Where Have I Been?

It has been about six months since my last entry. Where have I been and what on earth have I been doing to cause me to stay away so long?

Without getting into personal  issues, no "TMI" here, I'll just say life behind the scenes can be interesting.

Besides the holidays and then several birthdays between Oct. and the New Year, things were popping. Then in Jan. I was fortunate enough to be invited on a short trip to Costa Rica, which was really awesome! I went Zip-lining (what a sight that was as I am 57yrs old!), horseback riding where we met a real horses' a$$ (he was not from Texas...or even the south I don't think), and I took a ton of photos.

Since Jan. I have been focusing on graphic design and animation for graphics, which I hope to bring here as there just aren't that many great genealogy graphics to my way of thinking. At least I haven't found any. If you know of some, send me the link so I can check them out and maybe even link to them here so others can find them.

I am webmaster for the Lawson Family Heritage Program and we moved the site to a different host at the end of Feb. Originally it was with Tripod but the level of customer service nose-dived into the toilet (in my opinion) long about 2006.  Rather than fight them over the domain name transfer (like I did with my site, TexasHistoryHunter.com, finally I just said to hell with it, secured the new domain TexasHistoryHunter.net and moved my site to Web.com in April 2007), the LFHP group decided to get a new domain name upfront and moved to Web.com also, where you can speak to a live techie-person 24/7! (I love the level of customer service at Web.com so much I joined their Facebook page.) If you have LAWSON ancestry, check them out at their new site: http://www.lfhp.org/

We took the grand kids to Mardi Gras at Galveston the last Sat in Feb. and now St. Paddy's Day is approaching.

So off I go to develop the next entry for this blog and hopefully it won't take me six months to post it!

Pierce's Drug Store

Growing up with my grandparents, I often listened to the telling and retelling of wonderful stories. I have forgotten many of these but one that has always stayed with me was about Pierce's Drug Store.

Mr. Cader Aquilla Pierce owned a drug store at 1711 Irving Ave in Beaumont (Jefferson Co).  When my grandmother was younger, she had worked a few years in the store as a clerk for Mr. Pierce. They remained good friends long after she stopped working for him.

In the summer of 1940, someone was breaking into the drug store and the police could not catch the burglars. Mr. Pierce discussed it with my grandfather and for several nights they sat in Mr. Pierce's car outside and across the street from the store with guns in hand, waiting to see if someone would try another break in.  I do not think they ever confronted anyone and you sure would not be able to do that today.

Eventually the police did capture Woodrow Griffith, Bill Murty and Joe Woodburn, according to the newspaper clipping below:

Port Arthur News, Jun 7, 1940

It seems the drug store was the focus of several burglaries over the years. In August 1945, another man broke into the drug store and got away with $3,200 worth of War and Postal savings stamps. I don't know if he was ever caught.

On Feb 26, 1946, poor Mr. Pierce was hit so hard in the back of the head by a burglar that he was knocked unconscious. The man got away with $25 but was caught the next day.

I remember seeing Mr. Pierce a few times when he would come over for a visit. He was a very soft spoken man and not very large. He had brown hair and eyes and always wore a smile on his face.

Mr. Pierce was born Feb 12, 1891 in Lindale, Smith Co., TX to Aquilla O. Pierce and Demitrius Emma Bibby and married Miss Winnie Davis  He passed away in Houston March 17, 1965 and is buried in the Forest Park Westheimer Cemetery, 12800 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX 77077.

His siblings were
Lakie Fannie 1887-1924 m. Oscar Rodgers
Lenis William 1889-1961 m. Esther Love
Clifton Lewis 1893-1986 m. Eunice Edna Price
Sadonia Lora 1900-1985 m Henry M. Ferguson

Newspaper clippings source: Stu Otts
Genealogical source: The Bibby Families of Smith County, Texas
Death Certificate

Silsbee High, Hardin County 1923

Many people have fond memories of their high school days. Some may have kept their high school year books and occasionally look back at friends and re-read something they scribbled in the corner or across the page, usually across their photo.

I found my grandmother's high school album. They didn't have year books, at least not at her high school in 1923. What she had was like an old album where she cut out and pasted news articles, photos and glued napkins from the dances.

There were only 29 students in her graduating class. I have an original photo and it is posted on the website.

In my grandmother's album was interesting facts about the 1923 class.

The Yell: "Don't you worry! Don't you fret. The Seniors of 1923 will get there yet!
The Motto: "Push, pull or get out of the way"
The colors: White and Gold
The Flower: Water Lilly
There is even a "description" of the class ring, shown by the artistic attempt of my dear grandmother as a high school senior.

The Class President signed the page designated for him but I could not read his name. The Vice-President was Banks Avera and he signed that he was from Bronson, Texas. The Class Secretary was Paulyne Rucks.

There is an invitation to a Valentines Day Dinner held in honor of the 1923 Class, at the home of Mr. & Mrs. N. A. Cravens and even the news paper article about the festivities:

Please visit the webpage so that you may read all the sweet signings from people so long ago. Perhaps even from your ancestor. If you do find anything there relating to you kin, please drop me an email or sign the Guest book and let me know.

Photo courtesy Anita Graham Cones, Silsbee Class of 1964

Silsbee High School as it appeared in 1909.