Heritage, Volume 17, Number 4, Fall 1999 Page: 4
38 p. : ill. ; 28 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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THE PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
BY LEWIS A. JONESOctober is Archaeology Awareness
Month, and this issue of HERITAGE is
dedicated to the subject. If history interests
you to the point that you are reading this
article, you are very aware of the importance
of archaeological research. Therefore, I will
change subjects and tell you a story.
This past June I was requested by an old
schoolmate, Robert Kern Tips, to assist him
in a family matter. Bob was in possession of
three large oil portraits that had been
handed down to him from his mother's side
of the family. Two of the portraits represented
William McWillie and one was of
his wife Catherine. The McWillies were a
prominent family in 19th-century Mississippi,
where William represented his state
in Congress and was governor from 185759.
At this point, you may be asking what
this has to do with Texas heritage. Well, the
story has little to do with Texas; however, it has a great deal to do
with Texas heritage.
Bob was curious if the state of Mississippi would be desirous of
the portraits and be willing to preserve them. Of course they were,
and I packed and drove them to the archives in Jackson, Mississippi.
The existence of the paintings was unknown to the curators,
and without Bob's thoughtful donation, these important historical
objects would have been lost.
Sadly, Bob is fighting cancer and wants to resolve family matters.
No one else in his family was interested in caring for the
portraits, which meant they would likely be destined to an estate
sale and anonymity. At a time when most people would be thinking
inwardly, Bob has been focused on the future. He refuses to
relinquish control of his decisions; instead, he reflects on the meaningful.
His is a permanent gift in remembrance of his ancestors,
and as such, he has preserved a continuum of his family.
My point in relating this tale is that each family's collectibles
have a personality and story that should be recorded. While Bob's
act may be modest, his gesture defines our purpose. Fortunately,
my own ancestors catalogued a majority of photos of their families
and friends. My mother saved every sales slip for the antiques she
bought, identifying time and place of purchase. Also, I have my
great-grandparent's bedroom suite of furniture along with its history.
The pieces were constructed in Mobile, Alabama, in 1872 as
a wedding present from the groom to his bride and paid for with$500 in gold. The furniture was shipped to
Galveston, then transported by ox cart to
Bryan and later to Dallas. It was passed to
my grandfather and then my father. My
older brother was next in line, but he didn't
want the furniture, so thanks to his generosity,
it is now in my possession.
Three years ago, the Texas and Southwestern
Collectors Association was formed.
The TSCA's purpose is to locate and identify
collectors and collections of historical
artifacts and books. All too often heirs either
do not know or care about the possessions
they inherit and sell them for a fraction
of their worth. An example: a serpentine
dealer paid George Pickett IV approximately
$85,000 for his famous ancestor's military
artifacts. When Pickett providentially
discovered that the dealer had resold the
family's treasures for more than $850,000, he
sued and recovered his costs and all of the dealer's pelf.
Pursuing the spirit of this column, I am seeking help with a
well-worn photo album that I inherited. In it are individual pictures
of the classes of 1872 and 1873 at Texas Military Institute.
TMI was located in Austin at that time. Some of the photos are
identified, like James E Perry, John G. Pierson, and Robert Lockart.
But others have initials only, and most have no notation. If anyone
can help in this identification
of the individual in the photo below
(or has knowledge of cadets enrolled
in this institution during the
years mentioned), please let me
know.
Therefore, in tribute to Bob Tips
I ask all of you to look around your
homes. Identify your heirlooms and
make a record of their history. Make
an effort to assure that when they
leave your care, they continue to be
held in appreciative and knowledgeable
hands. Finally, as an ardent collector,
I will take any unwanted historical
memorabilia. I can be Texas Military Institute cadet
reached through the THF office. Circa 1872
God Bless Texas. W.J. Oliphant, PhotographerHERITAGE * 4 * FALL 1999
. . .
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Texas Historical Foundation. Heritage, Volume 17, Number 4, Fall 1999, periodical, Autumn 1999; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth45395/m1/4/: accessed May 8, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas Historical Foundation.