About the Author

Southeast Texas natives ELLEN WALKER RIENSTRA and JUDITH WALKER LINSLEY are sisters with undergraduate and graduate degrees from Lamar University. Rienstra is a violinist and historical consultant. Linsley is a researcher for the McFaddin-Ward House, a history instructor at Lamar, a newspaper columnist, and editor of The Texas Gulf Historical and Biographical Record. This is their first collaboration with JO ANN STILES, retired associate professor of history at Lamar University.