On Sunday March 6, 1955 a crowd gathered at the Jacob Brown Civic Center as the City of Brownsville accepted a gift of portraits of Charles and Elizabeth Stillman painted by Adrian Lamb.
Alexander (Sandy) Stillman with his hand held by his father, Dr. James "Bud" Stillman appeared on the front page.
Chauncey D. Stillman presented the portraits to Mayor H.L. Stokely who accepted them on behalf of the City of Brownsville. City officials and Brownsville Historical Association board officers were there to make it official.
Adrian Lamb created the portraits by drawing from two daguerreotypes taken around the time the two were engaged in 1849. Charles would have been about 39 years old and Elizabeth, 21 years old. This is one of only two photos known to exist of Charles Stillman.
Lamb is well-known for portrait paintings which can also be found in the White House, Smithsonian Institution, Harvard Law School, the Pentagon and United States Naval Academy.
Mrs. Elizabeth Stillman Williams, her husband Langbourne and Chauncey Stillman pose with Mayor H.L. Stokely and his wife in front of Elizabeth Stillman's portrait.
The Charles and Elizabeth Pamela Stillman paintings are now on display at the Historic Brownsville Museum on E Madison St.
Great-grandsons of Charles Stillman, Godfrey Rockefeller and Timothy Stillman
Margaret Garcia and Timothy Stillman behind Jacob Brown Center where dedication took place.
Stillman & Rockefeller family members pose on the steps of the Stillman/Trevino ancestral home. Front row left to right: Mrs. Godfrey S. Rockefeller; Mr. Abelardo Trevino; Alexander Stillman, Mrs. Calvin Stillman and Mrs Timothy Stillman. Second row, left to right: Mrs. Dean Model, Mrs. Lanbourne Meade Williams, Calvin Stillman. Back row, left to right: Dr. James Stillman, Godfrey S. Rockefeller, Chauncey Stillman and Langbourne M. Williams.
The Stillman House at 1325 E Washington St. was built by Henry Miller who also owned the Miller Hotel a block away on E Elizabeth and 13th St. The Stillman's first two of six children, James and Isabella (Elizabeth) were born in Brownsville, Texas. Their other children were born in New York or Connecticut.
Mrs. Elizabeth Stillman Williams and her brother Chauncey D. Stillman standing in front of the Charles Stillman marker. Chauncey Stillman purchased the home from the Trevino family and donated the Stillman House house to the Brownsville Historical Association for use as a museum.
Early photos of the house after it was turned into a museum.
Photos courtesy of the Brownsville Historical Association. Original March 6th, 1955 Brownsville Herald photo of 6 year-old Alexander "Sandy" Stillman colorized by Javier R. Garcia.
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