I’m going to make a confession. Sometimes, I call my mom just to hear her voice. The phone rings, she picks up and asks, “were your ears burning?” Somehow, we always seem to know when we are thinking about each other. Ever since I moved out on my own, it’s been this way. I’ll be telling a story about her, and as I’m doing so, she’ll send one of those mom texts, ‘just checking on you,’ followed by a smiley face and too many heart emojis.
My mom doesn’t always get me. As a teenager, I reminded her of this frequently, but nowadays, I try to find more ways we align rather than focusing on how we are different. It’s not always easy –– parent/child relationships never are. Kids do our best to bestow grey hairs on our parents while they stress about adult things and whether or not they’re doing enough for their children. It’s a familial dance we do, swirling and spinning around each other, impacting each other’s steps as we do.
This month’s issue of Seguin Today tackles some of these themes in our feature stories. First, you’ll read about Seguin’s Wilson Pottery and how familial legacy built a foundation in Seguin that continues to thrive. Our second story introduces you to James Reid, who shares how overcoming his mother’s death led him to succeed as a professional bowler.
Mothers motivate so much in this world, and these stories highlight how the fabric of families is woven together to create the legacy of this Guadalupe County community. Enjoy this issue, share it with someone you love, and to all the moms out there (especially mine) Happy Mother’s Day!
Lizz Daniels Creative Directorfacebook.com/KWEDradio
kwed.seguindailynews @kwed
Seguin native, James Reid is ranked #23 in the United States Bowling Congress National Championship in Reno, Nevada. He is pictured at Fiesta Lanes in New Braunfels.
THE LEGACY LEFT BEHIND
Digging into history & family with the Wilson Pottery Foundation
LESSONS FROM THE BOWLING LANE
Overcoming adversity to thrive in sports & life with James Reid
COMMUNITY CALENDAR
Community events & special promotions happening in the area this month.
DIY: RECIPE TO TRY Delicious, cheesy chicken tortellini bake
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT Lizzie B’s restaurant now open
Story by Lizz Daniels
Photos courtesy Wilson Pottery Foundation
Ashort drive outside of Seguin, down the winding and narrow roads of Farm To Market Road 466, you will find the community of Capote. Within the rural town is a profound piece of Texas history that has led to a familial legacy spanning over a century.
The legacy is that of Hiram and James Wilson, the first black entrepreneurs in the state. Freed from slavery by emancipation, the pair of brothers (by slavery, not blood) took the skills of their former master and founded Wilson Potteries. To keep the legacy of their craft alive, Seguin’s Wilson Pottery Foundation works to manage and maintain historical records of all things related to Hiram and James’ work.Paula King-Harper is Hiram’s fifth-generation granddaughter and the newly elected president of the foundation.
“It’s humbling to be a part of his legacy –– Hiram’s and James’ –– these were men who came up in the greatest time of opposition and to know they could have chosen
to go a different direction at emancipation, but instead chose to embark on their own and ensure there was something lasting for the family to hold onto is amazing,” she said.
“I am very aware that although Rev. John McKamey Wilson taught them how to make pottery as slave children, and they developed their own skills, one thing he could not have taught Hiram was to have vision and foresight. There are so many lost pieces of the family’s contributions to the history of America, whether they are lost or ignored is up for discussion, but we’re doing our best to ensure our history is not lost.”
During the time of Wilson Potteries, crocks were the standard way to store food and prevent spoiling, and just like people today seek the best products for their homes, so did folks back then. To help themselves stand out to consumers, Hiram and Jame originated several techniques unique to their work, from the unmistakable greenish hue of their salt glaze to the horseshoe handles that made their pots sturdier than others.
“So Hiram and James were very industrial-minded,” King-Harper said. “He is the first black potter to have a stamp, the H. Wilson and Co., a marked pot that is a collector’s item, and they go for very generous prices nowadays. And also the horseshoe handle, which is another signifying piece of his pottery. They discovered that the heavier pots with a handle on the outside would break off if the pot were full. So Hiram built the handle into the crock to keep it from breaking so it could be lifted and carried.”
Horseshoe handle pots from Wilson Pottery are a sought-after collector’s item and have turned up in locations all around Texas.
Despite the gravity of her ancestor’s accomplishments, King-Harper describes her connection to his legacy as more about family life and memories that originate in Capote Church, where long before she was born, Hiram was the first pastor.
The aging white church stands unassuming, on the side of the road with a cemetery nearby where the brothers, and many other family members, lie resting. Near the old church is a new house of worship standing where a one-room schoolhouse used to welcome children each morning. It’s a quiet spot where history and modern-day life coexist harmoniously, breathing new life into memory.
“I was raised by my grandmother and she really did not speak much of Wilson Pottery, but we were in Capote all the time,” King-Harper said. “We lived in Seguin, in town, and we would go out to Capote. We had a little ranch out there, and we’d go to Capote church. Church is what I remember most. It’s part of my history, my foundation and that’s where I really got to know my Wilson cousins and other family members. Wilsons are a part of the Seguin historical fabric. If you were to lay out a quilt of all of Seguin’s happenings as it came about, Wilson is woven within there.”
The Wilson family story continues via Paula King-Harper as well as Hiram and James’ many other descendants. This June, members of the Wilson family will converge on Seguin to participate in their tri-annual reunion, which is celebrating its thirty-third year just as the Foundation’s Museum at the Sebastopol House turns 10.
Hundreds of family members will come together over three days to celebrate each other and the history of those who came before them.
“On Friday, June 16, is the beginning of the Wilson family reunion; it’s three days,” she said. “So Friday, the kids are coming to Seguin to spend the day at ZDT’s. Then Friday night, we have the Wilson Pottery Foundation Gala at the Seguin Events Complex. It’s going to be a remarkable gala like one we’ve never had before. And this is a community event that the community is welcome to attend. On Saturday, we resume family reunion activities during the day at the coliseum, and later in the day, we will break and head to the Sebastopol House for the tenth-anniversary celebration. That night it’s back to the family reunion with our fashion show, dinner, and dancing. It’s lots of fun.”
The Wilson reunion will wrap up on Sunday with church service at the Seguin Coliseum before everyone bids farewell and heads home, but not before helping the city of Seguin kick off this year’s Juneteenth celebration in Central Park on that Monday, June 19. Juneteenth, the federal holiday celebrating emancipation, seems a fitting way for the Wilson family to end its reunion, given that emancipation gave Hiram and James the autonomy to pursue their goals, crafting their legacy with each hand-thrown pot they made. •
For many people, bowling is something we rarely think of outside of date nights and family outings, but for those who bowl seriously, it is a metaphor for life in the form of a sport. On the darkest day, you may only be able to knock down a pin or two, while on a good day, it may be four or five. Seguin native James Reid knows this better than anyone. For him, bowling is far more than a mere analogy. It is his saving grace toward renewal, sparing him from a life of uncertainty.
Reid currently tops the stats in the United States Bowling Congress National Championship in Reno, Nevada. Reid sits at #23. That’s 23 out of thousands of other bowlers from around the nation. Reid’s path to one day making it to the pro level has him already competing against the best. If he is not working, then he can be found practicing at Oak Hill Lanes in San Antonio or playing in a tournament, wherever the game takes him.
While most athletes begin their success early on, Reid’s story is just getting started. Reid, 37, says his story evolves from what he describes as his darkest journeys, the most recent being the loss of his mother, Diana ‘Diane” Reid.
“My mom was real sick,” Reid said. “She was in a nursing home, and I was spending a lot of my time there and unbeknownst to myself, I guess, I was getting in a real dark place and a friend of mine came over and said ‘hey look, I’m not really going to take no for an answer. I know she’s your mom, but you still need time away from the nursing home. So, after a while, I finally gave in and said, ‘okay whatever, we will just go and chug a couple of beers and have fun’ and I just really really fell in love with the sport really fast and after my mom passed away, it just felt like it was a way that I could still be close to her and still be able to bring some honor to her as well.”
It started in the local bowling alley and then I finally decided that this was something that I really truly loved.
- James Reid -
Reid says the loss of a parent is always devastating but for him, the death of his mother was a much deeper void.
“When she was in the nursing home, she was really starting to develop Dementia and it really really just went downhill,” he said. “We admitted her to the nursing home. I want to say we admitted her in, I want to say July, and then by November, she had passed. So, it was a very fast and rapid deterioration. Subconsciously maybe I felt like it was something I had with her still here, so I guess subconsciously that was a way for me to feel close to her. We didn’t really have that close of a relationship when I was growing up. I really didn’t know her that well. I was pretty much raised by grandparents. It’s really hard to explain but I guess towards the end, it was just a matter of I was finally developing that mother-son relationship and it was just something I wanted to hold onto.”
On top of losing his mother, the last few years had already been challenging for Reid. He says a difficult divorce compounded with some bad decisions led him to homelessness. Now as an athlete striving for pro level, Reid says it’s a past he is reminded of often – a past that now only fuels his future.
“Sometimes, it’s very humbling just to kind of know more or less where I’ve been in my life as far as five years ago being homeless to where I am now,” Reid said. “It’s very humbling at times and it’s just something that I know life should never be taken for granted. It’s very humbling but yet at the same time, it’s constantly a reminder to keep striving to be better and as a competitor that’s what all of us want.”
Reid says a few months after being invited to what he thought were only a few beers at the bowling alley has now become a full-fledged passion for the sport.
“It started in the local bowling alley and then I finally decided that this was something that I really truly loved and I kind of wanted to dip my toes in a tournament and so the very first tournament I did was in August of the following year,” Reid said. “It was in Dallas. It was a tournament called the Iron Man Tournament where you bowl 16 games in one day. For that being my very first tournament, the competitive nature of me there bowling with guys who have been on TV in the past just really kind of stirred the pot if you would and I’m like ‘this is definitely something I want to do.”
Of course, Reid says he has since competed in the national championship in Las Vegas and is currently competing in the 2023 national championship, which won’t hail winners until the summer. Literally picking up his “A” game after every tournament, Reid sees the results of what the game of bowling has taught him and that’s to never quit.
“Never give up –– never take no for an answer,” he said. “When I was homeless, it was extremely hard to find a job and unfortunately, it’s one of those stereotypes that we face in this word – well you are homeless, we can’t hire you and you just keep knocking on doors until finally someone sees something in you and take a chance and I’m deep enough in my faith to know that that’s kind of what we are called to do is give everyone a chance and sometimes our first chances may not necessary be good enough and everybody makes mistakes. Sometimes, it’s the ability to oversee those mistakes and say ‘okay, you may have screwed up 15 years ago but who hasn’t? For me, it was just a matter of not quitting on myself, believing in myself, believing in my faith and knowing that it’s not over until I say it’s over.”
Never in his wildest dreams would Reid have ever thought he’d be where he is in the sport. He says, let it serve as an example that life and all of its endless dreams, no matter your age or circumstances, are there for the taking.
“It was really close there towards the end of her life that I didn’t realize how much of a dark hole I was going down and I guess it was becoming obvious to other people but it’s not so obvious to you and so I was just very fortunate that a friend of mine, Justin O’Neal says ‘hey, I’m not taking no as an answer,” Reid said.
Today, Reid continues to apply the lessons learned to the game –– always tweaking to improve how he lives his life.
“I guess the most important thing if I can tell the younger generation or even people my age or older than me, giving up is not an option,” Reid said. “Times do get tough, and I totally understand that. I truly believe in my heart that we have to surround ourselves with people who want us to succeed just as much as we want to have that success ourselves and even if that means cutting certain people out because they may be toxic – at the end of the day, we are in charge of our own journey and the ability to continue to keep growing and continue to keep trying to be a positive influence for anybody, I think is the most important thing and like I said, giving up is just not an option – at least not to me.” •
To promote your event on this page contact advertising at 830-379-2234 or email communitycalendar@kwed1580.com
May 7
Spring Fiesta & La Juana Reunion
The Spirit of Joy Lutheran Church will host its Spring Fiesta & La Juana Reunion from noon to 4 p.m. Sunday, May 7 at the church, located at 416 Dolle Ave in Seguin. There will be a street fiesta at noon with hot dogs and specialty tacos and a jumpy house for children during lunch and more.
Saturday, May 20, 2023
The NAMI Guadalupe County will have its 2023 Your Best Life Festival from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 20 at Central Park in downtown Seguin. This free community event features information on health and wellness from a variety of local agencies, businesses and organizations. Learn about community resources, insurance, mental health, nutrition, physical fitness, safety and more. There will be free face painting, balloon twisting, and a bounce house/slide for children. For more details, visit NAMIGuadalupeCounty.org/festival.
May 9
Seguin Premier Toastmasters
Seguin Premier Toastmasters will meet from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of the month at GVEC Community Room, located at 927 SH-46 in Seguin. Toastmasters is a place to practice your speech for work or school where friendly people encourage and give tips to help you improve your communication skills. For more information, call Dina at 423-2279610.
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HOLIDAYS
5th - Cinco de Mayo
14th - Mother’s Day
29th - Memorial Day
May 13
Native Plant Society Meeing
The Native Plant Society of Texas, Guadalupe Chapter, will meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 9 at the First Presbyterian Church, located at 1121 E. Walnut St. in Seguin. (Parking is in the rear, enter from N. Moss St.) The program will be “Plants of the Weston Ranch,” with Mark Gustafson, professor of biology at Texas Lutheran University. For more information, visit https:// npsot.org/wp/guadalupe/.
The CCSCT and the TLU Nursing program will offer a Poverty Simulation from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, May 18 at the Seguin Coliseum, located at 950 S. Austin St. in Seguin. The event will be an opportunity to expand your understanding of poverty. RSVP at https://ccsctpovertysimulation. rsvpify.com.
Beginning Water Color Class
The Seguin Art League will offer a Beginning Water Color Class from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday, May 13 at 104 S. Austin St. in Seguin. This beginning class will focus on basic watercolor techniques. The cost is $30, supplies included. The class is limited to 10. For more information, call 830-305-0472.
The Seguin Area Chamber of Commerce will have its Leadership Seguin Graduation Dinner from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 23 at the Geronimo Community Center, located at 280 Navarro Dr. in Geronimo. The event celebrates this year’s Leadership graduates and their community service project for the year.
Serves 6
Pasta mixture
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 garlic clove, pressed
1 jar (16 ounces) white Alfredo pasta sauce
2 packages (9 ounces each) refrigerated cheesefilled regular or spinach tortellini
1 1/2 cups cubed cooked chicken
1 cup milk
1 cup water
1 cup frozen peas
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons snipped fresh basil leaves or 1 teaspoon dried basil leaves
Crumb topping
1 ounce grated fresh Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
1 cup fresh bread crumbs
Preheat oven to 400 F. For pasta mixture, chop onion. In a 4-quart casserole, heat oil over medium-high heat; add onion and garlic pressed with a garlic press. Cook and stir 2 to 3 minutes or until onion is tender. Stir in pasta sauce, tortellini, chicken, milk, water, peas, and black pepper. Heat until mixture just comes to a boil; remove from heat. Stir basil into pasta mixture.
Meanwhile, for crumb topping, grate Parmesan cheese. Place butter in a small microwave-safe dish, microwave on high 30-45 seconds or until melted. Stir in bread crumbs and cheese; mix well. Spoon pasta mixture into a baking dish; sprinkle with crumb topping. Bake 15-20 minutes or until edges are bubbly and topping is golden brown.
Tip: Alfredo sauce in a jar can be found in the pasta sauce section of the supermarket. Do not substitute refrigerated Alfredo sauce; it may separate and curdle during baking.
Seguin’s list of local dining options has expanded to become even more delicious with the new restaurant, Lizzie B’s, now open. Whether it’s their grilled shrimp tacos, panseared ribeye, or their popular Smashburger -- Lizzie B’s is The Backyard’s latest endeavor, introducing restaurant-goers to its trio of menus to include brunch, lunch, and dinner.
The Backyard is a unique Seguin spot on the campus of what was once Seguin ISD’s Lizzie M. Burges kindergarten campus and has undergone a dramatic transformation since its purchase. Where kids once played, locals now shop, drink, and enjoy concerts at the venue. The Backyard’s owner Denise Leos says she and her husband, Freddie, have been steadily working toward creating this latest addition – an addition that sits nestled in the building’s original school cafeteria space.
“We knew that the shops here, the shops are a key so in order for them to succeed, we have to help so our purpose was let’s do a bar and it was great and we had a lot of fun but it didn’t help the shops because they were coming in at night and the shops were open during the day and then, we did do Lizzy B’s inside that one room probably for two weeks and then my husband was like, Seguin needs more because we noticed it that when we are working here -- we are leaving to lunch in New Braunfels or we are going to San Antonio because we want something different. Don’t get me wrong, Seguin has great stuff. They have great barbecue and Mexican. There’s a lot of great places to eat here but we just wanted something that we normally don’t get here,” said Leos.
Leos says each of the menus has been carefully planned. She says the menu is a collection of foods that offer something new to local tastebuds.
“When we go out, I always order Brussel sprouts. Everywhere we go, I look for it. That’s my go to and my second go to for my dinner is always salmon. So, we knew we had to have salmon on the menu. My husband loves salads so he wanted a salad and so we have the Ramen (Crunch) salad. Also, one of our favorites is the Ahi Tuna. I love that too. We just wanted to bring different stuff that we (eat when we) eat out, bring it here to Seguin. So, that was where the menu started,” said Leos.
Bringing this restaurant’s unique vision together is Chef Haley Henry. Leos says they are honored to have Henry, who has brought her talents to the table. Among those talents is her ability to inspire each dish. Henry says two of those dishes include pasta and steak.
“One of my particular things that I put on the menu is actually the Rigatoni Pasta with Scarlett Sauce. The Scarlett Sauce is actually inspired by the movie Chef. I tweaked it a little bit, added some of my own stuff to it like the mushrooms and tomatoes but it’s a sauce that was inspired from that. And then steak in general – I love steak so that’s something that I really love on the menu,” said Henry.
The restaurant this past weekend also launched its new brunch menu. Henry says the menu also includes many of her favorite recipes.
“Definitely chicken and waffles. We are going to do a sausage and gravy benedict so it’s going to be like just the typical sausage and gravy but with a pouched egg on top and then another thing is an avocado toast sandwich. I really like that one. I made that at home one time, and it was just delicious, so it was something that I wanted to add to it,” said Henry.
Leos says not only did the food have to be good, but the overall atmosphere was also important to them as they transitioned away from the bar environment.
“Then coming in here trying to figure out how are we going to turn this into a restaurant? What are we going to do? How are we going to separate because we knew we still wanted the bar area because when we go out to eat, I always grab a cocktail or sometimes if the restaurant is busy, we will sit at the bar. I actually love sitting at the bar and having dinner. So, we knew we wanted that but just have it a little bit separate so my husband decided to build that half wall there and then we were talking about doing booths and I was like well can we do them where they are a little bit private and I literally came in two days later and Freddy had these things built up and I was like ‘wow!’ He had it done,” said Leos.
Leos says the most unique aspect of Lizzy B’s is that folks can choose between a more private, intimate setting or a more family-friendly dining experience.
“You can’t really go anywhere and eat and then have your kids play outside –have an all-in-one type thing. So, we do so see a lot of families come in that are having dinner and then outside enjoying it with their children or even grabbing a cocktail and going outside. So, that’s nice to see. That’s what we are always aiming to be is a more family friendly environment,” said Leos.
With just over two weeks under its belt, the restaurant is already claiming fame for its delicious entrees and appetizers. Of course, things take a bit to adjust with any new restaurant. However, Leos says the opportunity to stop by The Backyard finally excites her most.
“People are loving that it is something new. It’s something different. A lot of people are saying that they didn’t even know about The Backyard and we’ve here a couple of years. So, for people to come in from Seguin who still hadn’t even heard about The Backyard now to come in to find a restaurant here, I mean, that’s nice,” said Leos.
Lizzie B’s at The Backyard is located at 225 N. Saunders St., Suite B. Hours are Wednesdays through Fridays from 11: 30 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Saturday Brunch from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. followed by dinner from 4:30 to 9 p.m. and Sunday Brunch only from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. •
