T. Harry Williams Center for Oral History Collection

 

ABSTRACT

 

INTERVIEWEE NAME: James R. "Jim" Skelton            # 4700.0025         

          

IDENTIFICATION: [1897- 1986], born in Dallas, Texas, and moved to Brownsville, Texas, in early 1911 where he took over his father's land abstract company in 1934.  Later worked for Philips Petroleum Company in Houston

 

DATE: December 15, 1980             FOCUS DATES: 1911-1920

 

ABSTRACT:

 

Tape 29A

 

Family background; move to Brownsville, Texas; life in Brownsville; Mexican Revolution in 1911; Pancho Villa and Caranza; Battle at Matamoros; life on the Texas-Mexico border; Villa's crossing the Rio Grande and General Pershing's expediton; President-elect Warren G. Harding visit to Brownsville in 1920 and his and his entourage's violation of prohibition; mistreatment of Mexicans

 

Tape 29B

 

Trial of Mexican for having near beer; Vance Winn, sheriff of Brownsville; murder of Marie Schroeder; Pancho Villa's exploits along the border

 

TAPES: T 29A, T 29B                         TOTAL PLAYING TIME: 1 hr. 10 min     # PAGES INDEX: 2

 

RESTRICTIONS: copyright retained by interviewee and/or his heirs