Bishop's Early Black Families

Bishop, Nueces County, Texas 1910 - 2010 One Hundred Years of South Texas Heritage!

[This history is part of the written collection from the Bishop Chamber of Com-

merce records, and believed to have been compiled by Mrs. Gail Tubbs in

1960 for Bishop’s Golden Jubilee celebration.]

1910 - The Dory family were among the first Butts farm hands, and later moved

to town. Big Tom Dory, WWI veteran, was one of the finest cooks in Nueces

County. He cooked for a local restaurant for years. On cotton season

Saturdays Tom would dike up in fresh white apron and tall cook's cap and

strut up and down the streets for the admiration of the colored field hands

who were not thus arrayed. His son, Marion Dory, has helped the Fordtrans

drill most of the water wells in this area. Goldie Dory, Marion's wife, is the

best known member of the family today. Six feet tall, she is a big woman in

size and big in heart. Goldie has been with the school cafeteria for years,

and is usually turning out delectable rolls for every area banquet that takes

place. Last summer Goldie was on vacation, but when Mrs. G. R. Drury,

local librarian, broke her hip and had to have someone who could lift her,

Goldie took on the job instead of resting up for next school term.

1910 - Elbert and Rose Melton were another couple of Butts farm hands who came

here in 1910, and later moved to town with their 13 children. Elbert had spent

his early days breaking horses - and he didn't like to walk. Even in his lean

years he managed to have some kind of nag to ride. He was a mighty nervous

individual, and would scare at anything that wasn't horseflesh. For years he

drove a ramshackle old wagon as the town's only garbage collector, and did

a good job in spite of the equipment he had to use. Dr. C. P Yeager, new in

town, didn't know how jumpy the old garbage man could be. One day when

he couldn't get his attention he stepped up on the wheel of the garbage

wagon just as Elbert up-ended a can. Elbert jumped, and down went a rain

of garbage spattering over Dr. Yeager's spankin’ clean Palm Beach suit.

1911 - Sam Rutledge was the only negro farm owner in the community. He came

here in 1911 and farmed until he sold the land to Celanese in 1943 and

moved to San Antonio. His wife, Sally Rutledge, taught at the colored school

for almost 20 years, and the couple sent three of their children through

college. Sam, tall, broad-shouldered, with graying hair and fine eyes, carried

his color and race with pride.

1911 - Ebb and Sally Coy were another well known couple, and the whole community

paid them honor on their Golden Wedding day in the 40s. They came here to

work for the E. P. Whittingtons. Later Ebb Coy was janitor at the bank, and

with a grin he told everyone that he was "trashier" of the First State Bank.

Willie Bradley Davis, who came here in 1913, was a self-educated woman with a

keen mind. A staunch member of the Baptist Church, she was a force in every

good movement in the colored section for years.

Andrew Mathis, with bald shiny head and crippled leg, was another well known

colored citizen. He took on a bootblack's job after he became crippled, and later

set up a successful janitor and floor cleaning service.

Ruben Holliday, who came here in the 20s has carried the Bishop mail from the

post office to the train depot for 20 years. A low rather stocky man, with horn-rimmed

spectacles and batter felt hat, he is a familiar figure lounging against the post office

wall, waiting for the mail to be made up. In the early days he trammelled the mail over

in a hand cart, or slung the sacks over his shoulder and later went back for packages.

Bishop’s Black Pioneer Families