August 2004

TABITHA MAYES CHAMBLISS -- We regret to inform our readers that Tabitha Mayes Chambliss of Anahuac passed away on Monday, August 9. Tabitha was a unique lady, always the life of any party, and a great friend to the Wallisville Heritage Park for 25 years. Tabitha was born in Wallisville, Texas in 1917, and she was the daughter of Josh G. and Tabitha (Jones) Mayes. She was married to the late Grover C. “Bub” Chambliss, Jr. They were owners and operators of the Chambliss Oil Company at Anahuac for many years. She was 87 years old at the time of her death.

GIFFORD WHITE – We learned also of the recent death of Gifford White of Austin, an outstanding researcher into the history of all branches of the White family history. Gifford published two family history books, James Taylor White of Virginia and Amy White of the Old 300. He also published numerous books on early Texas settlers, chief among these being 1830 Citizens of Texas and 1840 Citizens of Texas.

JACKSON BOOK -- We are still selling copies of They Pointed Them East First by Jim Bob Jackson. The books have been published in a numbered limited edition of 250. This first edition is almost completely sold out, but there also is a second edition available. Each book sells for $26.68 (tax included). For more information, write the Wallisville Heritage Park at P.O. Box 16, Wallisville, Texas 77597. Mail orders should enclose an additional $1.50. If you would like Jim Bob to sign the book for you, please include the name of the person to whom he should make it out and we’ll get him to sign it that way.

THE MOSS BLUFF REBELS – Cynethia Cecil and Hazel Meaux, two members of the Thomas Jefferson Chambers Chapter, United Daughters of the Confederacy, are working on an official Texas Historical Marker application for “The Moss Bluff Rebels.” This was a Confederate cavalry company organized during the War Between the States by Captain Ashley Wood Spaight, a plantation owner who was living at Moss Bluff at the time the war broke out. Soon after the company was organized, Spaight was promoted to the rank of Colonel and given command of the battalion. William B. Duncan, one of his lieutenants, was promoted to the rank of captain and assigned to the command of this same unit, which became organized as Company F of Spite’s Battalion. Most of these men came from Liberty and Chambers counties. We are trying to compile as much information on this company and on Spaight’s Battalion as possible. This information can then be used in the marker application, but also can become a part of our permanent files here at the Wallisville Heritage Park. We have a complete roster of Company F and would be happy to send this to anyone who would like a copy. It lists all the men who served in “The Moss Bluff Rebels.” The Thomas Jefferson Chambers UDC Chapter is also accepting donations toward the cost of the historical marker. Such donations can be mailed to them at: Thomas Jefferson Chambers UDC Chapter, PO Box 16, Wallisville, TX 77597.

WALLISVILLE SETTLED IN 1824 -- The family of Elisha Henry Roberts Wallis and his wife Sarah “Sally” Barrow Wallis settled the town of Wallisville, in the winter of 1824/25. The town of Wallisville was surveyed and laid out in lots and blocks in 1854 by two of the couple’s sons, Solomon Barrow “Sol” Wallis and Daniel Boone “Dan” Wallis. We would like to put together a special display later this year to commemorate this anniversary, and we are hoping each of you can help us. We have lots of photographs, records and information on the town of Wallisville, but we feel like there are more materials out there that we haven’t seen or copied. If you have anything that might add to our display, we would love to make copies of them for this display. If you don’t have such records, we would ask you to help us out by asking your friends and acquaintances if they have such records or photographs. Here are different types of materials that might be out there: photographs of buildings, houses, businesses or individuals from Wallisville; letters describing visits to Wallisville; letters written by families from Wallisville; diaries or journals that mention the town; newspapers that mention the town or were printed here; tax records from Chambers County dealing with the town of Wallisville; flyers or advertisements about events here; and old maps or other items. If you had an ancestor that lived in the town, pastored here, taught school here, or worked for one of the sawmills, we would like to add this information to our files. In short, we are interested in anything that relates to Wallisville in any way. If you would like to talk to us about this, please call 409-389-2252 and ask for Virginia Loya or Kevin Ladd.

Memorials and Donations

IN MEMORY OF MRS. TABITHA CHAMBLISS

IN MEMORY OF CECIL PARKER

IN MEMORY OF GIFFORD WHITE

IN MEMORY OF GOVERNOR ROSS STERLING

DONATION

Donations to the Wallisville Heritage Park, a Section 501c3 organization, are tax deductible. The donations above will be used to purchase books and other research materials for our library. Donations in memory of or in honor of individuals can be made by sending them to the Wallisville Heritage Park, PO Box 16, Wallisville, TX 77597. We also have a "Friends of the Wallisville Heritage Park," which is open to anyone who wishes to make a donation of $50 or more per year

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