Juneteenth in Sutherland Springs, Texas
Courtesy of the grand daughter of Henrietta Noble The Diary of J. L. Tiner This story began with a photograph and a diary. The diary was written by J. L. Tiner in 1886-1889. J. L. Tiner moved from La Vernia to Sutherland Springs with his wife, Connie, the grand daughter of J. H. and Mary Polley, buying a piece of land with a house and some outbuildings. In 1886 he began building a new house that would be attached to the older house. The diary gives us detailed accounts of the materials he bought to construct the house, the people that he employed to help him build it, and much more. In fact, the diary gives us a glimpse into the political and social life of Wilson County for those three years, a survey of the weather and agriculture, and a personal history of the Tiner family and their neighbors in Sutherland Springs. It's a delightful read. Sadly, the house has deteriorated and...