Gingerbread Trail: Shilling Home

Shilling Home

114 East University Avenue

Built in 1920. Value Builders restored this home starting in 2006. It took 18 months to be restored. The original siding is still in place. The front of the house has the original house numbers made by the original owners. Bricks on the front steps came from the original fire place that had to be replaced.

Gingerbread Trail : Donnelly Home

Donnelly Home

Colonial Revival style cicra 1940. Structual system is two story wood frame and has a side gable roof.

Gingerbread Trail: Davison Home

Davison Home

208 Oldham avenue Waxahachie, Texas

Built circa 1890. Originally the property was owned by a Major Penn. Penn Had a large home at College st and Oldham st where the
post office is currently located. The Picketts were the next owners (The Daughter of Major Penn.) Later was owned by a Mr. McClain who was an early postmaster for Waxahachie.
The Satterfields owned it next and is said to have used as a boarding house. The House has 3.5 baths,parlor,living room,dining room,kitchen,breakfastroom,
and family room. Three of the four fireplaces are original to the house. Mrs Davison's Husband is no longer living but she offered visitors to her house a glimpse of some WWII items of his. He was on the deck of the Arizona when the Japanese bombed it at Pearl Harbor and was burned badly. He served until the end of the War and was on the Missouri when the surrender was signed. So he was literally there at the begining and the end!

The 3 and half pound gold fish caught october 21,1965

Saw an interesting small story in the Ennis Daily News dated Oct 21, 1965. Jack Walker caught a 3 1/2 pound gold fish at Old Lake in Ennis. It was theorized that the Gold Fish was used as trotline bait and got away.

Ernest Tubb plaque in Crisp, Texas

Ernest Tubb the Texas Troubadour "Walking the floor over you" was MR. Tubb's biggest hit put out in 1941.

WHERE ELLIS COUNTY NAMES CAME FROM

The following alphabetical list offers explanations for the naming of Ellis County communities and streams:
ALMA -this small town was named for the daughter of an early settler By "the name of Hemming.
AVALON -Avalon was named by Billy Jones, an early settler,
Bardwell -this community was named for J, Y. Bardwell, who was an early settler,
BOYCE -Boyce was named for its first settler, Capt. W, A. Boyce, who came to Texas from Alabama in 1874.
BUENA VISTA -this town was so named because Buena Vista means "beautiful view" in Spanish,
CHAMBERS CREEK.-A surveyor, Chambers, named the town for his uncle, Gen. Thomas Jefferson Chambers, who was a former judge of the Mexican Superior Courts and a figure in the Texas Revolution,
ELLIS -This county was named after Richard Ellis, a jurist, president of the Constitutional Congress which declared the independence of Texas from Mexico, and a member of the New Republic,
ENNIS -Ennis was named after Cornelius Ennis, one of the early directors of the Houston and Texas Central Railway which came to this point,
FERRIS -this town was named for Judge Justus W, Ferris,
FORRESTON -This community was originally called Chambers Creek for its location near the stream. The name was later changed to "Forreston" to honor Capt, Carr Forrest, who donated the land for the town site,
GARRETT -This town was named for the original land owner, William Garrett,
ITALY -this small town was originally known as Houston Creek because Sam Houston was supposed to have camped there. The name was rejected by the Post Office Department and Gabriel J. Pena submitted the name of Italy because the climatic conditions correspond to sunny Italy,
MAYPEARL -This town was first named Cyria, and a post office was granted under that name. The name was changed to honor May and Pearl, daughters of two officials of the International-Great Northern Railroad when if reached the town on June 25, 1903.
MIDLOTHIAN -Midlothian was named Barker for a Charles Barker. The name was changed by a Scottish engineer for the Gulf, Colorado, and Santa Fe Railroad which reached the site in 1883.
MILFORD -this community was named for a ford on Mill Creek,
NASH -Nash was named for N, J, Nash, an early settler.
OVILLA -the name for this town was devised by placing "o" before the word "villa" meaning house or village in Latin,'
PALMER -Palmer was named for Dr, D. S, Palmer, a physician for the Houston and Texas Central Railroad, which reached the town in 1874.
REAGOR SPRINGS -This community was originally named when the post office was established, but the name was later changed to honor John Reagor, who settled there.
RED OAK -Red Oak was named for the Oak trees in the vicinity*
ROCKETT— Rockett was originally known as "Liberty " but was renamed for the Rockett family who moved to the community in 1890.
STERRETT-the community was named for an early settler Col. Sterrett,
WAXAHACHIE-this town, which is the county seat of Ellis County recieved name from the creeks which passes through a portion of the town and means "Cow Creek" in the Indian Tongue* WAXAHACHIE CREEK -This creek was named "Cow Creek" by the Tonkawa In" Indians because of the cows which they found there.
WAXAHACHIE LAKE -this lake was named for the city of WAXAHACHIE and is located' south east of the town.
copied by Ruth Dates from a 1963 Waxahachie Daily Light Newspaper
Searchers and Researchers Volume 1 issue 1 pg118 winter 1977-1978

--------------------------TEXANA---------------------------

Chautauqua 2008
Texana: A Texas State of Mind

Texas History, Texas Music and Texas Heritage Come Alive!

Celebrate the sights and sounds of the Lone Star State's early days with music, poetry, storytelling, historical reenactments, and a Chuck Wagon Dinner.

Featuring: The Caddo Indian Nation, AKA Vocal Ensemble, The Light Crust Doughboys, Early Texas Life Reenactors, and a
Concert by the Dallas Wind Symphony

Saturday, September 27 12:30 - 9:00 pm
Chautauqua Auditorium - Getzendaner Park

Tickets (available at the door):
All Day (12:30 - 9:00 pm) Adults $10.00 Students $2.00
Evening Concert Only (7pm) Adults $5.00 Students $2.00

For more information:
info@waxahachiechautauqua.org

Racial Inequality Historical Evidence at Ellis County Courthouse

Tredway and Friends at the Chautauqua

GROUP HANDS OFF TO A HAROLD SAXOPHONE SOLO.

The evening of July 5th was the beginning of hopefully something special. Though only a small crowd from 5:30 pm to 10ish pm, it was something that is needed in Waxahachie. Talent and and even wishful talent needs a place to spread it's wings. Randy Tredway has a vision to bring Waxahachie into the music world. I stopped by after work and gave a listen. I left to go searching for the Beauty Shop house used in Places In The Heart. No luck. When I came back with my grape snow cone, I found my long time family friends Alan and PJ Searsy(PJ is the director of the Waxahachie Community Theater.) I heard some Hippy look'n fellas sing about making love under the catfish moon. Absolutely great fun! I noticed a fella named Harold had been sitting in the back playing a saxaphone since I had left 3 hours earlier. Harold added a nice compliment to the songs. I believe he is in his 80's and I thought I heard was Randy's Granpa. My favorite song was the one about "if want to ride with the devil he'll be wanting to drive". Something like that. I really enjoyed the lyrics and the music. I am really looking forward for the songwriter's concerts to catch on. Hopefully we can get some writers to write about the rich History of Ellis County.


Tredway plans on having the Songwriter Concerts once a month from now on beginning with the July 5, 2008 performance.

“The songwriters that we have been talking about performing at Chautauqua are excited about performing there because of the history of the place. People like Will Rogers have performed there,” Tredway said. “We have had nothing but support from the city and we believe that we can make this happen. However, we need the community supporting us by coming out to the event.”-Randy Tredway

http://www.tredwayandfriends.com/

REMAINING SONGWRITER'S CONCERT DATES
AUGUST 16TH
SEPTEMBER 6th
OCTOBER 11th
NOVEMBER 8th
DECEMBER 13th
2009
JANUARY 10th
FEBRUARY 14th
MARCH 14th
APRIL 11TH
MAY 9TH
JUNE 13TH
JULY 11TH
AUGUST 8TH
SEPTEMBER 12TH
OCTOBER 10TH

NOVEMBER 14TH

DECEMBER 12TH

The Irony of Andrew Jackson Lummus Sr & Jr

Both served their community and country giving their life for them. Now Jack Lummus Jr's Medal Of Honor,posthumously awarded for his bravery on Iwo Jimma, rests in the the Ennis Railroad and Cultural Museum. Ironically, right across the street from the museum Jack Lummus Sr. laid down his life in the service of the Ennis public. He was murdered by intoxicated railroad employee named Oran Mounts. On May 13, 1944,10 months before Jack Jr would die, Jack Lummus Sr., Assistant Chief of Police of Ennis, tried to calm Oran L. Mounts who had been drunk and disorderly in a cafe at 110 NE main street in Ennis, Oran pulled out a revolver and shot Jack Sr. in the stomach right outside the establishment. Jack Sr died in the ambulance. Source www.Jacklummus.com

The Ennis Railroad And Cultural Museum is located at 105 NE Main Street Ennis, Texas. The picture shows the railroad track side of the museum. But in the front of the museum across NE Main and down to the left is the location of the murder of Jack Lummus Sr. No more than 50 yards from where Jack Lummus Jr's Medal Of Honor is stored. No monument is placed for Jack Lummus Sr, but maybe their should be one. I took a picture from the Ennis Business Forms extra parking next to the museum. I'm guessing that the building in the center of the picture may be the old cafe.

JACK LUMMUS 1ST LT USMCR: A True American Hero

Myrtle Cemetery Ennis, Texas

JACK LUMMUS First Lieutenant, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve OCTOBER 22,1915 - MARCH 8, 1945



Andrew Jackson Lummus Jr. "was born at Ennis, Texas, on 22 October 1915, son of Mr. and Mrs. Andrew J. Lummus His father was a policeman." (Mom's name was Laura Francis Lummus.)

Apparently Jack never graduated from Ennis High School. Some web-sites say because of influenza others say being in the Depression his family didn't see any sense in paying all that money for graduation (caps and gowns ,etc) . He did graduate from a Military school where he received a scholarship to Baylor University. It's said his sports endeavors kept him from graduating Baylor though he was close to graduating with a degree in physical education and his grades were satisfactory. "In the summer of 1941, he signed and played professional baseball with the Wichita Falls (Texas) Team of the Western Texas-New Mexico League. In the preceding fall he signed up with the New York Giants and was still on their roster when he enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve on 30 January 1942."

On a Jack Lummus web-site it tells of the tragic death on May 13, 1944 of his father, Assistant Chief of Police of Ennis. While trying to calm Oran L. Mounts who had been drunk and disorderly in a cafe at 110 NE main street in Ennis, Oran pulled out a revolver and shot Jack Sr. in the stomach right outside the establishment. 10 months later his son Jack would bravely die on Iwo Jima.



-----------------------------AND SOME GAVE ALL------------------------


CITATION:

Rank and organization: First Lieutenant, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve. Born: 22 October 1915, Ennis, Tex. Appointed from: Texas. Citation: "For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as Leader of a Rifle Platoon attached to the Second Battalion, Twenty-seventh Marines, Fifth Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces on Iwo Jima in the Volcano Islands, 8 March 1945. Resuming his assault tactics with bold decision after fighting without respite for two days and nights, First Lieutenant Lummus slowly advanced his platoon against an enemy deeply entrenched in a network of mutually supporting positions. Suddenly halted by a terrific concentration of hostile fire, he unhesitatingly moved forward of his front lines in an effort to neutralize the Japanese position. Although knocked to the ground when an enemy grenade exploded close by, he immediately recovered himself and, again moving forward despite the intensified barrage, quickly located, attacked and destroyed the occupied emplacement. Instantly taken under fire by the garrison of a supporting pillbox and further assailed by the slashing fury of hostile rifle fire, he fell under the impact of a second enemy grenade but, courageously disregarding painful shoulder wounds, staunchly continued his heroic one-man assault and charged the second pillbox, annihilating all the occupants. Subsequently returning to his platoon position, he fearlessly traversed his lines under fire, encouraging his men to advance and directing the fire of supporting tanks against other stubbornly holding Japanese emplacements. Held up again by a devastating barrage, he again moved into the open, rushed a third heavily fortified installation and killed the defending troops. Determined to crush all resistance, he led his men indomitably, personally attacking foxholes and spider traps with his carbine and systematically reducing the fanatic opposition, until, stepping on a land mine, he sustained fatal wounds. By his outstanding valor, skilled tactics and tenacious perseverance in the face of overwhelming odds, First Lieutenant Lummus had inspired his stouthearted Marines to continue the relentless drive northward, thereby contributing materially to the success of his regimental mission. His dauntless leadership and unwavering devotion to duty throughout sustain and enhance the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life in the service of his country."

It is reported that Jack Lummus said his last words to the doctor trying to save him and they were "Well, Doc, it looks like the Giants have lost a good end"

On May 5, 1946 Harry S. Truman, President of the United States, signed the Citation awarding posthumously the Medal of Honor to First Lieutenant Jack Lummus.

"On Memorial Day, May 30, 1946 at 8:00 p.m. at Tabernacle Baptist Church in Ennis, Texas, a Memorial Service, under the auspices of the American Legion and Auxiliary, was held to honor Ennis area war dead, and host a Medal of Honor Ceremony. Mrs. Laura Francis Lummus would be presented the Medal of Honor awarded posthumously to her son, 1st Lt. Jack Lummus." "Besides his mother, he was survived by two sisters, Mrs. Gilbert Wright and Mrs. Tommy Merritt." Notice how the picture captures the pride and sadness of Jack's mom. The picture, entitled "Medal for a Son", was taken by Dallas Times Herald photographer, Johnny Hayes, and was award winning.

Mason Temple Waxahachie, Texas

My Grandfather J. O. Bailey was a Mason. My father says he was a 32nd degree. I don't know enough about Masons to know if that is possible or what it means. I have heard that my Grandfather had told someone he thought it was silly. Maybe that is why he never got to 33 degree? :) I remember he had their symbol on his gravestone and they did something at his service. I do know that degrees have something to do about ranking. I know that many of our our forefathers were really involved in the Masons and it seems to have been influential in politics and business. Legend has it that Santa Anna was spared his life when he flashed a secret Mason hand sign to Sam Houston. Both Masons.

I've never been in a secret society except in fourth grade when I started a Women Haters Club. Our only rules was not to fraternize with the enemy. When my friend Bubba dissented by falling in love with Anita, it all fell apart. Some kids also at this time started a game where if you caught a girl you got to kiss her. I was a staunch member of my club and didn't participate. Man I was a dummy! But the Principle intervened and the game soon ended.


Anyway, Part of the Boze Mitchell McKibbin Funeral Home at 511 W Main St, Waxahachie next to the Library is a Mason Temple. Before that the Mason's met in the top floor where the Ellis County Museum is now. Built 1889.

According to the recollection of Shannon Simpson, director of Ellis County Museum, before that it was next to the Library but was a small building. So they probably already owned the land that the Temple was built on. They built the Temple at 511 w main st in 1925. "The Masonic Lodge building on Main Street was constructed around 1925. The Masons moved from the site of the Ellis County Museum to this structure around that time. When the Depression hit in 1929, the Lodge had to sell the bottom floor of the structure to make ends meet. The bottom portion has been a funeral home
since that time." According to the KBEC radio spot the Boze Mitchell McKibbin Funeral Home has been around since 1867 (if I remember right.) So it must have moved around. It seems to be common that a Mason Lodge will build a multiple story building and rent the lower floors to fund their Lodge. The Historical Marker at the Ellis County Museum tells about the different business' that were in the Lodge building.

Here are some pics of the Mason Temple at the funeral Home. Notice the peep hole. There was a closet upstairs where the doors had no handles on the inside. There is apparently some ancient breakers in the breaker box and the window for a projector for whatever movie they were watching. One can only imagine. There is a closet space under the stairs like where Harry Potter stayed for a while. There is suppose to be a trap door somewhere that is used for a test. They drop a guy down into this trap door and leave him there for a certain amount of time that symbolizes the 40 days in the cave.

Rural Free Delivery in Ellis County

INFO FROM PUBLIC ROADS WEBSITE


About ten years ago near the community of Rankin, I found some artifacts metal detecting. First I came across a cylinder to what appears to be part of a toy gun. I was thinking people may have dumped trash here. Then near a tree I came across a padlock then part of a belt buckle. The lock looked old and didn't have the connecting loop just the pad part. On the pad it says "RFD". Which I was thinking might mean Rankin Fire Department. But on the other side it says "MAIL". A little later by coincidence, a lovely postal employee brought to my attention that a new stamp was coming in commemoration of the 100 years of Rural Free Delivery by the US Post Office. So I'm guessing that possibly the pad lock was meant for a mail bag that had a belt around it. Or maybe the it locked a door to a cabinet. Also I was told by an old timer that once there was an old road that crossed the area where I found the pad lock. The road supposedly went across an area that is now a corp lake. Maybe something happened on the delivery or a hand off. It's possible that maybe somebody just used the lock for personal use and it ended up out here. If the mind wonders enough you could imagine some thief who stole a bag or something that was locked up and took it out here and cut off the lock.

Rural Free Delivery

The rural free delivery system also contributed to the development of a parcel post system and played an important part in the good roads movement. True to some of the dire predictions of its early opponents, however, RFD cut into the profits of main street retailers; brought an exotic and sometimes threatening urban culture into rural living rooms; and added to the growing sense that residents of small towns lived at the margins of a consumer economy dominated by America's biggest cities.

All those roads that go deep into the woods or the country pretty much were a result of people wanting to get there mail. You know how picky the mail can be if you have ever lived out in the country. If a road was too muddy or difficult the mail wouldn't deliver. The person out in the country would have to ride or walk into town and get their mail. I have read where some citizens took it upon their selves to finance some good roads to their place so they could get their mail delivered. They weren't going to wait on the government.




THIS VIDEO IS FROM 1903 AND SHOWS A RURAL FREE DELIVERY HAND OFF. I DON'T KNOW THE LOCATION. BUT YOU CAN DEFINITELY TELL IT IS RURAL.
Here is a mail drop off Aug 22, 1903. Cute little kids walking buy witrh their dog in the lead.
Commemorative stamp
Old picture of a RFD wagon
another old RFD pic


PICTURES OF THE PAD LOCK



LINKS TO PICTURE OF THE TOY GUN CYLINDER
CYLINDER
CYLINDER1
CYLINDER2
CYLINDER PART

Why Ovilla is dry -Double-Barreled Shotguns

It's a mentality that stays in Ovilla today. Especially now since Ovilla is not the commercial hub it use to be in the 1850's. Now it's a place you want to retire or raise your kids and keep out the outside world the most you can. Leave all the violent crime and sinful pleasure business' in other communities. Ovillians can just drive to them if they need them. Of course having 5 or 6 churches in such a small community helps keep the those evil spirits out of town.

Ovilla in it's early days of the 1850's was a fairly big community for it's time but it was made of Church going people. Diehard Christians. Shiloh Church was the backbone and the community formed it's morals around it. They liked it that way. Keep the carnal in other towns. Well when some Dallas boys showed up to set up a mobile saloon near the Shiloh meetings, the citizens became the mighty hand of God. Shiloh was a big attraction and these Dallas boys were sent by a business man to capitalize on the Churches traffic. But didn't account for the Christians of action in the congregation.

The following is an account from the early days of Ovilla. Just for reference, according to an inflation calculator, what cost $300.00 in 1850 would cost $7014.96 in 2006. The recollection was written in 1890's about an even earlier time in Ovilla History.

"HISTORY OF ELLIS COUNTY.

Be it said to the honor of the early settlers, not only of Ellis county, but all over the State, that it was considered beneath the dignity of a man to misbehave at church; and so general was this the case, that if any one violated the rules of decorum, he was spotted as not a Texan, and this was not only true among church people, but even among those of desperate character. This state of decorum continued for quite a number of years, until people began to flock into Texas in large numbers, and then and not until then people began to misbehave at church. Es-
pecially was this true at Shiloh, at which time a man of Dallas sent some boys with "material" to Shiloh during one of these protracted occasions to run a saloon. When they opened up they were waited upon by the authorities to leave, but did not leave. Then the owner of the land waited upon them and notified them to desist, but still of no avail. Then a legal notice was issued and read to them, whereupon the boys began to pack up and dilly-dallied about it until services began at the stand; then started, and, as they passed the stand, fired off their pistols, putting their team to the top of their speed. Whereupon the male part of the congregation with one impulse arose and gave chase, overtaking them in about a half-mile, brought them back, tried them, bound them over to court, and placed them in the church house under guard. Their friends said there were not men enough on the camp-ground to keep them until morning, but by sundown we had twelve double-barreled shot-guns well charged, while the rabble on the outside numbered between fifty and a hundred; but we kept them all the tame till morning. Then their friends said we could not take them to Waxahachie; but we did, and lodged them in jail, and it cost the man who sent them to run the saloon about $300. Right here permit me to remark, though it is not a part of the history of Shiloh church, that doubtless through the influence of Shiloh no saloon has ever existed in the neighborhood, though it was tried a few years ago; but died in a short time for want of patronage." from the memories and biographies of ellis county

-------Katie Litty Daffan----------

Katie Daffan

The prolific Miss Katie Daffan was born on July 29, 1874, in Brenham, Texas, daughter of Laurence A. and Mollie (Day) Daffan. Her father was an official of the Houston & Texas Central railroad. Miss Daffan was raised in Ennis. She died in Ennis on May 22, 1951 after being hit by a car the intersection of Dallas St and W Baylor in Ennis, Texas.

HERE IS A LIST OF HER ACCOMPLISHMENTS PROBABLY NOT ALL OF THEM. (SHE COULD HAVE USED A BLACKBERRY.)
She was a graduate of the Corsicana class of 1890 ,also graduated from Hollins Institute in Virginia, was a special history student at the universities of Texas and Chicago, She taught elementary school in Ennis and San Augustine and high school history in Houston, served as principal of a girls' school in Dallas, and taught summer sessions in the normal schools of East Texas, first Vice President of the State of Texas Teachers Association,on the Texas State Text-Book Board, state secretary to the General Federation of Women's Clubs, the first president of the Houston Story Tellers Club, first vice president of the Texas Historical Society, superintendent of the Confederate Woman's Home in Austin in 1911 making her the first woman in Texas appointed to head a state institution, she wrote or edited around 7 books(some articles say 8), her book Texas Heroes was adopted as a Texas school text book, She served five terms as president of the Texas Division of the United Daughters of the Confederacy,state historian of the Daughters of the American Revolution (1909-10),state secretary to the General Federation of Women's Clubs (1909), first vice president of the Texas State Historical Association (1912, 1913, 1914)she was a member of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas,a charter member of Houston Pen Women, a board member of the Houston Public Library (1904-29),charter member of the Houston Board of Recreation (1922-29), first president of the Houston Storyteller's Club (1922-29). twice appointed sponsor for Texas to the General Confederate reunions and in May 1913 was appointed sponsor for the South to the General Confederate Reunion held in Chattanooga,Tennessee-the highest social honor conferred upon a woman of the South, hostess for Texas at the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis, ,She was also secretary for life of Hood's Texas Brigade, in which her father had served,Daffan was literary editor of the Houston Chronicle(7 year term),president of the Texas Women’s Press Association,delivered the welcome address that formally introduced Pres. William Howard Taft on his official visit to Houston in 1909, ran three times for public office, came close to winning a seat in the Texas House of Representatives in 1922, campaigned for Governor of Texas in 1930,and feature columnist for the Ennis Daily News from 1936 to 1950.

HER BOOKS:wrote or edited New Orleans (1906), Woman in History (1908), My Father as I Remember Him (1908), The Woman on Pine Springs Road (1910), As Thinketh a Woman (poems, 1911), Texas Hero Stories (1912), History of the United States (1924), and Texas Heros (1924)

Yeah,it almost seems impossible someone could be that prolific. She was the definition of prolific and a trailblazer for the modern woman.

She did marry in 1897 but it was short lived. In fact she came back from her Honeymoon alone. It never was known the true reason for the marriage's failure. Her Husband Mann Trice, assistant attorney general of Texas, went all out for the wedding which took place at the Daffan House on Dallas street in Ennis. He had a red carpet placed at the train station before they went off on their honeymoon. It seemed it was off to a great start. Latter people have speculated this marriage failure to her questionable sexual orientation. But this could be dismissed by those who knew her that said she never got over Mr Trice. Seems more probable that her social activities and independence were not what Mr. Trice expected of his wife and realized it would never work.

Here is a recollection of Mr. George Graves, Jr. who is a long time resident of Ennis and has a deep heritage in Ennis. You can see that in her later years Miss Daffan became a more eccentric character through his personal encounters as recalled in the Ennis Daily New's Story.

"Graves remembers many local personalities from Ennis’past. A boarder with the redoubtable “Miss Katie” Daffan in 1948, he once put out a fire caused by a water heater in the well-known author’s house on Dallas St. and won her heart. But he said that the eccentric Daffan soon forgot his heroism and in order to redecorate the upper floors of her home, practically threw him out of his room."

Mr Graves' son, Kevin Graves, recalled his fathers' stories of Miss Daffan in more detail on his Kevboy Flikr web-site.

"Another aside to this woman. My Dad was rooming in this house when his sister and children moved back home, he moved out to give them room. Dad said the old boiler in the house was red hot and the wallpaper was scorching. He turned it off. She exclaimed "Oh, Mr. Graves! You have saved my beautiful home!....I shall forever be grateful to you!" Three weeks later, she told he and another border they had to move because she was having the house papered. She made the paperers paper around all the photos and paintings on the wall, because her mother had hung the pictures and they had never been off the walls. Dad said the paperers waited till Miss Katy left the house and went right ahead and took the photos down and papered under them, knowing SHE would never take them down to check. Three weeks later, Miss Katie saw my Dad in town, and chirped "you room is ready for you, Mr. Graves. Mr. Graves had found other accommodations. Miss Katie was quite the character. She would walk into the Post Office and buy whatever she wanted and say "put those on my account". The bewildered clerk would say "but Miss Katie, no one has an account at the post office! Overhearing, the Postmaster, Mr. Barney would yell, "CLERK, put those on Miss Katie's account as she told you". Of course HE was paying for it. She got a lot of mileage out of being eccentric."

Kevin elaborates on her death and the Daffan house destruction.

"Tragically, Miss Katie was run down by a car in front of" her "house on her late night coffee run." "Her nightly haunt."

N 32 19.661 W 096 37.659
HISTORICAL MARKER TO RECOGNIZE MRS KATIE'S LIFE AND DEATH.

What Katie's Historical Marker says:

"Katie Daffan
July 29, 1874 - May 22, 1951
Location: Pierce Park, Northwest Main Street, Ennis
Born in Brenham, Katie Lilly Daffan was a well-known author, educator, journalist, and club woman. She began her career as a teacher and was an officer of the Texas State Historical Association. She wrote several books, including a Texas history textbook. Active in the United Daughters of the Confederacy, she served from 1911 to 1918 as superintendent of the Confederate Woman's Home in Austin. She was Literary Editor of the Houston Chronicle from 1921 to 1928. Miss Daffan taught school in Ennis and was feature columnist for the Ennis Daily News 1936-1950. She died here in 1951. [Recorded Texas Historic Landmark Texas Sesquicentennial 1836-1986] "

"The house was sold and in 1962." "It was sadly razed in 1960 when Safeway went in." "Nothing was taken out of the house. I remember seeing the wrecking ball tear it down."

Kevin was only 5 but remembered thinking "why?" did they take down the house.


THE ABANDONED SAFEWAY 302 N DALLAS STREET

Kevin has a great picture on his "Flikr" account that his Dad, Mr George Graves Jr., had taken in 1938. Mr Graves and his cousin had climbed the old grain elevator in Ennis. It is across from the Sonic and behind the Diamond Shamrock today. If you run your mouse across the picture the picture will highlight the Daffan house on N Dallas street. The picture can be found here.





HISTORICAL MARKER VIEWED FROM WHERE THE APPROXIMATE LOCATION OF WHERE HER HOUSE WOULD HAVE BEEN. MAYBE A HUNDRED TO A HUNDRED FIFTY YARDS AWAY


------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ennis Daily News Special History Edition Feb 29th 2008

Get a copy of the Ennis Daily News paper from 02/29/2008(leap day) it has great detail into Katie Daffan's life. Managing Editor, Randy Bryan Bigham, is writing a book about Katie Daffan and if not by know will be the authority on her life. Randy also informed me that the Ennis Library has a wealth of Katie's material that includes literature and pictures. Randy is even getting to know her little quirks like how she always used two cups to drink her coffee. She would pour her coffee back and forth from one cup to another until it cooled down. In the Feb 29th article it gives a good detail into Katie's Death. It goes on to tell how Katie had left Miss Pearl's cafe at 3 am May 17, 1951 to return home. (Picture is of old Interurban Station at the corner of W Baylor and Dallas St. Probably looks similar to what it did in 1951. Interurban had been shutdown for 10 years when Katie was killed)While crossing W Baylor on Dallas St she was ran over by Vesta McClain. Miss Katie died of her wounds 5 days later at the local hospital on May 22, 1951. Vesta was charged with manslaughter but charges were dropped. I've heard that Katie's family believed that Katie would not have wanted Vesta McClain charged with her murder.

I have always told people that a play should be made about Miss Katie and thought to mention this to my Mother's close friend PJ Searsy who runs the Waxahachie Community Theater. Well apparently a Mrs Sandra Wakefield of Ennis is planning to take on the eccentric Katie in a one woman play. The play should open within a year. It is to raise money for the historic archives of the Ennis Public Library. Read more of the Ennis Daily News article at the above Sandra Wakefield link.

Miss Katie's burial site is located in the Myrtle cemetery in Ennis, Texas. Within in a mile from the location of her house and the site of her death.


This emblem is on Katie's tombstone.












Daffan Family grave pictures

Daffan Family grave site picture

Another Daffan Family grave site picture

Katie Daffan grave stone flat

Katie Daffan tombstone vertical