Tag Archives: #SETX

Thoughts and Ramblings: Organizations, Volunteering, and International Concatenated Order of Hoo-Hoo

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Recently, the need to recruit new members into organizations such as historical commissions, heritage societies, and local groups or clubs has become more urgent. However, attracting young members poses a challenge. It’s not that the young are not interested. The problem is that these organizations pander to their flocks. What I mean is that most of the members of the groups I belong to or support are retired, and they typically want to participate in events held between 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays (some even say, “Start your event at 10:30 a.m. because I have other sh*t to do before”). Accommodating their needs is a good strategy if these individuals have the means to donate to these organizations (and some do). The problem is that when those who donate pass away, the interest in the project to save a historic house or another historic preservation effort comes to an end. Why? Because you are left with the children or grandchildren of the individuals in question, who don’t care about what mom or grandma was into. This is a significant problem not only in historic preservation but also in research. When someone who did historical research dies, there is a good chance that their family will not give a rat’s rump about saving anything in their office (“Throw everything to the street—he/she/him/her/it was a hoarder!). Did I get the pronouns right?

My beef is mainly with organizations and people scheduling their events on a Thursday or Friday morning because “It won’t clash with my grandchild’s recital,” or whatever. I work for a living, and taking time off for an event is pretty much impossible. I have to plan weeks in advance. The meetings of the Texas Historical Commission are planned six months to a year in advance.

I will say that the Beaumont Heritage Society, which I’ve had problems with in the past, is now run like a well-oiled engine. There is a reason I was a little skeptical at first, but if you put the right people in charge—people who think outside the box—you become successful. They now have a great organization. Lately, I’ve seen more organizations reaching out to their followers on social media and holding events in the evenings and on weekends, when the working class can actually attend. Kudos to all of them!

Luckily, most historical commissions hold their marker dedications on a Saturday, which is great! 10:30 a.m. it is! However, I’ve noticed that some of the older organizations that require a history test, both written and oral, to become a member (you know who you are, Sons of X or Daughters of Y) often do not consider your work schedule or personal life. The only organization I will freely call out is the Galveston Historical Foundation. I will note that they are getting better; fingers crossed. They do good work, but they also pander to their flock. However, they are getting better at pandering to their volunteer department. That was my problem with the Beaumont Heritage Society a few years back, but they’ve now seen the light. Treat your army of volunteers right, and you are unstoppable. Pull the elitist card, and your organization will die. Hey, volunteers are a valuable resource, so treat them with the respect they deserve!

An organization that I thought was defunct is actually still alive, and it is the International Concatenated Order of Hoo-Hoo. Let’s see what my chatbot (his name is Bill) has to say about them!

The International Concatenated Order of Hoo-Hoo is a unique and historic fraternal organization founded in 1892, dedicated to fostering fellowship and promoting the welfare of those in the forest products industry. Known for its distinctive traditions and whimsical symbolism—such as the use of a black cat with its tail curled in the shape of the number nine—the order seeks to unite professionals from all sectors of the timber and lumber trade under a shared commitment to ethical business practices, mutual support, and the betterment of the industry. With chapters across the globe, the Hoo-Hoo order emphasizes the importance of human values, environmental stewardship, and community service, striving to uphold the legacy of camaraderie and good humor envisioned by its founders more than a century ago.

I may qualify to be a member of this organization because, technically, there are times when I have to deal with trees. Unfortunately, I have to deal with cows, bulls, snakes, and water, as well as merchant marines, more often, but I would love to join. Below, I explain how the order started.

The International Concatenated Order of Hoo-Hoo was founded on January 21, 1892, in Gurdon, Arkansas, by a group of six men involved in the lumber and forest products industry. The men had been delayed at a train depot and, while waiting, began discussing the need for a fraternal organization that could unite people in their profession in a more informal and engaging way than traditional business associations.

Led by the journalist and lumber trade magazine editor Richard Fletcher and assisted by Bolling Arthur Johnson, the group envisioned an organization that embraced humor, fellowship, and mutual support rather than rigid rituals and titles. The founders named the new group the International Concatenated Order of Hoo-Hoo, with “concatenated” meaning “linked together.” The organization adopted unusual titles such as Snark of the Universe for its president, and it embraced a lighthearted tone while promoting goodwill, cooperation, and ethical conduct in the lumber industry. Over time, the order grew into a respected international fraternity for those working in forestry and wood-related professions.

Until I discovered that it is still active, my goal was to bring this awesome order back! Maybe buy a house in the Oaks District of Beaumont, then change its features without notifying the district. I would put Cheshire cats everywhere I could get away with it (hey, their period!).

What do you think? It may be worth a try!

Until next time, treat your people right.

Beaumont Heritage Society:

Home

Galveston Historical Foundation

Home

International Concatenated Order of Hoo-Hoo:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concatenated_Order_of_Hoo-Hoo

Thoughts and Ramblings: Hurricane Season Edition!

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It is nice that a third family member has reached out to me concerning research I did on a certain subject. It is especially satisfying because all three individuals agree that my research was spot on. I shared with the family what I found in all the sources. It is a plus when a relative sheds light on a few persons in their family whose stories you ignored. The Rowley Trio was unknown to me until a family member filled in the dots. I’ll leave a link to this story!

This week marks the beginning of hurricane season, and we have a few greatest hits on the list that weren’t retired. We begin with Chantal. Many here remember that Chantal was the Category 1 hurricane that wiped out the beach road between Sabine Pass and High Island in 1989. We all loved that road. No disrespect to the town of Winnie, but the Texas Department of Transportation and its determination to dig up every mile of Interstate 10 from El Paso to Orange are the devil. I would rather spend 20 minutes driving from Sabine Pass to High Island than driving for an hour on Highway 73 to Winnie, then down Highway 124 past Stowell to High Island. Shout-out to the Whataburger in Winnie. It’s my go-to breakfast stop if I have to drive to hell (Houston).

Humberto is next. Many don’t remember this hurricane because it happened in 2007. We all remember Hurricane Rita in 2005, but probably no one outside this area does because they focus on Hurricane Katrina, which hit New Orleans a month earlier. I’m not bitter; I just don’t care about what happens in NOLA. Ever! In 2005, we had the three sisters, Katrina in August, Rita in September, and Wilma in October, which hit Florida. After Wilma, no hurricanes hit the US in 2006 or 2007 until Humberto. A friend of mine, a chemical engineer by trade, used to argue constantly with me about how Tropical Storm Humberto upgraded to a hurricane over land. My friend has since passed away, and I cherish my memories of his friendship, but engineers! I showed him radar evidence and data indicating that the storm meandered off the coast and then sped up due to a cool front moving through. This is why the storm intensified and reached hurricane strength before making landfall on High Island.

I also have a couple of other stories about this storm. One concerns someone who wasn’t my friend. He was working on a house in Crystal Beach and was awakened at two in the morning by terror: winds of 80 miles an hour (but no surge). I just wish I had a video of this. I would have enjoyed this scene more than when I was in first grade and we were herded in the hallway of St. James School, with the seventh graders hunkering down because of a tornado warning. In the end, there was no tornado—just straight-line winds and dark clouds—but the terror in the seventh graders’ eyes was priceless. (As a first grader, I didn’t care about the seventh graders at all. Yes, I was not a good child. As you can figure out, I’m the same as an old person.)

The other story is as follows: On the night of September 12, 2007, I went to sleep and woke up to a hurricane at three in the morning. I checked the website of KFDM on my phone and found that the radar was in full hurricane mode. I turned on the television to see the backside of Larry Beaulieu front and center as he tried to find out why the camera was not working. At that point, Hurricane Humberto took out the radar, which meant that the station didn’t know where the eye of the hurricane was. Beaumont took more of a hit than Port Neches and Nederland. The eye passed over Port Neches when those at KFDM thought it was south of Winnie. My cat nailed it because he came from the neighbor’s house wondering what the hell was going on. We brought him in as the backside of the eye began. I remember he was very vocal on WTF was going on with the weather. This was the same cat that disappeared before we evacuated for Hurricane Rita. He stayed during that storm. When I returned after Rita, I found a female cat and kittens hanging out at the house. Since I was working out of Atascocita and not living at my house, I never saw the other cat or kittens again. I’m not saying the cat, affectionately known as Sh*thead, the cat was trailer park, no doubt!

Next up is Tropical Storm Imelda from 2019, which even TikTok users should remember. This storm damaged what Hurricane Harvey missed in 2017. However, Harvey was not a hurricane when it showed its worthless head in Southeast Texas. Harvey dropped 65 inches of rain in Nederland in five days. Imelda dropped 43 inches of rain and flooded areas that had survived Harvey. It basically finished what Harvey started.

And then there was Hurricane Jerry (1989). I remember this because I may have audio recordings of myself talking about it as it happened ( a project similar to our pirate radio days!). Jerry wasn’t much, but he did show up, which is more than most cared to do at the time.

I want to add this: All you beachgoers who are determined to bring back the beach road between Sabine Pass and High Island—I support your plea. However, we are dealing with the Texas Department of Transportation, as well as second-tier Texas bureaucrats. It will not happen, unfortunately. Both are *&^%$&, whom I despise! Good luck anyway!

Well, it looks like I’m done here for the week. Remember, it’s hurricane season, and you should grab a beer, then run like hell!

Until next time, cheers!

Rowley Trio:

The Rowley Trio

Hurricane Chantal:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Chantal_(1989)

Hurricane Humberto:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Humberto_(2007)

Tropical Storm Imelda:

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

Hurricane Jerry:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Jerry_(1989)

Just for fun I added my Bolivar Peninsula videos after Hurricane Ike:

Gilchrist:

Rollover Pass to Crystal Beach  

Crystal Beach Oops!

Bradley Johnson

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Sometimes, you spend years thinking about some historical event or process in a certain way, until a fact comes along that changes the whole scenario, or at least part of it. Some people tend to dismiss this. However, “History is written by the victors” is a quote that most need to know because it is true—history changes based on who writes it. This phenomenon applies to both major and minor historical knowledge, as well as the views of certain historical accounts. Humans tend to be human, and occasionally they do not check their facts. We are all guilty of this, whether we acknowledge it or not.

My first encounter with this problem occurred when I was researching Catherina Jeanette Stengle. On a cold Saturday morning in 2012, I was walking in Magnolia Cemetery photographing headstones of veterans with a couple of friends. That day, I was told that Catherina was a seamstress who saved all her money and purchased the twelve grave plots along with the mausoleum and the Saint Katherine of the Wheel statue. It wasn’t long before my research told a different story. If you’re interested in reading Stengle’s story, I have a link at the bottom of this blog.

In this case, the storyteller wasn’t a historian; he just repeated a story he had learned and didn’t check whether it was correct. I did. However, on a few occasions, I also did not check. Regarding this, I want to get into one story that was brought up in one of our Jefferson County Historical Commission meetings.

A member brought up the story of a shootout in Nederland in the early 1900s, and another member mentioned the story of a similar shootout in Sabine Pass that involved someone named Bradley Johnson. I’d heard the Johnson story before and thought I knew who was involved. I was certain there were a few articles written about it, but my Sunday morning research told me otherwise. I reached out to a couple of people who knew the story and might have written articles on it, but I found nothing. The only information I got was that William D. Quick mentioned it to them. This made sense because he was the authority on Sabine Pass history. I did go through Bill’s papers at the Sam Center in Liberty, where they are kept. “Maybe I saw an article about it there,” I thought, but it had been ten years. Someone who knew the story and was with me ten years ago sifting through Bill’s papers reminded me that he had a file on ALL the families and people of interest in Sabine Pass. So, it looks like my near future holds a trip to the Sam Center!

I found the original article from The Beaumont Enterprise about the confrontation in Sabine Pass, and I will tell you what I learned; I will also add photos of the article for you to read on the blog. There are also some odd details missing from this historical event, which I want to get into.

If you research the history of Jefferson County online, you will frequently find the name “Bradley Johnson of Sabine Pass” because there was a Bradley Johnson who fought in the Civil War. That Bradley Johnson was the uncle of the person in question. The Bradley Johnson we are talking about was Benjamin Johnson, the county commissioner’s son. The phrases “according to” and “as legend has it” both work in this case. It’s a bit complicated.

Brad Johnson was well liked in Sabine Pass, and he was a bit of a Robinhood when it came to cattle. Back then, families who owned cattle let them graze unsupervised. Most families had a brand, and that allowed them to identify their animals when it came to rounding up the herd. Apparently, though, cows went missing. Brad Johnson never owned cattle, but he had a pen with cattle in it. As legend has it, a group from the sheriff’s office went to investigate, and as soon as the lead officer tried to open the pen’s gate, a shot rang out, missing the officer’s finger. I have no idea who shot a bullet from a rifle at an officer because someone had a pen of cows belonging to others.

Apparently, some families (four) that won’t be named here (but might be named in the articles) possibly hired a guy to take out Brad Johnson. As you can read in the article, the two men knew each other, but Tom Long was not from here. He had only spent a couple of years in SETX. In the end, though, he knew to get “the hell out of Dodge!” This is a weird story that I can’t document, but it is true, even though there are facts missing.

Bradley Johnson’s story is nowhere to be found in Ancestry, Find A Grave, and Mildred Wright’s cemetery books. Then, I found a link on MyKindred that named his wife and six kids. This allowed me to do at least a little research on Ancestry, but it ended there. I wasn’t looking for whole paragraphs on him, but I thought there might be a little bit of information online since he was liked by fellow Sabine Passers. Nada! I haven’t gone down the rabbit hole regarding Tom Long, but I imagine he is also a ghost online. Who knows? And I’m sure that the families who might have paid for Long’s train ticket did not mention this event.

As far as I’m concerned, there’s now a blog on this story, with facts from a newspaper source. Until next time, don’t go around stealing people’s cattle! And if I can digress a bit, I discovered that bulls are okay with someone on a riding mower sprinting by, but as soon as you start up a line trimmer, they freak out. I never saw a bull hide behind a truck until this Monday. I’ve since named the bull in question Shirley. And yes, I’m serious!

Jeanette Catherina Stengle:

Tales from Hallowed Ground: Catherina Jeanette Stengele

Thoughts and Ramblings: 51st Annual Galveston Historic Homes Tour is One Week Away; George Ball House; Pear Orchard Cemetery Marker Dedication; My Olive Loaf Addiction

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We are less than a week away from the 51st Annual Galveston Historic Homes Tour, and I, for one, am ready. To heck with my sciatic nerve, which made me miss Wings Over Houston last year. We are a go! Here, I should quote Kate Dorman and “Damn it to the nether regions,” but that would be a whole other issue. I’ll pass, but I’ll leave a link to Kate’s feisty confrontation with the federals for taking her horse and cart during their visit to Sabine Pass in 1862, at the time of the Civil War. She was not happy! They returned it, though. Word to all: never mess with a 4 ft 11 in woman of Irish descent—I digress.

The homes on the tour lineup look good, and I can’t wait for my annual visit to City Cemetery for the wildflower photos. Who knows, I may find Beaumont’s first mayor, Alexander Calder (c. 1806 – August 23, 1853). He is interred there, but the exact spot is a mystery. We have a photo of the broken headstone, but it was lying on the ground and may have been covered by the foliage. I mention this because a friend and fellow researcher has been trying to find all the mayors of Beaumont. I have no problem spending a bit more time walking through the Indian paintbrushes and black-eyed Susans. Trust me, the site is worth the visit, and please bring your camera with you.

I’m sure that most of you who are interested in this tour will have heard about the George Ball House fire. It is devastating for Galveston’s history. Even worse, someone died from the injuries they sustained in this tragedy. I won’t get into this more because there is an ongoing investigation, as there should be. I didn’t know the owners and hadn’t visited the house. All the same, here is a bit of history about the George Ball House.

The George Ball House was constructed in 1857 by the prominent Galveston businessman and philanthropist George Ball (1817–1884). Originally located at the northwest corner of 23rd and Sealy Streets, the house was built using sturdy pine timbers shipped from Maine, reflecting Ball’s wealth and the ambitions of mid-19th-century Galveston. In 1902, to accommodate the construction of the Rosenberg Library, the house was relocated six blocks south to its current site on 24th Street, in the Silk Stocking historic district. During the move, the house was divided. The rear section became a separate residence at 1401 24th Street; by 1903, a third house was added at 1411 24th Street, forming a remarkable architectural trio. The George Ball House was recognized as a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark in 1962 and featured in the Galveston Historical Foundation’s Homes Tour in 1977.

Under a bright spring sky on Saturday, members of the community gathered to witness the unveiling of a new marker designating Pear Orchard as a historic cemetery. During the ceremony, speakers also highlighted the recent discovery of six Buffalo Soldiers buried at the site — one from the 9th Cavalry, four from the 24th Infantry, and another from the 25th Infantry. The event served as both a celebration of local heritage and a solemn recognition of the individuals who served with honor.

The dedication ceremony was the result of ongoing research and planning by Historic Sacred Spaces, a nonprofit organization “dedicated to preserving, protecting, and honoring Military Veteran and historic resting spaces and graveyards, both marked and unmarked,” according to their Facebook page. Their efforts not only bring attention to Pear Orchard Cemetery, but also to Nona, Blanchette, and Haven of Rest cemeteries. If you would like to join, volunteer, donate, or learn more about Historic Sacred Spaces, I have included a link at the bottom of this blog.

Now, I’m going to get into something that has nothing to do with Southeast Texas history. It’s something that irritates me more than when Hormel discontinued Little Sizzlers. I want to talk about Oscar Myer’s discontinuation of Olive and Pickle Loaf. I damn them to the nether regions (I’m channeling Kate Dorman here). Yes, this is a big problem for me because I’m not a torta-de-jamón person. Ham and cheese sandwiches are not my go-to. Ask my doctor! She would just tell you I’m a lost case.

Like a junkie, I get my fix from an undisclosed source (we’ll call him Henry Butt, though I call him Harry because I’m nine)—not the Eckerd over-the-counter type, but the Usinger’s brand from the deli. I accumulate Olive and Pickle Loaves like I accumulate Bitcoins or gold. It is an addiction. I’ve always been addicted to olives. It’s probably my 24 percent Spanish heritage—I have never understood what Spaniards eat besides olives.

I will have a blog on Friday about what to do on the Galveston Historic Homes Tour. It will be about the dos and don’ts of the tour. Until next week.

Galveston Historic Homes Tour:

Galveston Historic Homes Tour

Kate Dorman:

http://www.wtblock.com/catherin.htm

George Ball House:

The Silk Stocking Historic District and The 1857 George Ball House

Historic Sacred Spaces:

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61569514327368

Thoughts and Ramblings: Whereabouts Unknown Forgotten Cemeteries

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For centuries, those who traveled to and resided along the Neches River eventually expired, and their offspring laid them to rest, usually on a bluff because it was the highest land they could find, and it was safe from flooding. The original residents—the Atakapa, Karankawa, and Nacazils—made their homes on bluffs, along what is now the Port Neches area. During the 1,500 years of history that these tribes lived here (archaeological records go back between 10 and 12 thousand years), six burial mounds were built along the bluffs. According to a W. T. Block article, these burial mounds were 60 feet (18 m) wide, 20 feet (6.1 m) tall, and 100 yards (91 m) long.

When Joseph Grigsby arrived in 1827 (we’ll talk about Grigsby Cemetery later), he tore down one mound to build slave quarters and other structures on his farm. According to W. T. Block, “between 1841 and 1901, all six of the mounds disappeared due to human actions.” At least two of the clam-and-sea-shell burial mounds ended up on the muddy Beaumont streets. There is no mention of where the seven-foot Indians they pulled out of the mounds were reinterred (because they weren’t). Good or bad, history is messy.

One note: The Native tribes of our area take me to the writings of Mrs. Bruce Reid, as Florence Stratton would introduce her. Bessie Reid from Port Arthur was a birder who wrote extensively on Native American tribes. She was the primary researcher on Florence’s last book, When the Storm God Rides: Tejas and Other Indian Legends. Bessie also wrote the legendary story of Kisselpoo, which was published on July 1, 1923, in The Port Arthur News. This story was a compilation of what you can find in the abovementioned book, with a twist. Reid took many tales and myths from around Texas and used them to create one of her own. This story, or legend, lived for many decades, but fact and fiction tend to become fuzzy after many years, and history gets lost in time—until someone points it out (I digress).

Over the years, I’ve discussed several stories of cemeteries that have reached the “whereabouts unknown” status, but once you start delving into an area’s history, you find more questions than answers. God help those at the state level (I’m referring to you, Texas Historical Commission!), but I’m at the county level (the Jefferson County Historical Commission) or, actually, at the multicounty level, so I may be of help in some ways. Free of charge, by the way. You’re welcome! No taxpayer dollars were spent or harmed during my research. It’s called volunteering.

For the past 18 months, the Texas Historical Commission has been updating its Texas Historical Sites Atlas and reaching out to all county historical commissions and the public for help. This is needed especially when it comes to cemetery sites. Luckily, in Jefferson County, we had a trooper who compiled a lot of information on the county’s cemeteries and put them in three books, which you can download for free on the website of the Jefferson County Historical Commission. I’ll leave a link at the bottom of this blog.

The trooper in question was Mildred Wright, who was known as the Cemetery Lady because of her years of hard work researching on the county’s cemeteries as cemetery chair on the commission. Her work gives those who came after her a head start, but still not all the answers. I’ll reference Lewis Cemetery here, which is in Mildred’s books. We have a general idea of where it was located—between 19th Street and 23rd Street in Beaumont. I also know this cemetery because I went through the files of the historian Bill Quick, which are kept at the Sam Houston Center in Liberty, Texas. Quick had an article from the 1930s about a cemetery located on the Lewis tract, around 200 yards from the end of Calder Avenue. At the time, Calder Avenue ended on 11th Street (remember, there was no interstate back then!).

Here in Mid-Jefferson County, along the Neches River, there are a few modern, uncharted cemeteries that have been forgotten or just blatantly desecrated. I say “modern,” but the time frame is 200+ years. Joseph Grigsby died in September of 1841, and he is supposedly buried at the end of Grigsby Avenue, where his house was. In terms of research, this is hearsay and legend. We can’t confirm where he is buried, but we do know that many pioneers were interred along the banks of the Neches River.

The headstone of Sebron Berry is the only one located at Sunoco Partners Marketing and Terminals, but there are other possible burials in the vicinity. The company reached out to the Jefferson County Historical Commission before running a pipeline through this unknown area. Thanks to those on this project for caring and taking the time to tell us, as well as for moving their project away from a cemetery. There are many other stories with no happy endings like this one.

Remly-Hillebrandt Cemetery is a site W. T. Block wrote about. I’ll link his article at the bottom of this blog. When you read it, you can tell that he was ticked off. The cemetery, located on the southeast corner of the Dearing and Rachford Streets intersection, was bulldozed and concreted in the 1940s. W. T. discovered this after he returned from serving in the army during World War II.

Another Port Neches cemetery that is lost is the original Block Cemetery. It may have also been called the Block-Merriman Cemetery because—I believe—the Merriman family purchased the land. W. T. mentions that his grandfather and his uncle Earnest died the same year and were buried there in 1893. The cemetery was located somewhere between Llano and Merriman Streets, which run parallel to each other. I’ve added a map to show where this cemetery would have been, or might still be, because in 1905, when the Merriman family “began building streets and surveying their property into town lots, Dad and Uncle Martin (fearing the original Block Cemetery would not survive) had Grandpa Albert’s and Uncle Earnest’s bodies disinterred and re-buried in the new Block Cemetery, now Oak Bluff.”

That quote was from W. T.’s autobiography. I’m glad he mentioned his uncle Martin because I have a spiritual connection to him. As I’ve said before, I live under the oaks on Ye Olde Block Farm, where Martin was the first farmer. I thank him for planting these beloved live oaks before 1908. I love these trees!

Hoppy Easter to those who celebrate! Until next time . . .

Bessie Reid and the Story of Kisselpoo:

Bessie Reid and the story of Kisselpoo; Sorry for ruining your childhood stories; Iron Eyes Cody was Italian; Gremlins in the courthouse; Old Roy

THC Texas Historic Sites Atlas:

https://atlas.thc.texas.gov/Map

History of Jefferson County – Cemeteries: Mildred Wright

https://jeffersoncountytx.gov/Historical_Commission/Jeffco_History_Cemeteries.html

Southeast Texas Indian Homeland:

The Burial Mounds of Old Port Neches

http://www.wtblock.com/wtblockjr/indian.htm

History of the Neches River Bluffs in Jefferson County:

http://www.wtblock.com/smith.htm

W.T. Block Autobiography:

http://www.wtblock.com/AutoBiography.htm

Thoughts and Ramblings: Beaumont Heritage Happy Hour; Galveston’s Historic Homes Tour; Section W and X at Magnolia Cemetery and the Mayumi Child

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The Beaumont Heritage Society will be hosting a happy hour at Magnolia Cemetery on Thursday, March 20th, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Sources say that this is the most requested place to host their event, and I believe them. There have been at least two happy hours at the cemetery, and both went well. Actually, they went very well after most of the guests indulged in their second beer on tap. Most of them went walkabout and did their own tours, while we had a significant number of people on the official tours. This year, we are doing 20–25-minute tours beginning every 20 minutes, so you don’t have to be there at the start. But get there early so you can partake in the craft beer that is offered.

In 2016 and 2017, Magnolia Cemetery and the Beaumont Heritage Society hooked up to do the same kind of event, and on both occasions, it was a success. We did a two-hour walking tour back then, and it still worked! On a side note, I’m up for a two-hour tour if you want, as long as it doesn’t clash with my work time. Have a group? Email me at rediscoveringsetx@gmail.com!

Galveston’s Historic Homes Tour is approaching fast (the first two weekends of May), and I already have my marching orders for Sunday, May 4, with the Candy Lady! I’m certain that there will be many “May the fourth be with you” references, especially because it’s a Sunday—I digress. I’ll be at the 1896 James and Pauline Foster House from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., then off to Mama Theresa’s before I board whatever boat is running to Bolivar Peninsula. I always seem to get the Robert H. Dedman. So, the song “Down Among the Dead Men” by Flash & the Pan usually plays. Yes, I’m a bit demented. Shout-out to the Titanic’s band, which continued to play!

The fifty-first Historic Homes Tour looks good; we’ll be doing it on Saturday, May 3rd. As usual, we will give you a heads-up regarding long lines and traffic, but when taking the tour, it is always good to have a plan, especially if you want to do so in one or two days. We’ll post the “What to Expect” on Friday. I also intend to make my yearly visit to Old City Cemetery that Friday evening to photograph the wildflowers and look for the resting place of Beaumont’s first mayor, Alexander Calder, who died in 1853.

I’ve been hibernating this winter, but I have received a few calls from a friend to offer some help concerning Magnolia Cemetery. He had a few questions about veterans and finding former mayors of Beaumont. My friend is determined. He has done a lot of volunteer work on the database to find all the World War I Beaumont Boys in order to inscribe their names on the World War I memorial, which The Beaumont Journal intended to do in the 1930s. He hates it when I put him on a pedestal, but the fact is that he goes above and beyond in his research. He is awesome, and I will call him Don in my praise so I don’t ruffle his feathers by stating his full name. He is one of the Smart est people I know when it comes to doing research, and I am constantly in awe when he brings history to life at our yearly Historic Magnolia Cemetery Tour!

Speaking of the Historic Magnolia Cemetery Tour, I’ve stated that we will be starting the tours at the front entrance of the cemetery, which is where we begin our yearly tour in October. We usually plan our tour to ensure that the public can participate, with all our presenters on Thursday evening and Saturday morning. This is difficult because the cemetery is eighty acres, and we have more than thirty thousand stories to tell. This is why we stick to the older parts at the front, but there are many tales to tell in other sections, such as Sections W and X. These areas have many tales to tell, and you’ve heard a few of them.

On our tour, you’ve seen one of our presenters, Katherine Leister, talk about the story of Florence Stratton, a.k.a. Susie Spindletop. Florence and family are at the top of the road, catacorner from the Herring Coe plot, which, as you may know, is located near Pine Street in Section T. As we travel through Sections W and X, you’ll notice many people who perished in 1918–1919. I would assume that some of these deaths have to do with the Spanish flu; there are also a few Beaumont Boys who died in World War I.

One grave that I checked, which usually isn’t widely known, is the Mayumi child. He is the only member left of the Mayumi family, which grew rice in Fannett. Unlike the Kishi family of Orange County, which stayed in our area, the Mayumis sold their land in 1924 due to the negative sentiment toward Japanese people that was prevalent in the 1920s. Here is their story!

In December 1917, Toshiko, Yasuo’s wife, bore her and Yasuo’s first child; unfortunately, the baby was born premature and lived only for one day. In a Beaumont Enterprise article, Gwendolyn Wingate wrote the following:

One evening in early December, Mayumi rode horseback up to the Bailey Wingate home. For days, it had been raining a cold drizzle, and the roads were underwater. Apologizing for what he said was an intrusion, Mayumi explained that his first child, a son, had been born, but after only one day of life, the baby was dead. Mayumi needed help.

Wingate’s sturdy widowed mother, Artemise, who had borne nine children and had seen three buried, bundled up against the cold and rode back to the Mayumi place with the men. She found Mayumi’s wife with the dead child in her arms, rocking back and forth in mute grief. She tried to comfort the woman who spoke no English and helped prepare the baby for burial.

Hope to see you on Thursday, March 20th. I want to remind you that there will be alcohol! Cheers! Come join the fun!

Galveston’s Historic Homes Tour:

Galveston Historic Homes Tour

Mayumi Family:

https://hirasaki.net/Family_Stories/Mayumi/Mayumi.htm

Flash And The Pan – And The Band Played On (Down Among The Dead Men) [1978]

Thoughts and Ramblings: Cemetery Preservation Workshop; Florence Stratton Research Findings, and Mistakes; Battleship Texas May Have a New Home

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On Wednesday, February 12, I attended the Cemetery Preservation Workshop and African American History Harvest, where I enjoyed the presentations by Carlyn Copeland Hammons, Jenny McWilliams, and Alan Garcia from the Texas Historical Commission. I also want to give a shout-out to the Jefferson County Historical Commission (JCHC) and the Tyrrell Historical Library for organizing this event and making it free to the public.

I loved seeing a few friends and fellow historical researchers that I hadn’t seen in a while. This was a plus, especially during the cemetery inventory talk, which took place after lunch. During this talk, we had some questions answered, and we received a couple of new assignments that I need to research. One topic that was discussed was multiple headstones, or headstones that were thrown away because the family bought a new one. This is definitely a thing. Every year, the JCHC gets a few calls asking whether there is a grave on properties in the county. Ninety percent of the time, the headstone was discarded from a cemetery because the family bought a new one. An attendee also brought up the subject of Anthony Cemetery. It seems that there are some headstones in a wooded area off Gill Street, which I need to investigate. If you have any information on Anthony Cemetery that you would like to share, please email me at rediscoveringsetx@gmail.com.

It rained while we did the walk-through at Pear Orchard Cemetery, but all in all, I think the event was a success! Hopefully, we can have a practical workshop at the cemetery to teach how to repair a headstone.

Finally, I want to give a shout-out to Chuck’s Sandwich Shop at 493 Pearl St. in downtown Beaumont. A friend recommended this place for lunch, and I WILL BE BACK! Support local businesses, especially if they are as excellent as Chuck’s Sandwich Shop!

Last weekend, a colleague brought to my attention a possible abandoned cemetery about 300 yards from Sarah Jane Bridge in Groves. He was told by someone that when they camped in the woods years ago, there were a couple of vaults near the waterline of the swamp in the area. This was before Jefferson Chemical (now Indorama) purchased the land in question. My colleague was also told that the vaults may now be under water. To be continued.

Also, last Saturday, I was out of town attending a wedding in Crosby. The venue was beautiful and surrounded by cows. Everything was perfect (except for the rain). The only thing I would suggest is knowing your clients. Play the right music when no one is dancing, and you keep edging them on. Both sides of the family were pro-Los Tucanes de Tijuana and didn’t want to listen to “Brown Eyed Girl”—I digress. “La Chona” it is!

Sunday was a good day for digging into my Florence Stratton files for someone who is writing an article on her for their newsletter. Once it’s out, I’ll share the link. On Monday, I was the Uber driver for some members of our family who took a cruise; I brought them to George Bush Intercontinental Airport. Of course, I gave them lots of information on Galveston’s history. I’m not Kathleen Maca, but after 14 years of visiting and volunteering there, I can pretty much fake it. And yes, I did drive through Old City Cemetery. I also want to give a shout-out to our lunch stop, Taco Mezquite at 422 Aldine Bender Road in Houston. Five stars!

When I began my research on Florence Stratton, a.k.a. Susie Spindletop, in 2012, I knew nothing about her. After more than 12 years, you’d think that I’m an expert on the subject. I would say yes and no. Every time I look into something, I find more information to file. This doesn’t include all of Florence’s family members and friends, who are relevant to telling her story. It’s a massive undertaking. My research on her is ongoing. I will keep the lines open for more info about her to come in. Her story will be told. Also, when I find an error in my research, I change what I’ve said. Unfortunately, some errors come from past information found by other researchers, but some are my fault. We’ll deal with two of my mistakes first.

On Wednesday, I was still trying to understand why Florence had taught at Miss Anne’s Private School around 1903. I found this detail in one of her obituaries from The Beaumont Enterprise, which was published on January 29, 1938. My copy from the relevant microfilm is mostly illegible. I visited the Sam Houston Regional Library and Research Center in Liberty to get a scanned copy of the obituary, and the one I got is better than my microfilm copy, but it’s not perfect. I also checked the Beaumont directories from 1903 and 1904, and there was no Miss Anne’s Private School. Basically, what happened was that I misread the obit—I thought it said “Miss Anne’s Private School” when it was actually “Miss Austin’s Private School.” This changes everything because we know that Florence also taught at Bell Austin’s Private School around that time. So, I can say for sure that Miss Anne’s was, in fact, Bell Austin’s.

My second mistake is not due to an error of mine but to the possible misnaming of a high school or a nickname used for it. In a few places, it is stated that Florence taught English at Central High School, but as we all know, this school did not exist in 1904. In an article from The Beaumont Enterprise dated September 2, 1903, we learn that Florence taught Grade 6 in North End (at the Millard School). Another article, dated September 19, 1904, states that Florence was teaching grammar at the high school. This article also mentions teachers from the other four Beaumont schools, the two in North End (one for Whites and one for Blacks both part of the Millard School) and the two in South End (one for Whites and one for Blacks). I’m 90 percent certain that Central High School was Beaumont High, but you never know what will suddenly appear and prove you wrong.

Well, I believe that the battleship Texas has found a home. It appears that BB-35 will be moored at Pier 15 near the Royal Caribbean International Terminal. I’ll leave it to the followers of the Battleship Texas Foundation’s Facebook page to decide whether this is a good or bad site because I have a life—I don’t have time for this jibber-jabber.

Until next time, my forecast has no cows, weddings, or family taxi services this weekend. “La Chona” it is!

Battleship Texas Foundation: 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/450347275643485/user/61555563144973

La Chona:  https://youtu.be/4gA5iaZ11lU?si=xgldfuR9UC3E4kIV

Cemetery Workshop

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On Wednesday 12, the Jefferson County Historical Commission and the Texas Historical Commission will hold a Cemetery Preservation Workshop and African American History Harvest. The event is free to the public, but you must sign up at the following link:

Register on Eventbrite

The info and schedule is as follows:

Cemetery Preservation Workshop and African American History Harvest

Join the Jefferson County Historical Commission in downtown Beaumont for a daylong learning event and history harvest, where the public is invited to bring their family photos, letters, and other precious items of family history. Staff at the Tyrrell Historical Library will be on-site to help scan this material and provide families with free digital copies of it for their archives. Example items for the African American history harvest include the following:

  • Early family photographs
  • Funeral programs and newspaper obituaries
  • Church anniversary booklets/programs
  • Yearbooks and photos of all-Black schools
  • Old maps and deeds regarding freedom colonies

Members of the Texas Historical Commission’s Cemetery Preservation Program will be on-site presenting on best practices of cemetery preservation and hosting an interactive cemetery mapping station for Jefferson County and the surrounding communities. Help us map the location of missing historic African American cemeteries for the Texas Historic Sites Atlas! We’ll end the afternoon with a special tour of Pear Orchard Cemetery, one of South Beaumont’s historic African American cemeteries that was recently designated a Historic Texas Cemetery. Contact the Jefferson County Historical Commission to RSVP or sign up via Eventbrite.

10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.: presentation by the Texas Historical Commission Cemetery Division

12:00–1:00 p.m.: break for dutch treat lunch in downtown restaurants

1:00–3:00 p.m.: history harvest, cemetery mapping, or scanning documents and photos

3:30–5:00 p.m.: visit to Pear Orchard Cemetery for on-site presentation

I guess you could say that this is also part of the Cemetery Inventory Project I discussed last year. If you have information on a local cemetery, the Texas Historical Commission wants to put it in their database. Also, the commission will not be making a practical presentation on how to fix headstones. That may be scheduled for later in the year. Stay tuned!

Overall, this is a good educational experience for someone who would like to know the what, where, and how of cemetery preservation and historical research. It is also a good starting point for those wishing to learn how cultures differ when it comes to cemetery etiquette. Watching a couple of YouTube videos and reading a blog post or two doesn’t make you an authority on how to clean and rearrange things in a cemetery. You need to respect those who came before you; they have a process to do things.

I hope to see you at the event. If you have any questions about this workshop or cemeteries in general, you can contact me at rediscoveringsetx@gmail.com.

Thoughts and Ramblings

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I hope everyone survived the “Snow Cone of Uncertainty” this week. I saw that Doomsayer, Jim Cantore from The Weather Channel, was in Houston. I guess he’s slipping because nothing says #Armageddon ice and tragedy like Interstate 10, especially East Bound through Louisiana, but gumbo fixes all bad weather. I think all of I-10 was closed from Lake Charles to the Mississippi border. Of course, Houston gave him a show, and Beaumont was no better Tuesday evening.

We fared well Under the Oakes on Ye Olde Block Farm. I believe the count is around three inches of snow near the street but around eight inches around my trailer, my work truck, and between the garages and fences. Apparently, snow drift loves my trailer and the back of my trucks.

While I was at Magnolia Cemetery this week, the name C. C. Caswell, along with a few other ex-mayors of Beaumont, came up in conversation. Christopher Columbus “C. C.” Caswell was mayor of Beaumont from April 1882 to August 1883. I found a separate story connected to him in 2012 while working for Oiltanking on Amoco Road. Someone had pointed out a grave in a field about 100 yards from Highway 347. Of course, this got my attention! It turns out the grave belonged to Elisha Brewer.

Elisha Brewer was the grandson of Christian Hillebrandt, a cattle baron, after whom Hillebrandt Bayou was named. His wife Mary was the granddaughter of John Sparks, the first settler and founder of the Sparks settlement (Aurora), which was the precursor to the city of Port Arthur.

It is unclear why Elisha O. Brewer had been buried in what would have been his backyard. I’ve heard several theories, but most likely, the decision was made out of convenience for the family. Whatever the reason, we can assume from the words on his gravestone that he was deeply missed:

Since thou canst no longer stay

To cheer me thy love

I hope to meet with thee again

In yon bright world above.

Elisha O. Brewer

February 2, 1852 – August 5, 1883

I found a W. T. Block article, to which I will leave a link at the bottom of this blog, telling the story of Elisha O. Brewer. After visiting the deathly ill mayor of Beaumont, C. C. Caswell, Elisha had been unharnessing his wagon when his horse had kicked him in the groin. Elisha died a short time later. He was 31.

C.C. is buried on the hill at Magnolia Cemetery near Robert Kidd. The life of Mr. Kidd is another interesting story Judy Linsley shares during our Annual Cemetery Tour in October. Robert lived to be 116 years old, and family tradition states that he had farmed his land by himself until he was nearly 100.

I guess the “convenience” of Mary Brewer burying her husband on their land isn’t the only recorded history of that area. Sebron Berry was also buried on what was his land, at Smith Bluff near the Neches River, which is now Sunoco. However, his grave may have been part of a bigger cemetery, compared to the lone grave of Mr. Brewer. Yet another cemetery in this area, the Sparks Cemetery, was located on Dupont land. The 30 graves were moved in the 1950s to Forest Lawn Cemetery in Beaumont before Dupont built its refinery. I know this because I researched this cemetery back in 2013.

2013 was the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Sabine Pass, and a big event commemorated the battle. Knowing the story of Kate Dorman and the two Sarahs, I of course wanted to find the two Sarahs. I know where Kate is. She’s in Sabine Pass, and I did find Sarah Ann King Court, who was buried in Sparks Cemetery but is now in Forest Lawn. I never found out where Sarah Vosburg is because I think she had left the area. If you’ve never heard of Kate Dorman and the two Sarahs, I’ll leave a few links to the works of W. T. Block. The three women had turned Kate’s hotel into a makeshift hospital to treat those with yellow fever during the Civil War.

Well, that’s it for this week, but be sure to stay tuned to the Facebook page. On the 28th, I’ll be sharing a special post on Susie Spindletop.

Until next time.

http://www.wtblock.com/lone_grave.htm

http://www.wtblock.com/catherin.htm

Thoughts and Ramblings

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I won’t research a family just for fun, especially if I’m not interested. Throughout my studies, I have mostly investigated individuals, not whole families. Wait a moment—that’s a lie! I have looked into the Kishi, Kondo, Rowley, and Norvell families because of what I found in terms of history. I’d say that the Rowley family research is second to the Stratton family research, which I will present to you below, as a result of many triggers. Gene was the initial spark. I went down many rabbit holes to trace her short life history. Then, it was her father’s untimely demise. Thanks to a family member, I found out about the story of Vera (Dido) and her brother Jerry, who were local musicians. They made George Jones, the “Possum,” write about them in his autobiography.

Last week, while searching for more information about Louise Stratton, I came across a census from 1880 that contained all the Stratton family members: Asa (the father), Louisa (the mother), Emily (the oldest sibling), Berta (the middle sibling), and Louise, who was three years younger than Berta. I may have seen this mentioned once in my more than twelve years of research on Florence Stratton, but I’ve never found the smoking gun to make my historical work accurate. To digress a bit, I never met the historian Bill Quick, but he is definitely in my head when I’m studying something, and everything I find is analyzed based on his rule. You must have at least three sources to paint an accurate picture of what is happening. I believe it wasn’t a coincidence that I attended my first Jefferson County Historical Commission meeting in 2012, a year from the day he passed. Mr. Quick had a plan to be accurate in his research, and if I’m bringing up the rear in his absence, then that’s what I will do!

My research on Florence Stratton has shifted from her to her mother and father. In her father’s newspaper archives, I still haven’t found substantial information on Louisa, but I did discover more on Berta, including census pages and city directories concerning where she lived. Unfortunately, Berta was invalid (like Louise), and she died in 1902. As far as I know, Florence did not speak about her or Louise in Susie Spindletop’s Weekly Letter, which was published in The Beaumont Enterprise from February 28, 1926, to January 23, 1938. This is an epic find, but further research on the family is required.

Regarding Florence’s story, a master researcher—we’ll call her Kate H.—found a map of railroad stops in Texas from 1908. This haunts me a bit, but I was glad to learn that Florence’s niece, Eunice Stephens, was right when she said that a town had been named after her aunt in an interview in the 1980s. It wasn’t really a town, though; it was a railroad stop. Still, Florence Switch did exist. It had nothing to do with Florence in Texas, north of Austin. I’ll give Eunice kudos for this.

I wasn’t going to get into this, but since my whole feed has been yelling about the upcoming snow/ice/freeze/rainmageddon, I want to put my tinfoil hat on and rile you up even more. Forget that the government is releasing something via the High-Frequency Active Auroral Research Program and that there are drones in Orange County peeking into people’s rear windows. I want to talk about the fact that recently, every time it has snowed, we’ve had a hurricane. Actually, we’ve had one before and after the snow, so I have no idea what the future holds.

Growing up, there were a few times when it snowed, but they only closed the school because the heater wasn’t working. I’m not going to give a shout-out to the nuns or any other Peace Corps teacher at St. James because I hated that school. The only time I enjoyed being there was when I was in first grade and we had to sit in the hallway with the seventh graders. Bad weather ensued, and the seventh graders were crying that their homes had been destroyed by a tornado. Nothing major happened that day, and I made fun of those seventh graders. Yes, I was probably an a-hole, but I was in first grade!

I remember when it snowed on Christmas Eve, 2004. The cat was elated, but he wasn’t that happy when we evacuated on September 22, 2005. He lived through Rita, and when I came back, he had a girlfriend and kittens. I couldn’t catch him when we evacuated, but he found an alternative home for his family.

I also remember when it snowed in December of 2008. I remember this because I laid sod at an undisclosed government facility (we’ll call it MARAD). Of course, no one watered it, but we did get a considerable amount of snow around that time, which did the job. Thank you, mother nature, and not the government! On a side note, this week, during the US National Weather Service briefing for Lake Charles, Louisiana, I saw someone post that we are in the “snow cone of uncertainty!” Sometimes, I watch the briefings just for the comments.

I found out more about the spring cemetery tour this week, and there will be alcohol. So, stay tuned!

Stay safe this week. I hope that the snow cone of uncertainty doesn’t do too much damage.

Until next week, I yearn for Mr. Heat Miser to bless us again because his brother, Mr. Snow Miser, sucks!