BOOK REVIEW: A FRONTIER TEXAS MERCANTILE

The recent publication by Sam Houston State University's Texas Review Press concerns what author Donald Walker, a member of the history faculty of Texas Tech University, believes to be the oldest Texas business remaining under continuous ownership on its original site. That site is the northwest corner of the courthouse square in Huntsville.

"Through the years, the Gibbs family has maintained its private ownership of the company and has invested much of its profits in land in and around Walker Country," said Walker. "Today, the mercantile is no more and the company deals almost exclusively in land and other real estate investments."

A Frontier Texas Mercantile: The History of Gibbs Brothers and Company, Huntsville, 1841-1940, includes the following areas of interest:

• The company's claim as being the "oldest" Texas business;

• A description of an 1850s-era Texas cabin, with stick-and-mud chimney, the people therein ("...with the exception of the women, the people one encountered were crude and given to excessive cursing, swearing, and indolence...") and their food;

• General Sam Houston traded with the company and was a friend of Thomas Gibbs, who stood with Sam Houston against secession;

• Sandford Gibbs acted heroically in re-establishing law and order after the end of the Civil War;

• The family and company supported education, especially establishment of Sam Houston Normal Institute as the first teacher-training institution in the southwestern United States;

• Sallie Smith Gibbs, who had helped save her family's jewels and valuables from Civil War soldiers in North Carolina, married Sandford Gibbs in a 6 a.m. ceremony, and when he died, proved a capable businesswoman in an era of male dominance;

• In 30 years Sallie Gibbs accumulated an estate of 120,000 rural acres and almost 100 Huntsville city lots;

• Sallie used a bundle of sticks to teach family members that they could remain strong only if united;

• Contrary to today's banking practices, the Gibbs bank charged no interest on loans;

• Federal examiners criticized the Gibbs bank for being too generous with loan policies, and the bank was reluctant to foreclose on farmers;

• Gibbs Brothers had a big part in establishment of Sam Houston National Forest;

• The Great Depression caused the company great distress;

• The company led in "selection management" rather than "clear-cut" timber harvesting practices.

The book contains more than 200 pages of printing and photos, including index, bibliography and detailed documentation on the points made in each chapter.

In addition to the book's publication through the Texas Review Press, Sam Houston State University provided funding including $5,000 from the Meredith G. and Miriam C. York Endowment for the Preservation and Study of Texas History and $2,500 from the Summerlee Foundation of Dallas.

A sidelight concerning the York donation: Mrs. York said that the Gibbs Company loaned her husband money when he was earning his degree in the 1930s. He later went on to become a well-known Central Texas teacher and public school administrator.

"The university's effort has been a 'thank-you' to the Gibbs family for its generous support over the years, including the very foundation of Sam Houston Normal Institute," said Paul Ruffin, director of the Texas Review Press.

Others instrumental in the project include Gary Bell, who previously taught history at SHSU and is now director of the honors program at Texas Tech, and Donald Coers, associate vice president for academic affairs at SHSU.

The book is available by mail from the Texas Review Press; English Department; Sam Houston State University; Huntsville, TX 77341. Order by e-mail or call (409) 294-1992 to order by telephone. Copies are $30 each, or $100 for numbered and signed presentation copies.

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Media Contact: Frank Krystyniak