Thomas Tisdale Carrington Anderson was a very interesting person to research.  Not only was he the great-grandfather of well-known Texarkana native H. Ross Perot, but he was also a Confederate veteran, and well-known educator in southwest Arkansas.

His parents were John Anderson and Mary Margaret Tisdale who were both born in Ireland.  They came to the United States in the 1830s.  John was a Presbyterian minister and also a school teacher.  Mary was noted on census records as a music teacher.  While apparently originally settling in New Jersey as indicated on the census records according to the birthplace of their oldest daughter, the family had moved to Virginia by 1845 where one of their sons, who at times went by the name Thomas and at others by the name Tisdale, was born.  By 1850 the family had relocated to Clarksville, Red River County, Texas.

Thomas left his family home in Clarksville at the age of 17 to fight for the Confederacy.  According to his service record, he enlisted in Clarksville as a private, 7 March 1862 with Company F, 27^th Texas Cavalry.  His final rank was corporal.  He was captured more than once—one time at a place called Davis Bridge in 1862 which seems to have been of short duration (no indication of the time period is given in the record) and then near Dallas, Georgia, 26 May 1864.  He was taken prisoner and apparently was first taken to Chattanooga, TN and placed in a Union hospital since he had been wounded in the lower jaw by gunshot.  Part of his treatment included cutting twelve fragments of bone out of his jaw.  His service records also indicate that he was on a roll of prisoners who spent some time in Nashville, TN and Louisville, KY.  He was then transferred to Camp Douglas, Illinois and then to Camp Chase in Ohio.  He was paroled 4 March 1865 and transferred to City Point, Virginia for exchange.  By March 26 he was in a Way Hospital in Meridian, Mississippi on furlough.  According to newspaper reports, he walked back to his home in Clarksville and arrived there just two days after Lincoln was assassinated.

Of the Andersons’ eleven children, only the names of nine are known.  Two of their daughters were named Margaret.  The oldest daughter named Margaret was born around 1869 and apparently died in infancy or early childhood as she is not listed on the 1880 census.  Families often times recycled the names of deceased children, and another daughter who was named Margaret was born around 1877 according to the 1880 census (some sources give her birthdate as 1874).  This Margaret married first Gabriel E. Perot, and after his death married Wade M. Ball.  The Perots operated a store in New Boston, Texas in the early 1900s.  Gabriel and Margaret Perot’s son Gabriel Ross Perot was born in 1901, and Gabriel Ross Perot was the father of well-known entrepreneur and former U.S. presidential candidate H. Ross Perot.  Thus Thomas and Mary Ellen Anderson were Ross Perot’s great-grandparents.

Mr. Anderson was present at the June 3, 1934 dedication of the markers which marked the graves of 85 unknown Confederate soldiers at Rondo Cemetery in Rondo, Miller County, Arkansas during which he gave the dedication speech.  He was assisted by one of his great-grandsons in placing an ivy wreath with red, white and blue ribbons and Confederate flags.

Tragically, Thomas Tisdale Carrington Anderson was killed when he stepped in front of a train in downtown Ashdown.  According to newspaper reports, his eyesight was becoming poor, but he still walked to the post office every morning to get the mail, and it was on the morning of 24 May 1939 that he died.

Mr. Anderson was also a founding member of the John C. Burke Camp, United Confederate Veterans at Clarksville, Texas.  A Confederate flag had been made by United Daughters of the Confederacy member Mrs. Belle Gordon Morrison and presented to the Camp.  It had been the custom as members of the Camp passed away that the casket was draped with this flag which was then preserved to use at the burials of other camp members.  Mr. Anderson was the last surviving member of this Camp, and upon his death this Confederate flag was buried with him.

He was laid to rest in Ashdown Cemetery, Ashdown, Little River County, Arkansas—beloved family member, educator and Confederate soldier.

Posted by Draughon-Moore Collection Curator, Melissa Nesbitt

The special year-long showing of Olivia Smith Moore’s 500 shoes is ending tomorrow! Next week, the Ace of Clubs will be closed to put up the shoes, take down Christmas decorations and put up a new exhibit. Check back Saturday of next week to hear about the new exhibit.

If you haven’t had a chance to see Olivia’s shoes, do so tomorrow. Once we put away the bulk of the shoe collection, we will only have a few pairs out at a time. This is the last chance (for a few years) to see ALL of her shoes out together. Don’t miss it!

Tour times at the Ace of Clubs are:

10:15 a.m.
11:45 a.m.
 1:30 p.m.
3:00.p.m.

Ace of Clubs House is located at 420 Pine Street. Call 903 793 4831 for directions.

Many American Christmas food traditions can be traced to English or German traditions, though other cultures are well represented in our foodways at the holidays as well. Even if we don’t participate in these customs anymore, most of us have heard of traditions like the Yule log. We have heard of foods like Christmas Pudding and Wassail, associating them with our vision of Christmas even if we never make these foods. Some customs are a bit more obscure, like the Boar’s Head Feast. 

Serving wild boar was common enough in ancient times, but the Boar’s Head Feast ( I just like typing that) was a little more elaborate.  How this tradition became associated with Christmas is a little murky (at least to me), but at some point, serving and parading the boar’s head became a symbol of the Christ Child’s triumph over sin.  Over time, other elements were added that further connected the tradition to Christmas.

Great name isn’t it? “Boar’s Head Feast.” You pretty much get the gist of the feast right there.  Although this festival isn’t on most of our to-do lists for Christmas, it is still practiced. One of the most famous performances of this tradition happens at Queen’s College at Oxford in the UK (where it is called the Boar’s Head Gaudy- I like typing that even better). It is one of the oldest continuing holiday traditions in existence. 

The tradition begins with the preparation of a boar’s head and parading this on a platter decorated with things such as holly.  A procession accompanied the platter around  dinning hall   that grew to include various other Christmas elements to depict the shepherds, wise men and Nativity.  All this while singing the Boar’s Head Carol:

The boar’s head in hand bring I, (Or: The boar’s head in hand bear I,)

Bedeck’d with bays and rosemary.

I pray you, my masters, be merry (Or: And I pray you, my masters, merry be)

Quot estis in convivio (Translation: As many as are in the feast)

CHORUS

Caput apri defero (Translation: The boar’s head I offer)

Reddens laudes Domino (Translation: Giving praises to the Lord)

The boar’s head, as I understand,

Is the rarest dish in all this land,

Which thus bedeck’d with a gay garland

Let us servire cantico. (Translation: Let us serve with a song)

CHORUS

Our steward hath provided this

In honour of the King of Bliss;

Which, on this day to be served is

In Reginensi atrio. (Translation: In the Queen’s hall)

The above lyrics were copied from the Wikipedia article on the feast. There is also a sound clip in that article that can be found here.  I found other versions in various Christmas music books and online articles that vary only slightly from these lyrics. When listening to the sound clip, try closing your eyes and picturing your family parading a pig’s head around the dinner table. It may make a come back!

My apologies to anyone who was expecting a scholarly treatise on holiday traditions. I just wanted to share a bit of obscure history and encourage you all to share your own family food traditions.  What does your family make for Christmas Dinner? 

I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas from TMS!

posted by: Jamie Simmons, TMS Curator

It’s possible the doors were manufactured in Texarkana, as there was a glass factory here at the time, but there is no evidence to prove that as of yet.  Both doors have transom lights and side lights.  The side lights are identical except for their height and width.  Both feature leaded, bevel-edged, individual pieces of glass with an octagon design at the bottom and a five-pointed star at the top with squares and rectangles surrounding the stars and octagons.  The transom light on the Ahern House also shows the house number while that on the Ace of Clubs House does not (you’ll notice the house number 420 mounted below the transom light).  We believe the door at the Ace of Clubs House was installed during a c. 1901 renovation, and that of the Ahern House would’ve been installed during its construction c. 1905.

The surround on the Ace of Clubs House door features architectural elements typical of the home’s Italianate style while that of the Ahern House is more typical of its Classical Revival style.

Take a look at the two pictures to compare.

Ahern House, 403 Laurel Street, Texarkana, Arkansas

Draughon-Moore "Ace of Clubs" House, 420 Pine Street, Texarkana, Texas

Mr. Moore told me that during his lifetime their tree was always in the stair hall (where it usually stands today) and that his mother “Miss Olivia” (Olivia Smith Moore) always insisted on putting the lights on the tree herself.  Once that task was completed, everyone else in the family could help decorate the tree.

Christmas tree at 420 Pine Street, c. 1950s

It was usually a live cedar tree cut and brought home from their farm property in Lafayette County, Arkansas.  Though today’s tree is an artificial spruce, it still stands about the same height which is not quite 12 feet from the floor to the top of its star on top.

Unlike the modern sense of decorating, most people in those days did not festoon nearly every nook and cranny in their homes.  The tree, a wreath on the door and a bit of greenery on the staircase usually sufficed, and this was what Mr. Moore remembered from his childhood.  He also remembered there being two large electric “candles”, one on either side of the front door on the porch.

Staircase greenery, Photo by Nakoa Mariposa Photography

As for the family holiday meal, any combination of duck, turkey and ham would be served.  Miss Olivia’s husband, Henry Moore, Jr. was an avid hunter, and their son, Henry Moore, III still enjoys duck hunting today.  Mr. Moore didn’t remember a particular dessert that would be served though he said they probably had bread pudding as that was one of his favorites.

Today's tree in the rotunda, Photo by Nakoa Mariposa Photography, 2011

The Moore Family was of the Presbyterian faith, while the Smiths (Miss Olivia’s family) were Episcopalian so the holiday naturally had a focus on the birth of Jesus as well.  In the collections of the Ace of Clubs House there is a nativity scene that was brought from Mexico (where the Moores’ daughter Katharine and son-in-law Hebert Unsworth lived).  Though this nativity scene is in too fragile a condition to display today, in keeping with the family’s religious heritage, a vintage nativity scene is displayed throughout the season.

And let’s not forget the music!  I spoke with Kathy Unsworth Wolff, oldest daughter of Katharine and Herbert Unsworth, and she told me her mother loved Bing Crosby’s Christmas music.  When they were very small children, the Unsworth Family would usually travel from Mexico to Texarkana to visit their “Mama Grande” (Miss Olivia), but as they got older it became more the norm for Miss Olivia to travel to Mexico to visit them due to customs restrictions of transporting toys across the border–you can’t leave the children’s Christmas gifts behind!  Since her mother Katharine was usually in charge of the “victrola”, Kathy did not remember whether her “Mama Grande” Olivia had any particular musical favorites.  But of course, who can go a Christmas without Bing even today!

Posted by Draughon-Moore Collection curator, Melissa Nesbitt

Sometimes my personal and professional lives cross paths and enjoyably so.  Not only do I work as the curator of the Ace of Clubs House, I’m also a member of the Texarkana Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution.   Since the museum was able to provide the venue for our November 3rd chapter meeting in the Ace of Clubs Carriage House, I was able to attend.  I don’t often get to participate since I’m usually working at the Ace of Clubs House during our meeting time so it was nice to get to be involved.  They had scheduled me to be the speaker also with a program on preserving family heirlooms.  I love sharing not only how to find genealogy information on your family but also what to do with all those heirlooms–Grandma’s quilt, that photo of Uncle Billy in the war, that news clipping telling of Mom and Dad’s wedding, Aunt Susie’s favorite porcelain figurine and so on–because it’s the artifacts, documents and photographs that make the family tree come to life.

Sometimes that knowledge is second nature to me since I’ve worked here so long so I really had to sit down and plan out my presentation.  I knew there would be way too much information to fit into a 20 minute program though so I decided to concentrate on the most popular items–news clippings, photographs, documents like marriage licenses etc., photographs and scrapbooks.  Whew!  Still too much for a 20 minute program.

Melissa Nesbitt demonstrates the correct types of storage materials for preservation

So this got me thinking (which is sometimes dangerous)…  Why not host some workshops for the general public geared to specific types of family heirlooms where plenty of time is allotted for each category?  After presenting this idea to one of my colleagues, she said, “absolutely!”  So that’s what we’re looking at doing.  If you or someone you know have a particular topic you’d like to see covered, please leave us a comment or suggestion, and we’ll see if we can work out a presentation for it.

Meanwhile to start with–just remember one phrase:  Repairing a  document or photograph with Scotch tape is of the devil.

As always, if you have preservation questions, you may call and speak with the curatorial staff here at 903-793-4831.

Posted by Draughon-Moore Collection Curator, Melissa Nesbitt

Kathy Unsworth Wolff, Betty Unsworth Parker and Peggy Unsworth Darwin in the rotunda of the Ace of Clubs House 17 October 2011, the portrait is of their great-grandmother, Katharine Fleming Moore, on loan from Harold B. Carter

Monday, October 17, 2011 was a “historic” day for me as the curator of the Ace of Clubs House.  I have long been familiar with pictures of the Moore family and their descendants who lived and visited there over the years, but meeting family members in person is always a special thrill for me.  Olivia Smith Moore left the unusual house to the Texarkana Museums System upon her death in 1985, and along with the house came family furnishings, personal belongings and photographs.

“Miss Olivia” (as she was known) was a doting grandmother to her three granddaughters Kathy, Betty and Peggy who grew up in Mexico.  The archives are full of photos of the girls as they grew up and when they visited “Mama Grande”, as she was known to them.

Christmas c. 1957 at the Ace of Clubs House--from top to bottom: Betty, Kathy and Peggy Unsworth

On that historic Monday, I got the chance to visit with them in person.  Now grown with children and even grandchildren of their own, this was the first visit all three of them had made together since the house’s restoration.  Peggy, the youngest, I had met several years ago when she came for a special tour with Pi Beta Phi (her grandmother’s, mother’s and her women’s fraternity).  Kathy and Betty had not been to the house since their grandmother’s death.  It was exciting to see their faces as they recalled memories of the rooms where they slept, household staff who helped make their stay comfortable and enjoyable, and most of all their grandmother.  I gained new insight into the lady who was Olivia Smith Moore from their stories.

One thing they shared was Miss Olivia’s love of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.  They told of how they would all pile in her bedroom to watch it together.  Olivia was also well-known for her love of shoes and shopping at Neiman-Marcus in Dallas, and they told of how she’d bring a couple of pairs of shoes per outfit when she would visit their home in Mexico–that way she could always be prepared no matter the weather.  She also liked to bring them special little gifts–not always big presents, but always some special little treat–that they would get to open each day of her visits.  Most of all, they talked of what a warm and fun-loving person she was which is not something you readily see from her formal portraits, but in family snapshots she was more apt to let that side shine through.

We were having such a good time we hated for it to end.  All in all it was an enjoyable visit for everyone.

Posted by Draughon-Moore Collection Curator, Melissa Nesbitt

Now, what’s with the name? Well, MoRH (pronounced ‘more’) stands for the Museum of Regional History, the first of four museums founded and operated by the Texarkana Museums System.

BBQ? Well, we all enjoy the great barbeque in Texarkana, so TMS is hosting the MoRH Better BBQ Cookoff on Saturday October 1.

Bands? Friday come out and enjoy Greg Garnder and Voodoo Cowboy opening for Shooter Jennings. Concert starts at 6:00. Saturday, local favorite the Robert St. John Band lights up the stage just after the MoRH Better Battle of the Bands.

Here’s a sample of the Robert St. John Band:

Bikes? If you are a fan of motorcycles, come out and enjoy the Best Bike competition sponsored by Whiskey River.

In addition to all that, we’ll have lots of arts, crafts and food vendors. This year the festival is located on East Front Street between Olive and Hazel Streets in Downtown Texarkana! Check our website for directions, times and other information.

For more information about any of these events, prices and times, visit our home page at http://www.texarkanamuseums.org.

See you at the festival!

Not very, as it turns out.

The first stereograms (3 dimensional images) were created using methods invented by Sir Charles Wheatstone in 1838. Yes, that’s “18″38. The first stereoscops were produced for home use by 1850 and Oliver Wendell Holmes’ invention of the hand-held stereograph viewer(1859) made this form of entertainment widely popular .

The principle of three dimensional images is based on stereopsis or depth perception. Basically, each eye sees a slightly different image and your brain is tricked into thinking it is seeing a single image with depth. The difference in perception is referred to as binocular disparity. Special cameras with two lenses set 2 1/2 inches apart were used to create the stereograph images. The distance between the lenses equals the distance between human eyes.

Stereoscope in the TMS collections, circa 1910

The design of the hand-held stereoscope viewer changed very little over the next hundred years. Artifacts in the Texarkana Museums System collections include several hand-held stereoscopes dating from about 1880 to 1930. Table top models from the 1940s even include an electric light.

Rowsell's patented Graphoscope, from the TMS collections, circa 1870

 In a time when travel was all but impossible for anyone but the very wealthy, stereoscope images could transform anyone’s evening at home into a trip around the world. The TMS archives contain literally thousands of stereoscope views with beautiful images of foreign lands, national landmarks and even the moon!

In the days before moving pictures, the stereoscope also provided an alternate means of telling a story. Sterescope views were popular, especially when depicting famous literary moments or characters such as the death of Julius Ceasar or the tragedy of Romeo and Juliette. Comic stereographs were also very popular but were often frowned upon by the clergy for their “burlesque” aspects.

Though not really cheap, stereoscopes were relatively inexpensive. The Sears and Roebuck Catalog for 1901 advertised a handheld model for less than $1. This was not the nominal sum it is today, but still affordable enough for most families.

In part 2, we will discuss the evolution of the stereoscope as 20th Century innovations provided more entertainment options for the public.

The last section added to the list of presentations is a collection of oral history interviews with local African-American citizens. Included in this series are interviews with Dr. G.U. Jamison, Jr. and his discussion on his life as well as the history of medicine in Texarkana. Local educator Mrs. Juanita Secreas is also featured. To hear the clips, visit the TMS website at http://www.texarkanamuseums.org and click on the “Black History Month” link.  or click on one of the links below. The list below only links to two of the sound files. More are available through the main site.

Dr. G.U. Jamison, tape 1a

Juanita Banks Secrease, tape 1

One of the most popular elements of the TMS online presentations was a brief overview of the history of the historic Jamison Building located on West 3rd Street in Texarkana, Texas. This Texas Landmark was built in 1930 to serve the African-American business community. Three professionals, Dr. G.U. Jamison, Sr., Dr. W.T. Thompson and A. Weatherford sponsored the construction of the building and hired the firm of Witt, Siebert and Halsey to design the structure.  The opening day program provides a wonderful description of the interior as well as pages of ad from local African-American owned businesses. To learn more, visit the TMS website and click on the “Black History Month” link.

Among the properties featured is the old Home Appliance Building at 120 Olive on the Arkansas Side. The interior living space of this building was refurbished by Beverly and Auby Rowe and is a truly beautiful showplace. It also serves as an excellent example of how old buildings can be repurposed in wonderful ways.

New entrance leading to the spectacular apartment of the Rowes.

Just down from the Rowes’ lovely home is a building commonly known as the Ritchie Grocery Building, a National Register Property. This site is currently under renovation by Walraven Holdings and incorporates commercial and living spaces in the heart of the Old City Historic District of Texarkana, Arkansas.

Closeup of the Olive Street entrance of the historic Ritiche Grocery.

Texarkana, Texas is well represented on the tour. The properties at 211-217 West Broad Street, former home to everything from a hotel to a saddle shop, are currently under renovation by the Morriss family. Josh Morriss has set up a website detailing the progress of this project. For more, visit  “the Silvermoon.”

The tour begins at Texarkana’s oldest brick building, now home to the Museum of Regional History, at 219 N. State Line Ave. Tickets are $10 and the tour lasts from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Visit us at TexarkanaMuseums.org for more.

This square grand piano is referred to as the “Scott Joplin Piano.” In spite of what this suggests, this piano was not owned by Scot Joplin, but is most likely one of the pianos Joplin used for practice as a young boy.

 The instrument originally belonged to the J.H. Wilder family of 709 Hazel Street, Texarkana. It remained at this address until 1984. Joplin’s family resided at 618 Hazel Street during his childhood and it is likely that Florence Joplin, Scott’s mother, worked for the Wilder family during that time. According to early Joplin biographers Rudi Blesh and Harriet Janis,  Joplin learned to play on a square grand piano. He remembered accompanying  his mother to the homes in which his mother worked and was allowed to play the piano while his mother cleaned.* Given the proximity of the two residences and the coinciding dates, it is likely that this is one of the pianos referenced.

Known as the “Father of Ragtime,” Scott Joplin was born 1868 in Northeast Texas, near what is now Texarkana, AR-TX. He grew up in Texarkana and is believed to have attended the historic Orr School on Laurel Street. The school building still stands in the 800 block of Laurel Street and is used as a community daycare center. Joplin left Texarkana in his teens to continue his musical education. Although he never lived in Texarkana again, it is believed he visited his family here on a few occasions. One of his most impressive works, a ragtime opera called Treemonisha, is set just north of the present location of Texarkana, Arkansas

The piano is made of rosewood and manufactured in New Haven, Connecticut during the 1880s. It is currently on display as part of the Beasley Music Exhibit in the Museum of Regional History. Click here for more information about this display. 

*Source: They All Played Ragtime by Rudi Blesh and Harriet Janis, 1974 . The authors based their work on the recollections of Scott Joplin as told to his second wife, Lottie Stokes Joplin.

Mystery of the Mayan Medallion returns!

For those of us who have not figured out the Mystery of the Mayan Medallion, we get another chance at it. For those who loads of fun discovering the mystery, come back and join in the fun again. Starting September 28th, 2009, the Mayan Display will be at the Discovery Place at 215 Pine Street, Texarkana.  However, don’t think the space shuttle gang will be left out. If you need a little breather, you can always take a trip to out space. Come have  fun with us!!