A Guide to the May Mathis Green Watson Collection, 1887-1959
Descriptive Summary | ||
| Creator: | Watson, May Mathis Green, b. 1883 | |
| Title: | Watson, May Mathis Green, Collection | |
| Dates: | 1887-1959 | |
| Abstract: | Composed of 24 volumes, the May Mathis Green Watson Collection, 1887-1959, documents the experiences of Watson as an artist and writer. | |
| Accession No.: | 62-076; 62-089; 63-081 | |
| Extent: | 24 vols. | |
| Language: | Materials are written in English. | |
| Repository: | Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, The University of Texas at Austin | |
Biographical Note
Born in Rockport, Texas, artist and writer May Mathis Green Watson (b. 1883) was the daughter of pioneer rancher Thomas Henry Mathis, who founded the town of Mathis in San Patricio County after settling in South Texas in 1859. In partnership with George Ware Fulton, Youngs Coleman, and Thomas M. Colman, Mathis founded the Coleman, Mathis, Fulton Cattle Company in Rockport in 1871. After the company dissolved eight years later, Mathis received in a settlement the Henry Bend Ranch and land in Live Oak and Goliad counties. The other partners formed the Coleman-Fulton Pasture Company, also known as the Taft Ranch.
In 1907, Watson married Joseph French Green, superintendent and general manager of the Taft Ranch from 1900 until his death in 1926. Following her marriage to Harry H. Watson in 1928, she moved to Corpus Christi. In addition to authoring a booklet and several newspaper articles on the Coleman-Fulton Pasture Company and Taft Ranch, Watson also painted scenes of South Texas and Mexico.
Source:
Guthrie, Keith. "Coleman-Fulton Pasture Company."Handbook of Texas Online. Accessed March 14, 2011. http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/aqc02.
Scope and Contents
Composed of 24 volumes, the May Mathis Green Watson Collection, 1887-1959, documents the experiences of Watson as an artist and writer. Consisting primarily of newspaper clippings as well as printed materials, sketches, and photographs, the scrapbooks mainly relate to the operation of the Coleman-Fulton Pasture Company and the social, economic, and cultural life of Corpus Christi and the Texas Gulf Coast region. Comprised of historical articles, poems, editorials, and short stories, newspaper clippings concern ranching and agriculture in southern Texas, the Taft Ranch, stories about Watson’s first husband Joseph F. Green, national and local politics, notable citizens, women’s issues, and the activities of the Texas Federate of Women’s Clubs. Additionally, the collection contains newspaper articles written by Watson for the Taft Tribune, describing the Watsons’ travels throughout the United States, such as to Arizona, Oregon, and Alaska, as well as cultural and social commentary. Printed material includes an issue of the Journal of the Texas Historical and Biographical Record, which contains a biographical sketch of Joseph French Green; a booklet entitled, Taft Ranch, San Patricio County, Texas, written by T. N. Blackwell (1923); a copy of the Rockport Transcript (1874); and several issues of the Corpus Christi Caller-Times featuring the weekly column, "Camera Closeups of old Corpus Christi" (1952). Drawings and sketches by Watson illustrate flora and fauna, human figures, architecture, and landscapes, while photographs depict the Taft Ranch, the Aransas County courthouse, Hotel Aransas in Rockport, G. W. Fulton, T. N. Mathis, and other family members.
Restrictions
Access Restrictions
This collection is open for research use.
Index Terms | ||
| Subjects (Persons) | ||
| Green, Joseph French, d. 1926 | ||
| Watson, May Mathis Green, b. 1883 -- Archives. | ||
| Watson, Harry H. | ||
| Mathis family. | ||
| Watson family. | ||
| Subjects (Organizations) | ||
| Coleman-Fulton Pasture Company. | ||
| Taft Ranch. | ||
| Texas Federation of Women’s Clubs. | ||
| Subjects | ||
| Artists -- Texas -- History -- 20th century. | ||
| Authors -- Texas -- History -- 20th century. | ||
| Frontier and pioneer life -- Texas -- 20th century. | ||
| Places | ||
| Aransas County (Tex.) -- History -- 20th century. | ||
| Corpus Christi (Tex.) -- History -- 20th century. | ||
| Corpus Christi (Tex.) -- Social conditions -- 20th century. | ||
| Rockport (Tex.) -- History -- 20th century. | ||
| San Patricio County (Tex.) -- History -- 20th century. | ||
| San Patricio County (Tex.) -- Social conditions -- 20th century. | ||
| Texas -- Politics and government -- 20th century. | ||
| United States -- Description and travel -- 20th century. | ||
Administrative Information
Preferred Citation
May Mathis Green Watson Collection, 1887-1959, Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, The University of Texas at Austin.
Processing Information
Basic processing and cataloging of this collection was supported with funds from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC) for the Briscoe Center’s "History Revealed: Bringing Collections to Light" project, 2009-2011.
Detailed Description of the Papers