Copyright © 2009-2010 Bishop Centennial Celebration, Inc. All rights reserved. Updated April 24, 2010
Bishop, Nueces County, Texas 1910 - 2010 One Hundred Years of South Texas Heritage!
Bishop’s First Families - Patrick
B. J. Patrick met Grace Butts in Rosebud, Texas. They were married in 1901.
Mrs. B. J. Patrick and children, Douglas, Bonnie Lee (Mrs. Ted True), Benjamin,
Sethwood, Nelson, Cecil and Lola Mae (Mrs. W. G. Campbell) came to Bishop the
last of May, 1918 from Hillsboro, shortly after the death of the Rev. B. J. Patrick,
who was a Baptist minister. Douglas was the oldest, just shy of his 14th birthday.
The youngest, Lola Mae was 18 months. They moved to Bishop because Bruce
Butts (Mrs. Patrick's brother) had a large farm. He could offer her emotional
support and also a place to move until she had her own home. She ran a boarding
house, and all of the children learned to cook, clean, iron, and every other chore
required to help the family. At that time, social security was not in place, and
women did not have any training for the job market. In addition, Mrs. Patrick was
only 33 years old. She was determined to keep her family together, and the Bishop
area met her needs.
"In 1921 or 1922, D. D. Snow, then principal of the Bishop school, organized the
school's first band", Mrs. Patrick writes. "Mr. Snow found a number of band
instruments that had belonged to the first Bishop Booster Band stored at the bank
and at Johnson's store, and decided to put them to use. This first band only had 14
pieces. Gradually interest grew and some of the students bought instruments, and
the band grew to 30 members. Three of these were Patrick boys, Benjamin,
Sethwood and Nelson".
The children attended Bishop schools until Lola
Mae was about 10, when they moved to
Kingsville. The remaining school age children
completed school there. Cecil and Nelson both
served in Europe during the was. Cecil returned
to Bishop after World War II, with wife Louise
Cunningham Patrick. They moved to the farm 12
miles west of Bishop in 1949, where they lived
until his death in 1980. Louise moved to Bishop in
1985.
[Margaret Patrick, daughter of Cecil Patrick, contributed
to this history, taken from writings from her aunt, Lola
Mae Patrick Campbell.]
First Bishop school band (see story this page). Estill Foster,
far right, at age 11, was a future band director of Bishop
schools. (Identified by his son, Don Foster, also a former
Bishop schools band director). Photo courtesy The South
E. P. Whittington Family
Mr. and Mrs. E. P. Whittington and three
children J. D. , Oran A. and Anna Lee (Mrs.
Leon Hagan) arrived in Bishop September 1,
1912, driving from Howard, in Ellis County, in
a Franklin car, one of the first in Bishop. Mr.
Whittington transported real estate salesmen
and homeseekers for F. Z. Bishop and later
was a building contractor. After Mr.
Whittington's death, shortly after World War I,
Mrs. Whittington turn their big two-story ome
into an apartment house and continued
farming interests for many years. Throughout
her years in Bishop she was an active
member of the First Baptist Church.
Family histories by year...
1911
Several years before the United States entry into World War I, five Cage brothers
moved to Bishop, Nueces County, Texas. Stephen, the older brother was a railroad
engineer. Jim, the second brother, was a dealer in horses, mules and livestock.
Frank and Tom became merchants and cotton buyers and Taylor was a farmer.
(In photo, left to right: Thomas Jesse Cage, Stephen Benjamin Cage, James Duncan Cage,
Joseph Franklin Cage, William Taylor Cage, Thomas Cayce Cage, Marvin Andrew Cage, Carlton Donaldson Cage. Click on photo for
larger image.)
All of the brothers enjoyed a great degree of success. Tom and Frank formed a partnership known as Cage Brothers,
engaged in highway construction. Before and during World War II, other than highway construction jobs, they held
contracts for millions of dollars in military installations. Frank was also a highly successful banker. The older brothers,
Taylor and Marvin were farmers and owned land near Bishop. They were also contractors, as was a half brother
Carlton Cage. [shared by Doris Browning Miller, niece of William Taylor “Jim” Cage, 2010]
Mr. and Mrs. Emil Manngen and five daughters, Elizabeth, Martha, Lottie, Freda and Lela came to Bishop August 11,
1911. The arrived by train from Falls County and established the first farm, four miles west of Bishop. Four of the
daughters make their home on this farm. They recall the two hurricanes that hit this area in 1916 and 1919. The
installation of REA and hard surface roads were the most memorable events.
Mr. George R. Drury came to Bishop in August 1911. His wife, Minnie V. and small son Reno joined him in
November. They were guests of the Bishop hotel for about three weeks, then moved into a rented house (now the J.
A. Ross home). Early in 1912 they bought a home on Main Street. The house had been built for the first electrician to
work in Bishop. Mrs. Drury, her daughter Minnie Nell (Mrs. J. C. Whitten) and family still reside in this home. Mr. Drury
was manager of a grocery store owned by Mr. Flinn when he first arrived in Bishop. He bought the store in 1912 and
operated it for several years. He served as a member of Bishop Independent School Board and was City Marshal for
several years.
Fred Kaiser and Martha Kuehn met on a ship sailing from Germany to America in 1888. Their families settled in
Fayette County, Texas. They married in 1890 and lived in Williamson County before moving to Bishop in 1911 with
their nine children, where they farmed about 4 miles north of town. Willie and Marie remembered riding a horse and
mule to school in Bishop. In 1913, Fred was one of the charter members of St. John Lutheran Church. They moved
back to Williamson County for several years but returned to Bishop in the late 1930’s. Fred and Martha are buried in
Restland Cemetery, Bishop, as are children Hertha Schroeder, Werner, Louise Adamson, Willie, and Arno. Marie
Boyce and Paul are buried in Robstown. [contributed 2010 by Wilma Peterson, daughter of Willie, granddaughter of Fred]
1912
Mr. and Mrs. Frank Michalek arrived in Bishop November 11, 1912 by train from Shiner, Texas. Their children Mrs.
Frankie Ortman, Lillie Morgenroth and Hester Michalek reside in Bishop. Mr. Michalek was a farmer. They liked the
nice school and churches and the wonderful people they met in Bishop.
G. P Massey and wife Martha Ann and their children Bertha, Annelle and Zelma came to Bishop by train from Lott,
Texas the early part of September, 1912. They were later joined by their other daughter, Mrs. A. A. Barnes. Mr.
Massey dealt in real estate and farmed. He had three farms and built a new six-room home in town. They enjoyed
meeting new people, helping with all the organizations, clubs, etc. All were members of the First Baptist Church,
Bertha a member of D. D. C. Club.
Mrs. J. A. Eaves came to Bishop October 28, 1912. She was married March 29, 1913. Their children were Ophelia,
Fannie and James, Jr. "We came here by train. I was raised at Bertram, my husband at Liberty Hill. My husband was
iceman and also ran a drayline. We moved away once, were gone six months, got so homesick for Bishop we moved
back. Not much town here when we came, lots of people living in tents - no sidewalks, not many streets. Bishop had
their own power plant, but no church. We went to church upstairs over what is now Z. L. Butts Bldg. The top was
blown off by one of the storms and was never built back. We sure did have the mud and rain. I remember once I was
crossing the street, my it was muddy, I had my baby in my arms and both shoes stuck in the mud. It sure wasn't very
pleasant. I'm one of many mothers that had a son to serve overseas, during World War II, with the Eighth Air Force in
England.
1913
Mr. and Mrs. W. T. Harrell and children, T. Abram, Aubrey Lee, Alfred F., and twins Jesse Dell and Ollie Nell (Mrs. R.
B. Miller) arrived in Bishop December 15, 1913 by train from Grandview, Texas. Mr. Harrel was a farmer, was in the
hardware business for a time, and followed his hobby of cabinet making. Interesting things remembered: Red Cross
work during World War I, Mrs. Harrell member Woman's History Club, 1917, Ollie Nell and escort represented Bishop
in the opening of the Port of Corpus Christi, Abram aided in finding drowning victim during flood of spring 1926, Mrs.
Harrell won three "Blue Ribbons" during Bishop's Fair in 1924.
1914
Mr. and Mrs. Arch Ratliff and children Otho, Beulah and Bernice arrived in Bishop by train from Corpus Christi,
previously from Georgetown, in 1914. Mr. Ratliff was a cattleman and stockman.
1917
Elmer McCoy, President of the First State Bank of Bishop, farmer and land owner, came here in 1917, and has
developed extensive interests here since that time. Mr. McCoy owns a one thousand acre farm, ten miles west of
Bishop. He bought this land shortly after coming, grubbing and clearing the land himself, and has developed one of
the finest farms in the Bishop section, or in Nueces County. The place has all modern improvements, including lighting
plants, water plant, and farming implements and equipment. Mr. McCoy’s chief crop is cotton and his land is very
productive. He has about eighty mules on the ranch and uses the two-row method of plowing, principally, however,
some tractor work is done. Mr. McCoy has just begun the planting of winter truck crops, finding that the double crop
system is a very profitable one.
Mr. McCoy was married in Austin, Texas in 1922 to Miss Zula Barkley of North Carolina. They have three sons, Elmer,
Jr., Harvey and J. W. McCoy. The family resides one mile from Bishop. [from an unknown publication shared by Mrs. Harvey
McCoy, 2010]
1916
W. E. Whitten and wife, Annie, with their children W. O., J.E., R.T., and Alta (Pierce) arrived in Bishop December 10,
1916 by train and automobile from Grandview, Johnson County, Texas. Mr. Whitten was a farmer and real estate
agent.
1918
Eugene Baines Browning and Mary Agnes Cage were members of pioneer families who migrated to central Texas
from Tennessee and Kentucky. "Gene" and "Mace” married and lived the first few years of their married life in the little
hill-country town of Blanco. Gene had heard of the thriving little town of Bishop, Texas, located in Nueces County, and
close to Corpus Christi. Wanting to become a part of the new community, he joined Tom, Frank and Jim Cage in their
mercantile business that had already been established in Bishop. He arrived there just in time to experience the terrific
hurricane that hit the coast in 1919. He and the family with whom he was staying had to literally crawl and fight their
way to a box car on the railroad tracks after they realized their house was no longer safe from the terrific winds. His
wife and two daughters, Lucille and Corrinne, joined him in Bishop after the town had recovered from the storm and
housing was available.
Mr. Browning was associated with Cage Brothers as they expanded their interests from general mercantile to wider
ones, namely cotton buying and road construction. After the Cage Road Construction office was moved to San
Antonio, Gene continued with the cotton business and with his own independent insurance agency. He also had
farming interest in Nueces County.
Gene Browning, his wife, and his five daughters, (Mary, Ruth and Doris Here born in Bishop) were integral parts of the
community life of Bishop and all have been involved in civic, social and church activities through the years the family
has lived there. Gene served as city commissioner for a number of years, then later as mayor of Bishop. He was
active in the First Baptist Church, serving as treasurer for many years. He served for many years on the Nueces
County Hospital District Board of Trustees and was still serving on this board at the time of his death in 1951 at the
age of 61.
Mrs. Browning was also active in the community and in the county. She served her church (Methodist) in many
capacities, and was a "god-send” to many families in need in the area as she sought to offer loving care as well as
material and monetary aid to many. During World War II she was one of the busiest persons in Bishop, for she was the
local representative of Red Cross Home Service, looking after the many problems of the families of service men. She
died in 1966 at the age of 74. [shared by Doris Browning Miller, daughter of E. B. Browning, 2010]
1921
Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Richardson arrived in Bishop October 10, 1921 by wagon from Alice. Their daughter Shirley was
born in Bishop. Mr. Richardson was a farmer.
1923
Mr. and Mrs. R. H. Roewe arrived in Bishop October 18, 1923 in a Model T Ford. They drove from Westoff, Texas. Mr.
Roewe was a farmer.
Mr. and Mrs. R. H. Melde arrived in Bishop in September 1923 by train from Thorndale, Texas. They were
accompanied by their son and daughter. Mr. Melde was a farmer. They traveled to Concordia Lutheran Church by
wagon drawn by mules. It was wet and the roads were bad.
1925
Mr. and Mrs. O. L. Richardson arrived in Bishop October 23, 1925 from Alice, Texas. Mr. Richardson was a farmer.
They had one daughter, Mrs. Paul M. Elliott.
Mr. and Mrs. D. W. Miller arrived in Bishop in 1925 from Hayes and Travis County Texas by train. Mr. Miller was a
farmer, with two sons Don and Dwain. They were awarded the Master Farmer's Award of Texas in 1941. Mr. Miller
worked seventeen years with R. E. Karper, agronomist in charge of sorghum investigations in Texas. In the Miller test
plot on the home farm northwest of town, 20 to 40 different varieties of feed were planted and progress and results
carefully cataloged. Mr. Miller planted the first hybrid sorghum in Nueces County.
W. A. Wimsatt and his uncle, R. O. Wilson, came to Bishop in
1911 from Louisville, Kentucky, and for many years "Doc"
Wimsatt was the only veterinarian in this area.
In those days, the milk cow was an important possession,
because milk could not be purchased at the store as it is today. If
your cow got sick, your children were without milk. "Doc" Wimsatt
saved the lives of many of these milk cows, though often he had
to ride horseback through mud and water to get to them.
 "Cage Brothers")
