| People |
Joseph M. Cockrell, left, sits beside Benjamin Franklin Cockrell
(1848-1931), whose son, Angus Hardee, Sr. married Vera Caudette Cocke. Vera’s parents, William Gabriel and Vanilla Price Ridley Cocke were early settlers in Kerr County. They lived inkarnes County at one time. |
The James Family from Runge, TX |
Coach
Jesse House of Runge, TX
© The VIctoria Advocate
|
Karnes
City linemen
© The VIctoria Advocate |
Jacey
and Tyler McDonald
© The VIctoria Advocate |
Assistant
Coach Noel Lopez, left, and Head Coach Oscar Muniz of Kenedy,
TX
© The VIctoria Advocate |
Krystian
Adamik, Judge Hubert Kurzal Judge Alger Kendall, and former
county Judge Alfred Pawelek
© The VIctoria Advocate |
Dorothy
Lee Mary Bodden, Cordelia Evelyn Braden, Helen Cloud, Hertha
Dittfurth, Hastings Sullivan Key, Jr., Marshall Lee Knight,
J. W. Kuhne, Lillie Mae Lyons, Wanda Vera Myhand, Julia Natho,
Irene Elizabeth Osburn, Gladys Schendel, Kathryn Schrade, "Kinky"
Davidson, Mattie Mae Schrade, William Augustus Speary, Wesly
S. Troy, Stephen Lynn Zowarka, Regina Celia Zezula |
Jay
Fleming
© The Countywide |
Wade
Jimerson
© The Countywide |
Trail
Riders pass through Karnes County
© The Countywide |
Miss
Karnes County pageant contestants
© The Countywide |
Bluebonnet Days
© The Countywide |
Karnes County Sesquicentennial
© The Countywide |
Farming,
ranching recognized at Karnes chamber event
© The Victoria Advocate |
Travis
Whitman
© The
Victoria Advocate |
Karnes County Ses Qui Fest
© The Countywide |
Runge Independence Day Celebration
© The Countywide |
Showmanship winners in the 19th annual Karnes County Youth Show were, from left, Cameron Wright, market hogs, senior division; Lauren Pruski, beef, senior division; Kristen Jendrusch, market lambs, junior division; Wade Jimerson, beef, junior division; Brittany Biela, market hogs, junior division; and Billy Bob Moczygemba, market goats and market lambs, senior division; and Russell Chesser of Capital Farm Credit, sponsor of the showmanship awards.
© The Victoria Advocate
|
Ray
Whipple, Jr. blog
Raymond
Whipple Jr.'s grandfather,
Raymond, John sr. and Granny...
and in front of them is one
of the watermelons Granny's
father was famous for growing
on the family farm down in
Karnes County, Texas. |
| Falls City |
The following photos are the sole property of Dave.
Post Office, Busy Beaver, House, Shack, Shack, Mill, Pollok's Grocery, City Sign |
|
| Green |
| Welcome to Green, TX |
|
| Hobson |
The following photos are the sole property of Dave.
Pasture, Highway, Farm, Farm, Post Office
|
|
| Karnes
City |
| Bird's Eye View of the City (1930) |
|
Polak's
Sawsage Farm
© Don Whaley |
The following photos are the sole property of Dave.
Mill, Downtown, House, House, Library, Courthouse, City Sign, Welcome Sign, County Line |
| Kenedy |
| Kenedy Mercantile Co. |
Compress & Main Street |
| View of Main Street (1910) |
Kenedy High School (circa 1910) |
| Kenedy
Hot Wells Sanatorium |
Main
Street, Another View |
| Gulf
Hotel |
Ammons
Boarding House |
| Kenedy
Post Office |
Kenedy
High School, 1920 |
| Escondido
Cemetery |
Uncle
Chuck's Karnes County Smokehouse |
| Blue
Bonnet Motel |
Barth's
Restaurant |
| Dean Motel & Restaurant |
Kenedy
Internment Camp, 1942 |
The following photos are the sole property of Dave.
Second Hand Store, Post Office, Jerry B's, Jerry B's, House, Gas Station, Silos, Highway |
|
| Helena |
| |
|
| |
|
| Thomas Ruckman, founder of Old
Helena |
Home built by Thomas Ruckman in
1857 |
| John R. Ruckman |
John R. Ruckman House, 1880s |
| Helena Union Church |
John R. Ruckman House during resoration,
1984 |
| Karnes County Courthouse, built
in 1873, Helena, Texas |
A street scene in Old Helena |
| Old
Helena Post Office |
Carver-Mayfield Store and Masonic
Lodge building |
Store in Helena, TX
Donated by Joe Deaver
"It was in a colllection of old unidentified photo from my late grandmother. The back of this photo simply said it was a store in Helena, TX. She spent part of her childhood in Helena. It might be some of her sisters, but I have so few old photos of her original family that it's hard to be sure." |
|
| The
Mexican Cemetery near Helena |
|
|
| Panna
Maria |
| *** From
the great site at The Texas Czech Storyteller |
Mosaic of Our Lady of Czesochowa, Patron Saint of Poland. Artist Jan E. Krantz. Placed in the oldest Polish church in America during the Polish Millenium of Christianity - 1966. Photo by Institute of Texas Culture. |
| This
is the sign one sees when is
traveling on Texas State Highway
123 as you approach the road
to Panna Maria (Highway 81). *** |
Only
a short distance from the main
road, one encounters a silo with
the message: "Vitamy, Panna Maria,
Texas, Home of the Immaculate
Conception." *** |
| At
the "outskirts" of the community,
one sees ruins of stone buildings
constructed as were those of
the immigrants from Poland knew
back in the "old county." *** |
This
is a more recent building constructed
of wood and sheet metal. Narrow
strips of sheet metal have been
cut and nailed over the junctures
between the boards. *** |
| This
is the front view of the Catholic
Church of the Immaculate Conception.
The oldest Polish parish in America.
The historical marker states
that the first Mass was offered
on December 24, 1854, at an alter
under the oak trees. The first
building was erected in 1855.
This church with its 100-foot
tower was built in 1877 and remodeled
in 1937. *** |
The
corner stone located at the right
front of the Catholic Church. *** |
| Oaks
next to the Church. *** |
A
close-up view of the massive
bole. *** |
| Town
marker on the grounds of the
Catholic Church. The text reads:
Town of Panna Maria: Oldest Polish
settlement in Texas. Established
December 24, 1854, by the Reverend
Leopold Mozygemba, O.F.M., who
was instrumental in bringing
from Poland about 100 Polish
peasant families. Within a few
months the majoritysought homes
in other localities in Texas. *** |
In
the Church yard and between two
large cedar trees stands this
monument to Father Leopold Moczygema.
The text reads as follows: "Father
Leopold Moczygemba, 1824 - 1891,
Patriarch of American Polonia.
Reverend Father Leopold Bonaventura
Maria Moczygemba pioneered settlement
of Polish immigrants to the United
States. He founded Panna Maria,
first Polish colony in America,
December 24, 1854. Established
in this community America's first
Polish Church and served as its
pastor until October 1856. He
continued his work as pioneer,
missionary, educator, and leader. *** |
| Also
on Church grounds is this statue
of Saint Isidore, the Patron
Saint of Farmers. Although this
part of Texas is lovely to view,
it can be difficult to farm.
A significant amount of land
in this area has been placed
into ranching. *** |
This
building now serves as the Post
Office for the community. A historical
a marker on the front explains
its history: It was built in
1855 and used as a storeroom
for the landlord's share of Panna
Maria crops. The landlord, John
Twohig, a devout Catholic, set
aside one room of store for the
church and school. The store
has been owned and operated by
the Snoga family since 1918. *** |
| This
is the front of Pilarczyk Store.
It was built 1875; is the second
oldest store in Panna Maria;
and, still has original rafters
and floors. The lime for mortaring
stones (visible on back and sides)
was fired in home kilns. The
store was bought by Victor Pilarczyk,
1913. The first gas pump was
installed 1919. *** |
The
community hall. Behind it are
a large number of barbeque pits. *** |
| Another
old stone building constructed
on the old Polish design. A sheet
metal roof with porch overhand
has been added. *** |
Just
down a county road is the town
cemetery. *** |
| |
|
| The
Store/Post Office |
The
Panna Maria Oaks |
| A
house on main street |
The
children's watering trough |
| Polish
immigrant's grave |
BBQ
Pit counter-weights |
Tombstone
with Sculpture
|
Bishop John Yanta, from the Amarillo Diocese and originally from Runge, on Sunday shakes hands with Lech Walesa, the former president of Poland and the leader of Solidarity. Walesa spoke to the community of Panna Maria during the town's 150th anniversary as the first Polish settlement in America.
© The VIctoria Advocate |
| Czestohowa |
| |
|
| A collection of photos |
|
| Gillett
|
|
|
|
|
| Ecleto |
| Road
sign |
The
former store |
| Harmony |
| The
Sign at Harmony Church |
The
Church and Tree that inspired the sign |
| The
Harmony Cemetery |
|
