SAN ANTONIO PUBLIC LIBRARY
South Texas
Researcher
Volume 6, Number 1
January 2008
November 2006
Inside This Issue
Introduction
1
News and Calendar
2
Books
6
Websites
10
Note: the South Texas Researcher is also now available on the San
Antonio Public Library’s web site (www.sanantonio.gov/library/) under “News &
Events” then “News & Newsletters.”
Please remember that the purpose of this newsletter is to keep librarians,
historians, archivists, genealogists, archaeologists, educators at all levels, and
those in other allied fields informed of what is going on that may be helpful in
these fields so they may pass this information on to other interested parties in their
locations.
South Texas is being broadly
defined as beginning in Val Verde
County in the west; moving east
to Austin (Travis County); and
then southeast through Caldwell,
Lavaca, Jackson, and Calhoun
counties to the Gulf of Mexico.
I am willing to include important events or acquisitions from other areas, in some
instances, if they may be of particular usefulness to those in our area. News from
our neighboring Mexican states of Tamaulipas, Nuevo Leon, and Coahuila would
also be welcome.
If you have items you or your organization would like others to know about,
please e-mail the address at the end of this newsletter.
Feel free to forward this communication to anyone who might be interested.
Thank you!
News and Calendar of Events
Texana/Genealogy Class Schedule
San Antonio Public Library
All classes are on Saturdays from 2:00 to 3:30 p.m.
Programs are free and held at the San Antonio Central Library,
600 Soledad, San Antonio, Texas, 78205.
To register (so we have enough handouts) or for information please
call the Texana/Genealogy Department at (210) 207-2500 (ask for
Texana) or E-mail: genealogydesk@sanantonio.gov
January/February Class Schedule
January 5
Preserving Family Treasures
February 2
(a) Beginning Genealogy
(b) Census Introduction
All programming is subject to change — Please call ahead to register and verify
dates and times.
Transcribers Needed
Volunteers are needed to help transcribe recorded oral histories.
Please contact Frank Faulkner at frank.faulkner@sanantonio.gov for more
information.
______________________________________________________________
Beethoven Männerchor
No events scheduled for 2008 as yet.
Additional information: 210-222-1521 or http://www.beethovenmaennerchor.com
2
News and Calendar of Events (cont.)
Texana/Genealogy Department Internet Classes
All classes are on Mondays from 2:00 to 3:30 p.m.
Programs are free and held at the San Antonio Central Library,
600 Soledad, San Antonio, Texas, 78205.
To register (so we have enough handouts) or for information please
call the Texana/Genealogy Department at (210) 207-2500 (ask for
Texana) or E-mail: genealogydesk@sanantonio.gov
January/February Class Schedule
January 7
Beginning Genealogy
February 4
Cyndi’s List and Heritage Quest
************************************************************************************
Los Bexareños Genealogy Society
Meetings are normally held at 9:30 a.m. every first Saturday of the month on
the first floor, Main Auditorium, of the San Antonio Public Library, 600
Soledad Street, San Antonio, Texas. Visitors are always welcome to attend.
Membership is not required. Speakers at the meetings are people with a
passion for history, professional historians, genealogists, archaeologists and
researchers.
No January Meeting
There will not be a regular January meeting. Instead, Los Bexareños
Genealogical Society will have its yearly Installation of Officers/Directors and
belated Christmas Dinner on the evening of Friday, January 25, 2008.
3
News and Calendar of Events (cont.)
Help for the beginning genealogist
The Society assists individuals in getting started with genealogical
research through beginner's workshops. Beginners also receive assistance
from the more experienced members of the Society.
Note: The Los Bexareños Library at the Casa Navarro Historical Site is
now closed due to relocation. The Library will be closed until a new location
can be found. We will announce any change in status.
________________________________________________________________
Texas State Library and Archives
The Lorenzo de Zavala State Archives and Library Building, home of the
Texas State Library and Archives Commission, is getting a facelift! This is good
news for both our customers and our staff, as the 46-year old building has been in
great need of renovation. We expect construction work on the two-year
renovation to begin in September 2007, but some important changes are afoot
now that may impact your research with us. Please read on!
We are pleased that we'll be able to stay open throughout most of the
renovation; however, services will be limited, and much of our collection will be
moved offsite. As with any construction project, unexpected events may cause us
to close for certain brief periods.
We urge researchers to call ahead when planning a trip to our facility. The
number is 512-463-5455. With advance notice, the official state records of Texas
stored offsite can be retrieved for you. Unfortunately a portion of our collection
will be inaccessible during the renovation.
Bookmark www.tsl.state.tx.us and follow the Renovation News link, which
includes a timeline and will be kept current with news about our services
throughout the two-year project.
Thanks for your patience and understanding as we bring our facilities into the
21st Century.
Diana Houston
Assistant Director, Information Services
Archives and Information Services Division
Texas State Library and Archives Commission
dhouston@tsl.state.tx.us
512-463-5426
4
News and Calendar of Events (cont.)
San Antonio Museum of Art
Tigers of Wrath: Watercolors by Walton Ford
Through Sunday, January 6, 2008
Illustrated Letters from the Smithsonian’s Archives of American Art
Through Sunday, January 13, 2008
200 West Jones Ave
San Antonio, TX 78215
(210) 978-8100
__________________________________________________________________
Witte Museum
Texas Zydeco
September 8, 2007 through January 20, 2008
Lens on South Texas: Photographs from the Witte Museum Collection
September 13, 2007 through August 2008
Good Night: Quilted Treasures from the Witte Museum Collection
Through March 30, 2008
Our Body: The Universe Within
January 26 through May 26, 2008
3801 Broadway
San Antonio, Texas 78209
(210) 357-1900
http://www.wittemuseum.org
__________________________________________________________________
McNay Art Museum
ARTMATTERS 12: Jane Hammond, 12 September – January 6, 2008
Alameda Ayer: Photographs by Trish Simonite, 12 September- Jan. 6, 2008
6000 North New Braunfels
San Antonio, Texas 78209
(210) 824-5368
http://www.McNayArt.org
5
Research in Texana/Genealogy
Census – Non-Population Schedules
Available in the Texana/Genealogy Department
Agricultural
Microfilm - Texas – 1850-1880
Books -
Alabama (also includes Manufacturing Schedule) – 1850 (alpha. Dale through Marengo
counties) ; 1860 (alpha. DeKalb through Morgan counties)
Georgia – 1860 (alpha. Appling through Fayette counties)
Kentucky – 1850 (alpha. Letcher through Nelson)
1860 (alpha. Floyd through Nicholas)
Louisiana – 1860 (alpha. Ascension through Winn)
Mississippi – 1860 (alpha Lownes through Yazoo)
Mortality
Microfilm – 1850-1880 : Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, Texas,
Virginia
1860 – Adams County, Ohio – V21, roll 2, item 4
Books –
Alabama – 1850 – [976.1 Barfield]
Arkansas – 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880 – [976.7 Mortality]
Tennessee – 1850, 1860, 1880 – [986.8 Sistler] (no 1870)
Texas – 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880 indices – shelved with census indices
Veteran/Pension
1890 Civil War veterans and widows – all available schedules (microfilm)
and indices (microfiche)
1835 pension
1840 pension
1883 pension
1910 population schedule – Civil War veteran
1930 population schedule – Veteran of U. S. military or navy
6
Other
Indian Territory – 1900 (film after all states)
1860 (non-Indians only filed after Yell County, Arkansas)
1870-1880 – federal censuses lost
1880-1890 – censuses taken by Cherokee government extant
Kansas Territory (V113) – 1855-1859
Missouri State Censuses (V223) – 1868 – Cape Girardeau County
1876 – various counties
Pennsylvania Septennial Censuses, 1779-1863 (V368)
Further Reading
The Source. [929.1072 Source]
American Census Handbook. Thomas Jay Kemp. [929.1072 Kemp]
The Census Book. William Dollarhide. [929.1072 Dollarhide]
Finding Answers in U. S. Census Records. Loretto Szucs & Matthew Wright.
[929.1072 Szucs]
Your Guide to the Federal Census. Kathleen Hinckley. [929.1072 Hinckley]
From the Theatre Archives
The San Antonio Civic Opera
In 1928, with a capital of $135.00 advanced by the San Antonio Musical Club as a token
of faith in Mrs. Lewis Krams Beck’s vision of a Civic Opera, work was begun in
Brackenridge Park’s Sunken Garden on Gilbert and Sullivan’s operetta “The Pirates of
Penzance”. Charles Stone and Betty Longacre Wilson were the leads. A stage was
constructed of planks in the Sunken Gardens. Billboards were used for wings. Electric
light bulbs were hung across the front of the stage. Funeral tents were loaned as dressing
rooms. Wooden folding chairs were also loaned and a large audience watched the first
opera. The second opera of the season, “The Mikado”, starred Lois Farnsworth
Kirkpatrick and Alex Johnson. Other operas followed: “the Chimes of Normandy”;
“Martha”; “Pinafore” and “Yoemen of the Guard”.
By July 1930 Mrs. Beck enlisted the aid of the city and had constructed the Sunken
Garden Theatre. On the night of July 15, 1930 a new Sunken Garden Theatre was
dedicated to Mrs. Lewis Krams Beck. “The Bohemian Girl” was the opera for the gala
event. Among those present were the city administration who had helped make the
Sunken Garden Theatre a dream come true: Mayor Chambers; Park Commissioner Jacob
7
Rubiola; Fire and Police Commissioner Phil Wright; Street Commissioner Paul Steffler;
and Tax Commissioner Frank Bushick.
The repertoire of the Civic Opera now began to include Broadway successes such as
“The Chocolate Soldier”, “The Merry Widow”, “Blossom Time”, “The Desert Song”,
“Naughty Marietta”, “The Vagabond King”, “Maytime”, “Mille Modiste”, and “The Red
Mill”.
Scenic and costume designers were employed, the corps of directors, stage assistants and
musicians were expanded, and over $75,000 has been expanded by the San Antonio Civic
Opera Company.
Among the many ardent supporters of Mrs. Beck since the inspection of the Civic opera
have been: Mr. and Mrs. Nat Washer, Dr. Fred Oppenheimer, Herman Ochs, Alois
Braun, Henry Hirshberg, John Heard, E.A. Basse, J.H. Calvert, Lutcher Brown, and
Edwin Jones.
In 1930 the Theatre was improved by a gift of $62,000 from the Texas Centennial
appropriation of $400,000. The Audience area has been sloped into a parabolic curve and
cemented. Three thousand permanent seats have been placed on the area, with stalls for
box-holders. There are graveled walks and stone stairways permitting easy assent from
and direction to the elevated edge of the area. Twin box offices permit entrance from
either side of the stage. The stage now has a disappearing curtain which unrolls from a
special tunnel under the stages. There are prestone dressing tables. The sets and the
electrical equipment have separate housing. With all these modern fittings the natural
background typical of Texas, the cliff grown with native plants, shrubs and trees, have
been preserved.
Submitted by Marie Braun Berry. 1942.
San Antonio Civic Opera List
Year
1928
1929
1930
Month/Day
July 12
Oct. 11, 18
June 6
July 10
Venue
Sunken Gardens
SG
SG
SG
Note
Gilbert & Sullivan
Gilbert & Sullivan
Gilbert & Sullivan
Robert Planquette
July 27
Opera Title
Pirates of Penzance
Mikado
The Gondoliers
The Chimes of
Normandy
Martha
SG
Oct 10
June 24
July 15
Aug. 5
Oct 8
Pinafore
Yoeman of the Guard
Bohemian Girl
Pirates (repeat)
Prince of Pilson
SG
SG
SG
SG
SG
Friedrich von
Flotow
Gilbert & Sullivan
Gilbert & Sullivan
Michael Balfe
Gilbert & Sullivan
Gustav Luders
8
1931
1932
1933
1934
1935
1936
1937
1938
1939
1940
1941
1943
1944
1945
1946
1947
1948
1949
June 16, 17
July 28
Sept. 29
June 17, 18
Sept. 6
Nov. 5
Aug 8
July 10
Oct 5
June
Aug. 21
Nov 30
June
October
Aug 31
July 8
Sept. 22
June 12
June 29
Sept. 14
August
Sept 6
June 24
Sept. 16
July 13
Sept. 8, 9
September
Aug 23
June 26, 27
Sept. 4, 5
June 19, 21
Aug 19
Sulton Sulu
The Two Vagabonds
The Chocolate Soldier
Merry Widow
Yoeman of the Guard
Trial by Jury
Sweethearts
Blossom Time
Desert Song
Naughty Marietta
Red Mill
The Vagabond King
Maytime
The Chocolate Soldier
The Rose of Algeria
M’lle Modiste
The Pink Lady
Prelude to the Opera
The Bartered Bride
The Belle of New York
Nina Rosa
The Student Prince
Florodora
H.M.S. Pinafore
Sweethearts
The Desert Song
New Moon
The Fortune Teller
Sally In Our Alley
The Merry Widow &
Trial by Jury
The Vagabond King
Sweethearts and M’lle
Modiste
SG
SG
SG
SG
SG
SG
SG
SG
SG
SG
SG
Municipal
Auditorium
SG
SG
SG
SG
SG
SG
SG
SG
SG
SG
SG
SG
SG
SG
SG
SG
SG
SG
SG
SG
Alfred Wathall
Oscar Straus
Franz Lehar
Gilbert & Sullivan
Gilbert & Sullivan
Victor Herbert
Sigmund Romberg
Sigmund Romberg
Victor Herbert
Victor Herbert
Rudolf Friml
Sigmund Romberg
Oscar Straus
Victor Herbert
Victor Herbert
Caryll & McLellan
Bedrich Smetana
Gustave Kerker
Sigmund Romberg
Sigmund Romberg
Leslie Stuart
Gilbert & Sullivan
Victor Herbert
Sigmund Romberg
Sigmund Romberg
Victor Herbert
Jerome Kern
Franz Lehar
Gilbert & Sullivan
Rudolf Friml
Victor Herbert
9
Web Sites of Interest
http://www.ogs.org/about/taxproject.php
Early Ohio Tax Records
http://digicoll.marietta.edu
Ohio Company Papers
http://www.ohgen.net/ohgenweb/
The Ohio GenWeb Project
Published by: Texana/Genealogy Department
San Antonio Public Library
600 Soledad
San Antonio, Texas 78205 210-207-2500
e-mail: genealogydesk@sanantonio.gov
Please submit information and articles to the above e-mail.
For the:
February 2008 issue by 15 January
March 2008 issue by 15 February
April 2008 issue by 15 March
10