By Ruth Ann Ruiz
The Post Newspaper Features Editor
The spirit of historic African American, Texas Cowboys was brought to life once again in Texas City.
As the wind moved the leaves on the live oaks and river birch trees, the cool breeze generated a sense of good times and relaxation. Looking around one could see there were friends and families chatting, eating, listening to music, and enjoying the afternoon.
They had all come for the 1867 Settlement Historic District fall celebration.
Children had a chance to take part in jumping castles, eating popcorn, running through the grass, or getting a snow cone from Snow King. DJ Jimmy Gamble kept the party spirit in the air with his musical selections.
One accessory many of those gathered were proud to wear was a cowboy hat.
Young cowboys atop their horses galloped freely down Bell Drive on Saturday. Their free-spirited rides were reminiscent of days gone by when the area was mostly cattle ranching with cowboys riding along tending their cattle.
Bell Drive entrances were closed at Carver, Eunie, and Hobgood Streets, allowing for the celebration to be enjoyed in the streets, on the sidewalks, on grassy lawns and inside the 1887 Frank Sr. and Flavilla Bell Historical Home. Guests were also invited to take a tour of another home on Bell drive.
Vera Bell Gray, one of the original founders of the 1867 Settlement Historic District pointed over to the house where she was born and raised, and which was open for tours. The house her daddy built sits almost directly across the street from the well-known Bell Home. She grew up right in the heart of Black cowboy country in Texas City.
Jacey Justice lives just around the corner from the event, and she has been coming every year since she was a little girl. Her mamma’s mom is none other than Vera Bell Gray. Jacey, just 17, enjoys being part of her family traditions and the history of the region.
Gathering under the shade of the live oak and birch trees were more of the original founders of the 1867 Settlement Historic District. Most of them are direct descendants of the families who settled in the area in 1867.
Lanny Young, another descendant of one of the founders, came out for the event with his cowboy hat and remembered the days when he was a six-time champion cowboy.
Mistress of ceremonies for the event, Charlesa Bell Gary, is another descendant of the Bell family. She serves as president of the Historic Preservation Committee. She quickly deferred to the many others who had gone before her in bringing the Settlement District to a reality.
“Vera Bell Gray is our matriarch. We are related through the Bell family, but we just happened to marry men who both have the last name of Gary, and our husbands do not come from the same family,” Charlesa explained to help clear up any confusion.
It has been a spell since they held their annual event. Due to the pandemic, they haven’t hosted an annual event since 2019.
Vera and Charlesa both agreed that attendance at this year’s event was considerably lower than in previous years.
“We lost a good amount of people from our group to COVID,” both ladies shared.
The ladies are hopeful that the future will bring more attendance to the celebration along with more committee members. Keeping history alive is what the ladies aim to do.
“This is not only our history; it’s Texas history. It’s U.S. history,” Vera said.
Included in the days activates was a ceremony honoring those who have kept the history of Black cowboys in Texas City alive. Those honored were:
2023 HONOREES: Emery Williams, Cleveland O. Lane Sr., Melodey Hauch, Helen Moot, Earl Kenneth Alexander, Dennis J. Harris, Harold Cash, Brian C. Young & Tasha Young and WordPower
2023 SUPPORTERS: Amanda Vance, Keith Henry, Doc Brown, Cynthia Bell Malveaux, Darnell Ray, Lucille McGaskey, and Tray Brown Sr.
Thanking those present for their dedication was important but remembering those who have gone on, those whose efforts made the Settlement District a reality was a somber moment as Charlesa spoke.
“We could never forget the ones that pioneered our pathway, that worked hard before us and with us to see our mission of preserving African American history in Galveston County was continued. African American Historic Preservation Committee celebrates these supporters, gone but not forgotten,” Charlesa said.
Then she read their names.
Erma Johnson, Alexander Pratt, Floyd “Lanny” Martin, Ann Grant, Dr. Mary Margaret Smith, Mr. and Mrs. Robert and Bertha Nelson and Venolia Cobbs Hackley.
Honoring the women of Black cowboy history was actress, Melissa Waddy-Thibodeaux. She delivered a monologue inspired by Henrietta Foster, or Ritty, as she was known. Ritty had been a cowgirl in Texas who left a legacy in her work as a midwife and her work right alongside men in the ranching industry.
Texas City Museum Curator, Amanda Vance was on the grounds at the Bell House ready to answer any questions guests had. For the day of the event, the house was open to the public at no charge.
The Bell Home is the oldest structure in the 1867 Settlement and was built in 1887 by Frank Bell, Sr. He and his wife Flavilla raised their family in the house. Future generations of the Bell family continued to occupy the house.
In 2007, The house was donated to the city by members of the Bell family for restoration and development as a community museum by the Texas City Parks and Recreation Department.
The 1867 Settlement Historic District honors the history of freed people who after emancipation purchased plots of land and built their homes. They, who had once been slaves, lived as free men and woman and they chose to participate in cattle ranching and cowboying.
