Special Collections Finding Guide

Individual/Family Collections  

Biographical Sketch

Mrs. Rankin was born Lillie Mussett.  She was born in Corpus Christi on May 8, 1871.  Her grandfather came to Texas in 1844. In 1845, he joined General Taylor in Corpus Christi and there met and became friends with Col. Kinney. Lillie's father was Corpus Christi sheriff until he was shot and killed by a political rival. Her mother, Harriett E. McLaughlin, a native of Maine, had been brought to Texas as a child, by wagon train, when Moses Houston, father of General Sam Houston, started his westward move.

            Lillie Mussett was one of nine children.  Three are left: Mrs. Rankin, Mrs. E.B. Hull of Beeville, and Mrs. Jessie Griffin of Bryan.

            Sam Rankin, a native of Anderson County, Kentucky, came to Corpus

Christi because an estate here had been left to his mother.  He was a Yale graduate.  He liked Texas and stayed.  He and Miss Mussett were married on Feb. 20, 1890 at the old First Presbyterian Church here.  As a bride, Mrs. Rankin went to a home located in the 700 block of Mesquite, just behind of where the Ritz theatre now stands.  The family later built a home “in the country,” about where Leopard Street now makes its halfway mark.

            The old Mussett property was located in the Rose Hill Cemetery area.  In fact, after Elias Tyree Mussett, Sr., died in 1873 and Mrs. Mussett’s death in 1898, part of the property was sold for the cemetery.

             Mrs. Rankin was a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution Corpus Christi Chapter of which she was the second regent of the United Daughters of the Confederacy, the Daughters of the Republic of Texas, and of the Colonial Dames of the 17^th Century.  While she was DAR regent, in 1932, the Gold Star Tree Court of Honor for the war dead of Nueces County, was established on the bluff.  It’s dedication was a beautiful ceremony, she recalls, with the late Mayor Roy Miller speaking and a military band from San Antonio playing.  It still is Mrs. Rankin’s hope that memorial services will be held traditionally sometime at the Gold Star Tree Court.

            Just as close to her heart is another project, the Old Bay View Cemetery, which she explains was started by Colonel Kinney, founder of the town.  She has fought valiantly any efforts to do away with that cemetery.

            These patriotic efforts come next to her church with Mrs. Rankin.  “I am proud to be a member of the First Presbyterian Church,” she asserts solemnly, recalling that she was 13 years old when she joined that congregation, that Mr. Rankin was many years an elder in the church, and that it has through the years meant much to her family.

-Adapted from Corpus Christi Caller Times Tuesday, Dec. 13, 1949

Finding Guide

Box 1

1.01          Correspondence, Invitations #1-10

1.02          Correspondence #11-25

1.03          Correspondence #26-42

1.04          Correspondence #43-60

1.05          Correspondence #61-71

1.06          Correspondence #72-95

1.07          Correspondence # 96-116

1.08          Correspondence #117-135

1.09          Correspondence # 136-150

1.10          Correspondence #151-171

1.11          Correspondence #172-192

1.12          Correspondence #193-217

1.13          Correspondence #218-240

1.14          Correspondence #241-260

1.15          Correspondence [Items #261-269]

1.16          Correspondence [Items #270-280]

1.17          Correspondence [Items #281-290]

1.18          Correspondence [Items #291-300]

1.19          Correspondence [Items #301-311]

1.20          Undated Material [Items#312-325]

1.21          1940’s [Items #326-336]

Box 2

2.01          Centennial Clippings 1936-“Pathfinders” continued No. 3 Vol.2 1936

2.02          Centennial Clippings 1935-1936 “Pathfinders”

2.03          (Scrapbook) Corpus Christi 1906-1913 (Historical-Newspaper Clipping)

2.04          (Scrapbook) Will Rogers and Centennial Historical Committee Mrs. De Garmo-Aug. 

                1935-1938

2.05          (Scrapbook) Museum and Historical Clippings, 1939 (#2)

2.06          (Scrapbook) “Gringo Builders” By J.L. Allhands. 1939 

2.07          (Scrapbook) Vol. 4 Museum and Historical Clippings 1938-1939

Box 3

3.01          (Scrapbook) Mercer’s Diary Continued Vol.2; Aug. 6, 1939 (Newspaper Clippings)

3.02          “Pathfinders” Clippings Vol.3-No.3 1936-1938

3.03          Adventures of Lafitte In the Gulf Coast Area and Old Bayview Cemetery.1940-42

3.04          (Scrapbook) (Newspaper Clippings) 1930-31

3.05          D.A.R Publications/Booklets 1933-1954

3.06          Women’s Monday Club Publications/Booklets 1906-1954  #566-577

3.07          Armband/ Small Publications/ #578-585

3.08          Re to England’s Royalty & Pres. Roosevelt (NewspaperClippings & Articles) 1937-38

Box 4

4.01          (Scrapbook) “Gold Star Court of Honor World WarMemorial.” C.C., TX

4.02          (5) Photographs-D.A.R. Some members are Identified on back of Photo, May 19,

                1948 [#548-552]

4.03          Photos (2) Old City Market Hall 2/14/1895

4.04          Photographs (2) of Capt. Audrea Anderson # 555-556

4.05          Photograph # 557 on the Bluff Aug. 29, 1932

4.06          Photos #(2) #558-559; 1902-?

4.07          Photographs of Military Parade [Eusebio Villarreal #560], Gold Star Court of Honor.

4.08          Photographs 1950 # 564

Box 5

5.01          Statements, Receipts and Invoices 1871-74 #1-13

5.02          Statements, Receipts and Invoices 1875-1877-#14-29

5.03          Statements, Receipts and Invoices 1878 #30-53

5.04          Receipts, Statements, & Invoices 1878-1889 [#54-62]

5.05          Statements, Receipts, and Invoices 1881-1883 [#63-70]

5.06          Statements, Invoices, and Receipts 1900’s #71-87

5.07          Statements, Invoices and Receipts 1900-1907 #97-117

5.08          Receipts, Invoice, Statements 1908 #118-137

5.09          Receipts, Invoices, Statements 1909 #138-171

5.10          Correspondence 1878 # 172-175

5.11          Correspondence 1884-85 #176-182

5.12          Statements Receipts and Invoices 1886 #182-206

5.13          Statements, Invoices, Receipts 1887 #207-225

5.14          Statements, Invoices, Receipts 1988-#226-242

5.15          Receipts, Invoices, Statements 1888 #243-259

5.16          Receipts, Invoices, Statements 1888 #260-274

5.17          Statements, Invoices, Receipts. 1888’s #275-290

5.18          Statements, Invoices, Receipts 1888’s #291-304

5.19          Statements, Receipts, and Invoices [Item #305-324]1888

5.20          Statements, Receipts, and Invoices [#Items 325-340] 1888

5.21          Statements, Receipts, and Invoices [#Items 341-354]

5.22          Statements, Receipts, and Invoices [Items #355-375]

5.23          Statements, Receipts, and Invoices [Items #376-400]

5.24          Statements, Receipts, and Invoices [# Items 401-424]

5.25          Statements, Receipts, and Invoices 1894-1896 [item# 435-454]

5.26          Statements, Receipts, and Invoices 1899-1900 Re: Corpus Christi Water Supply 

                Co. [Item # 455-480]

5.27          Statements, Receipts, and Invoices 1910 [Item #481-509]

5.28          Statements, Business Letters #510-519 (water-supply) 1911-1915

5.29          1915-1919 #520-539

5.30          1907-1919 #540-542

5.31          #543-547

5.32          Incomplete Letters, Empty Envelopes, Map, #548-551

Box 6

6.01          City Receipts 1800’s #item [1-149]

6.02          Receipts from the City [#150-251][#252-352]

6.03          City Receipts 1800’s [items #353-356]

6.04          The Corpus Christi National Bank [Items #357-359] 1896-1897

6.05          Receipts #360 1891-1892

6.06          Receipts-The Treasurer of the City of Corpus Christi [#361-362] 1892-1893

6.07          Receipts- Items #363-364 –1893-1895

6.08          Receipts-Items#365 1895-1898

Box 7

7.01          Newspaper Clippings