Another Lone Star Flag
The letter Texas’ First Flag [April 2019] reminded me of the Lone Star flag flown in 1810 over the Republic of West Florida, the short-lived republic (78 days) with St. Francisville, now a city in Louisiana, as its capital.
The single, large white or yellow star in the center of a sky blue field was a symbol of rebellion after the settlers in West Florida rebelled against Spain to set up their own nation before being absorbed into Louisiana and the United States. History is interesting and does repeat, at least occasionally.
Joe Webb | Marble Falls
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Safety Gear Evolution
Thank you for the article Gearing Up [March 2019]. Our grandson Mason Harper especially enjoyed seeing these pictures. He is employed by Primoris and wears lots of safety equipment.
Lorean Pulley | Riesel
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Blues History
I met Lightnin’ Hopkins in 1957 at the age of 15 [Texas: A Blues State, March 2019]. We would sit on the porch, and by watching his hands, I learned the three chords he used all the time. I was more of a novelty then, but I did play solo at times with the drummer, Joseph Kilpatrick, better known as the Black Spider. Luke “Long Gone” Miles played with us once, and Cleveland Chenier, Clifton’s brother, played a washboard with us several times.
Those days are sadly gone, but back then, playing blues with Lightnin’ was everything to me.
Robert R. Cook | New Ulm
Back in 1966, a friend of mine found Lightnin’ Hopkins playing at a backwoods bar outside Navasota. Later in the year, he was in Austin. He had a gig at a coffeehouse in an alley off 24th Street. He played the blues, quite often fretting with a whiskey bottle. I got to meet him that evening, and the next day I went out and bought an album with his music.
Harold Lieck | Del Valle
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As much as we in Bowie County, particularly De Kalb, would love to claim the blues and folk singer and writer Huddie Ledbetter as our own, he was actually born in Mooringsport, Louisiana. Lead Belly did reside in our area for a few years in the 1920s.
Lead Belly wrote many songs during his lifetime. Some are quite familiar, such as Good Night, Irene; Cotton Fields Back Home; and Midnight Special. One that was not so well-known was called De Kalb Blues, and that may well have depicted his life in our area.
Carolyn McCrary | De Kalb
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A Hispanic Hero
I am a fifth-generation Mexican American. I was very encouraged and inspired by the Marcelino Serna story and made to feel proud of my Hispanic heritage [A Hero in Any Language, March 2019]. This story is one that will go into my scrapbook of many Hispanic heroes that have influenced me in my life.
Anthony Barron | Terrell
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