1963 sketch of Stillman house

We just received this and will post now and update later.  It is a rare image of the Stillman house probably by a local printer (Springfield-King maybe) made in 1963.  We could not make out the artist's name but it looks like "Howard S_____

Here's the Stillman history nutshell.  This blog should begin to focus more on Charles Stillman and the founding of Brownsville.   Local bloggers have over the years spread lies about history to infect our community with prejudice and hatred.  Racism is another word for it.  I do not mind being the other voice as long as it defends the Stillman legacy with truth.

I do not think we should be looking at history with a judgmental eye unless we are willing to pluck it out.  (Matthew 5:29)

Once again thanks to Rene Torres for sharing this with Bronsbil Estacion readers.

1955 ~ Stillman Portraits by Adrian Lamb and First Stillman Museum Photos

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.  

Nov 4 ~ Happy Birthday Chuck!

Charles Stillman  (1810-1875) 

Charles Stillman, born 205 years ago on November 4, 1810, was the son of a Connecticut sea merchant who arrived in Matamoros in the 1820s witnessed and had to tolerate the War with Mexico, several political struggles of Mexico's unstable development and Civil War while trying to do business in a wild setting.  That he partnered with Richard King and Mifflin Kenedy to run a steamboat business on the river and shipped goods to and from New Orleans, New York and far off places like Liverpool, England is well known.  He also invested in silver mines in Mexico, and the sale of sheep, deer and beef hides.  He loved ranching life and wanted to eventually settle down at the King Ranch at Los Laureles.  Smuggling cotton was the only way to avoid paying outrageous costs of doing business and graft was what kept business moving.

He had lived here twenty years before establishing Brownsville.  In those twenty years he had adopted south Texas as his home; never intending to return to Connecticut.  He had brought his wife to live in the Stillman home and they had children but the harsh conditions and risk of disease such as cholera and Yellow Fever outbreaks were too much for his wife Elizabeth to stay so she returned to her home.  Charles would eventually retire and join them but not until 1866.

Stillman had business partners on both sides of the river and they all made money.  Spurious dealings with heirs who owned part of the Espiritu Santos land grant created a long-drawn out court battle which some critics today use to slander the Stillman legacy but the bottom line is that without Stillman and others like him, there may not have been a Brownsville, Texas.

Bronsbil Estacion recognizes Charles Stillman as the founder of this great city with all its interesting and sometimes unpleasant history.  Visit the Brownsville Heritage Museum and other museums to learn more about our local history and heritage.

Stillman House on E Washington St now a museum