Carrie Marcus Neiman

Carrie Marcus was born in Louisville, Kentucky on May 3, 1883 to Jacob Marcus (1846 – 1929) and Delia A. Bloomfield Marcus (1848 – 1919). Both Delia and Jacob were born in Prussia. Jacob was listed as a merchant in the 1870 federal census and was shown to be a clerk in a store in the 1880 census. The family was still living in Kentucky when Carrie was born. Carrie was the youngest of six children. A few years before 1900, the entire family moved to Hillsboro, Texas and lived near the downtown area on Franklin Street. In 1899, when Carrie was about sixteen years old, she and her older siblings moved to Dallas. Many of them had secured retail jobs. Carrie and her brother Herbert were hired by Max Goettinger to work at A. Harris and Company. Carrie had a good eye for clothing and first worked in the ladies’ blouse department.

Continue reading Carrie Marcus Neiman

Jim Reno, Sculptor

James Frederick Reno was born in Wheeling, West Virginia on March 14, 1929. He was raised by his mother who supported Jim and his older brother. Their mother, Mary Ann, was born in Belfast, Ireland. By the time the 1940 federal census was taken, Mary Ann was working in a Chrysler automobile factory in New Castle, Indiana, about 44 miles northeast of Indianapolis. Jim grew to love horses and remarked in some of his interviews how much he enjoyed drawing them. Jim added that he wasn’t drawing horses just because he wanted to draw them. He was drawing them because he wanted to be around them and be outside. His first attempt at sculpture was to carve a wooden Hereford cow, a project of a wood carving class. At the request of an ag teacher, it was used in class. His teacher entered it in a state competition, which it won. In a 2005 interview, he said that he still had that carved Hereford.

Continue reading Jim Reno, Sculptor

Zephyr Tornado, 1909

Zephyr, Texas was a quiet little town of several hundred residents when on early Sunday morning of May 30, 1909 a late spring storm generated a tornado a little after Saturday at midnight. The tornado was rated F4 under the old Fujita scale (winds exceeding 200 mph). Virtually all the structures in town were affected in some way. Destruction was described as having completely destroyed some fifty residences, six businesses, two churches and the high school. The casualty totals usually cited are 34 deaths and 70 or more injured. The twister appears to have formed to the southwest of town and touched down long enough to damage most of the residential and business areas. A lightning strike started a lumber yard fire that spread to other businesses. Tornado survivors had no way to fight the flames as they spread. Heavy hail was reported in the surrounding areas as well.

Continue reading Zephyr Tornado, 1909

Y. A. Tittle

Yelberton Abraham Tittle, Jr. was born in Marshall, Texas on October 24, 1926 to Y. A. Tittle, Sr. and Alma Allen Tittle. He was the fifth of six children. His father was a mail carrier. Y. A. grew up in Marshall and was a natural athlete, participating in several sports. Biographies mention that he wanted to be a football quarterback and tried to emulate Sammy Baugh. When he found out that Baugh practiced passing by throwing a football at a suspended tire, Y. A. did the same.

Continue reading Y. A. Tittle