Collegeport Day

May 25, 1991
 



Curtains made by Sherry Williams Richardson

1991 Collegeport Day Newsletter






 


My First Collegeport Day Celebration in 1909 [1910]...

By Percy V. Corporon
 


Unveiling of historical marker helps highlight 83rd Collegeport Day

 

The rise and fall of a Matagorda [County] town is commemorated on a historical marker unveiled at Collegeport Day last Saturday. The marker, authorized by the Texas Historical Commission, stands in the lawn of the Mopac House and reads:

 

"Jonathan Edward Pierce and Abel Brown Pierce hired land developer Burton D. Hurd to sell off 9,000 acres of their ranch lands in 1908. The agreement with Hurd called for the development of a town that would include a college and a port on Tres Palacios Bay.

 

"Advertising the venture in newspapers of northern states, Hurd promoted the area's mild climate and promising farming opportunities. A number of families relocated to Collegeport to purchase land, establish farms, and build new homes.

 

"The Gulf Coast University of Industrial arts, the college promised by the town's developer, opened in 1909. Served by the Missouri Pacific (MOPAC) Railroad, Collegeport grew quickly and by 1912 included a bank, post office, school, two churches, retail stores, and other commercial businesses. It boasted the county's first free public library, its first Boy Scout Troop, and the Woman's Club, founded in 1910.

 

"In 1914 as heavy freeze killed most of the farmers' crops, and the area experienced a drought and a disease which devastated the livestock herds, causing many families to move away. The railroad depot was dismantled, rebuilt as Mopac House, and attached to the public library in 1935."

 

Collegeport lives on, of course, even it if isn't exactly as bustling as it was in 1912 and many thronged to the Mopac House on Saturday for the annual Collegeport reunion. Certain attendees were honored at the celebration: Cassie Lynn Lee for being the youngest person there (at 3 1/2 weeks) and Harry Smith, a gentleman in his nineties, as the oldest person. Mr. and Mrs. Ray Bowers were married the longest at 64 years, and Mr. and Mrs. Ted Pennington, III have been married about nine months, making them the most recently married couple attending. Vivian Y. Lee came all the way from Fullerton, California to visit old friends and was the person who traveled the farthest.

Palacios Beacon, Wednesday, May 29, 1991
 

_____, Lynda Wells Lenz, Stephanie Franzen
Photo courtesy of Dorothy Franzen Merck

 



 

 

 
 


Master of Ceremonies
Invocation


Pledges

Welcome

Introduction of Special Guests

History
 

Pioneers Recognized

Dick Corporon

Joe Jenkins


Percy Corporon
 
Verner Bowers



 



 


COLLEGEPORT DAY
May 25, 1991
253 Registered

 

NAME

 ADDRESS NUMBER AGE MILES
TRAVELED

_____ , _____

Palacios

1

 

 

Adams, Terri, Tyler, Colt

Deutschburg

3

 

 

Arpin, Dorothy Ann

Palacios

 

 

 

Arpin, Julie

Palacios

 

 

 

Arpin, Phil, Dorothy, Ana

Palacios

3

 

 

Ash, Mr. & Mrs. Edward

Collegeport

2

 

 

Bailey, Gladys

New Caney

1

 

 

Bailey, Joe

New Caney

1

 

 

Barber, Susan Richman

Sweeny

1

33

 

Bergman, James

Collegeport

1

 

 

Boeker, Bill

Bay City

 

 

 

Boeker, Cleora

Bay City

 

 

 

Botts, Sue Hodge

Houston

3

 

145

Bowers, Edwin

Palacios

1

 

 

Bowers, Kristen

Citrus Grove

 

 

 

Bowers, Lee Ann & Dennis

Collegeport

5

 

4 mi

Bowers, Mr. & Mrs. Harold

Palacios

2

 

 

Bowers, Mr. & Mrs. Verner

Palacios

2

 

 

Bowers, Ray & Helen

Palacios

2

 

 

Brhlik, Rusty

Richmond

3

 

75

Brhlik, Sonny & Myra

Palacios

2

 

 

Brooks, E. E.

Bay City

1

73

 

Bryan, Ellen & Billy

Greenville

2

 

370

Calvert, Pauline

Freeport

 

 

 

Canfield, Betty

Houston

1

 

100

Canfield, Frank

Collegeport

54

54

1

Cardiff, Charles C. II

Katy

1

 

 

Cardiff, Joyce & Charles

Katy

2

 

 

Carter, Roger K.

El Campo

1

 

 

Cornelius, Dee

Midfield

1

88

 

Corporon, Allen & Laurie

Richmond

2

 

 

Corporon, Amanda

Collegeport

1

 

 

Corporon, Charles & Sherri

Palacios

2

 

2

Corporon, Chester

Collegeport

1

 

 

Corporon, Dick & Dorothy

Citrus Grove

2

87, 78

 

Corporon, Dorothy Ann

Citrus Grove

 

 

 

Corporon, Duane

Citrus Grove

1

 

 

Corporon, Gene

Kingsland

1

 

 

Corporon, Janice

Citrus Grove

1

 

 

Corporon, Larry

Houston

1

 

 

Corporon, Margaret

Collegeport

1

 

 

Corporon, Percy

Citrus Grove

1

90

 

Corporon, Roy & Pam

Victoria

2

 

 

Corporon, Tommy, Donna, Lindsay, Loren

Collegeport

4

 

 

Corporon, Travis

Collegeport

1

 

 

Corporon, Victor & Barbara C.

Collegeport

2

 

 

Corporon, Weldon & Carolyn

Point Comfort

2

 

 

Creel, Melinda, Lamar, Summer

Collegeport

3

 

 

Denn, Bill & Gena

Bay City

2

 

 

Derrick, Phyllis H.

Waco

1

 

 

Dickerson, John C. III

Bay City

35

 

35

Domorod, John W.

Markham

 

 

 

Ellis, Alta

 

1

 

13 or 14

Ellis, Burt A., Luke, Jon, Carol Jean

Palacios

4

 

 

Ellis, Jesse, Carolyn, Will

 

3

 

 

Ellis, Mr. W. L.

 

1

 

 

Ellis, Mrs. W. L.

 

1

 

 

Ellis, Tommy & Pat

Palacios

2

 

 

Ellis, William [duplicate]

Collegeport

1

11

4

Fehmel, Bill

 

 

 

 

Fitzpatrick, Debbie, Jason, Steve

Houston

3

 

 

Foltyn, Jake & Rosemary

Bay City

 

 

 

Formby, Naomi R.

Bay City

1

 

 

Franzen, Alex

Collegeport

1

68

 

Franzen, Clifford

 

1

 

 

Franzen, G. W.

Collegeport

1

 

 

Franzen, Goose

Collegeport

1

 

 

Franzen, Ida Mae

Collegeport

1

 

 

Franzen, Samantha & Derril

Collegeport

2

26, 32

1

Franzen, Savannah

Collegeport

1

2

1

Franzen, Stephanie

Collegeport

1

7

1

Gayle, Frank

Markham

 

 

 

Gayle, Tootsie

Markham

 

 

 

Gilbrech, Margaret (Reba’s daughter)

 

 

 

 

Hale, Mary Jo

Bay City

1

 

 

Hale, Mrs. Tom Hale Sr.

Bay City

1

 

 

Hale, Tom Jr.

Bay City

1

 

 

Halfen, Holly Lee

Pasadena

 

 

 

Halfen, Lee Roy

Houston

 

 

 

Halfen, Magdalene

 

1

 

 

Hames, Virginia & Bob

Victoria

2

 

 

Hayes, Dan

Bay City

1

 

 

Hejtmanek, Dovie & George

Wilson Creek

2

 

 

Heller, La Vern B.

Markham

 

 

 

Hendrix, Hester Belle

Dime Box

1

 

 

Henry, Mrs. H. L.

Tin Top

1

 

 

Herlin, Cara

Palacios

 

 

 

Herlin, Jean & Bob

Palacios

 

 

 

Hickl, Edith

Palacios

 

 

 

Hickl, Polly, Gary, Darren

El Maton

3

 

 

Hodge, Margaret Ann

Houston

 

 

 

Hodge, Rev. Bill

Houston

1

 

 

Holsworth, Amy

Collegeport

1

 

 

Holsworth, Edwin A.

Palacios

1

 

 

Holsworth, John

Palacios

1

 

 

Holsworth, Suzanne

Collegeport

1

 

 

Hunt, Mr. & Mrs. Harold

Palacios

 

 

 

Hunter, Mike & Jan & kids

Palacios

4

 

 

Hurta, A. W.

Midfield

1

 

 

Hurta, Mrs. A. W.

Midfield

1

 

 

Jenkins, Joe F.

 

1

 

 

Jenkins, Mr. & Mrs. J. W.

Palacios

2

 

 

Johnson, Mary Conover

Wharton

1

 

 

Johnson, Maxine

Markham

1

 

 

Johnson, Phil & Judy

Wharton

2

 

 

Keaton, Velma

Palacios

1

 

 

Keszler, Robert & Joy Corporon

Point Comfort

2

 

 

Kuchar, Albert

Danbury

1

 

 

Kuchar, R. A.

Clute

1

 

 

Kuchar, Rodney Jr.

Houston

1

 

 

Laslie, Alvena

Palacios

1

84

 

Law, Beryl

Bay City

1

 

 

Law, Fred Jr.

Bay City

1

 

 

Ledwig, Carol & Luke

 

2

 

 

Ledwig, Julius

Collegeport

1

 

 

Ledwig, Vlasta

Collegeport

1

 

 

Lenz, Garrett

Collegeport

1

 

 

Lenz, Lynda

 

 

 

 

McClelland, Judy, John, Jay

Collegeport

3

 

0

McClelland, Rev. John D. [duplicate]

Next Door

1

Too Old

50 ft

McCrosky, Louise

Bay City

1

 

 

McCrosky, Voss

 

1

 

 

McElrath, Margaret

Palacios

1

77

 

McKinney, Joyce

Collegeport

1

 

 

McKinney, Kelly

Collegeport

1

 

 

McKissick, Alma

Ashby

1

 

 

McMillan, U. S. & Flora

 

2

 

 

Meitzen, Leota

Rosenberg

1

75

60

Merck, Cathy, Danyelle, Matthew

Palacios

3

 

 

Merck, Dean & Dorothy

Collegeport

2

84

3 blocks

Merck, Dean Franzen “Deanie Boy”

League City

1

57

100

Moates, Nancy & Jerry

Collegeport

2

 

 

Murry, Jim

 

1

 

 

Osborne, Elsie

 

1

 

 

Osborne, John W.

Bay City

1

 

 

Peevy, Lottie Mae & husband

 

2

 

 

Penland, Glenn

Brazoria

1

 

 

Pennington, Ted III, Rita Ann

Alvin

2

 

 

Pennington, Ted, Christine, Chris

Alvin

3

 

 

Petrick, Marilyn (Reba’s daughter)

Southlake

 

 

 

Petty, Mike & Carol

Port Lavaca

2

 

 

Pierce, Abel B.

Blessing

1

 

 

Pierce, Ruth H.

Blessing

1

 

 

Pierce, Sally

Blessing

1

 

 

Pittman, Peggy

Palacios

1

49

 

Powell, Harry Lane & Marsha

Blessing

2

 

 

Powers, Walter

Palacios

1

 

 

Price, Reba Corporon

Freeport

1

84

 

Reynolds, Ann

 

1

 

 

Riccio, Emily

 

1

 

13 or 14

Richard, Drew

Bay City

1

 

 

Richardson, Sherry

Houston

1

 

 

Richey, Essie & Warren

Houston

2

 

 

Richman, Irma

Palacios

1

67

 

Richman, Phill & Marilyn

Palacios

 

 

 

Roark, Anthony

Bay City

1

 

 

Schimek, Martha Jane & Ottmar

Bay City

2

 

 

Shows, Elaine Hendrix

Ledbetter

1

 

 

Shows, J. W.

Ledbetter

2

 

 

Silman, Edward

Corpus Christi

1

 

 

Sjostrom, Jeff & Esther

Palacios

2

 

15

Smith, Harry

Bay City

1

93

 

Soli, Fay

Bay City

1

 

 

Soli, Hart

Bay City

1

 

 

Spates, Bob

Channelview

 

 

 

Spates, Ruth Boeker

Channelview

1

 

 

Stewart, Curtis

Houston

1

27

100

Stewart, Kimberly

Houston

1

 

 

Storts, John Ed

Bay City

4

 

 

Tatum, Kathleen

Bay City

1

 

 

Thompson, Daisy

Markham

1

 

 

Vacek, Martha

Palacios

1

 

 

Vacek, Melissa

Palacios

1

 

 

Vacek, Mr. & Mrs. Staches

 

2

 

 

Waechter, Louise, Jack, Jack Jr.

Palacios

3

 

 

Wainner, Dorcas

Markham

1

 

 

Wainner, George

 

1

 

 

Waters, Louise

Corpus Christi

1

 

 

Waters, Margie Heemer

Houston

1

 

 

Weikel, Elroy & Lois

Palacios

2

 

 

Wells, Mamie

Collegeport

1

 

5

Whitehead, Kay

Houston

1

77

100

Whitehead, Pat

Pearland

1

44

 

Wilkinson, W. W. Jr.

Bay City

1

81

 

Williams, Ethel Nelson

Bay City

1

67

30

Surnames for indexing: Stepp, Chiles, Bedner, Guynes, Savage, Clemens, Kielhorn, Judin, Bullington, Legg, Perciville Welsby, Wilson, Adams, Clapp,

 

 

Copyright 2006 - Present by the source contributor
All rights reserved
Created
May 28, 2006		 Updated
Jan. 30, 2020
 

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