Early Bickham Christian - Mooringsport Native, Shreveport Resident, U. S. Diplomat

Early Bickham Christian (1895-1975) was born in Mooringsport and graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a degree in architecture in 1917. While serving in WWI, he was awarded the French medal Croix de Guerre for "conspicuous bravery during a German air raid on the American Salient at St. Mihiel." After the war, he worked in the U.S. State Department where he served as vice-consul in Dublin and Stockholm.

Early B. Christian
(Passport Photo 1922)

Early was the great-grandson of James Christian (1795-1869), and grandson of James Marshall Christian (1832-1864), War of 1812 and Civil War veterans respectively listed below. His parents were Early Clayton (1858-1903) and Caroline Bickham (1867-1943) Christian.  

He began his WWI service as an ambulance driver (shown below), and later entered the Air Force..

 The American Field Service Archives

This newspaper article describes his military service including a remarkable incident in which he and pilot comrade were shot down by German planes, resulting in the loss of a leg.

Source: New Orleans Times-Picayune 24-Feb-1919, Page 4

Awarded the Croix de Guerre by the French government.

Source: General Alumni Catalogue of the University of Pennsylvania, 1922 By University of Pennsylvania. General Alumni Society

Appointed to U.S. diplomatic mission to Ireland:

Source: New Orleans Times-Picayune 01-Aug-1926 Page 43 (Sec 3-3)

Register of the Department of State 01-Jan-1930 Page 55

Profiled in a 1930 State Department publication.

Source: Register of the Dept of State 01-Jan-1930 Page 114

Not much is known about his later life. The 1940 census shows him living with his mother in Shreveport. He was very active in investigating his family history, evidenced by advertisements placed in numerous newspapers nationwide soliciting information about relatives. He was also instrumental in creating a history of the Mount Zion Cemetery in Longwood, LA; where members of his family and several notable former Mooringsport residents are buried, which is linked here. 

He died in 1975 and is buried  in Forest Park East Cemetery, Shreveport, LA.

Dr. Charles C. Sims and Family

I came across the story below while researching another subject that fizzled. This is actually more interesting though. A history lesson about earlier residents of the old Doyle house. 

Mooringsport Mini Museum, provided by Jeannie Moore (curator)

The house was once owned by Dr. Charles C. (1874-1928) and Mollie Rhodes (1874-1931) Sims. He came to Mooringsport from Rush Point (near Dixie) around 1908. They are mentioned a few times in social columns of the day, e.g., hosting and/or visiting friends and family. He was a Mason and served on the board of directors of the Bank of Mooringsport. It was mentioned that he "went on a flying trip" (still very new at the time) to Oklahoma and Texas in 1912. In 1916, Dr. Sims was involved in a fist fight with a man from Belcher in downtown Shreveport. He served in World War I, holding the rank of 1st Lieutenant, and once wrote a letter to Mollie that was published in the Times, telling about his field hospital being bombed by the Germans; with several doctors and nurses having been killed.. 

After the war, he returned to practice in Mooringsport. Around 1925 they moved to Seminole, Oklahoma; and at the time attempted to sell the house. In 1926, notice was published that the property was the subject of a sheriff's auction. Dr. Sims died of an unspecified cause in 1928, and Mrs. Sims and the children returned to Mooringsport. They were again living in the house (apparently unsold and not seized) at the time of the 1930 census. She died in 1931. Both Dr. and Mrs. Sims are buried in Gill Community Cemetery; Marshall, TX.

On the inside cover of "Profiles of Mooringsport" a town map shows the lot to be owned by their children - daughter Charlie (cant make out married name), and sons Stuart Rhodes (1904-1976) and Murphy Mayo Sims (1907-1985). Murphy graduated from Mooringsport High in 1923, and initially attended Tulane. He received his B.A. from the University of Texas in 1928, then taught school in Rodessa in 1930, where he was identified as principal. He attended LSU medical school, graduating in 1936, and served primarily in administrative roles in Louisiana and Texas over the years.


EPILOGUE

Per Jeannie Moore, Dr. Sims' examination table was found in the house's attic by Mrs. Daphne Doyle and is on display in the Mini Museum.

The house was eventually purchased and moved to a location outside of the area.

APPENDIX:

An article announcing Dr. Sims' upcoming return home from the war also describes his military training in preparation for serving in the field, and notes his having been a Mooringport resident for 10 years..

Times 08-Dec-1918, Page 5


Dr. Sims provided details of the bombing of the field hospital in which he was working, that resulted in the deaths of soldiers, doctors and nurses. Another article mentions his having suffered from influenza while stationed in France.

Times 14-Jan-1919, Page 10

Below, an advertisement for the house placed when the family moved to Oklahoma. It apparently did not sell, as they later returned to it.

Times 22-Sep-1925, Page 13

Murphy Sims is shown below as a senior at the University of Texas at Austin.

1928 University of Texas - The Cactus (yearbook), Page 64

Murphy listed principal at Rodessa for the 1930-1931 school year. For additional reference, Mooringsport teachers are included. Of note to former North Caddo High students, Belcher teacher Amy Bond (later Gleason) taught English at that school for several years.

Times 31-Aug-1930, Page 10

Below Murphy (second from right, second row from top) appears with other staff of the New Orleans Charity Hospital in 1935.

Times 29-Oct-1935, Page 16

Dr. Murphy's bio as published when joining the staff of Rusk (TX) State Hospital in 1968. Note it does omit some positions held in his early medical career, such as serving as director of the Bossier Parish Health Unit in 1937. 

Rusk (TX) Cherokeean 26-Sep-1968, Page 1

This map from the inside cover of "Profiles of Mooringsport," a town history originally published in conjunction with the nation's bi-centennial, shows the property at that time (map's creation) belonging to the children of Dr. and Mrs. Sims.

The "Queen Of Cypress"

Another example of entertainment for local residents back in the day. (Recall the previously mentioned Mooringsport Clubhouse.) Imagine taking an evening cruise on Caddo Lake, including a dance, on board the "Queen of Cypress." No picture has been found so far, but various articles from the time referred to it as a steamer, a pleasure craft, and "floating dance pavilion" operating out of Jefferson, Texas. 

Shreveport Times 04-Aug-1930, Page 11

It's not known if this was a permanent or temporary relocation to Mooringsport. The vessel sunk sometime before 1934, per an article that year about the destruction by fire of the F. I. Clark, said to be the last tugboat to operate on the lake.

In A History Of Navigation On Cypress Bayou And The Lakes by Jacques D. Bagur (2001, University of North Texas Press, P. 699), the Queen was described as having once been a barge used to haul logs from Jefferson to Clark & Boice Lumber Company. A second story, railings, and other appointments were added to make it resemble a steamboat, but without its own power. It served as a party boat that was towed around by the Clark, that had also gone by earlier names "Senator Sheppard" and "Irby Grey." 

Per the advertisement below, a re-floated or possibly reconstructed Queen reopened for business in 1939. What became of it is not known. Note there was later a small unrelated paddle boat named the "Cypress Queen" that operated in the 1960s.

Marion County (Jefferson, TX) Courier 15-Sep-1939, Page 5

I've often wondered if some sort of excursion operation could be successful on Caddo Lake. Imagine a late afternoon sunset cruise from Mooringsport to, for example, Big Pines Lodge in Karnack, Texas for dinner, then a nighttime return with some form of entertainment. Present-day Coast Guard regulations and insurance premiums would probably make it cost prohibitive though.

Lou Gullatt - An Early Mooringsport School Principal

Mattie Lou Gullatt Alford (1887-1976), who went by her middle name, was originally a resident of Simsboro, Louisiana. In 1907, a newspaper social column noted she was first assistant at her hometown high school and a graduate of Peabody Normal School (now part of Vanderbilt University) in Nashville, Tennessee. She remained on the Simsboro faculty at least through the 1909-1910 school year, and in the summer of 1911 was named to teach in the central Louisiana community of Lecompte. She attended summer school in New Orleans (presumably at Newcomb College) in 1912. In 1915, another social column refers to her again being a Simsboro resident visiting relatives in Shreveport that year. 

Source: Ancestry.com Contributor

Her first connection to Mooringsport was mentioned in 1916 in in yet another social column, recapping news about residents and events there, that noted she had been "home" (Simsboro) over the weekend. Another teacher, Hazel Merrell, was reported to also have visited her home in Robeline.

The following year she was listed as Mooringsport principal. Below is an article about the opening of the school term that year.

Times 08-Oct-1917, Page 2

Lou was identified on numerous occasions over the years as Mooringsport principal: for examples in 1918, 1919, 1921, and 1926. Most were again mentions of her returning to hometown Simsboro, or notices of faculty assignments published on or before the start of the school year.

Example - Teacher assignments for 1921:

Times 18-Sep-1921, Page 7

She also actively pursued continued education herself, noted attending summer school at Louisiana State University in 1919,  1922, and 1924.

The last found mention of her associated with Mooringsport was a list of attendees of a sophomore-senior banquet held at the school in May 1927.

An Ancestry.com researcher records her marrying Joseph Henry Alford (1873-1947), a fellow educator and school principal, on 08-Jun-1927. No documentation is provided to support this, however in September Mr. and Mrs. Alford of Baton Rouge were said to have spent their vacation in Simsboro.

That fall, Lloyd E. Walker (1901-1951) became principal and would serve in that capacity for the next 24 years.

1923 Louisiana State Normal (now Northwestern State University) Potpourri

No subsequent mention of her later serving as principal or teaching elsewhere was found. In 1930, the obituary of her brother, John S. Gullatt, again identified her as Mrs. J. H. Alford of Amite. The 1947 obituary of John Henry Alford noted she was his second wife. He and first wife Elizabeth (nee Addison), with whom he had five children, and who passed away in 1939; presumably divorced. He and Lou apparently had no children.

Baton Rouge Morning Advocate 14-Mar-1947, Page 9

She again dropped off the radar, receiving little mention, except for more incidental instances of her visiting family in Simsboro as a resident of Franklinton, her late husband's home town. No further mention in the press until passing away in December 1976. Her obituary noted she had been one of the first woman principals in Louisiana.

Ruston (LA) Daily Leader 20-Dec-1976, Page 3


Interment: Ellis Cemetery; Franklinton, LA

1940 Mooringsport High School Football

The 1940-41 school year football team, shown below. At the end of this piece are larger pictures of groups of players taken from this photo to assist with further identification. 

Back Row: McCain, Simpson, Shepherd, Barnes, Riall, Joyce, Cook, Springer, Cogley, 

Coach James Austin (Assistant)

Middle Row: Principal Lloyd E. Walker, Matthews, Gray, Kenneth Dunbar, Little, Flanagan, Bramlett, Scott

Front Row (All L-R): Smith, Collins, Nelson, Neal, Seybert, Ray, Barnes, Harold Colgin, Cook,

Coach J. D. McKellar (Head)

Contributor: Vickie Colgin Gaither

For more information about Coaches McKellar and Austin, see Notable Athletes And Coaches.

What could be found about the schedule is as follows:

Sep-20 - Haughton (T) 0-0

Sep-27 - Bossier City "Kittens" *

Oct-04 - Pelican

Oct-10 - Fair Park "Juniors" *

Oct-18 - Vivian (W) 8-2

Oct-25 - Logansport (W) 18-0

Nov-01 - At Cotton Valley

Nov- 08 - At Oil City (W) 27-0

Nov-29 - At Arcadia (L) 26-0 (District Playoff)

* During this time it was common for the smaller Shreveport area schools to play the junior varsity squads of the much larger city high schools.

A recap of found game results follows. Others may have never been reported in the paper or, due to limitations of optical character recognition (OCR) functioality, do not appear in search results, requiring manual search page-by-page.

Mooringsport 0, Haughton 0 (tie)

Shreveport Times 24-Sep-1940, Page 13


Mooringsport 8, Vivian 2

Times 19-Oct-1940, Page 8


Mooringsport 18, Logansport 0

Times 26-Oct-1940, Page 13


Mooringsport 27, Oil City 0

Note it is mentioned that only two teams have scored on the Oilers all season - Vivian (safety) and Cotton Valley.

Times 09-Nov-1940, Page 14

With the regular season over, the Oilers entered the state playoffs, facing Arcadia in the first round. Their common foe was Haughton, which Mooringsport tied 0-0, while Arcadia defeated the Travelers (later renamed Buccaneers) 23-6. There is a discrepancy with a previous article in that here it is said the team was undefeated with a tie (Haughton). The recap of the Oil City game noted the Oilers had six wins, one loss, and one tie. Perhaps "undefeated" here referred to within their class (B).

Note the playoffs were delayed for several weeks due to an epidemic of infantile paralysis (polio) in the Shreveport area.

Monroe News-Star Times 28-Nov-1940, Page 9


Arcadia 26, Mooringsport 0

Times 30-Nov-1940, Page 12


After the season was over, the All-Northwest Louisiana team was announced. Shepherd and Springer were named to the first team, while McCain made the second squad.

Times 22-Dec-1940, Page 18


To read about the 1932 playoff team, see  An Almost Undefeated Season.

Appendix

Larger views of players. If you know someone's first name, please contact me.

  McCain, Simpson, Shepherd

,  

Barnes, Riall, Joyce

,

Cook, Springer, Cogley

 Matthews, Gray, Dunbar, Little

Flanagan, Sharp, Bramlett, Scott

Smith, Collins, Nelson, Neal

Seybert, Ray, Barnes,

Harold Colgin, Cook

Mentioned in articles but not appearing in the team photo was a player named O'Daniel (no first name given). Given he was a starter, this may have been 17 year-old Rex O'Daniel; or possibly his younger brother Don (shown below), who was a known friend of team member Harold Colgin.

  Contributor: Vickie Colgin Gaither

Hester Lemoine, Dawes School Teacher

Several years ago, a group member posted a picture on the Friends of Mooringsport, Louisiana Facebook page, showing the 1928 Dawes School class. This was a one-room school once located on the Dawes Road near the current AEP/SWEPCO power plant north of Mooringsport. Among the group was the teacher, simply identified as "Miss Lemoine." Investigation identified her as Lelia Hester Lemoine (1904-1974), who taught at several Caddo Parish schools over a 42 year career..

Hester (which she went by) was a graduate of 1924 Shreveport (now C. E. Byrd) High summer session.  In 1926, she was listed among students from Caddo Parish attending Louisiana State Normal School (now Northwestern State University).

1926 LSN Potpourri, Page 95


Hester Lemoyne (sic) assigned in 1927 to the "Steele Bridge" school, referencing its proximity to the nearby drawbridge over Caddo Lake. Also note Mooringsport teachers of that time.

Shreveport Times 03-Sep-1927, Page 3

Below she is pictured with her class in 1928. The one-room school was located between Mooringsport and Oil City on Dawes Road, at a site near the present-day AEP/SWEPCO power plant.

Source: Carolyn Watts-Haley (daughter of Carol Holland)


By 1930, she was teaching at Oil City.

Shreveport Times 31-Aug-1930, Page 10

Newspaper articles from 1935, 1949 (teaching fifth grade), and 1953 link her to Parkview Elementary in Shreveport.

Her picture appeared in the newspaper in 1958, when she and other local women were noted to be planning for World Prayer Day.

Shreveport Times 20-Feb-1928, Page 2-B

By then at Queensborough Elementary; Hester, who never married, retired in 1969 after having taught in Caddo Parish Schools for 42 Years.

Shreveport Times 19-Jun-1969 Page 9-C

Obit: Shreveport Times 24-Sep-1974, Page 12-A

Interment: Forest Park Cemetery; Shreveport, LA (per obituary)