Newspaper correspondent Jeffreys identified as Dr. William C. Jefferies
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| Dr. W. C. Jefferies |
Dr. Jefferies, in fact, was one of the first non-Spanish-speaking individuals to come to Duval County. According to Robert R. Webb, the doctor first came to San Diego in 1868. He appears in the census as early as 1870. At the time the 42-year-old South Carolina native was married to Alabama native Tabitha Ann Womack, who was 38. According to the census, one other person was living in the Jefferies household; he was 25-year-old Placido Lopez who is listed as a clerk.
The doctor lived in the neighborhood of the Catholic Church, as one of his neighbors was Father Adolph Guichon. Other neighbors included well-known men in Duval County, such as Encarnacion Garcia, Eduardo Garcia, and Calixto Tovar. Dr. Jefferies apparently stuck around San Diego until 1876 when he moved to Laredo. In 1878, Tabitha Ann died in the Yellow Fever epidemic that hit New Orleans, where she was on a trip.
After his wife’s death, Dr. Jefferies is said to have returned to San Diego. In 1883, according to documents provided by Robert Webb, Dr. Jefferies was elected Justice of the Peace for Duval County Pct. 1 in San Diego in 1882. His term of office began in 1883. My notes contain no reference to this election, but that is not significant because my notes for 1882 are in fact quite thin, most likely because the area was without a newspaper at the time. The Caller did not begin publication until 1883.
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| Letter confirming Dr. Jefferies’ election as Justice of the Peace. |
Still, there is no mention of Dr. Jefferies’ political life in any of my notes. On Feb. 17, 1884, the Caller reported that “Dr. Jeffreys of San Diego spent a day in Collins.” This is confirmed by the Texas Gazetteer Business Directory of 1884, which listed him as one of four physicians in San Diego, Texas. Duval County Tax rolls for 1883 and 1885 confirm that he was still in the county.
Jeffrey’s first report in the Caller contained a number of tidbits that describe life in San Diego and Duval County rather extensively. These included, that Paul Henry returned from San Antonio saying the Alamo City was “100 years behind San Diego”. Judge Luby attended school examinations and exhibitions in Benavides where scholars were “succeeding splendidly”. The public school under Professor Pueblo in San Diego was closing. Rancheros were preparing for sheep shearing. Two weddings were announced, “among Hebrew population”. The town photographer was also looking to get married. Francois Gueydan was in France and had left Bodet and Tibilier in charge of his store. J. W. Moses and his wife were at the Santa Gertrudis. Aurelio Flores was being held for the grand jury, charged with unlawfully helping a prisoner escape from custody. The San Diego Gun Club was out shooting. E. N. Gray expressed, in a letter, sentiments of the majority on the question of prohibition. The Parkman Mill & Gin was a success. Scores of farmers were cultivating cotton. Old settlers said that money was never so scarce. No one was selling cattle at prices being offered. No one remembered or celebrated San Jacinto Day on April 21, 1836. And lawyers Matt Usery and Louis Bryant moved to Laredo.
In his following report, a month later, Jeffrey’s reported that 74-year-old Victor Garcia of Duval County had married his seventh wife when he was 40. Garcia had 15 children by this wife and 16 children from his six former wives. Not afraid of competition, he reported that Dr. Johnston of San Antonio had been working in San Diego for a couple of weeks. In a subsequent report, he told of the death of another colleague, Dr. T. C. Hanley who had died in Corpus Christi of apoplexy. “Hannelly was good physician, kind husband, good citizen – loss cannot be replaced,” Jeffrey wrote.
His reports continued for nearly a year, providing invaluable accounts of life in nineteenth-century Duval County. He spoke of the social, business, and community life of the times in simple but revealing ways. A treasure trove for historians to mine.
Dr. Jefferies died on May 17, 1888, and is buried in the Laredo City Cemetery. Apparently, as a physician, he must have sensed his demise and moved back to Laredo to be closer to family. His absence was noted in San Diego. One admirer, perhaps Jeffreys himself, hinted at his departure in a “notice” published in the Caller on Feb. 28, 1888:
Following notice posted in conspicuous place in town:
— Notice —
This is to notify all two-bit lawyers, quack doctors, chicken-legged, hen-pecked husbands, pretty county clerks fine looking sheriffs, good-looking postmasters, long-legged tramps, cranc-old bachelors, and high toned dudes. Together with all Jews, Hebrews, whether white or black, that “Jeffreys” of San Diego is dead, that he departed this life after a long illness on January 30th, 1888. His disease was palpapation of all of his extremities. Poor “Jeffreys” he lived and wrote until his head grew to be the size of a hickry nut and his shin bones would cut to bone. Peace to his ashed. May he be resting beside the green rivers and still pastures.
Feb. 28, 1888A FriendGENERAL
And now, who can help us identify “General” who picked up where Jeffreys left off.
Thank you for sharing. It is so interesting. Enjoy reading about the history.
Thank you. Glad you enjoyed it.
Great article about historical San Diego TX.
Thank you. Glad you enjoyed it.
Thank you for your investigating San Diego’s past and sharing it with us. I enjoy reading your articles and look forward to reading more.
Thank you. There will be more. There is so much to write about.
Amazing article…..
Thanks