1930–31: Quest Whitney, PresidentBorn in Carthage in 1892, Evans Quest Whitney attend-ed the University of Texas and went into business withhis father at the first ice and light plant in his hometown. Later, Quest worked for the Frisco Railroad inFort Worth, the Santa Fe in Longview, and MarshallElectric Company. In 1915, he became manager ofJefferson Ice and Light Company. From 1920 until hisdeath in 1949, Quest managed Longview Ice and LightCompany (founded in 1900), which was acquired by

East Texas Public Service Company, later known asSouthwestern Electric Power Company. A member ofFirst Baptist Church, he was a director of the LongviewChamber of Commerce, president of the RetailMerchants Association, director of the East TexasExhibit Association, member of the city planning com-mission, and trustee of Longview Independent SchoolDistrict. Mr. Whitney was survived by his wife, the for-mer Myrtle Falls of Fort Worth, sons E. Q., Junior, andHarry B. Whitney, and daughters Dorothy Reynolds ofBig Spring and Helen Rodgers of Longview.

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Chapter 2.Growing Up With Longview,

1930 to 1945

Home of the Rotary Club of Longview, 1930 to 1978The new $200,000 Gregg Hotel in 1930, looking northwest from the intersection of Methvin and Green Streets.

Photo by courtesy of Gregg County Historical Museum

Copyright 1995 by Longview Rotary Endowment Fund, Inc.The Adobe Acrobat PDF file of which this notice is a part was created (with minor corrections) from a book entitled The Club and the Town: The Rotary Cluband the City of Longview, Texas, Year by Year from 1920 to 1995, published in 1995 by Longview Rotary Endowment Fund, Inc. Notwithstanding the prohibi-tion of reproduction without permission on the copyright page of the book, the publisher provides this PDF file to the general public without charge, but only forpurposes of reference and research. The publisher strictly prohibits publication, distribution, or dissemination of this file or any part or printed pages thereof, orconversion of the file into any other format, without prior written permission. Longview Rotary Endowment Fund, Inc., PO Box 2244, Longview, TX 75606

THE EAST TEXAS OIL BOOM blew in right in themiddle of Quest Whitney’s year. This was the sin-

gle most important event in the history of Longviewand all of Gregg County as well as this Rotary Club. Itwas a time when both Longview and the club grew up,bringing in a new era for both of them.

More specifically, it was on October 5, 1930, thatDad Joiner completed casing in the small but promis-ing discovery well on Daisy Bradford’s farm nearOverton. On the Ashby farm a mile to the west, DeepRock Oil Company brought a much bigger well intoproduction on December 13. Two weeks later, onDecember 28, the world took note and the Boom gotunder way: A well flowing an enormous 22,000 barrelsper day from the same Woodbine formation was com-pleted on property south of Kilgore belonging to LouDella Crim, mother of future Kilgore RotariansMalcolm and Leggett Crim. Hoping to stimulate inter-est farther north, the Longview Chamber of Commercevoted a prize of $10,000 for the first oil well in GreggCounty within 12 miles of Longview. But LongviewRealtor Barney Skipper had already started one on theproperty of Kelly Plow Works Manager F. K. Lathropsouthwest of Spring Hill School. It was brought in onJanuary 26, 1931, suggesting the possibility of a singlehuge pool of oil. The Chamber’s prize was eventuallypaid, but as a minuscule footnote to the Boom’s history.

In an interview for a Dallas newspaper early in theBoom, our founder R. Marvin Kelly was quoted as say-ing, “Longview is going to become a really fine littlecity, but I rather dread the growing pains.” Indeed, forthis club, perhaps the first and most noticeable sign ofthe Boom was that all available living quarters inLongview were suddenly filled. Facilities at the GreggHotel were severely overstressed, and there was pres-sure on the club to leave and meet elsewhere. How-ever, the new manager of the hotel, our future presi-dent Curtis Meadows, arranged a way for us to stay:Our space in the meeting room was cut in half by amakeshift partition made of bedsheets strung on a linesome distance below the ceiling. During Rotary meet-ings, boomers were sleeping on cots on the other side.

One result of the Boom was a rapid influx ofaggressive businessmen into Longview, many of whomstayed to become Rotarians and bring vigorous new lifeto the club. Another development was that within afew months, both Kilgore and Gladewater grew fromsleepy country villages into sizeable towns, bothacquiring Rotary clubs in the spring of 1934.

And, of course, there was the new wealth. Beforethe Boom, many Longview merchants acquired scat-tered pieces of nearly worthless land throughout thecounty in lieu of cash settlement of bills. In this way,some of them did quite well after oil was discovered.

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11. Evans Quest Whitney1892–1949

Photo by courtesy of Helen Rodgers

12. Bill Northcutt Taylor1898–1981

Photo by courtesy of Gloria Taylor Wismar

1931–32: Bill N. Taylor, President

Longview’s boom-time city manager from 1928 to 1940,Bill Northcutt Taylor had deep roots in Longview, wherehe was born in 1898. His father was Charles Lee Taylor,and his mother was Iba Northcutt, sister of foundingRotarian Dr. W. D. Northcutt. Bill’s grandfatherAndrew S. Taylor was the surveyor who established theboundaries of Gregg County in 1873 and 1874.Andrew’s father, in turn, was Dr. Job Taylor, physicianand Methodist minister at the antebellum Earpvillechurch which became Longview’s First Methodist. AndAndrew’s father-in-law was Stokely Rowan Chadwick,Cumberland Presbyterian minister at Pine Tree andGilmer. The Northcutt influence prevailed, however:Bill was a member of First Baptist Church.

He served in the army during World War I, got anengineering degree from Texas A&M in 1920, and joinedthe Aggie faculty. In 1924, he married Louise DurhamShaw, daughter of Dushee Shaw (who was county clerkof Gregg County for 40 years) and his wife, the formerIda Rule. Bill’s early experience with Tidewater OilCompany in Tampico and Sun Oil in Venezuela proveduseful for Longview when it became the business centerfor the biggest oil field in history. Bill guided prepara-tion of a master plan that governed the city’s develop-ment for many years. Later, as city manager ofBaytown, he drew up the city charter for what had beenthree separate municipalities. As president of theInternational City Manager’s Association and theLeague of Texas Municipalities, he wrote a book on citybudgeting that was in wide demand. Before retiring to

Longview in 1954 and rejoining this club, Bill also wascity manager in Beaumont, Wichita Falls, andColumbia, Missouri.

At his death in 1981, Bill was survived by his wifeLouise and their children Charles Shaw “Buddy” Taylorof Fort Worth, Nancy (Mrs. S. Stanley) Kennedy ofHonolulu, and Gloria (Mrs. S. A.) Wismar of Baytown.

HISTORICALLY SPEAKING, perhaps the mostnotable event of President Bill’s year came on

August 17, 1931. As told in Traditions of the Land:The History of Gregg County,

In order to enforce proration, Governor RossSterling proclaimed martial law in a 600-square-mile area that encompassed the entire East TexasOil Field.... More than a thousand members of the56th Cavalry Brigade of the Texas National Guardtook over the area, under the command of BrigadierGeneral Jacob F. Wolters. ...Armed troops fannedout and shut down every well by order of the gover-nor, and beginning on September 6, production waspermitted again on a strictly prorated basis. ...Inorder to survive, many independent producersresorted to hidden pipelines and bribery to circum-vent proration. Much of the oil went to the 95refineries that had been built throughout the Field....Besides buying illicitly produced oil...many refin-ers evaded payment of taxes on their gasoline prod-ucts. ...Stories of the independents’ and refiners’subterfuges and escapades during the so-called “hotoil” period have become colorful folklore....

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What gets a woman’s goat?Friend hubby working at night, or coming home and

telling her to take the children upstairs so he can readhis papers...having to buy so many baby shoes...beingtold by hubby that he wished she would try toreduce...not being married...talk of high rents...and so on,far, far into the night.

More than 45 Longview women last evening weregiven the opportunity, at the annual Rotary Ann pro-gram of the Rotary club, to give expression to their petgrievance, and they did so without hesitation, embar-rassment, and what have you. This was an interestingfeature of the program and evoked gales of laughter.

All of the Rotary Anns were given attractive favors,and three of them awarded prizes, as were three men.

The program consisted of a sing-song, music byLester Denson’s orchestra, vocal numbers by Henry L.Foster and Glenn Hutton, “Shandu” tricks by Jim Airey,introduction of the Rotary Anns, introduction of two“new” members—W. H. Terrell and B. D. Marshall—anda farcical presentation of glassware to Mr. and Mrs. B. N.Taylor.

The spacious dining room of the Gregg hotel wasartistically decorated for the occasion. Before entering

the hall, each Rotarian was compelled to match his nov-elty favor with that of a Rotary Ann, this determiningwho was to be his guest.

L. D. Kelly, chairman of the entertainment commit-tee, was in charge. He and W. B. Smith, president,expressed the club’s appreciation of the Rotary Anns.Mrs. Curtis W. Meadows reciprocated the courtesy inbehalf of the Rotary Anns.

The club made a reverent move near the end of thebanquet when it was decided to place upon the grave ofthe late J. O. Monday the huge Rotary flower wheel. Thefloral wheel will be taken to the grave of Mr. Monday inGrace Hill cemetery today.

______________________________________________

In the “Chit-Chat” column the following day:

The Rotary program took on an air of reverencewhen it was made known that the beautiful floral Rotarywheel used in decorating the hall would be placed todayon the grave of a man who was a good Rotarian and asplendid citizen—for such was Josh Monday. Mr.Monday always enjoyed the Ladies’ Night programs. Hewas as young in spirit as the youngest member of theclub.

The 1932–33 Rotary Ann Partyreported in the Longview Newspaper

1932–33: Bruner Smith, President

Bruner was born in Longview in 1888, son of merchantHenry Louis Smith and his wife, the former SammieBruner. Graduating from Longview High School, heattended the University of Texas, where he was a mem-ber of Phi Kappa Psi, and after two years joined hisfather’s business in Longview. In 1912, Bruner formedGans and Smith Insurance Agency with Dan Gans, whobecame a fellow founder of this club eight years after-wards. Later, the firm would be joined by Bruner’sbrother Henry, father of Bobby and grandfather of Hankof this club. In 1915, Bruner married Verne Monday ofLovelady in Houston County, daughter of Joshua OwenMonday, Jr., and his wife, who was Clara AlbertaHolley. (Josh later moved to Longview and joined thisclub.) Guests at the wedding at the First Baptist Churchin Lovelady included Governor Thomas M. Campbell ofPalestine, formerly of Longview, and his wife, the formerFannie Bruner (the groom’s aunt). With Dan Gans in1919, Bruner participated in the organization of theEast Texas Oil Company. After the Oil Boom vindicatedtheir judgment over 11 years later, Bruner joined ClarkSample and Joe Mucher in an oil production partner-ship and was also a director and secretary-treasurer ofthe Gregg-Tex Gasoline Corporation.

Bruner was a Mason, Knight Templar, Shriner, andElk. He was president of Pinecrest Country Club, theCherokee Club, and Longview Chamber of Commerce.He was an organizer of the East Texas Chamber of

Commerce and Rembert (later Longview) National Bank,becoming board chairman and the largest stockholder inthe latter. Before election as president of this club,Bruner served several terms as secretary. At his death in1955, he was survived by his wife Verne, their daughterClaire, and granddaughters Betty and Sally Bivins.Verne was given a Paul Harris fellowship on December18, 1984, by Claire and her husband Hank Foster of thisclub. Four years later, Verne died at the age of 98.

ALASTING ACHIEVEMENT of the club this yearwas the conversion of the former Gregg County

“fair park” into a city park (now known as StamperPark) by adding a playground. The Lion’s Club hadrecently built the natatorium there. Rotarian John L.Whorton, pastor of First Baptist Church and chairmanof the city executive committee in charge of the park,was quoted as saying President Bruner and this cluboriginated the idea, the Chamber of Commerce fosteredit, and the City put it into operation. At the end of theRotary year, the “first annual” Rotary family picnicwas held at the picnic grounds in the southwesternpart of the park.

The newspaper article on the preceding page showsthat the club had an especially good time at the RotaryAnn banquet in those days. In this case, they also hon-ored the memory of Rotarian Josh Monday, father-in-law of President Bruner, who died on March 17, 1932.

At a meeting during the Christmas season, the din-ing room was decorated with Christmas trees and asnowman scene. A costumed Santa Claus brought giftsfor needy children, and he and a dozen Rotarians pre-sented talks on Christmas and the holiday spirit. Thegifts were presented to Captain Charles Brennan ofthe Salvation Army for distribution.

At the annual Rotary-teacher gathering at theGregg Hotel, entertainment consisted of a kangaroocourt put on by a group of Rotary Anns. They pretend-ed to catch their husbands trifling with pretty youngteachers at the party, in addition to other high crimesand misdemeanors. (See newspaper report, Page 79).

1933–34: Curtis W. Meadows,President

Born in Vidalia, Georgia, in 1894, Curtis was the eldestson of seven children born to Dr. and Mrs. John MorganMeadows. He was valedictorian at Vidalia CollegiateInstitute and attended Mercer University and Georgia-Alabama Business College in Macon. During WorldWar I, he served in Europe as auditor with the head-quarters staff of the thirty-second division, including thebattles of Verdun, Argonne Forest, and St. Mihiel. Afterthe war, he began his business career as an auditor forSouthern Cotton Oil company of Georgia. Next, he waschief accountant for Tropical Oil Corporation, a sub-sidiary of Standard Oil Corporation in Colombia.

In 1929, he became connected with the GeneralSecurities and Investment Company in Shreveport.Assigned as auditor for the newly built Gregg Hotel, hewas hired as general manager and moved to Longview

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13. William Bruner Smith1888–1955

Photo by courtesy of Claire Smith Foster

in April, 1931. Meantime, in 1930, he married LucilleEloise Loyd of Birmingham and Shreveport. Theybecame the parents of three children: Eloise; Curtis,Junior; and Algur. After about three years running thehotel, Curtis bought and operated the Farmers andMerchants Grain Company at 101 North Center Streetand became an independent oil man.

In Longview, Curtis joined this club in October,1931. He was also president of the Longview Chamberof Commerce, the Community Chest, the Salvation ArmyBoard of Trustees, and the Civic Music Association. Hewas a deacon in First Baptist Church, a trustee ofLongview Independent School District, and helpedestablish the Longview District of Boy Scouts ofAmerica. In addition, he was chairman of the board ofEast Texas Baptist College in Marshall, where hereceived an honorary doctor of laws degree in 1973. (Theadministration building and main campus drive arenamed for him.) Lucille was an equally tireless workerin social, church, and civic affairs. Among otherachievements, she was the founder of a LongviewChapter of the Daughters of the American Revolutionwhich is named for her ancestor Aaron Burleson.

In 1946, Curtis moved with his family to Dallas andbought the Lawther-Meadows grain mill, which he lateroperated. He also continued his independent oil busi-ness. Joining the Dallas Rotary Club without a break,he accumulated 40 years’ perfect attendance and becamea Paul Harris Fellow. In Dallas, he was a deacon atFirst Baptist Church, president of its Brotherhood, mem-

ber of the Baraca and Caleb Men’s Bible Classes, and adirector of the Adult Department of the Training Union.He continued his support of Scouting at LongfellowElementary School and First Baptist Church. He waspresident of the Dad’s Club at Thomas J. Rusk JuniorHigh School, president of the P.T.A. at Hillcrest HighSchool, director of the Central Dad’s Club, and presidentof the Greenway Parks Homeowners’ Association. Hewas also a trustee of the Meadows Foundation, whichwas established by his brother Algur, an oil man andphilanthropist.

At his death in 1980, Curtis was survived by his wifeLucille, daughter Eloise Rouse of Dallas, son Curtis,Junior, of Dallas, three sisters, and six grandchildren.

THIS WAS A VERY BUSY Rotary year. Most of theinformation we have about it comes from a scrap-

book which was meticulously kept by PresidentCurtis’s Rotary Ann, Lucille. One wonders how shehad time for it, considering the many worthy projectsshe supported, besides starting a family.

Looking back over sixty years, Curtis’s principalachievement as president was one of the most endur-ing legacies of the Rotary Club of Longview. OnSeptember 1, we began supporting a Boy Scout Troop,Number 202. (See Chapter 6.) By December, a permitwas obtained for construction of a cabin for the troop’smeetings in the newly redesignated city park. Thescouts themselves were supposed to build the cabin intheir spare time within 60 days, using materials fur-nished by this club. It was finally dedicated towardthe end of the following Rotary year.

Two other historical events for Rotary were thecharter meetings of the Gladewater club on March 19,1934, and the Kilgore club on April 20. The Glade-water club was sponsored by the Gilmer club, but wesponsored the Kilgore club. In this effort, PresidentCurtis acted as liaison assistant to District GovernorRoy Smith of Tyler. With the help of our member BobKnight a suitable number of prospective members werefound, and a charter for the Kilgore Club was obtained.

A newspaper article on August 1, 1933, noted that“Two projects that will get the cooperation of theRotary club are the permanent use of the old jail for aworthwhile purpose and the building of a wagon yardfor the benefit of rural people.”

The following week, the Rotarians accepted a chal-lenge of the Lions Club for a baseball game. (We beatthem twice before, five and ten years earlier.) A com-mittee was appointed to select a team and start train-ing: Syril Parker, Bill Northcutt Taylor, and LeGrandeKelly. After much publicity, the game was played atCannibal Park (Fair Park) on the evening of Tuesday,August 17. The public was invited, at 10¢ and 25¢ ahead, and more than $110 was collected.

The Rural-Urban acquaintance program was heldon Tuesday evening, October 10, at the city park, withabout 40 farmers attending as guests of the club.Ladies’ Night was a Hallowe’en costume party onOctober 31. The annual party for teachers of Longview

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14. Curtis Washington Meadows1894–1980

Photo and references by courtesy of Eloise Meadows Rouse

Independent School District was held on November 28.A students’ program was conducted on December 12 atLongview High School, with lunch provided by MissBernice Alsup’s home economics class and vocationaltalks by Jimmie Hudnall, Grover Finch, and ChunkOliver. Another Ladies’ Night was held on June 6,1934, with visitors from Marshall, Gilmer, and Kilgore.As of April 24, there had been seven meetings with100% attendance during this Rotary year.

Here are some other notable programs and events:August 24, 1933, Dr. Charles Selecman, president ofSMU; September 19, guests included directors of theEast Texas Chamber of Commerce, dignitaries of theRingling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus, anda number of circus performers; November 7, MissEmma Jean Donald, librarian, describing the operationof the new Nicholson Memorial Library, donated to theCity by Rotarian Walter Nicholson; December 5,Marvin Kelly provided a venison luncheon; December19, joint meeting with the Lions Club; January 23,State Attorney General and future governor James V.Allred; March 20, Tyler attorney W. F. Weeks, pre-sented by Bruner Smith, charging that laws againsthot oil (requiring refineries to disclose sources of crude)signed the previous week by Governor “Ma” Fergusonwere not being enforced; April 3, 1934, Boy Scoutsdemonstrated making bows, arrows, and fire; April 10,Ray Flaskamper, manager of the Longview DixieLeague baseball club; and throughout the year, anumber of programs on the Federal Government’s vari-ous measures to combat the Great Depression. Manymeetings featured not only a speaker, but also musicalentertainment, usually including a female vocalist.

1934–35: Tom E. Richardson,President

The son of Ben and Casey Mann Richardson, Tom wasborn at Longview in 1889 and reared on a farm north-east of town in the vicinity of Smelley and Page Roads.Graduating from Longview High School, he attendedSan Marcos College and Pilot Point Military College,then went to work for Kelly Plow Company. In connec-tion with World War I, he saw nearly three years over-seas service, rising from corporal to second lieutenant.In 1920, Tom married Miss Hettie Richardson, also aLongview native, who had lived on land near his butwas not related. For ten years, he and Hettie operated agrocery store on the southwest corner of Methvin andFredonia Streets. Tom then acquired and became presi-dent of East Texas Novelty and Wholesale TobaccoCompany, in which he was occupied until his final ill-ness. He also had oil holdings and rental housing. Tomwas president of the Longview Community Chest andLongview Chamber of Commerce, second commander ofthe Bernay Camp American Legion Post, member of theLongview city commission, and chairman of the Boardof Stewards of First Methodist Church, where he alsosang in the choir. He and Hettie became members of theLongview Little Theatre in 1926, acting in several plays.At his death in 1951, Tom was survived by Hettie, his

brother Jeff, and his sister Mrs. Annie Moore.Pallbearers were his nephews Mervin, Wilson, T. J., andBilly Moore and Clarence, Edward, Travis, and JeffRichardson, Junior.

THIS WAS ANOTHER banner year for Boy Scoutwork in the club. The Scouts’ meeting cabin in the

city park, originally intended for completion in Marchof 1934, was finally dedicated in May, 1935. The pro-ject was shepherded to its conclusion by this year’schairman of the Boys’ Work Committee, GeraldOsborne. A photograph of that event in the soft light ofa late spring afternoon was treasured by Gerald for therest of his life. Loaned to us by his son Gerald, Jr., it isfeatured as the frontispiece of this book. The earnestfaces of those 53 men and 13 boys of the town, rangedbetween the American flag and the troop banner withthe priest in the middle, shine down through the gen-erations with the enduring spirit of service above selfto which this club and all of Rotary are dedicated.

This was also the Rotary year when Carl L. Estescame to Longview. He was to become the chief promot-er of industrial development of Longview after WorldWar II. A clipping from his newspaper dated October30, 1934 reads:

Col. Carl. L. Estes, new publisher of The Newsand The Journal, was accorded a very enthusiasticwelcome by members of the Rotary club when he

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15. Tom Edward Richardson1889–1951

Photo and references by courtesy of Roscoe Tinsley

was introduced at the organization’s meetingTuesday at the Gregg.

In acknowledging the rousing welcome accordedhim, Col. Estes told Rotarians that in coming toLongview he was realizing an ambition that he hadbeen harboring for the past two and a half years,and pledged his aid in the development of this EastTexas oil field center.

J. F. Stuckey, as the guest of J. Marcus Wood,appealed to Rotarians for their cooperation in assur-ing the success of the welcome banquet whichLongview business men are tendering to PublisherEstes on Thursday, November 8, and received theassurance of President Tom Richardson that theRotarians would be found anxious to lend everyassistance in this project.

Most of the information about President Tom’syear comes from his scrapbook of newspaper clippings,provided by Hettie’s nephew Roscoe Tinsley. Farmersand rural residents of the Judson area (men only) wereinvited to a rural-urban program at Judson GroveSchool on Tuesday night, October 2. Similar programswere planned for other rural communities of GreggCounty. Ladies’ Night this year was a Christmas partyon December 18 at the Gregg Hotel. The annualRotary-Teacher banquet was held on January 22, 1935.Entertainment consisted of a one-act comedy directedby Miss Ruth Claire Sypert, head of the high schoolEnglish department, plus readings by Miss Sypert andsongs by a student quartet. For another meeting, lun-cheon was served at the high school by the home eco-nomics class under Miss Bernice Alsup.

At the meeting on October 9 during the WorldSeries, druggist E. B. “Chunk” Oliver installed a radioand scoreboard in the hotel dining room, and thescheduled program was postponed for a week.

On November 13, a committee of two was appoint-ed to meet with similar groups from other bodies onpreparing tentative plans for organizing a YMCA inLongview and erecting a building to house it.

In those days, the club had a “crippled children’scommittee,” through which various assistance was pro-vided for physically handicapped children of Longviewwhose parents could not afford diagnosis and treatment.This year, the club provided transportation and mealsfor eight children plus parents going to clinics in Dallas.

1935–36: Gerald E. Osborne,President

Born in Melvin, Illinois, in 1898, Gerald was reared inMayfield, Kentucky, where his father Dr. J. J. Osborne,an optometrist, also operated a jewelry store. Before fin-ishing high school, Gerald became manager of a Coca-Cola bottling works in which his father owned an inter-est. Later, the family moved to Corpus Christi, whereGerald graduated from high school in 1917. Moving toMcAllen in charge of a drug store and soda fountain,Gerald worked nights for the McAllen Morning Sun as atelegrapher copying wire-service news reports, a skill hehad learned back in Kentucky. In 1918, he became a

telegraph operator for Western Union, quickly rising tothe position of local office manager. Transferred fromcity to city, he settled in Dallas, where he became districtmanager and auditor. In 1922, he married GraceMcCoy, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin McCoy ofBattle, Louisiana. They reared one son, Gerald, Junior.

Gerald was transferred to Longview as manager ofthe Western Union office in 1931 during the peak busi-ness of the early Oil Boom. He was ordained deacon inFirst Baptist Church, taught a Sunday School class, andchaired the committee that raised money for the firsteducational building. As chairman of the Rotary Boys’Work Committee for 1934–35, he secured the completionof the Boy Scout Troop 202 meeting cabin in the citypark. With Grace and nine-year-old Gerald, Junior, heattended the Rotary International convention in AtlanticCity in 1936 as a delegate of this club. Having beennominated for election as city commissioner, he with-drew upon being transferred to Harlingen as WesternUnion manager for the Lower Rio Grande Valley in1939.

Among other church and civic work in Harlingen,Gerald taught Sunday school and was president of theCommunity Chest. He loved fishing and sailing andwas a member of the Port Isabel Yacht Club. After fouryears, Western Union transferred him to Waco, where heserved as local manager for 20 years until retirement in1963. Gerald and Grace died in 1977 and 1993 respec-tively, and both were buried at Oaklawn Cemetery inWaco.

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16. Gerald Elwyn Osborne1898–1977

Photo by courtesy of Gerald E. Osborne, Jr.

1936–37: Grover Finch, President

Grover was born in 1886 at the home of his father J. L.Finch which still stands on the south side of CottonStreet between Gum Springs Road and Eastman Road.A graduate of Longview High School, he attended BaylorUniversity. In 1911, Grover organized Guaranty StateBank, forerunner of Rembert and Longview NationalBanks, whose building remains near the east end ofMethvin Street. He enlisted in the army for World War I,serving in the finance department of the aviation corps.Back in Longview, he was an organizer of PinecrestCountry Club in 1920, allowing the club free use of partof the Finch farm until the club bought it in 1930.Grover helped organize Longview Building and LoanAssociation, incorporated in 1924 with Dr. Vesse Hurstas president and Charles L. Taylor as vice-president.(Vesse was one of our presidents; Charles was the fatherof our president Bill N. Taylor.) Until his death in 1956,Grover was manager and secretary-treasurer of LongviewBuilding and Loan. He also had extensive oil invest-ments. In 1934, he married Mrs. Maurine Gray, awidow, daughter of Dr. Stewart, a Longview dentist.Grover was a Mason, Shriner, Elk, Longview city com-missioner, and chairman of the board of trustees andboard of deacons at First Baptist Church. Survivors inLongview included his wife Maurine, stepson Dr. CharlesGray, brother John, sister Mrs. Louis Markham (a found-ing Rotary Ann of this club), and nieces Elaine Clantonand Eva Jean Blount, former Rotary Anns of this club.

1937–38: Henry Foster, President

Henry was one of a very small handful of the most high-ly esteemed men of his time in Longview. Son of R. D.Foster and Della Garner Foster, he was born in 1891 inthe Tryon community near Longview in what had beenhis grandfather’s farm house, located about 200 yardseast of the intersection of Alpine Road and Page Road.He graduated from Longview High School and receiveda BS degree from San Marcos Teachers’ College (nowSouthwest Texas State University). In 1914, he becamea teacher at First Ward elementary school in Longview,located between Greenwood Cemetery and what is nowGood Shepherd Medical Center. (It was later replacedby Valley View School.) In May, 1918, he marriedFlorence Black, daughter of T. P. Black and his wifeFannie. Mr. Black operated the general store atHallsville and founded Hallsville State Bank. Beforethe end of the year, Henry enlisted in the army, trainingat Camp Mabry at Austin and Camp John Wise at SanAntonio for the Balloon and Observation department ofthe Air Service. Home again in 1919, he was appointedprincipal of Campus Ward Elementary School, thenprincipal of Longview High School in 1922. From 1923until retirement in 1952, he was superintendent ofLongview Independent School District. Doing graduatework in the summers, he earned a master’s degree fromColorado State College in Greeley.

In First Methodist Church, Henry was Sunday schoolsuperintendent for many years, member of the Board of

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17. Grover Cleveland Finch1886–1956

Photo by courtesy of Elaine Markham Clanton

18. Henry Lee Foster1891–1966

Photo by courtesy of Henry L. Foster, Jr.

Stewards, lay reader, and baritone in the choir. Servingthe Boy Scouts for 40 years, he held numerous leadershippositions. Henry was a Mason, Knight Templar, Knight ofPythias, president of the Longview Chamber of Commerce,charter member of the East Texas Chamber of Commerce,chairman of the Advisory Board of the Salvation Army,organizing member and director of the LongviewCommunity Fund, trustee of George Peabody College ofNashville, officer in numerous professional associations,director of United Bankers Life Insurance Company ofDallas, director of First National Bank of Longview, andacting president of the bank for a short time.

Henry’s stated aim was to live a life of service for hisfellow man. His special distinction in 30 years as aRotarian was singing—a gift that was carried on byHenry, Junior, known as Hank. Each was awarded theclub’s highest honor shortly before his death, the fatherwith a special program at a meeting in 1966, the sonwith a Rotary Citizen of the Year award in 1994.

Florence died in 1957. Four years later, Henry mar-ried a long-time friend and neighbor, the former LouiseDobbs of Longview, widow of Henry Kerry. At his deathin 1966, Henry Foster was survived by Louise; hisdaughter Florene Gregory of Shreveport; his son Henry,Junior; a sister; and six grandchildren.

AHIGHLIGHT OF THIS Rotary year was the spe-cial chartered railroad car to the Rotary

International convention in San Francisco: 26Rotarians, wives, and children attended.

Rotarian Lee Norton was chairman of the board oftrustees of Longview Independent School District, andthe Lobos won the state football championship.

1938–39: J. Marcus Wood, President

Marcus was born in Kilgore in 1889, son of SamHouston Wood and the former Laura Frances Thompson.Educated in local schools, he came to Longview in 1906and was employed by the Texas and Pacific and SantaFe Railroads. His first wife was Virgie Belle Smith,daughter of J. T. Smith, Gregg County Judge from 1888to 1898. In 1921, Marcus established the Longview dis-tributing agency for Gulf Refining Company, which hecontinued until retirement about 1956. His membershipin this club dated back to 1930 or earlier. In 1930, hemarried Tecaro Cubberly, daughter of O. P. and LucieRain Cubberly of Marshall. Having joined FirstMethodist Church on arrival in Longview, Marcusserved as chairman of the board of stewards for manyyears. He was president of the Longview Chamber ofCommerce, Baseball Club, Quarterback Club, CivicMusic Association, and Community Chest, and memberof the city commission. He took a leading role in build-ing the Gregg Hotel in 1929 and establishing the EastTexas Chamber of Commerce in Longview in 1926. Hewas one of the founders of the Petroleum MarketersAssociation of Texas. As a director of the Texas GoodRoads Association, he was instrumental in securing sev-eral excellent highways for the Longview area. He wasan avid baseball fan, a Mason, and a Shriner. Hisbrother William Oscar was Gregg County tax assessorfrom 1924 to 1936. Another brother Robert, a pharma-cist, operated Wood Drug Store from 1936 to 1946.

At his death in 1959, Marcus was survived by Tecaroand five daughters: Laura Virginia (Mrs. Chuck)Ellsworth and Jane Lockett of Midland (later Mrs. JimWitt of Longview) were daughters of Virgie Belle; Emily(Mrs. Melvin) McWhirter, Evelyn (Mrs. Tom) Hight, andGarland (Mrs. Dub) Noble were daughters of Tecaro. Ofhis 16 grandchildren, Evelyn’s son Joe has been a mem-ber of this club. Tecaro lived on until 1993.

ONE RELIC AT HAND from President Marcus’syear is the following engraved invitation in the

scrapbook kept by Lucille Meadows:The Longview Rotary Club requests thepleasure of your presence at its annual

Rotary Ann Christmas Party at the Hilton Hotel Tuesday night, December twentiethnineteen hundred and thirty-eight

at six-thirty o’clock

Please bring your husband

1939–40: Dr. Robert K. Womack,President

The seventh surviving child and only son of JosephEmerson and Annie Eliza Lokey Womack, Robert wasborn in 1903 in Blakely, Georgia, where he graduatedfrom high school in 1921. His father, a gentleman farmer,fell on hard times and became a rural mail carrier. His

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19. James Marcus Wood1889–1959

Photo by courtesy of Susan Ellsworth Gardner

high-school teachers included three of his sisters. Afterworking a year, Robert completed a three-year pre-medprogram at Mercer University, playing on the footballteam. He graduated from Tulane Medical School in 1928,working as a janitor and receiving financial support fromhis sisters, their parents having died. After interning ayear at Tri-State Hospital in Shreveport (later namedWillis-Knighton), Robert served a two-year apprenticeshipin urology with Doctors I. B. Rougon and Jesse R.Stamper. He married Myra Grace Lawhon of Shreveport,and they moved to Longview about 1932 to seek their for-tune in the Oil Boom. The second of their three childrendied and was buried in Longview. Robert joined theRotary Club on July 24, 1934. In 1938, he became the firsturologist in this area to be board certified.

In 1941, Robert moved back to Shreveport and re-joined Rougon and Stamper, remaining until retirementin 1972. He was chief of staff at Doctors Hospital in 1942and at Schumpert Hospital in 1946. He is credited withsetting up the urology training program at ConfederateMemorial Medical Center (now a branch of the LSU sys-tem), serving as chief of urology from 1947 to 1971. Hewas a member of the advisory committee for LSU Schoolof Medicine in Shreveport, the Shreveport Board ofHealth, and Broadmoor Baptist Church. At his death in1974, Robert was survived by his wife, the formerVirginia Dupuy; son Joseph (also a doctor) of Shreveport;and daughter Betty Jordan of Palatka, Florida. Hismemory is perpetuated in the R. K. Womack memorial lec-tureship in urology at LSU Medical Center in Shreveport.

1940–41: Lee Norton, PresidentA brother of our earlier president Wallace Norton, cousinof club founders Albert and Elbert Morgan, and great-uncle of present member Rusty Norton, Lee was born inGladewater in 1894. His parents were Edwin ThomasNorton, a grocer, and the former Annie E. Mackey.Educated in the Gladewater schools, he worked in thefamily store, taking over when his father died. In 1919,Lee married Lynne Smith, daughter of Sydney Georgeand Maud Castleberry Smith of Pine Tree. After work-ing in a grocery in Marshall in 1920 and 1921, Leemoved to Longview. In 1922, he bought a grocery fromE. H. Brawley, renaming it Norton’s Grocery Store. In1931, he was joined by two partners, Claude E. Barbeeof this club and J. A. Mansinger. The three did businessas Norton and Barbee Grocery until they retired in 1977.The store they built still stands at the northwest cornerof Center and Bank Streets, a model of historic preserva-tion in its conversion to office use by John Adams.

As president of the Longview Chamber of Commerce in1936, Lee went to Washington with City Manager BillTaylor, East Texas Chamber Manager Grady Shipp (bothRotarians), newspaperman Carl Estes, and Carl McClurein a successful lobbying effort with Congressman MorganSanders for a new post office. Similarly, Lee and otherbusinessmen took a special train to Austin to urge betterenforcement of proration and laws against hot oil. Thenext year, 1937, when Lee was chairman of the LongviewISD board, the Lobos won the state football championship.

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21. Oliver Lee Norton1894–1978

Photo by courtesy of Maud Norton Bivins

20. Robert Kendrick Womack, M.D.1903–1974

Photo and references by courtesy of Dr. Joseph L. Womack

Lee was also a director of First National Bank for 43years, an organizer of the East Texas Chamber ofCommerce in 1926 and treasurer for 20 years, a directorof the Sabine River Authority from 1949 to 1969 (havinga vital part in building Lake Tawakoni and ToledoBend Lake), one of three organizers of the local Salva-tion Army post, and chairman of the gasoline rationingboard for Gregg County during World War II. He was aMason, Knight of Pythias, and elder, deacon, and trusteeof First Presbyterian Church. Lee and Lynne died in1978 and 1993 respectively. Their daughter MaudLynette married J. K. “Knotty” Bivins, formerly of thisclub, and her children are the late Lee Norton Bivins ofDallas, Lynne (Mrs. Lamar) Simpson of Longview, andJune (Mrs. James L.) Baumoel of Los Angeles.

TWO CIVIC EVENTS stand out in President Lee’syear: The location was obtained for the future

Gregg County Airport, for which a $200,000 bond issuewas passed in 1940. And plans were finalized for arevolutionary steel plant promoted by a charismaticHungarian inventor named Julius Madaras and fund-ed by local investors. Located at what is now thenorthwest corner of West Cotton and Lake LamondRoad, the facility attempted to produce steel from localiron ore by direct reduction with natural gas instead ofcoke. It was later converted to a conventional foundry.

1941–42: Erskine Bramlette,President

Erskine was born in 1875 at Pontotoc, Mississippi, eldestof 13 children of Thomas Anderson Bramlette and hiswife, the former Annie E. Miller. He attended the localschools, earned a B.A. degree at the University ofMississippi, and became a schoolteacher in that state.Having relatives in Longview, he moved there in 1897,and after teaching a short time, he enrolled in theUniversity of Texas Law School. Upon graduation andadmission to the bar in 1902, he commenced a long andillustrious practice of civil law in Longview. He wasassociated with another pillar of the community andlegal fraternity, Richard B. Levy, who at one time wasJudge of the Court of Civil Appeals at Texarkana

In 1903, Erskine married Jessie O. Boring, whosegrandfather Bluford W. Brown is considered the legisla-tive father of Gregg County. They reared one son,Joseph Boring Bramlette. From 1907 to 1916, Erskinewas a member of the Board of Legal Examiners for thispart of Texas, and from then until 1920, he was countyjudge. During World War I, he served on the Board ofDraft Appeals. He was Longview city attorney from1924 to 1935, helping draw up a new city charter. Heserved twice as president of the Gregg County Board ofEducation, the body which administered the countyschools. Erskine was an elder in First PresbyterianChurch, a Mason, Shriner, Knight Templar, and aKnight of Pythias. He was also a member of theLongview Saddle Club and Pinecrest Country Club.

His parents, seven brothers, and five sisters settled inLongview after Erskine. The sisters included Floreid(mother of Dr. Tom Francis of this club) and NannieMae (wife of our founder Bill Terrell). Erskine’s home

was a farm on McCann Road which became HuntingtonPark and other subdivisions. After the Oil Boom began,his son Joseph designed the mansion that still stands onwhat remains of the estate. Jessie died in 1933, and in1937 Erskine married Miss Nellie Landry. After hisdeath in 1942, she returned to her home in Tennessee.

IN HIS DISTINGUISHED CAREER, PresidentErskine had two bits of bad luck while in elective

positions. First, in July of 1919, when he was countyjudge, Longview suffered a brief civic disturbancewhich was widely mislabeled a race riot. After Erskineand Mayor G. A. Bodenheim telephoned GovernorWilliam P. Hobby for help, the governor sent 250national guardsmen and eight Texas Rangers and putthe entire county under martial law for five days. Andsecond, in the middle of Erskine’s term as president ofthis club, World War II broke out with the Japanesebombing of Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.

1942–43: Maurice Bivins, President

Maurice was born in 1887 in Cass County at the commu-nity of Bivins, named after his father, Captain JamesKnox Bivins, who conducted timber operations in the area.He was reared in the vicinity of Atlanta and graduated in1907 from Texas A&M College, where he was prominent inathletic and campus organizations. Settling in Longview,

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22. Judge Erskine Miller Bramlette1875–1942

Photo by courtesy of Floreid Francis Stevens

he joined his father’s extensive sawmill and lumber busi-ness, Bivins Lumber Company, dating back to 1870 andowning 10,000 acres along the Sabine east of Longview. In1913, he married Effie Rule Durham, granddaughter ofGregg County’s first sheriff, M. L. Durham. In 1927,Maurice and E. D. Skipper formed a cotton brokerage firmcalled Skipper-Bivins Cotton Company, and when the EastTexas oil field was discovered, they organized the Skipper-Bivins Oil Company, Inc. In 1945, Maurice and his sonsbought the ice plant of the former Longview Ice and LightCompany (See Quest Whitney, 1930–31), operating it asLongview Ice Manufacturing Co. Maurice was a Mason,Knight of Pythias, and member of the board of stewards ofFirst Methodist Church. He was president of LongviewChamber of Commerce and the Salvation Army board,trustee of Longview Independent School District, and dur-ing World War II was chairman of the Longview Chapterof the American Red Cross. He was also a member ofPinecrest Country Club and DeLatin Gun Club. Effie Ruledied in 1948. At his death in 1952, Maurice was survivedby his sons Durham and Jim. His descendants includefour grandchildren: Betty, Sally, Craig, and Louise.

WORLD WAR II was in full swing, and rationingwas in effect for many commercial products.

According to a printed program in Curtis Meadows’sscrapbook, the district conference for Rotary District128, held in Longview on April 25 and 26, was entitled“The Rationed Conference.”

1943–44: Casey P’Pool, President

In the Rotaview for March 15, 1949, Editor Tom Putmanwrote the following: “William Casey P’Pool entered thisworld July 30th, 1901, in Anson, Jones County, Texas.He attended public schools in Munday, Haskell, andValentine. North Texas State is his college alma mater.Roustabouting with Texhoma Oil Company was his firstjob after leaving college. After about 18 months in thefield, he joined the LeBus Tool Company as a bookkeeperin the year of 1925. He resigned in 1935 his position asoffice manager to become associated with J. O. Lyle inthe Standard Tool and Standard Engine Companies ofGreggton. He married Gurlye Dickson of Seymour,Texas, in 1924. They are the parents of one daughter,Geraldine. As for hobbies, the Lobos and the Longhornshold Casey’s attention in the winter, while in the sum-mer he follows the Texans. He is fond of square dancingand fishing too. Casey is past president of the LongviewChamber of Commerce and the Rotary Club. He hasbeen president of the Roundup Club for some time and isan active steward in the Methodist Church. He is aMason and a life member of the Gideons organization....”

P’Pool is a variant spelling of Pettypool. Casey con-tinued as a very active Rotarian long after his term aspresident, serving many times as director and committeechairman. In 1964 he sold his business, retired, boughta ranch, and moved to Dallas. He died in 1989. Hiswife Gurlye lives in a nursing home in Dallas. Hisdaughter Geraldine Cantwell also lives in Dallas.

WORLD WAR II CONTINUED to dominate thescene in this club as everywhere else. Two

aspects of the war which stand out most prominentlyin Rotaview bulletins of that era are rationing and theabsence of Rotarians and their sons in military service.Here are some quotes on these topics in November:

The food administrator of our government isasking us to help in the conservation of food. If wedo not change our practices, the food shortage maybecome still more acute. ...We should select our foodwisely, dish it out sparingly, and eat it up.

...Thanksgiving is that season when we say weare thankful for our many blessings and then pro-ceed to grumble, gripe, and growl because we cannotget all the tires, gasoline, or certain foods we enjoyedin peacetime. ...Thanksgiving this year will be a sadtime for many of us. There are vacant chairs inmany homes because of this war. Many of thesechairs will never be filled again, but for many thesadness will pass when peace returns and the boyscome home. We may be prone to say bitter thingsagainst war, but how much more do we have to bethankful for even in wartime, than people of Britainor Germany. Just think how much more honorableis the thing for which our youth are fighting than isthat of the German youth. They are fighting forHitler, but our youth are fighting for an ideal.

...Dock Glover is all smiles—son Algie is home.

Rotaview bulletins at that time included a list ofmembers entitled “In the Country’s Service.” Thenames were Frank Bolton, Dyrl Hull, LeGrande Kelly(Junior), and Colonel D. C. Snyder. (Club membershipwas down to 68.) On January 11, 1944, there was also

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23. Maurice H. Bivins1887–1952

Photo by courtesy of Marjorie Harrison Bivins

a list entitled “Rotarians with Sons in the FightingForces,” as follows:

George Kelly: Son James Marvin, ArmyOliver Daniel: Son Oliver, Jr., commissioned officerBill Terrell: Son Bill Bob, ArmyLawrence Birdsong: Son Lawrence, Jr., ArmyMaurice Bivins: Sons Ensign Jim & Captain DurhamR. L. Speight: Son Marston, Seaman Second ClassE. Q. Whitney: Sons E. Q., Jr., and HarryW. C. Hurst: Son James, Air CorpsG. C. Finch: Son Charles GrayH. A. Ross: Son Carl, Instr. in Civil AeronauticsA. T. Glover: Son Algie, NavyRay Newnham: Son Morris, NavyB. W. Crain: Sons B. W. and Edward BrunerW. A. Lanagan: Son Billie

The Rotaview for March 21, 1944, was likewisedominated by the war. In an editorial entitled “In PostWar Period,” Bob Speight wrote,

Most people say we should win the war before wetalk about industry in the post war period. It was thelack of a planned economy that made possible thedepression years of 1929 to the present. This commu-nity should be thinking now about what new fields ofendeavor may be opened up following the war.

In the same bulletin, the program for the followingweek’s meeting was listed as Henry C. Withers, man-aging editor of the Dallas Morning News, speaking on“Dealing with our progress in the war, the need forpreventing similar wars in the future, and criticizingthe New Deal Bureaucracy.”

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24. William Casey P’Pool1901–1989

Photo by courtesy of Geraldine Cantwell

The Annual Rotary Ann Christmas Party at the Community Center, Tuesday, December 19, 1944In Europe, the month-long Battle of the Bulge began three days earlier. (See appendix for identifications.)

Photo by courtesy of Lawrence Birdsong, Jr.

Despite the war, Rotarians continued their usualprograms and projects. Casey and others helped high-school students establish the Round-Up Club, whichremained without a place of its own for several years.The annual Rural-Urban program was held onNovember 23, 1943. A Rotaview editorial that dayreveals the club’s attitude toward this yearly ritual:

W E L C O M E F A R M E R SThe farmer differs from the banker in only two

ways: where he lives and what he does. The farmeris the original producer of foodstuff, and we aredependent on him for raw material as he is depen-dent on us for manufactured goods. In fact, many ofour farmer friends have more invested in their busi-ness than we have in ours, and some have moredeposited in our banks than we. Without thefarmer, we would not only fail but starve.

Friends from the farm, we hope you like us. Weare glad to have you as our guests today. May thecold of the winter mellow the soil, the rains producea deep season, the crop next year be a bumper, andthe price such as to give you a reasonable profit.

1944–45: Lawrence Birdsong,President

Lawrence’s father Simon, a resident of Huntsville,Alabama, was a construction engineer working on theTexas and Pacific railway when that line was extendedwest from the Southern Pacific terminus at Longview in1873. Two years later, Simon settled in Longview withhis wife, the former Lowela Searcy. He acquired land inthe vicinity of the present Birdsong Street, which waslater named for the family. About 1900, they moved tothe house at 104 West Whaley Street which was built in1879 by Bluford W. Brown, the state legislator whoachieved the creation of Gregg County in 1873 and 1874.

Lawrence was born in 1885 and attended theLongview schools and the University of Texas. Afterpassing the bar examinations, he served a term as assis-tant county attorney but never practiced law. He was intheater and mercantile businesses, then concentrated ongeneral contracting. Lawrence constructed many of thecommercial buildings in Longview, including the Nortonand Barbee grocery (See Lee Norton, 1940–41) as well asmany fine residences. He retired in 1956.

In 1914, Lawrence married Mabel Bray, daughter ofGladewater merchant C. L. Bray. An accomplishedmusician educated in Dallas schools, Mabel was organ-ist at First Baptist Church from shortly after her mar-riage until retirement in 1970, as well as the pianist forthis club for several years. She and Lawrence boughthis parents’ home in 1920 and reared two children there.

Lawrence was the boom-time mayor of Longview,serving from 1932 to 1939. He was also president of theLongview Chamber of Commerce and a member of thefirst planning and zoning commission for the City ofLongview. He was a Mason, Knight Templar, Shriner,and Knight of Pythias. At First Baptist Church, he wasa deacon, trustee, building committee chairman, andcharter member of the Men’s Bible Class. The candidphoto above captures his buoyant, cheerful disposition.

At his death in 1961, Lawrence was survived by hiswife Mabel (who lived until 1990); son Lawrence,Junior (Sonny, who lives in the family home); daughterBlanche Paetzold of Bonn, Germany; granddaughterRebekka Paetzold; and sisters Cornelia Whitson, AlamoMobberly, and Lowrene Grissom of Longview.

THE CLUB CARRIED on in the last, victorious yearof World War II. Teacher’s Night was on October

10. The Rotary Ann Banquet was a Christmas party atthe Community Center on December 19, shown in thephotograph on the preceding page. On February 27,George Kelly directed a “founders’ day” celebration ofthe club’s twenty-fifth anniversary. Rationingremained high in everyone’s awareness. In theRotaview for May 15, 1945, Editor Bob Speight wrote,

Now that the European phase of the war isover...let’s renew the following pledge: I will buyonly what I need; I will pay no more than ceilingprices, and I will pay my ration points in full. I willsave—I will buy and hold all war bonds and stampsI can—and then some. I will save my things—makethem last longer. I will save materials—by sal-vaging paper, metal, fats, etc. I will save manpowerfor Uncle Sam by working or helping with homechores. I will save transportation by walking wher-ever possible. ...Victory is in sight. One moremighty heave, and all working together, the nationsof the world can bring peace. We must do our part.

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25. Lawrence Birdsong1885–1961

Photo by courtesy of Lawrence Birdsong, Jr.