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Posted 04.05.07 at 11:10 AMApologies for neglecting my readers lately. Time has a way of flying past before we know it. I’ll try to be more attentive to this journal in the future.
I was happy to receive my invitation, as both a volunteer (I serve on the Board of the Friends of the Sam Bell Maxey Historic Site) and a Station Representative (for Aikin Regional Archives), to the 34th annual RSVP of Red River Valley Volunteer Recognition Banquet at Love Civic Center on April 17, 2007. I’m happy to enjoy the hard work and services of two very active archives volunteers: Gail Clarke and Emily Somerville. Also, James May volunteers in the archives and in the PJC library where he works at indexing The Paris News. Thanks to Gail, Emily, and James.
I was also invited to the Awards Banquet of the Sam Bell Maxey Camp of the Sons of the Confederate Veterans on March 14 at Heritage Hall. It was a wonderful meal and I visited with many friends. Dr. William deG. Hayden presented the archives with a series of tapes, made by the Camp, on the battles of the Ninth Texas Infantry. Also, Judy Gibbons received the Maxey House Preservation Award, and Charlie Fry received the Distinguished Service Award for contributions to the camp. Joe Justiss, Katie Burns, and Dan Parham entertained the audience with old camp songs from the war period.
Comments: 0 | Read & Comment »Dr. Jack E. Mackey
Posted 02.20.07 at 3:02 PM
Thanks to Dr. Jack E. Mackey, of Paris, Texas, for presenting his World War II U.S. Navy “Log Album” to Aikin Regional Archives, along with miscellaneous papers that highlight his military service.
According to one news clipping in the album, “Of the seven major battles of the Pacific area, First Class Seaman Jack E. Mackey, has been engaged in five.” His handwritten log of countries visited include such names as the Figi Islands, Samoa, New Hebrides, Tarawa, and Guadalcanal. Of Saipan, Guam, and Tinian Rota (Marianana Islands), he wrote, “About the best bases outside of Pearl Harbor.” Of Leyte and the Philippines, “There I was wounded Oct. 25, 1944.”
Then, life calmed down for Mackey. Of Sydney, Australia, he wrote, “Not bad (7 women to each man.)” Of Dutch Harbor, Adak, and Kodiak, “Very cold,” and New Caledonia, “Not bad if you can speak French.”
Comments: 0 | Article Continues ... Continue Reading & Comment »More Photographs
Posted 01.03.07 at 5:07 PMThanks to Mrs. Terrell Boyd for bringing in these photographs to Aikin Regional Archives. Train buffs will find the 1925 Evans Studio depot picture especially interesting.
The photograph of the Capt. J.M. Daniel house appears to have a bit of plumbing protruding from the north side into a gazebo or sheltered well house. The house was built in 1876 by Daniel, whose wife was Emily, the daughter of George Wright, one of the city’s founders. The cupola on top of the tower once contained a water tank. Daniel was the commander of the Lamar Artillery, or the “Ninth Texas Battery.” Richard and Claudia Hunt now occupy the famous Paris home known as “Kaufman Terrace.”
Comments: 0 | Read & Comment »Floyd’s Paris Radio Service
Posted 01.03.07 at 2:51 PMWe thank Sandra Oyler, daughter of Bill Floyd, for contributing this photograph of Paris Radio Service, Radios, Radio Repair, and Sound Service to Aikin Regional Archives. Virgil Francis, an employee, is pictured on the left of Bill Floyd. Mr. Floyd was born in 1908 in Red River County, but came to Paris in 1923, where he attended both Paris High School and Paris Junior College. After two years at the University of Texas, he returned to Paris as the manager of the radio department for Montgomery Ward. Then he entered business for himself at 35 Lamar Ave., repairing radios and selling new ones to his customers on the installment plan. His shop was also listed at 2109 Lamar Ave.
A note of interest: Bill’s father was Sen. Charles R. Floyd, who served two terms in the Texas Senate from 1923-1929 and was elected Representative from the 38th District in 1944. Charles R. Floyd was the father of Bill Floyd and of Mrs. Anthony Popp. According to Mrs. Popp in an interview in 1971, they were living in Annona during his first Senate term, and it took three days to drive from there to Austin in a Model T. She said a trip on the “Katy Flyer” took a day and a night.
Comments: 0 | Read & Comment »Miscellanea
Posted 10.12.06 at 3:35 PMHey, it’s good to be back again. Life is jumpin’ here at Paris Junior College. Check out our new “Academic Journal” on the Web site. Bloggers are PJC students sounding off on a variety of topics, and our editorial board is student-powered.
I met an interesting fellow in the archives recently, “Wildwood Dean,” one of our registered patrons who dropped in to meet me. He’s a “stick artificer,” a craftsman of twig furniture, and he is also an authority on the Red River. His Web site is http://www.redriverscholar.com, and he hails from Fannin County. More to come on Wildwood Dean.
I will be in Hopkins County the night of Oct. 19 with, I hope, Dwight Chaney, who blogs on regional writers, to give the program for the Hopkins County Genealogical Society in its downtown library. Looking forward to this trip and meeting folks down that way. They have a super Web site.
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