Charles B. Moore emerged as the best candidate who could beat Judson Williams. Moore defeated Mayor Ralph Seitisinger for a second place spot in the runoff against Judson Williams who had a big lead and at one point. It almost looked like he would win without a runoff. Many were surprised about Seitsinger not making […]
News & Events
El Paso Mayoral Election of 1963: Part 1
In 1963, a record number of El Paso voters showed up to the polls, first in the general election and then in the runoff, to pick their next mayor. The race was between 7 men and one woman. Even though incumbent mayor, Ralph Seitsinger was running for a second term, the race was still considered […]
Emma Webster Fenley
Emma Webster was born in Wilkesbarre, Pennsylvania in 1876. She married a Texas Ranger and had two children but the marriage ended in divorce in 1913. Webster worked for the U.S. Customs during the Mexican revolution inspecting women to make sure that none were smuggling weapons across the border into El Paso. In 1913 Webster […]
Helen Keller’s Visit to El Paso
“Literature is my Utopia. Here I am not disenfranchised. No barrier of the senses shuts me out from the sweet, gracious discourse of my book-friends. They talk to me without embarrassment or awkwardness.”- Helen Keller On March 10,1925, well-known author, political activist and lecturer, Helen Keller came to El Paso. She was the first deaf-blind […]
The Incorporation of Anthony, Texas
In 1952 residents of the Upper Valley community of Anthony, Texas voted to incorporate. That was the start of the town of Anthony. Anthony was also referred to as La Tuna, probably because of the construction of the La Tuna Federal Correctional Institution. One of the motivations for incorporation of Anthony was to have their […]
Ruth Byran Owens: First Woman to Serve as U.S. Ambassador Visits El Paso
Ruth Byran Owens, daughter of reformer and presidential candidate William Jennings Byran who was also known as”The Great Commoner,” came to El Paso on October 17,1935. Owens was famous in her own right. Owens was the first woman elected to the U.S. Congress from Florida in 1928, and she was among the early women filmmakers […]
Corita Eakins and Marie Tobias: Frist Women to Head the El Paso County Jail.
Maria Tarrant Tobias was born in 1880 in Ripley, TN. She was married to William M. Tobias. Mr. Tobias died and Maria raised two children by herself. She was working at the Western Transfer Co. in 1918 and was living on Rio Grande Street. In 1922 she was working as a bookkeeper for Flemming Motor […]
Johanna Riordan O’ Donnell: Faben’s Pioneer
Johanna Riordan was born in Cork County, Ireland, but grew up in Kansas City, Missouri. She came to Fabens in 1902 as the young bride of Patrick O’Donnell who worked for the railroads that played a big role in the development of Fabens. Johanna remembered being the only Anglo women in Fabens as well as […]
The Mooney family of Ysleta
James Sylvester Mooney was born on Oct. 4, 1885, in Collinwood, Cuyahoga County, Ohio. He was a graduate of West Point. He served in the U.S. Army from 1916 until his retirement in 1957. Mooney was a Calvary officer in the 2nd and seventh Cavalry during the Mexican revolution, and Adjustment General at Ft Bliss. […]
Mary Chrystyne Bower: Horse riding school pioneer
During the great depression Mary Chrystyne Bower was in danger of losing her ranch but then she got a call from Radford Schools for Girls asking her to teach their students how to ride a horse. Bower established the Bower Riding school. The ranch is now known as Poki Roni on North Loop and Yarbrough […]