Club of Galveston
| Nick Name | Galveston |
|---|---|
| Earliest Known Date | Thursday, February 24, 1859 |
| Last Known Game | |
| Location | Galveston, TX, United States |
| Modern Address | |
| NABBP Status | |
| Nine Class | Senior |
| Tags | |
| Description | A Base Ball Club was organized in Galveston "under the same rules as govern the clubs of the North," as reported by the Galveston "Civilian and Gazette Weekly," March 1, 1859. This club appears to mark the arrival of the modern game to Texas, if not the entire South. According to the newspaper, I. M. Freeman was elected President, A. Davidson Vice President, E. Van York, Treasurer, and Newt. Squires [sic] Secretary. The club members numbered 35. Ira M. Freeman (1812-1878) was born in NY. In 1841 he served in the Texas Rangers. In 1859 he was a cotton factor in Galveston, partnered with Newton Squire. After the Civil War he settled in Navasota, TX, where he ran a hotel. He died in Navasota in 1878 and is buried there in Oakland Cemetery. "A. Davidson" was cashier of the large Galveston merchant and shipping firm of Wm. Hendley & Co. I have tentatively identified him as NY-born Alexander V. Davidson (1837-1912), who was a clerk in NYC in 1856 and 1860 (it appears he moved to Galveston to work for the Hendley firm, which was co-headquartered in NYC). Postwar this Davidson was elected secretary of the Mutual BBC of NYC. He later was elected judge, then county sheriff. In the latter office he was charged with embezzlement, and fled the country. He later surfaced in Inyo County, CA, where he died on Feb. 5, 1912. NY-born Edwin Van York (Yorx) (1832-69) moved to Brazoria County, Texas by 1850. He was a cotton broker in Galveston in 1860. He served in the Confederate army during the Civil War, in a local defense unit. He was Secy. of Galveston's IOOF Lodge. He died in Galveston in June 1869 of "General Debility". NY-born Newton Squire (3-20-1831 12-10-1893) was the son of Lewis Lysander Squire (1807-68). Newton was a partner with Ira Freeman in a Cotton merchandising firm. During the Civil War he served as first Lieutenant in the "Galveston Guards," a local defense unit. Postwar he returned to NY. He died there and is buried in Green-Wood Cemetery, Brooklyn. As of May 2012, we have no record of games played by this club. Galveston was Texas' largest city in 1860, with 7,307 residents. NOTE: in October 2012, Mike Vance was able to find out more about the founders of this club. |
| Sources | Galveston Civilian and Weekly Intelligencer, March 1, 1859, p. 2 |
| Source Image | [[Image:|left|thumb]] |
| Has Source On Hand | No |
| Comment | Priscilla Astifan article on Rochester ballclubs in "Baseball Pioneers" p. 99 says that the April 6, 1859 Rochester Democrat and American reprints a Galveston News story that Rochester native Frank Schoeffel had recently organized a bbc in Galveston. Schoeffel returned to Rochester later in 1859, and in 1860 was elected president of the Lone Star BBC of Rochester. Edit with form to add a comment |
| Query | Edit with form to add a query |
| Found by | Bruce Allardice |
| Submission Note | |
| Entered by | Bruce Allardice |
| First in Location | TX |
| First in Location Note | First Club in Texas |
| Entry Origin | Sabrpedia |
| Entry Origin Url | |
| Local-Origin Study Groups | |
| Has Supplemental Text |
Ballgames
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Players
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Playing Fields
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