speak to because let’s face it, this monument was forgotten long ago. At the last Magnolia Cemetery tour, we asked those who came out if they knew of the monument, and probably 95 percent didn’t. So, I ask you now: Have you ever heard of it? This is why it needs to be moved somewhere other than an easement on Main Street right across the giant fire hydrant where it stands today. I do not hate Disney’s giant fire hydrant; I want this monument to be in a better place.

Until next week, Tschüss!