Mrs. Laura Rigsby our good friend photo

Okay I have to admit that I am a Ebay fan so I occassionally buy a few things.

One of my recent purchases was described by the seller as "Original Harper Tyler Texas 1900 Mexican woman + kids"

The photo has "Harper, Branches: Corisicana, Mexia and Waxahachie. Tyler, Tex." which identifies the photography studio.

According to a photographer reference book Catching Shadows A Directory of Nineteenth-Century Texas Photographers by David Haynes, Thomas J. Harper had studios in Tyler, Corsicana and Waxahachie in 1892 according to the Texas State Gazetteer and Business Directory.

On the back of the is written "Mrs. Laura Rigsby our good friend" in pencil.

I have not been able to find any further information on Mrs. Laura Rigsby. I not sure what information the seller used to state that Mrs. Rigsby was Mexican. The seller also implied that she was from Tyler where I would state that she probably had her picture taken in Tyler, Corsicana, Mexia or Waxahachie.

The seller also said "+ kids" which turned out to be a photo of a young girl and boy - maybe siblings. No other information can be found and I can not tell if the photos or the people pictured are related.

More research needed as soon as I have time.

Maggie Lewis Messer Death Certificate

[Note: the following e-mails have been edited and more information added to the response for clarity. Permission has been granted to develop this as an article for the ETGS newsletter and my blog.]

Subject: Maggie Lewis Messer

Hello Scott Fitzgerald,

 

My name is Maurice Shackelford and I am a member of the East Texas Genealogical Society.

 

I wanted to see if you can point me in the right direction to find my Great Grandmother's death certificate. All of the living relatives that I know of, have no idea about her death or attended her funeral.

 

I know that her maiden name was Maggie Lewis. There is a family bible that says that she was born on July 7, 1878. On the 1880 Census record, she and her mother, Sally Lewis (divorced), were living in Palestine, Anderson County, Texas. Maggie Lewis married William Franklin Messer on November 18, 1896 in Smith County. She died on January 5, 1953 in Whitehouse, Texas.

 

My Great Grandfather died on September 12, 1956. Holmes Funeral Home, in Whitehouse, handled his service. I was never aware that Whitehouse had a funeral home in the 1950's.

 

I have looked on line through FamilySearch.com, and Ancestry.com. We went to the Smith County records and they do not have any records of her death.

Do you know where we should look next to see if her death record exists?

Thank you for any information you can give us.

Thank you very much.

Maurice Shackelford

 

Hi Maurice,

Well I did not find it either.

My thoughts are:

• • It could have never been done. Hopefully this is not common in this time period. Maybe the doctor thought the funeral home did it and vice versa. Or it was an unattended death and no one took responsibility to prepare a death certificate.
• • It was never filed with the state. The county forwarded the certificates to the state who generated an index. Both Ancestry and Familysearch use the lists and records of the state. You should double check with county to see if they have one.
• • It could be misspelled in some way - under Familysearch your great grandfather was indexed as Measer. The M could have been mistaken for an N or H.
• • I checked the Smith County civil court cases [http://judicial.smith-county.com/CivilSearch/civfrmd.asp] which included probate and did not find any that matched. This is a compiled index that could have missing cases or misspelled names, so it could be worthwhile to check the original index and records.
• • Need to check newspapers for obituaries. Not sure if there was a Whitehouse paper at that time period but Tyler and Troup are possibilities. You can request a search from the local history/genealogy room of the Tyler Library at localhistdesk@tylertexas.com .
• • I have not heard about Holmes Funeral Home that handled your great grandfather’s funeral so I am not sure if they have records that have survived. The owners or their families could have retained the records or a subsequent owner. You might check the Whitehouse area for the Holmes family or if any funeral homes in the area have any information.
• • There is a picture of the joint tombstone at http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSsr=1121&GScid=180466&GRid=39936808& The tombstone could have information on the funeral home that handled your great grandmother’s funeral or the monument company that the tombstone was purchased.
• • If your great grandparents were members of a church, their passing could be recorded in the minutes or a church bulletin.
• • The cemetery association could have records of the plot purchase, the burials, funeral homes or the monument company.
• • The cemetery listing that is on-line [http://files.usgwarchives.net/tx/smith/cemetery/whthoume.txt] enumerates several Messer burials. It is a good idea to research all collateral lines. You never can be sure who knows what or who kept it (it being the exact thing that proves exactly what we are researching).

 

Hope this helps,

Scott – quarterly@etgs.org

 

Van Zandt County Genealogical Society Meeting, May 28, 2011

From Tyler Morning Telegraph, Thursday, May 19, 2011, page 3B:

"Taylor Will Speak To Van Zandt County Genealogical Society

Carol Taylor, of Greenville, will be the featured speaker for the Van Zandt County Genealogical Society's regular meeting at 2 p.m. May 28 at the county library's Buchanan Room.

The library will be closed that day due to Memorial Day but the Buchanan Room will be open for the meeting, society spokesperson Sibyl Creasey said.

Her program, "Soldiers of the Soil: Northeast Texas in World War I," will focus on military records for researching ancestors along with a brief account of what happened back home during the period.

"World War I was the first time the United States was involved in an international confrontation. In many instances, the Home Front was as interesting and challenging as was the war itself," she said.

The genealogical society meetings are held the fourth Saturday of the month except December. An all-day seminar featuring John Sellers of Hopkins County will take the place of the regular September meeting and will be held at the Church of Christ in Canton.

For more information on membership or society activities, contact the Library of Genealogy and Local History at 903-567-5012.

The genealogy library has consistent hours and is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays and from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays. A volunteer librarian is always on duty to assist researchers, Ms. Creasey said.

Born in Jack County, Carol Taylor is a sixth generation Texan. She has two degrees in education from Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, and recently received a Masters of Science in History from Texas A&M University-Commerce. Her thesis on the Mercer Colony won the Eugene Hollon Scholarship Award. She has been the recipient of the Ottis Lock Award for Best Educator and the Ottis Lock Research Grant from the East Texas Historical Association.

Mrs. Taylor co-authored The Devil's Triangle: Northeast Texas, Ben Bickerstaff and the War of Reconstruction with Dr. James Smallwood and Dr. Ken Howell. She contributed an essay regarding cattle drives from Texas in The Seventh Star of the Confederacy:

Texas During the Civil available from the University of North Texas Press. Her most recent book is a photo history of Greenville, Images of America, Greenville.

At the present she is finishing the Mercer Colony manuscript. Mrs. Taylor is former manager of the Northeast Texas History and Genealogy Center at the W. Walworth Harrison Public Library in Greenville."

Asbury Cemetery Meeting, May 21, 2011

From Tyler Morning Telegraph, Wednesday, May 18, 2011, page 3B:

"Asbury Cemetery Group Schedules Meeting Saturday

The annual memorial meeting of the Asbury Cemetery group is scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday at the cemetery, located on Farm-to-Market Road 2339, five miles west of Edom in Van Zandt County.

A short meeting is scheduled, followed by a potluck lunch. Those who attend should bring their own beverages and a covered-dish item to share. The event is open to the public, and donations toward cemetery maintenance will be accepted, organizers said."

Freemasory in Smith County, Texas

Smith County Historical Society Meeting May 3, 2011, 7:30pm


"The program will be presented by Pete Martinez, a native Texan and fourth generation Mason on both sides of his family. Masonry has been in existence for many years. It was brought to the colonies by immigrants and was known to exist in Texas as early as 1828. Many of our founding fathers including George Washington, Stephen F. Austin, and Sam Houston. Congress was urged by George Washington, a devoted Mason, to include a Masonic symbol on the one dollar bill. Known for its charitable and benevolent activities, Masonry fell into two categories, that of education and philanthropic efforts. In the earliest days of  public education in Texas, some community schools were allowed to meet on the lower floors of Masonic Lodges until proper school buildings could be built.

Mr. Martinez will speak on the history of  Freemasonry in Smith County. He became a member of the Sharon Shrine Temple in Tyler in 1972 and has authored several publications on Masonry including The History of Freemasonry of Smith County, Texas in June 1992. In addition to his interest in Freemasonry, he has a great love of music, woodworking, and is also a prize winning photographer."

from the Newsletter of the Smith County Historical Society.

Kidd Descendants Schedule Reunion May 7, 2011

Kidd Descendants Schedule Reunion May 7

The family reunion for the descendants of George W. Kidd, Emma Eliza Jane "Coon" Starr Kidd, Guy (Kidd) Clayton, Lola (Kidd) Clayton, Coleman Kidd and Ervin P. Kidd is scheduled for 4 p.m. May 7 in the Fellowship Hall of New Hope Methodist Church, located five miles south of Brownsboro on Farm-to-Market Road 314.
Visitation is from 4-6 p.m. Those who attend are requested to bring photos and any other memorabilia. A potluck meal will be held at 6 p.m., and attendees are asked to bring a covered-dish item. Drinks and dinnerware will be provided, event spokesman Kenneth Kidd said.
For information, call Kidd at 208-479-1947.
This is a printer friendly version of an article from http://www.tylerpaper.com/
Article published Apr 20, 2011
Posted on Wednesday, April 20, 2011
http://www.tylerpaper.com/article/20110420/NEWS01/304209995 accessed April 21, 2011.

Sabine Cemetery Group Meets May 1, 2011

Sabine Cemetery Group Meets May 1

The annual Memorial Day services of the Sabine Cemetery Association are scheduled for 11 a.m. May 1 at the historic Sabine Methodist Church, located at the corner of County Road 452 and County Road 4122, event spokesperson Barbara Smith said.

A short business meeting will be held immediately following the memorial service, followed by a covered-dish lunch on the church grounds. All members of the SCA and other interested persons are invited to attend this annual meeting, Ms. Smith said.

This is a printer friendly version of an article from www.tylerpaper.com

Article published April 20, 2011 Posted on Wednesday, April 20, 2011

http://www.tylerpaper.com/article/20110420/NEWS01/304209994 accessed April 21, 2011.

Listing of Burials: http://files.usgwarchives.net/tx/smith/cemetery/sabine.txt accessed April 21, 2011.

Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sabine-Cemetery-Association/137989912904346

From: http://www.etgs.org/txsmith/histmark/cemeteries.html accessed April 21, 2011.

SABINE CEMETERY - Northeast of Lindale - Subject Marker - 1985

Sabine Cemetery

The Sabine Methodist Church was organized in 1894 by the Rev. L. L. Pate. This congregation was named for its proximity to the Sabine River. Land for the church, school and cemetery was donated by Joe Crone.

The fellowship was served first by circuit preachers but in 1922 began sharing a minister with the Lindale Methodist Church. In 1969, the Sabine and Lindale congregations merged. Throughout its history, Sabine Methodist Church has placed an emphasis on christian education and has provided fellowship for members who often live miles apart in the surrounding rural area.

Historical Marker on Sabine Methodist Church:
http://www.9key.com/markers/marker_detail.asp?atlas_number=5423007753 accessed April 21, 2011.

Red Hill Cemetery Association To Meet May 1, 2011

Red Hill Cemetery Association To Meet May 1

The 2011 Annual Memorial Service and Business meeting of the Frontier Red Hill Cemetery Association is scheduled at 11 a.m. May 1 at the cemetery, trustee Nancy Jett said.

After a short business meeting, a covered-dish lunch will be spread under the pavilion.

"We hope you will bring a dish and share in the fellowship with friends and family as our ancestors did so many years ago on this hill, under the tall stately trees," Ms. Jett said.

Anyone, who is unable to attend but wishes to donate for the future upkeep of the cemetery, may send a contribution to: Frontier Red Hill Cemetery, c/o Nancy Jett, 2906 VZ CR 4923, Ben Wheeler, Texas 75754.

This is a printer friendly version of an article from www.tylerpaper.com


Article published April 20, 2011 and Posted on Wednesday, April 20, 2011

http://www.tylerpaper.com/article/20110420/NEWS01/304209993 accessed April 21, 2011.

Link to Texas Historical Marker information: http://www.9key.com/markers/marker_detail.asp?atlas_number=5467011414 accessed April 21, 2011.

Listing of Burials: http://www.txgenweb3.org/txvanzandt/frontrh.htm accessed April 21, 2011.

Additional Information: http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~txvzcgrg/grgCWT6.htm and http://necropoliscreep.net/redhill.html accessed April 21, 2011.

Smith County Historical Society Meeting, Jan. 4, 2011

Smith County Historical Society Meeting

Jan. 4, 2011 at Payne Auditorium, 125 S. College Ave., Tyler, TX 75702

7:00 pm Social
7:30 pm Program

"Revelations of The Salvation Army in Tyler, Texas"

The leader of Tyler's Salvation Army, Captain Doris Lawrence, newly transferred to Tyler, will present a program on its services. Along with her husband, Captain Ben Lawrence, the Tyler assignment is providing a facility unique in Texas, that being its comprehensive approach of services. Most other units in Texas are able to specialize only in certain areas such as providing housing and/or job training.

Tyler's most successful unit of The Salvation Army is its Women's Auxiliary. Captain Doris, who serves as the primary liaison with the Women's Auxiliary, will discuss how blessed Tyler is with volunteerism. The Salvation Army was founded in London, England in 1878 by William Booth, a Methodist minister. Captain Doris will reflect on the original founding of Tyler's unit which began in 1897.

Located at 633 North Broadway, the current campus of the Salvation Army has continued to expand in order to meet the dire needs of the community. Such services as housing, meals, job training, after-school tutoring for children, counseling, and spiritual guidance are offered.

In addition to the two corps captains, a staff of seven full-time employees assist to fulfilling the responsibilities of the operations. Also, there are nearly 500 members of the Women's Auxiliary who contribute to the operations of The Salvation Army.

ETGS Meeting Jan. 8, 2011

East Texas Genealogical Society

Saturday, January 8, 2011, 2:00 p.m.
Tyler Public Library—Taylor Auditorium

Program: “Genealogical Resources at the

Texas General Land Office”

Speaker: Jim Harkins

Our featured speaker, James Harkins, is the Outreach Manager for the Texas General Land Office Archives and Records Program. The title of his program will be “Genealogical Resources at the Texas General Land Office.”

As Outreach Manager, James is responsible for promoting the General Land Office Archives and its collections to its various user groups. His presentation will include information on the more than 35 million documents and 10,000 maps included in the collections, the various collections that exist in the archives, how they relate to genealogical research, and how they can be accessed from home.

Among the most important collections of documents in Texas is the Patent Collection, because in many cases, the administrative copies of patents found at the Land Office are the only ones that exist. Patents represent the last step in the land grant process, since the patent is the document that officially severs land from sovereignty. Certified copies are available at $5.00 per patent. The staff is eager to serve you!

Mr. Harkins is a graduate of Texas State University in San Marcos where he received a bachelor’s degree in Communications and a Master’s Degree in Public Administration. He has worked for the Texas General Land Office since 2005.

~.~

Computer Interest Group

Rick Featherston, Director

In conjunction with our main program, June Everheart, will present the CIG program on “Using GLO Maps in Your Texas Research.” June purchased one of the GLO county maps and with the deeds and tax records was able to locate the exact land location of the Everheart family in Grayson County, Texas. She will bring the map(s) for display.