ON THE COVER: MEDINA ELECTRIC: Putting Up Substation
INSIDE: How Lights Came to South Texas J.T. Canales and the 1919 Ranger Investigation 100 Years Celebration: The First National Bank of Hebbronville A cowboy’s Unusual Dental Work
Muy Grande Village & More
SOUTH TEXAS HISTORY
PAGE 2
MAY 29, 2013
STH
On The Cover ...
VOL. 1 NO. 6
MINI GOLF COURSE ADJACENT TO TODAYS HEBBRONVILLE FIRESTATION
Photo contributed by Medina Electric Cooperative titled: Putting Up Substation.
PUBLISHER Poncho Hernandez Jr. enterprise78361@aol.com If you are interested in receiving South Texas History Magazine contact us at 361-460-9493 or email us at enterprise78361@aol.com. You can also fax your requests to 361-256-2015 or 361-527-4545. To submit articles and/or photographs for publication, please send to: sthistory@aol.com or by mail to The Enterpise, P.O. Box 759, Hebbronville, Texas 78361.
South Texas History Supplement to The Enterprise Wednesday, May 29, 2013 Volume 1, No 6 SUPPLEMENT TO THE JIM HOGG COUNTY ENTERPRISE 304 E. Galbraith, Hebbronville, Texas 78361 Copyright 1998 by the Jim Hogg County Enterprise All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced by any means without the express permission of the publishers. Entered as Second Class Matter at Hebbronville, Texas under May 5, 1926, at the Post Office the Act of March 8, 1979, Second Class Postage Paid at Hebbronville, Jim Hogg County, Texas 78361. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Jim Hogg County
Enterprise 304 E. Galbraith, P.O. Box 759 Hebbronville, Texas 78361. Poncho Hernandez Jr. Editor/Publisher 361-460-9493 Subscription rates are $35.00 per year. Call (361) 527-3261 for information. Base advertising rate is $6.00 per column inch. Volume and frequency discounts available. Contact us by email at enterprise78361@aol.com Social Media: facebook. com/enterprisenews PHONE: 361-527-3261 FAX: 361-527-4545 PHONE; 361-460-9493 FAX: 361-256-2015
MEMBER
Texas Press Association
From the Editor & Staff:
Welcome to our sixth edition of South Texas History. We hope you will enjoy
the history and tales contributed by our writers and correspondents. Whatever your tastes — for adventure or quiet contemplation — we thank you for joining us once again and hope you will continue to do so for many issues to come as we continue to chronicle the history of Jim Hogg County and South Texas. The Editor
Copyright © South Texas History
NEED HELP! ........ I am looking for information on my great-grandfather, Cresenciano Trejo, birthyear 1882, plus or minus one year. He is the son of Margarito Trejo, birthyear 1836, 1837, or 1838, and Eufemia Martinez Trejo, birthyear 1850, 1851 or 1852. Siblings are Calixto, Valentin, Maria, and Martina. Reply to annatmartinez@yahoo.com or to South Texas History at sthistory@aol. com. Thank you. Anna Adela Trejo Martinez
SOUTH TEXAS HISTORY
MAY 29, 2013
Letter to the Editor: May 19, 2013 To the Editor: I am a native of Hebbronville, and since a long time ago I’ve subscribed to the Enterprise. Thursday’s paper is delivered by the mailman on Saturdays. It feels good to be kept informed of what happens in my home town. Reference is made to Cynthia Gutierrez’s column,“ Remembering Hebbronville When,” it brings me many memories of doing the same things more than a decade before. Her story on the Caliche Pit brings recollections to me because of two reasons: 1. Before the beautification the park, the picnics and the population of the area, it was dug and its caliche was used as a base for the paving of some streets, leaving a huge pit in the ground. We called it La Pedrera then, but mispronounced it as La Piedrera. It became our swimming hole after a good rain. It was also off limits to us but went anyway. 2. The subject was used by me as one of two stories in my second book of Hebbronville soon to be published. Although the stories are very different, the commonality is the same site but in the early fifties. The other story describes a friend’s bicycle ride down to the floor of the pit. Another story in the book describes an old three-door ice box, which further bring to mind Cynthia’s story on the ice-delivery man. That story brought back reminiscence s of another era. My congratulations to Mrs. Gutierrez for an interesting column in your newspaper, it is not only is good reading, but also reminds us of Hebbronville’s past. Keep up the good work Cynthia! Rafael Ramirez, Jr, Class of 1955
PAGE 3
In the Mail: Mr. Hernandez, I thought you would enjoy my new CD “The Songwriter” which features the song “Franks Cafe.” I also took the cover photo inside of Pacos. I really enjoy playing there when I get the chance. Sincerely, Daniel Adami IV Dear Texas Press Association member: Our idea for the book was born when Bob Dolan, Dean of the Business School at the University of Michigan, asked us, “How can Michigan become more like Texas?” We asked ourselves: Why is Texas growing while the Rust Belt states and New York and California are not? Why is Texas the only state with four new seats in Congress, while Ohio lost two in the last census and New York has lost 13 in the last 50 years? Why does Texas - known for oil wildcatters and cowboys - lead the country in wind turbines? Why have 850,000 people come to Texas, while 1,500,000 have left California in the last five years? Well, the answer is Texas Got It Right! For a copy visit www.Texas GotItRight.com
Want your article published?
Simply email your article with your name, address and phone number to sthistory@aol.com. Be sure to include any photos and captions along with the author’s name. All content must be original. Once our editorial staff reviews and approves your submission, we’ll publish in our next edition. Your articles can then be read by interested readers garnering you increased exposure and noted professionalism. And remember, “If you don’t bring it, we can’t print it!” Articles can also be mailed to The Enterprise, P.O. Box 759, Hebbronville, Texas 78361. Please send stamped envelope for returned content.
Time to Remember ... ...Join us next month for original articles researched and written exclusively for South Texas History. On the stand or delivered to your door June 2013.
...Only in The Enterprise
SOUTH TEXAS HISTORY
MAY 29, 2013
PAGE 4
FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF HEBBRONVILLE CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION OPEN HOUSE
FNB Employees ...
... Then & Now
1939
First National Bank employees (pictured left to right) are A.G. Hayes, Stacy Hinds, Estela C. Ochoa, Tom S. Adams, Eliseo Cuellar, Leta Clark, Alberto W. Saldana and Justo Hernandez.
2013
First National Bank of Hebbronville employees are pictuired with President & CEO Israel Hinojosa in front of a Centennial marker celebrating 100 years of banking history.
History of the First National Bank dates back to May 23, 1913
T
By Cynthia Gutierrez South Texas History
he first bank established in Hebbronville was The First National Bank, originally known as Hebbronville State Bank. It was incorporated in the same year that our county was formed. It opened its doors on May 23, 1913 and its charter was granted the following July with paid in capital of $25,000. The first directors of the bank were
C.W. Hellen, A.C. Jones, H.C. Yaeger, Oscar Thompson, Henry Edds, T.T. East, and P.A. Presnall. Mr. H.C. Yaeger was the first president and Mr. Payne Briscoe was the cashier. In 1924, the board authorized the construction of a new building on Galbraith Street. On October 7, 1926, Hebbronville State Bank became The First National Bank with $75,000 in capital, and regulated by the federal government.
DIRECTORS - 1913 T.T. East Henry Edds C.W. Hellen A.C. Jones - First Vice President
P.A. Presnal Oscar Thompson - Second Vice President H.C. Yaeger - President
In 1963, the bank celebrated its 50th anniversary along with the county and by 1973 the bank underwent major renovation, enlarging the lobby, installing new teller windows and eventually a drive-through window was added. In the early 1980’s, FNB moved to its new location on Smith Street. With several drive-through windows and an ATM machine, it provided a modern banking facility for the community. Today, the bank has over $138 mil-
lion in assets and employs nine officers and 15 employees. The directors are Frank Armstrong, William C. Barfield, Robert E. Fulbright-Chairman, Brian B. GonzĂĄlez Jr., Charles W. Hellen, Israel HinojosaPresident and CEO, A.C. Jones IV, Mario Martinez and Annette SorrellsSecretary. Mr. W.E. Felton is Director Emeritus and Ms. Lisa S. Sanchez is Advisory Director.
DIRECTORS - 2013 Frank Armstrong Willian C. Barfield Robert E. Fulbright - Chairman Bryan B. Gonzalez Jr. Charles W. (Bill) Hellen
Israel Hinojosa - President & CEO A.C. Jones IV Mario Martinez Annette Sorrells - Secretary Liza L. Sanchez - Advisory Director
SOUTH TEXAS HISTORY
MAY 29, 2013
PAGE 5
The First National Bank of Hebbronville & Jim Hogg County Celebrating 100 years of Shared Success 1913 2013 305 N Smith Ave. in Hebbronville Phone (361) 527-3221 Toll Free (800) 268-1312 Tele-Bank (361) 527-2637 Bookkeeping (361) 527-4040 Fax (361) 527-5451 Visit us at: www.fnbhebb.com
Report lost/stolen debit cards after hours:(800) 500-1044 Here at The First National Bank of Hebbronville, we provide you with the best banking possible. Please come by our location and meet a group of people that will strive to perfect all your banking needs. In addition, you may bank with us 24 hours a day through our Internet Banking, our AudioTel Telephone (TeleBank) System, or our ATM.
SOUTH TEXAS HISTORY
MAY 29, 2013
PAGE 6
REMEMBERING WHEN .... HOW LIGHTS CAME TO SOUTH TEXAS By Katie Kothmann Haby Medina Electric
T
oday, it is hard to imagine a time when electricity wasn’t a staple in life. We use electricity for everything. Imagine just the first few minutes of your morning routine without electricity. No electric alarm clock – better hope your rooster is always accurate; when you reach to turn on the bedside lamp so you can crawl out of bed, no luck, so you better grab your lantern; your morning potty break would involve tramping across the yard to the outhouse; and if you want hot coffee, you better start up the wood stove. Your 30 minute routine would probably stretch into a 2 hour routine. And your day would be defined by the sun – you would get up when it came up and go to sleep when it got dark. But, 75 years ago, that was what our predecessors in rural America faced. No electricity. This meant no running water, no lights in the house (or barn or shed), no refrigerator, and no feed grinders. Cooking was normally done on a wood or kerosene stove, clothes were washed by hand and then hung on the line to dry, and ironing was done after heating a hand iron on the stove and doing your best not to burn your clothes. To take a bath or do any laundry, you had to pump water by hand and then heat it on the cooking stove. The toilet was in the outhouse. And your source of light was a kerosene lantern. Almost everything rural people did to live and earn a living involved manual labor. There was plenty to be done and the entire family – no matter how young or old – pitched in to make it all work. Most large cities, and even some smaller towns like Hondo and Castroville in Medina County, had enjoyed electricity and the convenience it brought since the early 1900s. But, when you reached the city limits, electricity stopped. For the most part,
people who lived on the farms out of town were used to life without electricity. Bringing power to them, wiring their house, and appliances would all cost money and money was very tight. Washington D.C. recognized the difference between life in the city and life outside. As early as the 1920s, they agreed bringing electricity to rural areas would help the nation’s agricultural output. They knew that rural farmers and ranchers could probably get things done much more quickly and efficiently with electricity. And more production on farms and ranches would be good for the country. However, they wanted private enterprise to handle it and assumed that, eventually, the municipalities (city owned utilities) and IOUs (investor-owned utilities that operated for profits) would recognize the opportunity rural areas presented and would begin providing power to farms and ranches. It turned out that the costs to serve these areas – where there could be several miles before the next farm and the next need for electricity – were too high and it wasn’t profitable enough for private enterprise to run electricity. IOUs answered to (and still do) shareholders who owned stock in their company, so profits were a primary concern. And the money just wasn’t there in rural areas. That all changed in 1932 when Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR) was elected president. He had the tough job of pulling the country out of the Great Depression. As part of that, in 1935 Roosevelt signed an executive order creating the Rural Electrification Administration with the purpose: “To initiate, formulate, administer,
With no running water, no refrigerator and a karosene lamp to illuminate the night ... everything rural people did before the advent of electricty involved manual labor.
Cooperative filed Articles of Incorporation with the State of Texas and held their first meeting. Medina Electric Cooperative – the same utility that serves 17 counties today – was born. The work of this not-for-profit utility had just begun. They now had to build a functioning system that would serve hundreds – and eventually 10s of thousands of meters.
and supervise a program of approved projects with respect to the generation, transmission, and distribution of See MEDINA, Page 7 electric energy in rural areas.” This established an organization to oversee the formation of electric companies to serve rural areas (cooperatives) and, shortly after, funding was approved to help these cooperatives get started. Washington knew that local farmers and ranchers would need some money to help them get started forming Initially, setting poles for power lines was done cooperatives and buildentirely with manual labor. ing systems. Wi t h f u n d i n g i n place for electricity to be brought to rural areas, the folks that lived out of town or in small communities began to be hopeful that electricity may make its way to their farms and ranches. In early 1938, a small group from Hondo and the surrounding areas began talking about forming an electric cooperative to serve parts of Medina County. In the fall of that year, there was widespread interest in bringing electricity to An early cooperative truck. It is noted in meeting area farms and talks got minutes that when the board opened bids to purmore serious. chase the first pickup trucks for the cooperative In November, the “Ford is the first choice and Chevrolet the second incorporators and direc- choice; provided that the bid price on the Ford tors of Medina Electric includes a spare wheel and bumper.”
SOUTH TEXAS HISTORY
Why I like history ... By Aneglina Gutierrez South Texas History
Whenever I introduce myself as a historian, I am faced with the seemingly inevitable reply, “Why? History is so boring.” Typically, I respond by saying that history is both fascinating and important. It is the story of how we came to be who we are and do the things we do as a species. Not so easy to express in
MAY 29, 2013
idle conversation is the deeper reason I have for loving history. I like history for many different reasons, but mostly because I see it as a kind of time machine. Years ago, I came across a book that was, and still is, my favorite: “Dandelion Wine” by Ray Bradbury. In the book, a boy named Charlie Woodman convinces the main character, Douglas Spaulding, and another boy to visit the home of Colonel Freeleigh, explaining
PAGE 7
that he has found a time machine there. Douglas enters the house expecting to see a mechanical marvel, only to find the elderly Colonel Freeleigh sitting in a sparsely furnished room. The boys sit at the Colonel’s feet, waiting expectantly, until Charlie urges the Colonel to begin talking. The Colonel begins to tell his stories, now and again prompted and See HISTORY, Page 11
MEDINA - From Page 6 In just a few years, the cooperative had expanded into all or portions of Atascosa, Brooks, Dimmit, Duval, Edwards, Jim Hogg, Kinney, McMullen, Real, Starr, Webb, Zapata and Zavala counties. Today, the cooperative still serves these same 17 counties in South Texas. The board of directors took bids for the work of building the distribution system (the poles and wires to bring electricity to people). They instructed the chosen contractor to hire as many local workers as possible, due to the lack of local employment opportunities that lingered from the Great Depression. From the very beginning, Medina EC was working hard to help out its neighbors and the local communities just as a not-for-profit electric utility should. Although it was much more expensive to serve rural areas than city dwellers, low interest loans that cooperatives were able to get and the fact that they didn’t need to generate profits for stockholders meant Medina Electric was able to offer relatively affordable electric service to farmers and ranchers. Families had to pay a one-time membership fee of $5 to join the cooperative – which would be about $80 today. Ironically, the membership fee
to join Medina Electric Cooperative today is still $5. Life in rural America was not transformed instantly, but as the web of electric lines and poles began to make their way across the countryside, there was hope for farmers and ranchers. As word began to spread about the work Medina Electric was doing in northern Medina County, families in other parts of the county began expressing an interest in getting electricity from the cooperative. The co-op continued to grow. In early 1941, Medina EC was beginning to sign up members A Medina Electric Cooperative float in a community parade. in Frio, LaSalle and Uvalde counties. As more and more rural people saw grinder. The appliances they did have capital credits. Medina Electric marks 75 years in how helpful electricity was to their were used sparingly. Today, members business this November. The efforts of neighbors, more counties and people routinely use 2,500 kWh a month. An early participant in the rural the rural farmers and ranchers in the asked about getting electricity from electric movement, Medina Electric 1930s and 1940s to bring electricity to Medina Electric. In just a few years, the cooperative had expanded into has grown from a few hundred mem- the area have made a big difference in all or portions of Atascosa, Brooks, bers to serving over 30,000 meters in our lives today. Some people alive today rememDimmit, Duval, Edwards, Jim Hogg, the past 75 years. They continue to Kinney, McMullen, Real, Starr, Webb, work as a not-for-profit electric coop- ber when there was no electricity in Zapata and Zavala counties. Today, the erative, which means that their primary the countryside but most of us don’t cooperative still serves these same 17 purpose is delivering affordable elec- remember when that was the case. tricity to their members. Any profits It’s important that we recognize the counties in South Texas. In 10 short years between 1941 made by the cooperative are invested contributions of those that came before and 1951, the number of members in- back into the system for maintenance us and the impact they had on how we creased from 454 to 6,139. In the 40’s, or improvements, and margins are live today. It is also important to know the the average Medina EC member used often returned to the members if the less than 440 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of board of directors determines that the difference a group of people who band electricity in a year. Money was tight cooperative is financially stable and not together and cooperate can make. That and families could only afford a few in need of the additional money. These is a lesson that will be applicable for lights, a water pump and maybe a feed are known in the cooperative world as the next 750 years.
SOUTH TEXAS HISTORY
MAY 29, 2013
PAGE 8
J.T. Canales and the 1919 Texas Ranger Investigation TESTIMONY OF ATTORNEY THOMAS WESLEY HOOK
Part 3 of 4 By Tony Bill South Texas History
D
uring the 1919 Texas Ranger Investigation conducted by a joint committee of the Legislature, State Representative J.T. Canales levied nineteen charges against the Rangers. Interestingly enough there was an additional charge filed in person by one of the ninety citizens that testified before the Investigating committee. Thomas Wesley Hook, a lawyer from Kingsville, Texas testified that he was assaulted by two Texas Rangers at the Courthouse of Brooks County, Falfurrias, Texas. The confrontation was a result of a petition prepared by Thomas Hook, at the request of “Mexican” citizens of Kingsville who were protesting and seeking relief from the abuse of law enforcement officers in Kingsville. The priest of the Mexican neighborhood Catholic Church approached Hook seeking his legal assistance in preparing a legal document protesting the arrest of several “Mexican citizens” and inquiring about the “disappearance” of two of those Mexican citizens at the hands of law enforcement officers. Hooks complied with the request and prepared a petition that addressed “the indiscriminate killing of Mexicans in this State lately, without a trial, many of whom we believe were wholly innocent, and all of whom are presumed so until proved guilty; you see that we have reason to believe that our liberty and even our very lives are menaced. One or more of us may have incurred the displeasure of someone, and it seems only necessary for that some one to whisper our name to an officer, to have us imprisoned and killed without an opportunity to prove in a fair trial, the falsity of the charges against us. We have reason to believe that we may be denied, not only the right of trial by jury, and the right to be face to face with witnesses against us, and the right to counsel, and the right to cross-question the witnesses accusing us, and the right to produce evidence of our innocence, but we, some of us who sign this petition, may be killed without even knowing the name of him who accuses. “ The petition continued: “..let us point out that the great majority of the people of the Mexican race living in this city (Kingsville) and county, are honest, law-abiding and peaceful citizens, who labor for good order, community betterment and culture within their modest sphere. It is the right, guaranteed under the United States of America Constitution, to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, that each of us, and of these, expected. It is those rights which have been ruthlessly and violently denied. And we look to you, the constituted authority, the custodian to whom is entrusted the safe guarding of such rights to all, to safeguard such rights to us.” The petition was signed and copies were sent to the governor of Texas and the President of the United States. Attorney Thomas Wesley Hook testified before the joint committee investi-
“..let us point out that the great majority of the people of the Mexican race living in this city (Kingsville) and county, are honest, law-abiding and peaceful citizens, who labor for good order, community betterment and culture within their modest sphere. It is the right, guaranteed under the United States of America Constitution, to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, that each of us, and of these, expected. It is those rights which have been ruthlessly and violently denied. And we look to you, the constituted authority, the custodian to whom is entrusted the safe guarding of such rights to all, to safeguard such rights to us.” gating the Texas Rangers and stated that several months after filing the petition, he was at a session of the District Court for Brooks County, sitting in “the attorneys enclosure of the District Court room” when a “man whom I afterwards learned was Texas Ranger Capt. John Saunders walked over to the table where I was standing and asked me if my name was Hook. I said ‘yes, sir.” Capt. Saunders then said to Hook, “When you are at leisure I would like to see you.” In his testimony before the joint committee Attorney Thomas Hook recalled that he laid down some legal papers and followed Capt. John Saunders out of the courtroom and into the hallway where the Texas Ranger asked him, “Are you the son of a bitch that wrote that petition at Kingsville?” Hook responded “I took data that was furnished me by a Mexican and put it in the form of a formal petition.” Capt. Saunders countered, “Don’t you know that all that stuff was a damned lie?” Hook quickly answered, “No, I don’t, and more than that I believe it was all true.” Hook testified that Capt. Saunders “then drew his pistol, keeping the handle of it in his hand, and came down at me with his right hand. I warded the pistol off with my left and he recovered himself and came down again and again I caught his pistol and warded it off. He came down again and that time the second Ranger…grabbed my left hand with which I was warding off the pistol. However, I managed to free it and to ward off the pistol, and the Captain, he came down the fourth time with his pistol. I said then, ‘you are a pretty officer to attack an unarmed citizen with a pistol.’ Hook continued, “By then or about that time I made the statement, ‘what is the matter with you, are you drunk?’ Capt. Saunders answered “Do I act as though I were drunk?” Hook remarked, “You smell as though you were.” About that time deputy sheriff L. N. Porter and court reporter J. B. Dodson came up on the disturbance and Capt. Saunders stepped back and apologized to Hook, “I beg your pardon, I didn’t know you were unarmed..” Deputy Sheriff L. N. Porter then approached Hook and said, “Hook, he has done all he can, he has apologized, let him go.” Porter then pushed Hook back into the District Courtroom. Captain John Saunders was dismissed from the Texas Ranger force after members of the joint committee expressed outrage with his conduct. The bodies of the two Mexicans who had “disappeared” somewhere between Kingsville and Brownsville were never found. An investigation by the United States Department of Justice determined that the two had been killed by “State officers.”
SOUTH TEXAS HISTORY
MAY 29, 2013
PAGE 9
SOUTH TEXAS HISTORY
MAY 29, 2013
PAGE 10
SOUTH TEXAS HISTORY
MAY 29, 2013
First United Methodist Church celebrates 100th anniversary with marker unveiling Church was organized in 1912 By Cynthia Gutierrez South Texas History
First United Methodist Church and the Jim Hogg County Historical Commission gathered together on Sunday, May19 to unveil the church’s new historical marker, designating the congregation’s 100th anniversary. The second oldest congregation in Jim Hogg County, First United Methodist Church was organized in 1912, making it older than the county itself. On hand for the ceremony were Pastor Ray Aponte and about 20 congregants. Also present were members of the Historical Commission. The celebration began after the regular Sunday service with a few words from Pastor Ray. Historical Commission members gave a brief history of the church, as well as an explanation of the process the church followed in order to obtain the marker. The celebration continued with a small luncheon held in the Jones building.
Courtesy Photo
Texas Historical Commission members (left to right) Azalia Perez, Cynthia Gutierrez, Idalia Davila, Carmen Alvarez, Sylvia Vaello and Pastor Ray Aponte.
Unveiling by Charles Schroeder
Pastor Ray Aponte
PAGE 11
HISTORY - From Page 7 encouraged by Charlie. He tells of “Ching Ling Soo” in 1910, and his disastrous attempt at the Bullet Trick. He tells of his encounter, in 1875, with the buffalo on the plains, and how he could not bring himself to shoot. He tells of his Civil War days, and of how he cannot remember if he fought for North or South. The boys leave knowing they have found a time machine, albeit one that only travels backwards, but a time machine nonetheless. Colonel Freeleigh’s stories give the boys a glimpse of the past. This story reflects my own attitude towards history. I see history as a means of not only understanding the past, but also connecting with it. At one point, Colonel Freeleigh tells the boys, “For a little while I wanted to remember the thunder. I hear it still, on summer afternoons like this when the rain shapes over the lake; a fearsome, wondrous sound . . . one I wish you might have heard . . .” Part of the allure of history is that it doesn’t satisfy curiosity, rather it creates an insatiable appetite for more. Like a time machine, old stories transport us to a time and place we may never know, but with persistence, we may understand. These time machines also serve a practical purpose. In order to understand who and what we are, we must look at where we have been. Historians help make sense of the past, and in the process help us understand the present and anticipate the future. Everyday, solutions are applied to real problems based on historical insight and an understanding of similar past events. Additionally, knowing ones own past can bring about a new level of self-awareness and appreciation for ones culture. Too many people view history as a boring subject, full of dates and names that are easily forgotten once the exam is over. What I like about history is that knowing a little can make you want to know more. Names and dates become reference points for much more intriguing details. History can be broad or specific, good or bad, and it can shine a light on our evolution, motivations, triumphs and failures. Most importantly, it is our time machine.
Bradbury, Ray, Dandelion Wine, New York: Bantam Books, Inc., 1976.
SOUTH TEXAS HISTORY
MAY 29, 2013
PAGE 12
Newer Muy Grande Village continues to be a favorite In Freer, the Garza and Sharber families have turned Muy Grande into a different kind of watering hole…one that families can frequent at 10 a.m. or 10 p.m. without a care in the world.
“I went from being a stay-at-home mom to running a convenience store and deer contest. I didn’t know the first thing about running a s synonymous as the Hollywood sign is to business.” Hollywood, so was the Texaco sign at the Center Imelda Shaber
A
By Liz Cary South Texas History
Circle Gas Station to Freer, TX. There was a time in the mid to late 70s when the sign doubled as a trophy mantle of sorts, displaying for anyone traveling on 16 or 44, the racks of some of the contest’s more impressive entries. Ranging in size from small to large - the crowning glory of the South Texas White-tail Deer and topping them off – some 25 feet up, a majestic moose rack. It was iconic. And even though the old steel pole has likely found its home in some recycled steel junkyard, every time a traveler makes his way through that intersection, its empty space is crying out, “Remember Me!” There’s not very much left of that old place. And when you take a look at the gem that’s there now, it’s easy to see how far Muy Grande Village and the Garza family have come. By the late 70s, the Muy Grande Deer Contest had established itself as an authority in white tail deer hunting. During this time, Muy enjoyed great success. By purchasing a neighboring business, he increased his earning potential by turning it into a grocery store and fueling station. They had their own kitchen where Muy prepared Wonder Roast Chicken and his famous fajita tacos and patrons could buy hunting supplies and souvenirs. As did many South Texas communities in the mid80s, Freer’s economy took a dip and business fell, but Muy never lost his focus. The business continued at a slow but steady pace. One thing was certain, though – it was the contest that was keeping the doors open. And as a new millennium loomed, he began to feel the stress of running things alone. In 1998, in the wee hours of the morning, Imelda was awakened by a phone call from her sister that her father had been rushed to the hospital and it didn’t look good. Imelda felt certain he’d been on the receiving end of a miracle when after a week-long hospital stay; Muy was ready to welcome into his routine, some much needed change. It was then that he’d decided to start living a healthier lifestyle. He stressed less and enjoyed life more. Six long years would go by before Imelda would
feel a tugging at her heart to help with the family business. “Something was different this time,” she said, “it was like I opened my eyes one fall morning and God just told me to do it. And because I had trusted His guidance before, I knew he would see us through. I was totally at peace going into it.” So, in 2005, with her husband, Kenneth’s blessing, Imelda embarked on a new adventure. She started out slowly. And because money was tight, she persuaded nieces, nephews and a few other high school kids to come put in a few hours every day. “We dusted, cleaned the windows and put on a couple coats of paint to spruce up the place and once we got caught up on the bills, we started stocking the shelves again,” she said. “I even remember - for months - putting our tax money in a coffee can at the end of every day.” As Imelda immersed herself in the day to day operations of the store, she began to familiarize herself with the hunters and their families. She found herself falling in love with everything about it, the hunters, the scoring, the winners and running into old friends. “I ran into old friends who I hadn’t seen since I was a little girl, it was so great.” The one thing she hadn’t counted on was the unexpected joy of going back to work and getting reacquainted with her father. “It’s funny,” she said, “after I got married and had three kids, I couldn’t see myself going back to work. Kenneth and I had decided early in our marriage that it would be best if I stayed home and raised our children.” She had begun to see her father through the eyes of all those hunters he’d befriended. And they were indeed - friends. To hear them talk about him gave her a looking glass into all those years she felt she’d lost. She felt a new sense of pride for the man and for the lives he touched. “I would listen to the stories that these people would tell me about my dad,” she reminisced, “and I remember thinking that I never really knew that side of my dad.” Another thing she hadn’t expected was his entre-
Imelda and Kenneth Sharber of Muy Grande Village in Freer, Texas. preneurial spirit. “His mind never stops,” she marveled. “When I started working with him in 2005, he was adamant about starting a new website for the contest.” Though they moved forward with the idea, there was no guarantee that a website from a small South Texas community would take off, but by 2006, the website had been viewed and was a favorite in over 22 countries, including the US. During her first two years, Imelda admits to flying by the seat of her pants. “I went from being a stay-at-home mom to running a convenience store and deer contest. I didn’t know the first thing about running a business,” she says. But one by one, as if fate had ordained it, people began to introduce themselves to her…availing themselves to her for advice or just a friendly shoulder. Mentors such as Horace Gore of Trophy Hunter Magazine, Bill Carter of Houston’s Carter’s Country Stores and Laura Berry of Berry Ltd were all instrumental in guiding Imelda through those early years at the helm…and of course, her father’s 40 years behind the wheel prepared her for longevity. “Some days I’d pick up the phone 10 times and every time, they were gracious and always helpful,” See MUY, Page 14
SOUTH TEXAS HISTORY
MAY 29, 2013
PAGE 13
SOUTH TEXAS HISTORY
MAY 29, 2013
PAGE 14
MUY - From Page 12 she remembers. With their tireless help she was able to strengthen the business she believed God had put in her charge. And after earnest consideration, Kenneth resigned a successful position with BP Oil in 2007 to help Imelda run Muy Grande full time. Kenneth, who’d had some experience in the private sector, brought a whole new skill set to the table. “I told Garza that if he was going to let us run things from now on, he had to let me do things my way,” he said. Muy was happy to relinquish control as long as he could continue his work with the contest. With that, plans were underway to break ground on a new, bigger and better Muy Grande. And the first order of business would be to come up with a sound business plan that would eliminate the sale of alcoholic beverages to pad the bottom line. “We differ from just about every other convenience store out there, in that we do not sell beer or wine.” Kenneth stressed they chose not to sell alcohol because of their personal convictions; a move that under ordinary circumstances would have been a death sentence. Especially when one considers that beer sales for convenience stores account for nearly a 1/3 of all beer sold in the US. They were turning away a guaranteed income... and they had perfect peace doing it. As one might expect, this business model was criticized and ridiculed at the beginning, but the Garza and Sharber families have made it work and now Muy Grande has turned into a different kind of watering hole…one that families can frequent at 10 am or
History South Texas
VOLUME 1, ISSUE 1
December 19, 2012
Celebrating the rich culture and history of South Texas...
A Publication of the Jim Hogg County Enterprise
10 p.m. without a care in the world. “If we weren’t going to sell alcohol, we knew we’d need to be highly diversified.” Diversified…now that’s an understatement! Muy Grande has expanded to include a fueling station, convenience store, restaurant and caterer, gift shop, sporting goods store, authorized UHAUL and portable carport dealerships, feed and ammo sales, and a real estate office…with a 20 member workforce to run it all. And the proverbial cherry on top of it all is their recently acquired 501-C3 tax exempt status for their newly formed, “Muy Grande Ministries.” What’s more, the newer Muy Grande has continued to be a regular hitching post for some of America’s greatest sportsmen, such as Major League Baseball pitcher, Nolan Ryan, LA Lakers power forward, Karl Malone, and Dodgers great, Josh Beckett. Popular actors and musicians were common place as well. Country Western Super Star, George Strait, Tejano singer, Bobby Pulido and the late actor, Slim Pickens are just a few celebrities who have had the great pleasure of posing for photos with Muy over the last 48 years. Theirs, along with many, many others, adorn the walls at Muy Grande. Muy even has the great fortune of managing Duval County’s T-14 Ranch, owned by 1990 Heisman Trophy winner and NFL Pro Football Player, Ty Detmer. “Garza keeps me busy. He is still an important part of what drives our success. If he has an idea, it’s my job to see it to its end.” As was his idea to create Muy Grande’s Camo. Being the
History South Texas
VOLUME 1, ISSUE 2
Celebrating
the rich culture and history of South Texas...
January 23, 2013
Jim Hogg County
A Publication of the Jim Hogg County Enterprise
100 Years
ON THE COVER
...
James R. Hebbron
The man who gave our town his name
of Jim Hogg County history
THE VIGGO HOTEL PAGES 4 & 12
RANDADO PAGES 8 & 9
HISTORIC RANCHING COMMUNITIES PAGES 9 & 10
OLD HEBBRONVILLE CEMETERY
Featuring
PAGE 11
Original articles by • Alfredo E. Cardenas • Dr. Lino Garcia Jr. • Jim Hogg County Museum Foundation • Jim Hogg County Historical Commission
James Stephens Hogg 1851 - 1906
PLUS
1983 newspaper recalls memorable day in Jim Hogg County Snow photos, Then and Now Band festival highlights Jim Hogg birthday
History South Texas
A Publication of the Jim Hogg County Enterprise
Special Edition REMEMBERING HEBBRONVILLE WHEN ...
14 articles 17 photos
By Cynthia G. Gutierrez
VOLUME 1, ISSUE 3
Celebrating
the rich culture and history of South Texas...
FEBRUARY 27, 2013
Jim Hogg County
avid hunter he is, Muy suggested that the mesquite bean was a main staple in the white tail diet. If a clear enough representation could be captured of the actual foliage in nature, he was convinced it would be a hit. After only a few short months, the idea leapt from Muy’s brain onto hundreds of yards of fabric and then off to clothing manufacturers to create men’s, women’s and children’s hunting apparel.
History South Texas
VOLUME 1, ISSUE 4
Celebrating
the rich culture and history of South Texas...
MARCH 27, 2013
Jim Hogg County
A Publication of the Jim Hogg County Enterprise
A.C. JONES FIRST JIM HOGG COUNTY JUDGE IN THIS ISSUE:
Pena Station: Where horse thieves and murder were commonplace
The house the Garza’s built
Remembering Hebbronville An abbreviated history of
the Jim Hogg County Independent School District
J.T. Canales and the 1919 Ranger Investigation
Featuring: Alfredo E. Cardenas Cynthia Gutierrez Antonio Bill And the Enterprise Archives & More
The fact that such success has been a mainstay in Leonel Garza’s business comes as no surprise to those who know him. The day that he told Fred Strong to tell his buddies that he was the “hunter’s friend” - he wasn’t trying to parlay a helping hand into a multi-million dollar empire, but if that determination and assertiveness for which he is so well known have anything to do with it, the future looks golden through anyone’s scope.
History South Texas
VOLUME 1, ISSUE 5
Celebrating
the rich culture and history of South Texas...
April 24, 2013
Jim Hogg County
$1.00
A Publication of the Jim Hogg County Enterprise
STH
Judge Agapito “Cuate” Molina The first Jim Hogg County official to serve as a member of the Texas Association of Counties
Story on Page 3
INSIDE: J.T. Canales and the 1919 Ranger Investigation Tejano Hero of “Cinco de Mayo” Freer’s Muy Grande Village The House on Santa Clara Street Jim Hogg County’s 100th Anniversary Open House Remembering Hebbronville when ...
Read all of our magazines on-line at issuu - just type in South Texas History in the search bar.
SOUTH TEXAS HISTORY
• On June 2, 1924, with Congress’ passage of the Indian Citizenship Act, the government of the United States confers citizenship on all Native Americans born within the territorial limits of the country. Before the Civil War, citizenship often was limited to Native Americans of one-half or less Indian blood. • On June 1, 1980, CNN (Cable News Network), the world’s first 24hour television news network, makes its debut. Today, CNN is seen in more than 89 million American households and more than 160 million homes internationally. In its first years of operation, CNN lost money and was ridiculed as the Chicken Noodle Network. • On May 31, 1889, the South Fork Dam in Johnstown, Pa., collapses, causing a flood that kills more than 2,200 people. It was the largest earthen dam (made of dirt and rock, rather than steel and concrete) in the United States. Reportedly, a baby survived on the floor of a house as it floated 75 miles from Johnstown. • On May 30, 1431, in Normandy, Joan of Arc, the peasant girl who became the savior of France, is burned at the stake for heresy. Her most serious crime, according to the tribunal, was her rejection of church authority in favor of direct inspiration from God. She was 19 years old. • On May 29, 1914, heavy fog on the St. Lawrence River in Canada causes a collision of boats -- the Empress of Ireland and the Storstad -- that kills 1,073 people. Caused by a horrible series of blunders, it was one of the worst maritime disasters in history. • On May 28, 1957, National League owners vote unanimously to allow the New York Giants and Brooklyn Dodgers to move to San Francisco and Los Angeles, respectively, at the mid-season owner’s meeting in Chicago.
MAY 29, 2013
PAGE 15
A cowboy’s unusual dental work EDITOR’S NOTE: This article originally appeared in the April 2013 issue of Texas Co-op Power, a publication of Texas Electric Cooperatives. By Lori Grossman Pickett got this idea when, as an 11-year-old, he saw a cattle dog hold a cow motionless by biting down on its upper lip - a maneuver called bulldogging. Strangely enough, Pickett wanted to try it, so he approached a calf, grabbed its ears, chomped on its upper lip, let go of its ears and fell backward. Subdued by the pain, the dogie flopped over. Richard Zelade’s book Central Texas (Taylor Trade Publishing, 2011) recounts Pickett’s first public bulldogging exhibition in Austin. Pickett, watching some Littlefield cattle Company cowboys struggling with feisty calves, offered his newfound bite-’em technique. The cowboys stopped laughing when Pickett bit down on a calf’s upper lip, immobilizing it while they applied the searing branding iron. The amazed cowboys spread the news across Austin. It was a watershed moment for a son of former slaves. Willie M. “Bill” Pickett is believed to have been born on December 5, 1870, in Jenks-Branch Community in Williamson county - one of 13 children. He quit school at 15 and became a working cowboy on area ranches. In 1900, Pickett started entertaining at rodeos across the West. Bulldogging was dangerous, but Pickett loved the applause. He hit the big time in 1903 when glib-tongued promoter Dave McClure billed him as “Bulldog Pickett: the Dusky Demon - the Most Daring Cowboy Alive!” The term “dusky” was intended to disguise Pickett’s ethnicity whenever white cowboys shied from appearing on the same program as an African-American man. The spectators, however, didn’t seem to mind. In 1905, Pickett took another step on his path to tame when he met Zack Miller, who, with his brothers, owned the 101 Ranch. Miller hired him to appear in his June show. The extravaganza, described in Cecil Johnson’s book Guts: Legendary Black Rodeo Cowboy Bill Pickett (Summit Publishing Group, 1994), also featured Geronimo shooting a buffalo from the back of a moving car and a frighteningly realistic attack on a wagon train. An estimated 60,000 spectators gave Pickett’s bulldogging a roaring ovation. He was such a sensation that he signed on with the 101 Ranch Wild West Show in 1907. After performing in Brownsville in 1908, the Millers took the show to Mexico City. Joe Miller started a war of words in the newspapers with some Mexican bullfighters who bragged that they could do whatever Pickett could.
Joe miller challenged them and questioned their bravery - partly to get publicity for the show. This insult to the national sport outraged the locals. Either Miller of the bullfighters (sources differ) bet 5,000 pesos over whether Pickett could stay in contact with a bull for five minutes. And so in December 1908, Pickett entered the El Toro arena mounted on his beloved horse, Spradley. The bull, Frijoli Chiquita, turned so quickly that the horse couldn’t get close enough unless Pickett could keep him from sidestepping. Willie M. “Bill” Pickett Spradley could not Photo “Courtesy of the North evade one of the bull’s Fort Worth Historical Society.” charges and was gored. Pickett dismounted and grabbed the bull’s horns. He hung on more than five minutes, although the bull repeatedly slammed him against the wall and the crowd began pelting him with all sorts of objects - knives, fruit, rocks. An angry spectator threw a full beer bottle, hitting Pickett in the ribs and causing him to finally lose his grip. After another cowboy lured Frijoli Chiquita away, Pickett hurried to his badly injured horse. An elderly Mexican offered a strange cure; two red bananas. He peeled them and thrust them into the horse’s gaping wounds. Surprisingly, Spradley healed quickly. After World War I, the glory days of Wild West shows had passed. In 1931, the 101 show closed. Pickett died on April 2, 1932, after a horse kicked him in the head. The inventor of bulldogging was voted into the Rodeo Hall of Fame and, in 1989, was enshrined in the Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame. Rodeos today feature an event called steer wrestling. A cowboy chases down a steer, jumps off his horse then wrestles the steer to the ground by twisting its horns. Some call that bulldogging. But it’s not the way the Dusky Demon used to do it. He would probably say that calling it bulldogging is just lip service. Lori Grossman is a Dallas writer.
SOUTH TEXAS HISTORY
MAY 29, 2013
PAGE 16
Hebbronville Elementary School in the 1950s T
By Amanda C. Perez South Texas History
eaching in Hebbronville Elementary School in the 1950’s (more than half a century ago) was very different from today, the 13th year in the 21st century. For one thing, no one cared about class sizes. You could have 25, 30, 35 or more students. If you already had 30 students and you would get a few more, you just added more desks. A fixed or recommended teacher-pupil ratio just did not exist. In fact, I think that the idea of a teacher-pupil ratio in those years was “the more the merrier.” As long as you had room for more desks, you got more students. Teaching supplies were almost non-existent. At the beginning of the school year, you were given a box of chalk, a ruler, and blackboard erasers. If you wanted or needed more supplies, you either made them yourself or you bought them. There was no elementary school library, so some of us would buy little story books called Golden Books for 25 cents to build up a small classroom library for our students. I remember buying those books at Lunz Pharmacy. We teachers took care of all class parties. There were no room mothers or room patents. In Christmas we would fix Christmas bags (usually the brown paper bags) and fill them with an apple, an orange, Christmas candy and peanuts. In Easter all of us elementary school teachers would get together, pull our resources, and have an Easter Egg hunt in front of the school building which was the only part of the school yard that had grass. In Valentine’s Day, I remember one year getting each student a red popsicle which they got after the Valentines were distributed. One year, one mother asked if she could bring a cake because it was her sons’s birthday. I was so happy because my students dad cake, too. Discipline was handled mostly by the teacher, only extreme cases were referred to the principal. Together with the chalk, ruler, and erasers, we were also issued a wooden paddle which we called the “Board of Education.” We were to use the paddle to discipline our students, but few teachers paddled their students. Some did, however, and when the students were paddled the sound carried throughout the school. This was hard on both students and teachers. I never use the paddle which I kept in my desk drawer, but I did use the ruler on my students’ hands one time only. I punished the whole class for disobeying me. I felt I had to do it so it would not happen again. I think it hurt me more than it did them. Classes were self-contained, that is, the students remained in one classroom with one teacher who taught every subject. Teachers would write the schedule on the board so the students would know
“Did we like teaching in those years? I guess we loved it, for we certainly were not there to get rich.” what subject followed which. No bells were rung between classes, so we teachers had to time ourselves so as to teach every subject. Bells were rung in the morning, at noon, at recess time, both in the morning and afternoon, and, of course, at the end of the day. Morning recess was supervised play and lasted longer; afternoon recess was more like a break for drinking water, going to the restroom, and getting rid of all the stored up energy students got from sitting in the same classroom all afternoon. Meals in the cafeteria were 25 cents for students, 35 cents for teachers. Students would either bring the 25 cents or a lunch from home which they ate in the playground if the weather was nice or in the back tables in the cafeteria or the classroom. Sometimes some students would have neither the 25 cents nor a lunch from home so we teachers would give them the money for the cafeteria meal. We could not let them go hungry. Classrooms were hot in hot weather and cold when it was cold. Many time students kept their sweaters or coats on when it was cold. Heating came from old radiators that often times did not work properly.
Rooms were not air-conditioned or even have fans. However, the classrooms had large windows that would occasionally let in a breeze. The elementary school principal did not have a secretary or any office help. Teachers were required to do the work which normally a secretary or office staff does. For example, we teachers prepared or individual attendance annual reports which we would turn in to our principal so that he (it was a he not a she at that time) could compile the information an sent the annual report to the state. The salary for a first year teacher was $200 a month or $2,400 a year. Take home pay was only $175 after taxes and teacher retirement deductions. As has already been noted in a previous article, there was one year when teachers were not paid for a few months because the school district was in financial trouble. Did we like teaching in those years? I guess we loved it, for we certainly were not there to get rich. In fact, I don’t think anyone has ever gotten rich teaching. Our riches came in knowing we had touched a child’s life and hopefully made a difference. EDITOR’S NOTE: Ms. Perez taught in Hebbronville from 1953 to 1988.