Journal-Cass County Citizens Sun Proudly Serving Atlanta, Linden, Queen City & Surrounding Cass County LOCAL NEWS. STAY CONNECTED VOLUME 145 NUMBER 23 FACEBOOK.COM/JOURNAL-SUN YOUR WAY. CASSCOUNTYNOW.COM WEDNESDAY June 9 2021 $1 1 SECTION, 14 PAGES A bold, Bessie Coleman Fly-in is Saturday brotherly life by Miranda Johnson Special to the Journal-Sun By Jamie Jeans On June 12 the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce What is it that makes a man great? Is will have the honor of hosting the Bessie Coleman it when he does great things for his com- Fly-in at Hall-Miller Municipal Airport. The event munity? Is it when he builds great and is a natural fit since Atlanta, Texas can make the claim fast machines? Or is it when he is hum- no other city can - we are the birthplace of Bessie ble in his endeavors in his life? Prolific Coleman, the first female African American, and Na- musician Bob Marley once said, “The tive American pilot to become internationally licensed to fly. greatness of a man is not in how much June 15, 2021 will mark a century’s passing since Bessie earned wealth he acquires but, in his integrity her wings. and his ability to affect those around Atlanta is pleased with the legacy that Coleman left here. The Atlanta His- him positively.” Truer words were never torical Museum proudly contains a popular exhibit on Bessie Coleman, including spoken of both great men and of Steven a large model airplane, the “Queen Bess,” which is 2/3 scale to the plane Bessie took Smith, a great man himself. to the skies. Indeed, his brother Stuart Smith re- With the 100 year anniversary coming up, some talk began on ways to acknowledge and calls that he was a man of great integrity. celebrate Coleman and her pioneering achievement for minorities in aviation. Perhaps a He recalls, “When it wasn’t popular, festival in her honor or an airport fly-in were some ideas that came to mind. whatever organization, or group or small The event began to take shape when the Atlanta Area Chamber of Commerce was contacted by circle of friends, whether it be at the Dr. Monica R-Graham, representing the Fort Worth Chapter of the South-Central Section of the church or a city thing or the drag strip if Ninety-Nines, an international organization of licensed women pilots from 44 countries. The somebody wasn’t talking right or doing Mission of the Ninety-Nines is to serve as the international organization of women pilots that right or something bad was fixing to go promotes the advancement of aviation through education, scholarships, and mutual support down, he wasn’t a big man, but he would while honoring a unique history and sharing a passion for flight. The Ninety-Nines are a stand up and stand his ground.” very active organization, and each year, local Chapters sponsor several hundred educational Friend Clay Collins reminisces that, programs, including aerospace workshops for teachers, airport tours for school children, as the new guy in town who married a fear-of-flying clinics for airline passengers, and flight instructors revalidation seminars. hometown girl, Steven made him feel Monica expressed an interest in inviting members of the Ninety-Nines to fly into right at home and accepted. He recounts Atlanta’s Hall-Miller Municipal Airport for an event honoring Bessie Coleman right the time Steven passed through Collins’ in the town of her birth. This was how the planning began for the upcoming Bessie hometown and began sending him pic- Coleman Fly-in on June 12, 2021. tures. He says, “He went around trying As for the Ninety-Nines portion of the Fly-in, a registration period was opened in May to find a restaurant and he tried to talk where spots could be claimed by girls ages 13-19 years old to receive an inaugural flight to a few people just to see if they knew with a Ninety-Nines female pilot. The visiting pilots will be flying approximately 50 girls, who I was. He adds, ‘I went down to a as well as providing educational programs about the history of females in aviation and memorial building, took a picture of the See COLEMAN page 11 big digital sign out there and your See BROTHERLY page 11 Local diamond teams set bar high for next season By Tim Emmons Most coaches take one game at a time, others set a goal orable and historic seasons in the program’s and school’s [email protected] of making the playoffs and beyond only. history. By all accounts high school teams set goals each year Our coverage teams turned up this season. The Lady Wildcats won a district championship then with hopes of fulfilling each one as they march towards a Bloomburg went on a tear. The Lady ’Cats beat Yantis in bi-district, state championship. Bloomburg’s softball team had one of the most mem- See TEAMS page 11 Courtesy Photo AHS Accounting Team named National Winners Renee Rosser, Valerie Mason, Clay Fant, and Jagger Dyer are pictured with U.S. Congressman Pat Fallon. See story on page 10. Marvin Nichols Reservoir Forum set for June 15 The East Texas Republican water to the Dallas Metroplex County Citizens Journal-Sun. Women will present a public by diverting East Texas water Speakers will be Conservation- forum June 15 from 6 p.m. to 8 resources. The issue has been ist Janice Benzanson, Northeast p.m. at the Atlanta High School added to the current session of Texas Water Board members auditorium to promote aware- the Texas Legislature. Jim Thompson, and Bill Ward. Photo by Amber Pond ness of the Marvin Nichols Res- The forum will be moder- A question and answer session The 2021 Cass County Championship Rodeo was held this past ervoir issue that will provide ated by Kate Stow of the Cass will follow the forum. weekend. See more photos on page 13. INSIDE THIS OLD HOUSE Obituaries JOURNAL-SUN JOURNAL-SUN $1.00 This is the first in a series exploring the history of Cass Thomas Stone Baker Bledsoe 306 W. Main St • Atlanta, TX 75551 County through the oldest homes still standing... Lou Ella White Joe Graves Hours: M-Th 8:30-5; F 8:30-4 903 796 7133 [email protected] PAGE 2 PAGE 7 2 – Journal-Sun Wednesday, June 9, 2021 ••••• Inside This Old House ••••• The Mathews-Powell House, Queen City By Kate Stow New Photos by Kate Stow In 1878, just a year after Queen City, Texas was found- ed, Confederate veteran William Franklin Mathews built a Victorian home at 205 Miller Street, just a couple of blocks from the railroad tracks. Previously a farmer, the Geor- gia-born Mathews was a successful merchant for many years in the new town. Mathews was born in Georgia in 1840 and had moved to Marion County, Texas with his family as a child. From 1861 he enlisted as a private in the 3rd Texas Infantry, but was discharged due to sickness. Four months later he re-enlisted as Private, Co A, 19th Texas Infantry, CSA and served till war’s end in 1865. In 1867, at the age of 27, Mathews married Harriett In- dia Sharpe and their first child, William Harry was born in 1871 in Jefferson. Their second child, Albert Thurman, was born in 1874. Third child, Frank, was born in 1878, just after the family moved to Queen City. In 1880 a fourth son, Marion, was born and died eleven months later. In 1882 a fifth son, Hattie J., was born. Hattie died at the age of 31 in Cass, Texas. The Mathews sold their Queen City home in 1895 and moved to Wood Street in Texarkana, Texas. It was there that he died in 1900 at the age of 59. Harriet died in 1921; son Frank in 1923; William in 1953; and Albert died in 1965 at the age of 91. All of the family members are buried in Queen City. The home at The house changed hands several times before another 205 Miller Street in merchant, Ross Albert Powell, bought it in 1918. He was Queen City was, born in Cass, Texas in 1883 to Sarah Jane Ball and William at one time, a bed Capers Powell. and breakfast. In 1904, at the age of 21, Powell married Augusta “Gussie” 1 2 Boyd. They had four children within the first 10 years of their marriage: William Ross, Josephine, Evelyn and Anna Inset photo 1: The side entrance, Sue. which faces the side entrance, Tragedy struck the family in 1920 when opens into a small entryway and Gussie died after a two-week bout of influ- is no longer used. enza with complications at the age of 37. Her obituary in the Citizens Journal of- Inset photo 2: William Franklin Mathews built the Victorian fered insight into the life of the mother of cottage in 1878. four. It reads, in part: The entire community felt the influence Inset photo 3: Mr. and Mrs. Ross of her life to realize what we have lost. Mrs. Albert Powell bought the house Powell was broad in her sympathy. No call in 1918 and it remained in the family for many decades. 3 or need but that found a responsive heart in her. One of her strongest characteristics was patriotism; true to public interest and progressiveness. She read and thought much on living issues and was conversant in our best literature…In the church Mrs. Powell gave of her best.