Texas History Notebook

John B. Slaughter

John Bunyan Slaughter was born December 15, 1848 in Sabine County, Texas to Rev. George Webb Slaughter and Sarah Mason Slaughter. John was the fifth child and fourth son born to the couple. In their birth order, the children of George Webb and Sarah Jane were Christopher Columbus, Nancy Ann, Peter Eldridge, George Webb Jr., John Bunyan, William Baxter, Francis Ann, Sarah Jennie Mary Permille and Mason Lee, born from 1837 to 1863.

San Marcos Academy

The coeducational institution now known as San Marcos Academy was founded in 1907. It provides educational services to students K3-12 and boarding for students 6 – 12. Its mission statement is as follows, “The mission of San Marcos Academy is to educate young men and women within a nurturing community based upon Christian values.” It is located in San Marcos, Texas.

Teresa Graves, Actress

Teresa Graves was born on January 10, 1948 in Houston, Texas to Marshall “Mannie” Graves and wife Willie Patterson Graves. Her father was a laborer and her mother was a housewife. Teresa had at least two brothers and one sister. The family moved to California in the early to mid 1950s where Teresa graduated from George Washington Preparatory High School around 1966 where she was a top student and active in the arts. She was a talented singer and came to the attention of a newly formed performing group called the Doodletown Pipers. Teresa was invited to join the group and declined college scholarship offers to join the group. She is listed as a founding member and sang with them for about three years.

Bill Wittliff

William Dale “Bill” Wittliff was born Jan 21, 1940 to William Albert Wittliff and Laura Sachtleben Wittliff in Taft, San Patricio County, Texas. Bill was the youngest of two brothers. By the 1950 federal census, the couple had divorced and the two boys (aged 11 and10) were living with their mother Laura in Edna, Jackson County, Texas where Laura worked as a telephone operator.

Jack Pardee

John Perry “Jack” Pardee was born April 19, 1936 in Iowa to Earl Charles Pardee and LaMeda A. McNary Pardee. The father’s profession is listed as farmer. When he was still a boy, Jack’s family moved to Christoval, Texas in sparsely populated Tom Green County. Christoval high school played six man football and Jack was a standout player on the team in his high school years.