Onion Field Near Poteet

Old Jail in Jourdanton

I love this picture of the old red brick jail in Jourdanton. It was built by H. Phelps, who also built the county courthouse, and is still standing. It was completed in 1915. The cells on the third floor are intact and the gallows for hangin is in the south west corner of the building.

Downtown San Antonio

I'll bet everybody has a picture like this one. The photographer set up on a street, this looks like Houston Street, and took the picture, then offered it for sale. This is my dapper dad, Pete Morris. I wonder where he was going so dressed up...

Get Your Kicks On Route 66

This is a picture of my mother, Opal Holmes. It was taken in 1934 while traveling, by car, to Chicago from Atascosa County to the Chicago World's Fair. She taught school in Somerset and Leal, also Boerne and Mineral Wells. She married my dad, William Don "Pete" Morris, in 1939 in the Methodist Church in Pleasanton. It was a double wedding, the other couple was Charity Winters and Sandy Crane.

Picnic in Pleasanton

Left to right are W.D."Pete" Morris, my dad, Maude Thomason Morris, my grandmother, Uncle John Morris and I'm not sure who the others are.

The Benton City Masonic Lodge #379

Click on image to enlarge

The original two story rock building of the Benton City Institute was originally built by Mr. J.R. Sweeten (circa 1875 ). The upper story of this building was the first home of the Benton city Masonic Lodge #379. The lower floor was built to be used as a school and was always referred to The Benton City Institute. This picture displays several of the founding members of the original lodge. Noted on the back is, "this photo was taken in 1881".

The photo was acquired by the Benton City Historical Society in recent years and through a concentrated research effort, the names of most of these men are identified now and can be found on the list included with the picture. Any information or additions or corrections may be posted on this blog as a comment or contact James Collins at 830 709-3939 or email prestine1548@sbcglobal.net.

Anderson/Miller 50th Wedding Anniversary Picture Update

To see who's been identified so far, check the list below and compare to the corresponding number on the picture-click on the image to enlarge


On June 9, 2008 we posted this picture depicting the crowd of family and friends who attended the 50th anniversary celebration of Georgia Miller Anderson and Charlie Anderson. It was held in the Poteet/Amphion area, in Atascosa County, in about 1950.

Georgia was the daughter of Simon Peter Miller and Martha Calk Miller. Since the earlier post many more of the individuals have been identified. I am posting the picture again, looking for any information. If you can identify someone, or if you think someone is identified in error, please let James Collins know. He can be reached, either by phone or email at 830 709-3939 or prestine1548@sbcglobal.net James works tirelessly on these projects. He won't stop until he has a name attached to each face.

Benton City Institute

This photo was taken at the Benton City Institute sometime between the 1890's and early 1900's. It was donated to the Benton City Historical Society by Mrs. Carol Thompson Rackley in honor of her mother Mrs. Lula Belle Gray Thompson (#11 in the picture) Others in the photo are #6, John Garland Flowers, younger brother to A.J. Flowers. A.J. ( Arthur Judson) Flowers was the music teacher at the Institute. He's #7 in the picture. John Garland Flowers went on to become President of the Southwest Texas State Teacher's College in San Marcos.

If anyone can identify the people in the photo, please contact James Collins at 830 709-3939 or email James at prestine1548@sbcglobal.net

Click on photo to enlarge