The Mathis News (Mathis, Tex.), Vol. 63, No. 12, Ed. 1 Thursday, March 20, 1986 Page: 3 of 16
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Society...
Rededication Of Courthouse
County Celebrates
150th Birthday
By Kerry Williams
San Patricio County celebrated
her 150th birthday Monday, March
with an official ceremony and
^Predication of the 1872 county cour-
tnouse in Old San Patricio.
A good-sized crowd of county
residents, dressed in green, along
with some visiting neighbors from
Kingsville, gathered on the lawn of
the restored courthouse to com-
memorate this special day for San
Patricio County.
The Commissioners’ Court met in
Sinton at the courthouse at 9 a.m.,
conducted "some brief business and
then traveled to Old San Patricio to
reconvene their special meeting.
County Judge J.M. Edmondson Jr.
welcomed the group on the county’s
150th birthday. San Patricio County
came into existence on March 17,
1836 as it was one of the original
counties for the new state of Texas.
^Krish pioneers purchased a Mex-
^pn land grant years before 1836
and brought their people to settle
here. The county and likewise City of
Old San Patricio were named after
the Patron Saint of Ireland, St,
Patrick.
San Patricio Historical Commis-
sion Chairman Keith Guthrie then
gave a brief history of the four cour-
thouses that have served the county
since its existence. The first cour-
thouse was a log cabin and was built
in the same constitution square as
the restored courthouse sometime in
the 1830s. This structure was later
burned down during war times.
From there the court, was held in
people’s homes or in a old building
rented and designated to serve as a
courthouse. In 1867, a stone cour-
^Mhpuse was begun but not finished
^recause of the Civil War. 1872 was
the year, the presently restored,
original courthouse was con-
structed. The courthouse was built
at a cost of $1,600 according to Com-
missioners’ Courts records.
The first session of court was held
in July of 1872. However, the cour-
thouse did not stand long as fire
destroyed the building Feb. 21, 1889
by unknown causes. The “big move”
then began to move the County Seat
to Sinton because of the distance
between all of the other cities in the
area. In 1894, the county seat was
moved to Sinton. The first cour-
thouse in Sinton was then built at a
cost of $24,987 followed by the pre-
sent courthouse built in 1928 for ap-
proximately $100,000.
^Ptonnie Glasscock III, Chairman of
the San Patricio Restoration Socie-
ty, was then called upon to tell of the
actual restoration of the building be-
ing rededicated Monday. The
building was described in Commis-
sioners’ Court records and
reconstruction plans were taken
from these papers.
The society which consists of 25
members, dedicates 30 hours a year
as a minimum, to helping restore the
old town of San Patricio. It has taken
the society 14 years to restore the old
courthouse to its present state,
which is something to see. The
building and its contents closely
resemble the original courthouse as
it appeared.
The bottom floor consists of four
rooms which serve as mini-museum
for the area also.
The total cost to restore and
building the courthouse was $35,000
as opposed to its original building
cost in 1872 of $1,600. Funds have
been raised annually through the
Old San Patricio Rattlesnake Races.
Father Henry Hesse of the St.
Patrick and Mathis’ parishes then
delivered a dedicatory prayer for
the building and for the birthday
celebration. He noted the San
Patricio Parish began in the 1830’s
as a home base for priests to travel
all along the territory to their peo-
ple.
Old San Patricio Mayor J.W.
McGown, Edmondson and
Glasscock then cut the ribbon to of-
ficially dedicate the building. A pla-
que will later be placed at the site of
the courthouse.
The county commissioners
reconvened upstairs in the restored
courtroom to conduct the special
business of presenting resolutions to
persons in the county who have
helped perserve her history through
the Historical Commission, Restora-
tion Society and other interested
persons.
Persons receiving resolutions
from Edmondson were Dorothy
Mercer, Beth Clark, Mrs. Inez Hunt,
Richard Hatch Jr., Mrs. Della Mae
Baylor, Lillie Dawson, Mrs. Lena
Bell Porter, Mrs. LeAnn Weaver,
H.P. Gomez, Larry Jacoway, Dr.
John Tunnell, Helen McKenzie, Ruth
Caywood, Lyra Sparks, Helen
Johnson, G.W. McCowan, Keith and
Iris Guthrie.
Edna Ritchie, Dora Sanders,
Mary Beth Coleman, Della Reed,
Bill Tunnell, Fred Watson, Randy
King, Georgia Gold, Byrd Minter,
Callie Brouillette, Dr. A.H. Voss,
Suzzy Romike, Mable Knight, Pat
Conlan, Mary Frances Fleetwood,
U.E. Ray, Mrs. Jean Schrot, Bernice
Hollan, Charlie Holmes and Kerry
The Mathis News
THURSDAY, MARCH 20,1986_PAGE 3
All Around Town
COURTHOUSE DEDICATION-Father Henry Hesse of Sacred
Heart Catholic Church in Mathis delivered the dedication prayer at
ceremonies observing the restoration of the original county cour-
thouse in Ojd San Patricio.__x
Literary Club Learns All About Auctions
Members of the Mathis Literary
Club heard a speech on the topic “I
Love An Auction,” at their regular
meeting March 12 at the home of
Mrs. Nancy Nelson, with Mrs. Bon-
nie Hollon as co-hostess.
Mrs. Jeanne Baen was program
leader ahd introduced Mrs. Cornelia
George, who gave the talk about
auctions.
She gave insights on the art of at-
tending auctions and becoming ad-
Williams.
Wanda Park, Mrs. Ben Hill, Mrs.
Roy Sand, Sam Hunt, Marion Lam-
precht, Mr. and Mrs. Ira Hunt,
Grace Chick, Doris Barber Miller,
Lynn King, Lonnie Glasscock III,
Cordelia Brown, Vanessa Green,
Mrs. Jeff Curtiss, Mrs. Don Barr,
Louis Baucom, Carolyn Dearmn,
Annie Laurel Sand, Billie Jo Tennill,
Mrs. A.B. Austin, Darlene Green
and Jean Curtiss.
Jack Lewis, Essie Lewis, Cathy
Sikes, Jackie Perkins, Kat Brown,
Butch Barnett, Lisa Bracey, Marty
Brand, Doug Brown, Mike Brown,
Nuccia Glasscock, Charlotte Her-
rera, J.C. Herrera, Joe Hlavinka
and Shirley Lee.
The Descanso Eterno Association
will have its cemetery clean-up
March 24.
Graves will be cleaned and old
flowers will be removed from the
sites.
People wishing to remove flowers
before that date may do so.
The association will clean and
beautify the Descanso Eterno
cemetery with this project.
Mr. and Mrs. Joe Wolf take
pleasure in announcing the engage-
ment of their daughter, Sandra Jo,
to Glenn Grant of George West. He is
the son of Mr. and Mrs. Jack Grant
of Abilene.
Sandra is a 1983 graduate of
Mathis High School and is attending
Lubbock Christian College.
Glen is a 1985 graduate of Abilene
Christian University and is current-
ly employed by the George West
ISD.
The First United Methoidist
Church is holding a three-day sing-
ing and preaching mission March 25-
27 in observance of Holy Week.
Singing and preaching will start
each evening at 7 p.m..
The Rev. Don L. Delaplain who is
the pastor of the First United
Methodist Church in Beeville will be
the visiting minister.
On Wednesday and Thyursday
mornings, there will be a light.
by Dora Mathis
breakfast and Bible Study from 7-
7:30 a.m. at the First United
Methodist Church in Mathis.
The public is welcome to attend all
the Holy Week activities.
Jim and I had the pleasure of din-
ing with about 88 of the KOA bunch
last Saturday evening.
KOA owners, Robin and Linda
Sargeant, invited us as their guests
to the delicious barbecue supper and
to meet the folks that make Mathis
their home during the winter mon-
ths.
We were welcomed warmly and
heard lots of good things about our
community from the “Winter Tex-
ans.”
We certainly hope they keep com-
ing back to this area year after year.
SAN ANTONIO-Madelon
Highsmith of Boerne, great-niece of
Ray Highsmith of Mathis, was nam-
ed as Hill Country Day Queen at the-
San Antonio Rodeo and Livestock
Show.
The blonde beauty is 5’6” tall, has
green eyes, and is a junior at Boerne
High School. She is the daughter of
Billy Bob and Dawn Highsmith.
She is active in school activities
and will represent the Hill Country
in the upcoming April Fiesta Day
Parade in San Antonio, as well as in
events over the next 12 months.
Ray certainly is proud of Madelon.
Lydia Class Meets At Hartman Home
Perrys
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dieted to finding treaures there.
Mrs. Hoolon conducted the
business meeting for 14 members
present and two guests, Mrs. Louise
Beard and Mrs. Mae Dickerson.
Feb. 22, the Literary Club hosted a
Style Show and luncheon at the Alice
Conutry Club, for 105 guests.
Charles Verde was in charge of
presenting a variety of spring
fashions. Mrs. Jeanne Baen and
Mrs. Donna Shirley were in charge
of arrangements.
Coupons
A 1984 national survey revealed
that 79 percent of all households shop
with coupons regularly.
The Lydia Sunday School Class of
the First Baptist Church met March
12 in the home of Mrs. Percy Hart-
man with Mrs. Wilma Clanton as co-
hostess.
Jessie Cox opened the meeting
with prayer. Edna Edmondson gave
the devotional on “Heaven,” taking
Revelation 21 and 22 as her scripture
references.
The secretary read the minutes of
the last meeting and gave the
treasurer’s report.
Correspondence was read. The
class voted on sending a memorial
gift to the children’s home in
Beeville in memory of Mrs. Mattie
Perser and Mrs. Alice Johnson.
The class also voted on giving $25
to the Annie Armstrong Week of
Prayer.
Bycie Ponton, president, dismiss-
ed the class with prayer.
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There were 12 members present;
Mesdames Bycie Ponton, Bessie
Leber, Edna Craft, Lola Caffall,
Jessie Cox, Louise Lotspeich,
Georgia Sirkel, Marguerite Jefress,
Edna Edmondson, Pat Patillo and
the hostesses, Cliffie Hartman and
Wilma Clanton.
Parents To Meet
Parents of students at In-
termediate School are invited to at-
tend a meeting at 9:30 a.m. today in
the Media Center on the In-
termediate School campus.
Principal William R. Williams will
be on hand to discuss student
grades, the tutorial program, field
trips, the California achievement
' tests and the track meet.
Parents are asked to attend this
very important meeting.
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Mathis, Jim. The Mathis News (Mathis, Tex.), Vol. 63, No. 12, Ed. 1 Thursday, March 20, 1986, newspaper, March 20, 1986; Mathis, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1045009/m1/3/?rotate=0: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Mathis Public Library.