Traces of Tx (today)

[Shakey Jake]

On this day in 1825, the Mexican legislature, meeting in Saltillo, passed the State Colonization Law of March 24, 1825. The legislation was designed to bring about the peopling of Coahuila and Texas. It encouraged farming, ranching, and commerce. For a nominal fee, the law granted settlers as much as a square league (4,428.4 acres) of pastureland and a labor (177.1 acres) of farmland. Immigrants were temporarily free of every kind of tax. Newcomers had to take an oath promising to abide by the federal and state constitutions, to worship according to the Christian (i.e., Catholic) religion, and to display sound moral principles and good conduct. After accepting these terms and settling in Texas, immigrants earned the standing of naturalized Mexicans. Empresarios Stephen F. Austin and Green DeWitt, among others, started their colonies under this law.

[Shakey Jake]

On this day in 1918, in what proved to be the last serious incident of the border troubles initiated by the Mexican Revolution, Mexican raiders attacked the Neville ranch in northwest Presidio County. Edwin W. Neville's isolated ranch stretched for eighteen miles along the Rio Grande, six miles upriver from Porvenir. Neville and his son Glen were discussing the rumors of an attack when they heard a disturbance outside. Neville looked out and saw fifty approaching horsemen who opened fire on the house. Seeking protection, the Nevilles ran toward a ditch about 300 yards away. The older Neville reached the ditch uninjured, but the raiders shot Glen in the head and beat him with their rifle butts as he lay dying. The Nevilles' housekeeper, Rosa Castillo, was also shot and her body mutilated. As Neville wandered in the darkness, the raiders stole horses, clothes, bedding, and supplies. U.S. cavalry arrived soon after the raid and followed the trail of the bandits across the Rio Grande. In a gunfight at the village of Pilares thirty-three Mexicans were killed and eight were wounded. One American, private Carl Alberts, was also killed. The American soldiers destroyed all but one house in Pilares and recovered some of Neville's stolen property. It is likely that the Neville ranch raid was not a simple act of robbery, but retaliation for the Porvenir Massacre, which had taken place two months before. It is also likely that the raiders had Villista connections. In addition, soldiers found German-made Mauser rifles at Pilares, a fact that may suggest German involvement in the raid.

[Shakey Jake]

Another great photo from the Basil Clemons collection entitled "Bronco Busting". It is undated but would guess in the late 1910's or early 1920's.

[Shakey Jake]

On this day in 1836, which happened to be Palm Sunday, at least 342 Texans were executed by firing squad at Goliad. The Texans considered these men prisoners of war, whereas General Santa Anna thought them "perfidious foreigners." The Mexican dictator had decreed that all Texans in arms against the Mexican government were to be treated as traitors, not soldiers. The men were led out of town and shot at point- blank range. Those not killed by the first volley were hunted down and killed by gunfire, bayonet, or lance. The bodies were left unburied. The incident, which became known among Anglo-Texans as the Goliad Massacre, joined the Alamo as a rallying cry for Texas independence.

[Shakey Jake]

Here's another Basil Clemons picture from the UTA digital library. It's noted as "Walker throbreds.. " Looks to me like it was taken in the 20's or early 30's. Edit: Taking a good second look it's dated 1928 so I was pretty spot on.
Jake

[Shakey Jake]

I missed Pete Mayes birthday last Tuesday. I thought it was today for some reason. Pete played at the Double Bayou Dance Hall, located in the small black community of Double Bayou in Chambers County, sixty miles east of Houston, was established in the late 1920s. It was damaged by a storm in the early 1940s and reestablished at its present site in 1946 by returning World War II serviceman Manuel Rivers, Jr., and his wife Ella.
The hall served as a gathering place during the week and a dance hall on the weekends. Mr. and Mrs. Rivers operated the dance hall until Manuel's death in 1983, whereupon their nephew, blues guitarist Floyd "Texas Pete" Mayes, began managing the property. The dance hall was built atop cedar logs and constructed of wood with hogwire for walls; it had a tin roof. Tar paper–covered walls and a low-clearance ceiling were later added. It accommodated 125 people.
From 1946 to the mid-1950s, Double Bayou Dance Hall was home to a thriving live-music scene that operated on the outer edge of the "Chitlin' Circuit." Major touring acts traveling to Houston, including T-Bone Walker and Big Joe Turner, would on occasion make impromptu stops at Double Bayou on a Thursday night. More frequent appearances were made by Amos Milburn (with Texas Johnny Brown on guitar), Gatemouth Brown, Sam Lightnin' Hopkins, Albert Collins, Johnny Copeland, Percy Mayfield, Joe Hughes, Barbara Lynn, and Clifton Chenier.
Pete Mayes and the Texas Houserockers played their first professional gig at Double Bayou Dance Hall in 1954 and served thereafter as the house band into the early 1960s. Weekly offerings of live music began to fade at the dance hall in the 1960s, in part because Mayes began traveling extensively. Nevertheless, the hall remained open as a local gathering spot and watering hole. Pete Mayes and his band routinely performed a Christmas Day matinee from 1955 to 2005. Starting in 1991, they played for scheduled tour groups from Houston and on other major holidays. In May 2003 Mayes and his band recorded a live album at the old hall and eventually released the CD Pete Mayes and the Texas Houserockers LIVE! at Double Bayou Dance Hall. With the onset in 2006 of Pete Mayes's failing health and up to his death on December 17, 2008, activities at the dance hall dropped significantly. The building suffered heavy damage during Hurricane Ike in September 2008 was never rebuilt.
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=do ... &FORM=VIRE

[Shakey Jake]

I'm almost through the UTA digital library collection of Basil Clemons pictures. Here's one that caught my eye as the detail is fantastic. It looks like a young couple may have just gotten hitched. The young man is looking at the camera while giving a kiss. His coveralls are way to long and looks like they are intentionally split so as not to walk on his shoes. It appears there has been a lot of "modification" to the car. I don't think it would have been too comfortable to drive for long distances. There's not much there to keep the elements out for sure. I would say this is 1910's or early 20's.

Upon closer examination I saw an inscription " Actors 1927" that I didn't see earlier. Also, I believe, that this is two women. I spotted what looks like pearls on the neck of the one in coveralls. Also, the tips of the shoes peeking out of the pant legs appear to be women's shoes!
Jake

[Shakey Jake]

Todays entry is from the Traces of Texas Facebook group:
Traces of Texas reader Brad Bogle generously shared this nifty shot of "The Mint," a saloon that his great-grandfather owned on Washington Avenue in downtown Houston. Brad's great- grandfather's name was Joe Filips. Joe is in the center of the bar, holding the playing cards. Brad would LOVE any information regarding the bar, where it might have been located exactly etc... Brad estimates that this photo was taken in 1910, give or take.

[Shakey Jake]

Found this picture on the web and saved it. It was quite a while ago so I hope I can cite it properly. I never knew that Houston was a "Gateway to the World". Houston Lighting and Power was around for a long time and was still who I paid my electric bill to back in my early days here. About 20 years ago or so it split into Reliant Energy and Center Point Energy. Reliant Stadium is/was where the Texans play but is now called NRG. The name change occurred in 2014.
Jake

[Shakey Jake]

Here's a cool photo of James Kirkland (pictured on the left playing bass). James Kirland was born in Linden, Tx on May 15, 1934. He passed last year on April 22nd. He was known as THE legendary rockabilly slap bassist. That's James Burton on the right who is so closely associated with the Telecaster that many times people assume that's the only guitar he ever played. Well here's James Burton with a 1957 model year Gretsch 6120. Of course, that's Ricky Nelson in the middle with a Gibson J-200 with a leather body sheath /cover.