Research...Research...and More Research!

This week, I have worked with a lot of the sources held by the McFaddin-Ward House. These items include Mamie and Ida’s letters, journals, and a great number of the McFaddins’ family photos. This has been a really good experience that has allowed me to gain precious skills that relate to museum work, but it has also allowed me to get to know this prominent family. Furthermore, working in the museum’s archives has also allowed me to take a more human view of historical events that I had previously only studied in books.

While the McFaddin-Ward House is a virtual treasure trove of information on the McFaddin family and the city of Beaumont, I have also had the privilege to work in several other wonderful places. The Gray Library at Lamar University has been indispensable to me in terms of placing the McFaddins and their war experience in a more global context.

One of the best places in Jefferson County to conduct academic and personal research is the Tyrrell Historical Library in downtown Beaumont. This library holds many genealogical records, which can be used to track a person’s movements and activities. For example, the Tyrrell has recently come into possession of seventy-six letters from Mr. Tom Woods, who served on the Western Front and as a part of the American Army of Occupation. Tom’s letters display a more human side of the tragedy of the First World War, ranging from constant bombardment by German guns to cases of “Shell Shock,” which was an early name for PTSD. We also see his desire for home-knitted clothing like sweaters and socks, which were quite common requests from frontline soldiers during this conflict. 

The scope of the Tyrrell’s holdings, along with those of the McFaddin-Ward House and Lamar, makes all of them invaluable sources for research and enjoyment for both professional academics and history buffs.



A graduation roster and final examination for Red Cross membership administered by Mrs. WPH McFaddin in 1918.