1986 – Scott Taylor, #32, Tim Hartings, #89, Patrick Sanchez, #45, Michael Espinoza, #80, and Ralph Ramirez, #36, make the path to a glorious game while junior varsity cheerleaders, Tammy Langley, Dawn Hoog, Bridget Hoog, and Sandra Haass hold up the “run-through” sign.” – from the 1986 Devine High School Yearbook *Check out the cheerleaders up high on their shoulders holding up the poles for the “run-through” sign.
“AS THE SMOKE CLEARS ALL ONE CAN SEE IS A HERD OF WARHORSES CHARGING ONTO THE FIELD!” In the 103 years of Warhorse football, there have been many “firsts”, but this night in 2010 was extra special for the Devine Warhorse football team! For the very first time, they “charged” onto the field through their very own Warhorse Mascot Tunnel! It was an awesome sight for the fans, and the excitement from the team surged throughout the stands as well! This was made possible through the fundraising efforts of special Warhorse fans and parents, who wanted to bring the ‘Horses up to the standards of other teams who had already been using these tunnels for several years. It was a special sight to behold, as the unique Warhorse head loomed solidly and proudly in Warhorse Stadium on that Friday night!
1990 run-through sign – from the 1991 Devine High School Yearbook.
Dec. 11, 1910 – St. Joseph Catholic Church Rectory – Confirmation Day
San Antonio Diocese Rev. Bishop Shaw and St. Joseph’s Rev. Maas proudly stand behind some newly confirmed Catholic children in front of the St. Joseph Rectory, which still stands on Washington Drive in Devine, Texas.
“A Big Catholic Day” 1910 “Bishop Shaw arrives by train and confirms 275 persons.”
By Nancy Ehlinger Saathoff, Devine Historical Committee Sunday, December 11, 1910, was an “extra-ordinary” day in Catholic circles, and in fac, for Devine too, as the Rt. Rev. Bishop J. W. Shaw confirmed 275 persons. Bishop Shaw arrived by train from San Antonio and was met at the train by auto and the Devine Citizens band, and a procession was formed leading to the church and grounds. “The parochial residence, the convent, the Mexican church and school and the church were all beautifully decorated and everything was carried out in an elaborate way.” After the large confirmation in Devine, Bishop Shaw and St. Joseph’s Rev. Maas went to Bigfoot and Moore for more confirmations. Catholics from all parts of the country, and other local and area citizens who attended, numbered in the several hundred for this special occasion.
This historic Mill & Elevator in Devine, Texas employed hundreds of local adults and youth in its long and storied history. Depending on your generation, you may call it, “SWT”, the “Co-op”, “Devine Mill & Elevator”, or just “The Mill”, but no matter the name, the mission was the same . But in 1915 ground was broken here to build the first mill in Devine as the “Adams Company Corn Sheller”. The elevator was added soon after to load the corn into the rail cars after they were shelled. Hometown History…. By Nancy Ehlinger Saathoff, Devine Historical Committee Devine Mill & Elevator – Tri-County Farmers Co-op – SWT Farm & Ranch Supply was a large employer of full-time, summer, seasonal, and high school workers in Devine for many decades! It was also the go-to Feed & Seed business for area farmers & ranchers, as well as home gardeners. Customers were greeted with the smells and sounds of a busy feed store like baby chicks peeping, grain drills churning, and the regular train whistling as it traveled on the nearby tracks. The sights, sounds and smells are often engrained with other memories, whether from a customer or people who worked there.
With those memories in mind, the Facebook page posted this picture of the Mill, and asked followers for any special memories they might have of the Mill. My dad, Arthur Ehlinger, worked at the Mill for over 30 years so the memories of the people, sights, sounds, and smells are very familiar and special to me too. And every time I pass by that elevator tower at the Mill, I think of him and those memories. *Here are some memories that were posted this week, and a follow-up article will add more. Some of these memories are from customers, former employees, and even children or grandchildren of customers or employees, and give us a good idea of the value that this old building and tower represent in our community. “Back when we were kids, our grandparents raised parakeets. We used to go with our grandpa to get birdseed from there. There was an older man that worked there who didn’t have an arm. I was always so shocked he could carry those big bags of seed. He also used a wooden dolly.” “I remember watching him load our feed/seed. I don’t think I ever knew who he was, just that he was a nice man and always there. I always loved the way that feed store smelled.” *Mr. Timoteo Ambriz (Timo) was a strong and friendly employee of the Tri-County Farmers Co-op for many years. He lost his arm in an accident at the Mill, but returned to work there and was a great example for everyone with not only his physical strength, but his strength of character. “My father, Tucker D. Irwin, worked as the bookkeeper throughout the 50s and 60s until he was forced to retire due to health issues. When I was a child, I used to walk there after school, just to spend time with him and watch him work. I was in awe of him and marveled at his interactions with others, giving advice to farmers about which seeds to plant, and when, which fertilizers to use on which crops and which feed to feed livestock. I thought he was one of the smartest men I knew! I remember the smells of seed, fertilizers, livestock food, and pesticides and can still smell those things to this very day. Some of my fondest memories were there with him. Mr. Alton Martin and Mr. Arthur Ehlinger were there and were good friends with my dad for all those years. And yes, I remember that terrible day Paul Bain Marin was injured, and nearly died, when a ton of, I believe, cotton see hull fell on him while he was working with it. Amazing place and amazing days of my life.” *There are articles about Paul Bain Martin in the Devine News archives, including one written by him a few years ago. *Mr. Tucker Irwin was a veteran of WWII, who was wounded and lost his legs in battle. He, like Mr. Timo Ambriz, never let their injuries stop them from working full time and supporting their families. “I remember the chiclet machine. I worked there one summer typing names and addresses of the farmers on envelopes and sending out invitations to the stockholders’ meeting. Mr. Timo Ambriz worked there for years. He was always so kind and funny with us kids, especially when all of us kids (siblings) came in.” “I remember going there with my grandfather, Tharon Savage, to buy feed and Mr. Hope would give me a DumDum sucker. When we moved back to Devine, I bought feed there several times, but they closed shortly after.” “I worked there a bit while in high school. There was an old guy there that worked in the mill that could out work any man there, no matter his age. He had to be in his mid-60s.” “My brother worked there for awhile under Butch Roberson. I was too young and so I worked for Floyd Newman in the peanut fields moving irrigation pipes. I liked the smell of the feed store when I walked in there. I have happy memories of my Grandpa Leo Bohl St. taking me there. He would buy me chicks at Easter time.” “We shopped there frequently. I always liked the smell.” “My brother and I worked there during our Jr. and Sr. years in high school. After graduation by brother continued to work there a few years longer.” These are but a few of the memories, and more with be shared in a later article.
We would love to hear YOUR MEMORIES of the MILL too, so if you have any stories, pictures, or even small memories, please share them on the Facebook page for the Devine Historical Committee or contact me, Nancy Saathoff at gnsaathoff@aol.com, Facebook messenger, or call or text me at 210-289-6205.
This birds-eye view of the west side business section of Devine was taken in 1911! It is not surprising that the train depot is no longer here, but most of the brick buildings in the photo still stand today! *The brick buildings behind the depot are on Commercial Drive and College Avenue. Pictures and information on them can be found in the Tour of Historic Devine in the Community & Newcomers’ guide published by The Devine News.
“A Picture Only Tells Part of the Story!”
By Nancy Ehlinger Saathoff of the DEVINE HISTORICAL COMMITTEE Devine, Texas was only thirty years old when this picture was taken, and this was a time prior to regular electric lighting, refrigeration, indoor plumbing, and most people still used trains, horses and buggies as their main mode of transportation in this area. But a picture only tells part of the story. In 1911 Devine was actually a bustling incorporated town of 2000 people with a thriving community, surrounded by small farms and ranches. There were sixteen brick and stone mercantile buildings, some “mammoth in size”, such as the large Adams Company building (currently American Momentum Bank), These buildings housed a variety of businesses to serve the citizens of Devine – an opera house, bakeries, a bank, two millinery (hat) shops, drug stores with doctor and dentist offices, meat storage (butcher shop), furniture store, grocery stores, a jewelry store, tailor shops, lawyer offices, barbershops, and more. Multiple mercantile stores, such as Loggins & Lilly, Ehlinger & Sons, SJ Howell & Sons, the Cash Store, the Adams Company, and others carried a variety of items ranging from food, dried goods, clothing, household items, horse tack, wagons supplies, to even coffins! Often these businesses shared these buildings with one upstairs and one downstairs. With multiple similar businesses there was plenty of competition to keep prices reasonable.
Devine had plans in 1911 for an “ice plant and light plant, a bakery, a creamery, mattress factory, a broom factory, and all the ordinary business establishments found in a progressive town of our size, except the saloon, which died for want of patronage twenty year ago.” That last part tells you a bit more about the people of Devine at that time too! The two-story brick schoolhouse had “thirteen rooms, seated with modern desks, and equipped with manual training apparatus and laboratory with eight teachers in the main building.” St. Joseph’s Catholic School had a “four room school with two teachers and the colored school has one teacher” for the few in attendance. The “Baptist, Methodist, Christian, and Catholic churches compared in strength about as given, except that the Catholics have a larger country consistency.” “Our people pride themselves on their churches and schools…” Being only 35 miles, by train, from San Antonio also had its advantages. There was an expanded depot (in the picture) for the passengers who came to Devine to shop, visit friends, and even go to a show at the Briscoe Opera House and take in a meal at one of several local cafes. The trains also brought building supplies for the dwellings that were being built, supplies for all the businesses, and it was especially important for transporting farming supplies and sending out crops to markets in San Antonio and other places. At this time in Devine’s history there must have been regular rains because the land is described as having “an average rainfall of 30 inches, with fertile lands”. It is also described as having “a fine climate and a fine citizenship of people who work half the time to make a good living.” “The soil varies from a deep white sand to a gumbo black and is suitable for the growing of cotton, corn, milo maize, sorghum, melons, onions, potatoes, and fruits, figs and grapes.” “There is plenty of timber for wood and fence posts and water in inexhaustible supplies from 40 to 100 feet.” Residences, businesses, and farms alike depended on drilling wells and many used windmills, which you would see even dotted around town. “Lands sell from $10 to $40 and acre out of town and these can be bought generally on easy terms.” This snapshot of 1911 Devine tells of days of enthusiasm by the town leaders and citizens to build a prosperous community to raise their families. It took a lot of “Go-Getters” to make all this happen in thirty years and we can understand why, to them who came from older states and countries for a new chance at a better life, Devine was truly “divine”! *If you have any stories or pictures about Devine that you would like to share, you may contact Nancy Saathoff at gnsaathoff@aol.com or 210-289-6205. Or you can share them on the Facebook page for the Devine Historical Committee.
Opening day at the library 1965. From left: Attorney Melvin Corley, Attorney Joe E. Briscoe (Library Board Chairman), High School Instructor Lucille Day, Librarian Margo Symington, Board Member Willie Mae Driscoll, Mayor Sid Malone, Library Assistant Nettie Petri, and Board Member Jack Tilley.
The struggle, cooperation and amazing volunteerism that brought the first public library to Devine
By Sherry Symington March 23, 2001 “One small boy stood in the fireplace to look up the chimney, another peered under the desk. A little pixie of a girl popped in, her head swathed in black ruffled lace covering large rollers. Suddenly a baseball flew through the open door and several rows of books clattered to the floor.” –Margo Symington, Librarian, May 27, 1965 The description above, written by the new librarian in her journal, was a typical evening in the first days of the Devine Public Library. Opened in a modest 1-room building next to the Little League field, Devine’s first library had more potential than polish in those early days. However, without the dedication of a handful of people to jump start the project, and the support and hard work of many of Devine’s citizens, this library may never have happened. Now, 36 years later, Devine boasts one of the largest, most modern, and most well stocked libraries for a town of its size. Bookless in Devine Before 1965, you couldn’t get books to read in Devine unless you bought a paperback at the grocery store or had access to the high school library. “This town needs a public library!” declared Ida Sample, English teacher at Devine Public High School. The year was 1955 and Attorney Joe E. Briscoe was listening. Together…
The first Devine Public Library was housed in a 1-room former Boy Scout building next to the Little League field. The new sign on the building and freshly planted trees in 1965 hinted at the treasure of books inside.
By Nancy Ehlinger Saathoff, Devine Historical Committee In 1929, at the height of the Roaring 20s, with the nation in an upswing of prosperity, Devine’s new $40,000 modernized school was built on College Avenue! Not only did it have a modern, art-deco look; it was fitted, for the first time, with heating, plumbing, and electricity! That was a far cry from what many of the students had in their homes at the time; so this was a very big improvement for the students of Devine ISD.
Dear Veteran, “We are pleased to inform you that you have been selected to participate in our Honor Flight Austin #85 to see the war memorials that were built in your honor in Washington, D.C,” on September 8-9, 2023. Chief Master Sergeant, USAF Ret. Steve Lopez of Devine, Tx was drafted into the US Army with the 1st Armored Division at Ft. Hood, Tx where he did his initial training. Pvt. 1st Class Lopez served in Korea in 1952 and 1953 with the 8th Army I Corp in the Armored Munitions Depot in Uijeongbu, South Korea. After returning from combat duty, he later served in the 149th Fighter Group, Civil Engineering Squadron, of the Air National Guard at Kelly AFB in San Antonio, Tx.
Drug stores like this one were more than just pharmacies.
By Nancy Ehlinger Saathoff Back in the horse & buggy days of early Devine, Texas it might be surprising to know that we had several drug stores and doctors here, even though the population was pretty small! They had some healthy competition and drug stores were more than just pharmacies. They were essential in providing home remedies and prescription drugs, but were also very diversified in their services by having confectionaries with ice cream, malts & milkshakes, & candies, plus things like school supplies, stationary, jewelry, watch repairing, and more. Often the doctors would have their offices above the drug store, or in a back room. That must have worked well for “One-Stop” medical service back then! The early drug stores in Devine were basic wooden structures with plain-looking facades, but that all changed when the Lion Drug Store built their brick building with such beautiful architecture. I have not located information about exactly when it was built, but probably between 1900 & 1910. The Lion Drug Store was in business in 1900 or earlier, and this was probably not their first store, but it was their most iconic! It was unclear who the early owners were, but Dr. Evans purchased the store and had his office in the back and his daughter, Miss Kate Evans, was the proprietor & pharmacist in the front. That was an unusual occupation for a woman in those days, but she continued in that profession for years. This brick Lion Drug Store was situated on the east side of the railroad tracks between the first Loggins & Lilly store (old Locker Plant) and Hayden Street, and across the street from the Adams National Bank, on what is now Transportation Street. On older maps, Transportation was named either East Front Street, East Main Street, or East Depot Street and was the first business district in Devine! Businesses in this area included cafes, mercantile stores, cotton gins, a blacksmith shop, and of course, a drug store, or two! The schools were located farther east on the hill around Bowman Ave., and many residents built houses in this area before more businesses were built on the west side of the tracks. In 1931 the Lion Drug Store may have been torn down, but it is not entirely clear if this brick building was the one that was, or if it was an older store. As I find more information, I can update this. *This Picture, and others like it, of old, ornate buildings that were once standing in Devine can evoke all kinds of emotions, even today. As beautiful as they were, it is kind of sad that they no longer exist in our community to enjoy and bring a stronger sense of history to us now. But we are very fortunate to have some of these pictures still around and have the technology to share them with others. One of the goals of the Devine Historical Committee is to research and share the history of Devine that we find. *If you have any photos, memorabilia, or stories of Devine that you would like share, please contact me anytime. And if you are on Facebook, please check out our Devine Historical Committee page for the wonderful pictures and stories that so many have shared. For more information, contact Nancy Ehlinger Saathoff at 210-289-6205 or gnsaathoff@aol.com.
By KK Calame Publisher Exciting news in this week from St. Joseph Catholic Church in Devine announcing a ground breaking ceremony for the construction of the long awaited replica Chapel of the historic 98 year old church building and steeple that was torn down August 1, 2020 due to safety concerns. “After years of preparations, we are happy to announce the construction of our new chapel is set to begin. Join us for a ground breaking ceremony on Thursday, May 4, 2023 at 10a.m. Bishop Gary Janak will be here from the Archdiocese to give a blessing”, said Matthew Balderama, Building Committee Chairman, St. Joseph Catholic Church, Devine. The new Chapel and plaza will be built where the old church once stood. It will be done in two phases, back to back. Phase one will be the construction of the chapel and Phase two will be the construction of the plaza behind the chapel. The chapel was designed to try to replicate the old one as close as possible, but will be about one third the size of the original one. The design process began with parishioner Candace DeJesus and old photos sent in by parishioners were used as references so it can be replicated inside and out as much as possible.. Architect/planner/consultants is Morkovsky and Associates, Inc of San Antonio, Texas. “The chapel will be approximately 32 ft wide by 59 feet long with ceiling at 22 feet. The base of the cross at 30’6’’ high and the tip of the steeple close to 37 feet, roughly about a third of the size of the old church. It will have 8 foot pews on each side inside and accommodate up to 100 people,”said Balderamma. Mass will still be celebrated on the weekends in the current church as they have much larger attendance. Daily Mass will be in the new chapel when it is complete. Also smaller celebrations will take place in the chapel as well, like baptisms, some weddings, etc.
The new project is estimated to take 6 months to complete. Cost estimated to not exceed $900,000. “Currently we have 58% of the money needed, as required by the Archdiocese. Funds have been raised over the 12 years since it was condemned by private donation and events like the annual Octoberfest”, he said. “We will continue to take donations, and will take sponsorships for things like the pews, stained glass windows, statues, saints, and cross. And a decision is yet to be made as to whether the old bell will be used or a new one purchased. A nice sound system and electronic bell system will be in the chapel and sound off like it used to years ago every hour of the day and at mass times. The community will enjoy hearing those again across all over town, “ he said. The Building Committee of St. Jospeh’s consists of : Don Dunford, Santiago Mendoza, Michael Perez, Laura Holder, Juan Billalobos, Jr., Candace DeJesus, Chairman Matthew Balderama, and Father Antonio Hernandez. Advisors are Ernie Morales, Lydia Benavidez, Todd Summers, and Melissa Rodriguez.
By Nancy Ehlinger Saathoff On an eastern hillside off Hester Street stand the unassuming ruins of a once thriving school for a small population of black children in Devine. This building, and previous buildings on this land, served as a place for education, social events, and worship for black families, for over 50 years. Back in the earliest days of Devine, according to census records, there was not a large population of black families here, but they had their own school and teachers earlier than 1890! Records from those days called it the “colored” school and it was most likely wooden framed. At this time two Devine school buildings were in close proximity to each other on the hill, as the east side of the railroad tracks were built up first as the main downtown area. So, the schools were in the main part of town, near the earliest built homes. It appears that this land was home to a church before a school was located there: in 1906, “the colored people, headed by Joe LeBruce, one of our most substantial colored citizens, have moved an old Baptist church and put it up on north side Briscoe addition. They have a large sign painted, One Lord, One Faith and One Baptism.” The building may have been used for Methodist, as well as Baptist church services at times, according to old city maps. On the 1913 map of Devine this was the location of the Colored Baptist Church. The colored school was actually located on the northeast corner of Upson and Galbreath streets, closer to the two-story red brick Devine School on the corner of College & Upson Streets, which was built in 1905. In 1930 a red brick school was specially built for the “colored” children of Devine. It was made of hollow brick tile on a concrete floor and iron roof to be more fire proof. A fire thought to be started in the dry wood pile by the stove, burned the school in 1931. The building was insured and was quickly rebuilt. The school had its own PTA, held parties and carnival for Halloween & other holidays. In January 1939, the school burned again and in June of that year a new hollow tile building was built by the National Youth Administration (NYA) which was a New Deal agency sponsored by Franklin D. Roosevelt during his presidency. It focused on providing work and education for Americans between the ages of 16 and 25. Local carpenter, Alfred Brieden was assigned by the school board to oversee the project. (According to what I can find, this appears to be the building that is in ruins today on Hester Street. If I find any other information, I will add it to this story at a later time. – NS) This old red tile one-room school building might look like something that is about ready to fall down; but actually it has been “falling down” for over 60 years, and still stands today! It’s crumbling walls have withstood the test of time, but its legacy and story still lives on in its ruins, and in our town’s history as a special place for a special group of Devine citizens. Joe Lebruce was a well-respected Devine citizen and was instrumental in providing a place for education and worship for the black families, and their children, in Devine. His wife, Mary, was a teacher at the school until 1941, when her health declined. She attended a black community college in San Antonio for her teaching certification. (Limited information on Joe Lebruce said that his father was a former slave, but further researching is needed to discover more about his life and how he came to live in Devine.) *Much of the information for this article was found in the master’s thesis written by Zulema Klingman in 1952. She was the superintendent’s wife and used DISD school board minutes, as well as old Devine News articles for her research. Other information used was from the archive of articles by Don Lawrence, written from oral interviews in the 1980s. Next Meeting of the DEVINE HISTORICAL COMMITTEE: Thursday, MARCH 30, 2023 – Room #9 – Devine VFW – 211 W. College St. Two sessions: 10am-12noon – Open Topic, 1:00-3:00pm – Old Devine in pictures & stories. EVERYONE IS WELCOME TO ATTEND – Bring your curiosity, stories, pictures, or just come to hear about old Devine!
