Charles and Catherine Schulze Collection

Irving Archives, Irving Public Library

Images from the Charles and Catherine Schulze Collection The images in this collection consist mainly of photos of a Rock Island Railroad survey crew that traveled through Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Texas during 1902. In the fall of 1902, while surveying a ten-mile stretch of land between Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas, two crew members, J. O. Schulze and Otis Brown, decided to remain in the area and start a town along the newly laid tracks. Many of the photos in this collection were taken during the crew's travels. Some of them were taken in studio by a professional photographer, who also appears to have taken some at one of the crew's campsites.

After leaving the survey crew in the fall of 1902, Schulze and Brown purchased 80 acres of land along the rail line between Dallas and Fort Worth to start their town. The pair spent most of 1903 preparing the town site, and on December 19, 1903, they held a public auction at which they sold lots for the new town of Irving, Texas. On the day of the auction, the only two buildings in the town were the partially completed railroad station and a small house that Otis Brown and his new bride Netta lived in.

In 1904, J. O. Schulze and his wife, Agnes, built a house in the new town. The hot weather did not suit Agnes or the couple's new-born son, so they returned to their home town of Iowa City, Iowa, in 1905. J. O. Schulze asked his brother C. P. Schulze, who had also been on the survey crew, to come to Irving and take over his newly established lumber yard. C. P. Schulze came to Irving and in 1912 married Virginia Tucker.

C. P. remained in Irving and ran Irving Lumber Co. until his death in 1957.

Otis Brown spent his life in Irving working as a farmer, a dairy farmer, and a real estate salesman. He died in 1958. J. O. Schulze returned to Irving in 1945. He lived in Irving and Dallas until his death in 1961.

In addition to the survey crew photos, there are numerous images of J. O. Schulze, and C. P. Schulze and his wife Virginia. The collection was donated to the Irving Archives by the son of C. P. Schulze, Charles Schulze and his wife Catherine.

Collection: The Charles and Catherine Schulze Collection Collection #: 31-1

Date of photograph: c. 1902 Description: C. P. Schulze holds survey crew's pet fox. C.P. Schulze traveled with his brother J. O. Schulze on a railroad survey crew in 1902. J.O. left the crew and founded the town of Irving in 1903. C. P. Schulze came to Irving in 1905 and lived there until he died in 1957.

Information on original photograph: 3¾" by 4¾", black and white.

Collection: The Charles and Catherine Schulze Collection Collection #: 31-2 Date of photograph: c. 1902 Description: J.O. Schulze with the survey crew’s pet fox puppy. J. O. Schulze was the crew chief of a railroad survey crew in 1902. While surveying a stretch of land between Dallas and Fort Worth, Schulze and fellow crew member Otis Brown decided to found a city along the rail line. In 1903, they launched the town of Irving, Texas.

Information on original photograph: 3¾" by 4¾", black and white.

Collection: The Charles and Catherine Schulze Collection Collection #: 31-3 Date of photograph: c. 1904 Description: J.O. Schulze Notes: J.O. Schulze (1875-1961) started the Irving Lumber Company in 1903 after cofounding the town of Irving, Texas. Family health problems caused him to move his wife and son back to their home town of Iowa City, Iowa in 1905. His brother C. P. moved to Irving and took over the lumber company.

Information on original photograph: 3¾" by 4¾", sepia.

Collection: The Charles and Catherine Schulze Collection Collection #: 31-4 Date of photograph: c. 1904 Description: J.O. Schulze, Agnes Sueppel Schulze, and an unidentified man in doorway. The Schulzes are photographed in the doorway of their new home in Irving, Texas, c. 1904.

Note: This is the Schulzes’ home on Ohio Street in Irving. Due to illness, J.O., Agnes, and their infant son moved back to Iowa in 1905.

Information on original photograph: 4¾" by 3¾", sepia.

Collection: The Charles and Catherine Schulze Collection Collection #: 31-6

Date of photograph: n.d.

Description: C.P. Schulze (1877-1957) came to Irving, Texas, in 1905 to take over running his brother, J. O. Schulze's, lumber company. C. P. ran the company until his death in 1957.

Information on original photograph: 3¾" by 4¾", sepia.

Collection: The Charles and Catherine Schulze Collection Collection #: 31-7 Date of photograph: n.d.

Description: C. P. Schulze stands next to his car, c. 1920s. C.P. Schulze came to Irving, Texas, in 1905 to take over running the lumber company founded by his brother J. O., who also co-founded the town of Irving. C. P. ran the lumber company until his death in 1957. His son Charles continued running the company until the early 1990s.

Information on original photograph: 3¼" by 5½", black and white.

Collection: The Charles and Catherine Schulze Collection Collection #: 31-8 Date of photograph: c. 1905 Description: Anges Sueppel Schulze and friend in horse carriage. Agnes Sueppel married J. O. Schulze in the summer of 1903 just months before he co-founded the town of Irving with Otis Brown. Agnes and her infant son did not fare well in the Texas heat, so J. O. and his young family moved back to their home town of Iowa City, Iowa in 1905. Agnes died in 1931. In 1945, J. O. returned to the town he had founded.

Information on original photograph: 4¼" by 3¾", sepia.

Collection: The Charles and Catherine Schulze Collection Collection #: 31-9 Date of photograph: August 1910 Description: Virginia Tucker Schulze at a ranch in Pyote, Texas.

Virginia Tucker married C. P. Schulze in 1912. The couple moved to Irving where C. P. ran Irving Lumber Co. She was prominent in establishing many civic and social organization during Irving's early years.

Note: Back of photo reads: "My first ride to Brown tank."

Information on original photograph: 3" by 4", black and white.

Collection: The Charles and Catherine Schulze Collection Collection #: 31-10 Date of photograph: August 1910 Description: Virginia Tucker Schulze with friends at a ranch in Pyote, Texas. Virginia Tucker was born in Dallas, Texas. She married C. P. Schulze in 1912. C. P. Schulze was the brother of the cofounder of Irving, Texas. C. P. came to Irving to take over his brother's lumber business in 1905. The couple built a home in Irving in 1912.

Note: Back of photo reads: “First ride to Brown tank, Madeline, Henrietta and Virginia.”

Information on original photograph: 3" by 4", black and white.

Collection: The Charles and Catherine Schulze Collection Collection #: 31-11 Date of photograph: August 1910 Description: Virginia Tucker Schulze with friends at a ranch in Pyote, Texas.

Virginia married C. P. Schulze in 1912. He owned Irving Lumber Co. in Irving, Texas. The couple were prominent citizens in Irving's early years.

Information on original photograph: 4" by 3", black and white.

Collection: The Charles and Catherine Schulze Collection Collection #: 31-12 Date of photograph: c. 1914 Description: Charles Schulze, son of C. P. and Virginia Schulze, stands in his father's car. C. P. Schulze worked with his brother J. O. Schulze on a Rock Island Railway survey crew. J. O. left the crew in the fall of 1902 and co-founded the town of Irving in 1903. C. P. Schulze continued traveling with the crew. In 1905, J. O. asked his brother to come to Irving and take over his lumber business.

Information on original photograph: 4¾" by 3¾", black and white.

Collection: The Charles and Catherine Schulze Collection Collection #: 31-13 Date of photograph: c. 1902 Description: Members of the Rock Island Railroad survey crew pose for a photo.

Crew members J. O. Schulze and Otis Brown left the crew in late 1902 to establish the town of Irving along the rail line between Dallas and Fort Worth in 1903.

Information on original photograph: 4 ¼" by 3 ¼", black and white.

Collection: The Charles and Catherine Schulze Collection Collection #: 31-16 Date of photograph: c. 1902 Description: Some members of the survey crew pose for a photo in a gazebo.

The crew traveled through Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Texas surveying for the Rock Island Railroad. It appears that a number of the photos in this collection were taken at the crew's camp by a professional photographer who posed his subjects.

Information on original photograph: 4" by 3", black and white.

Collection: The Charles and Catherine Schulze Collection Collection #: 31-18 Date of photograph: c. 1902 Description: Member of the survey crew holding a dog. The crew set up camp at each job site then spent the following days or weeks surveying a stretch of land for a railroad line.

Information on original photograph: 4" by 3", black and white.

Collection: The Charles and Catherine Schulze Collection Collection #: 31-20 Date of photograph: c. 1902

Description: Survey crew members settle in to eat a meal out in the field.

Information on original photograph: 4" by 2½", sepia.

Collection: The Charles and Catherine Schulze Collection Collection #: 31-21 Date of photograph: c. 1902 Description: Members of the survey crew posing with surveying instruments in their camp.

Information on original photograph: 4¼" by 3¼ , black and white.

Collection: The Charles and Catherine Schulze Collection Collection #: 31-23 Date of photograph: c. 1902 Description: Unidentified member of the survey crew standing in a field. The Rock Island Railroad survey crew traveled through Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Texas during 1902.

Information on original photograph: 2½" by 4", black and white

Collection: The Charles and Catherine Schulze Collection Collection #: 31-27 Date of photograph: c. 1902 Description: Members of the survey crew pose in front of a tent in their camp. Some of the photos in this collection appear to have been taken by a professional photographer who posed his subjects.

Information on original photograph: 3¼" by 4¼", black and white.

Collection: The Charles and Catherine Schulze Collection Collection #: 31-28 Date of photograph: c. 1902 Description: The survey crew doubling as a work crew.

Information on original photograph: 4¼" by 3¼", black and white.

Collection: The Charles and Catherine Schulze Collection Collection #: 31-33 Date of photograph: c. 1902 Description: Members of the survey crew posing in front of a gazebo.

Information on original photograph: 4¼" by 3¼", black and white.

Collection: The Charles and Catherine Schulze Collection Collection #: 31-35 Date of photograph: c. 1902 Description: Some of the members of the railroad survey crew pose for a professional photographer in front of one of their tents. The crew traveled through Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Texas surveying lines for the Rock Island Railroad in 1902.

Information on original photograph: 3" by 4¼", black and white.

Collection: The Charles and Catherine Schulze Collection Collection #: 31-36 Date of photograph: c. 1910 Description: Three Irvingites pose on the iron bridge over the West Fork of the Trinity River. The route over this bridge was most often used in traveling between Irving and Dallas.

Notes: Back of photo reads: “perhaps the Grauwyler crossing of the Trinity.” Actually, this is the Singleton Bridge at the Singleton Boulevard/Eagle Ford crossing of the West Fork of the Trinity River.

Today, only pilings of the old bridge that connected Irving to Dallas and Eagle Ford remain.

Information on original photograph: 4¼" by 3¼", black and white.

Collection: The Charles and Catherine Schulze Collection Collection #: 31-40 Date of photograph: c. 1902 Description: Some members of the survey crew pose with their surveying instruments.

Information on original photograph: 3¼" by 4¼", black and white.

Collection: The Charles and Catherine Schulze Collection Collection #: 31-43 Date of photograph: c. 1950 Description: J.O. Schulze was the co-founder of the town of Irving, Texas, in December 1903. In 1905, he, his wife Agnes, and their newborn child, who did not respond well to the Texas heat, moved back to their home town of Iowa City, Iowa. Agnes died in 1931. Schulze returned to Irving in 1945. He lived in Irving and Dallas until his death in 1961.

Information on original photograph: 5" by 7", black and white.

Collection: The Charles and Catherine Schulze Collection Collection #: 31-44

Date of photograph: c. 1902 Description: Six members of the survey crew posing with surveying instruments; studio photograph from Wingartl Brothers in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Information on original photograph: 4" by 5½", black and white.

Collection: The Charles and Catherine Schulze Collection Collection #: 31-45 Date of photograph: c. 1902 Description: Members of the railroad survey crew sitting and leaning on a railroad flatcar.

Information on original photograph: 4¾" by 3¾", sepia.

Collection: The Charles and Catherine Schulze Collection Collection #: 31-46 Date of photograph: c. 1902 Description: Members of the survey crew in front of tent. The survey crew traveled through Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Texas surveying for the Rock Island Railroad. Many of the photos of the survey crew appear to be taken by a professional photographer who posed the men for the pictures.

Information on original photograph: 4¼" by 3¼", black and white.

Collection: The Charles and Catherine Schulze Collection

Collection #: 31-47 Date of photograph: c. 1912 Description: C. P. and Virginia Schulze's built this house at 303 S. O’Connor in Irving, Texas, in 1912. The couple raised their two children here. In 1975, as part of the U. S. Bicentennial celebration the Schulze children donated the house to the city of Irving. It is now maintained as a 1900 era house museum.

Information on original photograph: 4¾" by 3¾", black and white.

Collection: The Charles and Catherine Schulze Collection Collection #: 31-48 Date of photograph: n.d.

Description: Front view of the C. P. Schulze house at 303 S. O’Connor (now Heritage House), built 1912. C. P. Schulze came to Irving in 1905.

He married Virginia Tucker (1886-1966) in 1912. The couple raised their two children, C. P., Jr., (Charles) and Mary here. The Schulze's were active in the development of early Irving's business and social activities.

Since 1975, the house has served as a museum decorated in the style of the early 1900s.

Information on original photograph: 4½" by 3¾", black and white.

Collection: The Charles and Catherine Schulze Collection Collection #: 31-49 Date of photograph: 1902 Description: A Rock Island Railroad survey crew headed by J. O. Schulze traveled through Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Texas during 1902. In the fall of 1902, Schulze and fellow crew member Otis Brown decided to leave the survey crew and found the town of Irving along a stretch of track between Dallas and Fort Worth. In this photo the survey crew makes its way to its next job site.

Information on original photograph: 4½" by 3¾", sepia.

Collection: The Charles and Catherine Schulze Collection

Collection #: 31-50 Date of photograph: 1902 Description: A member of the Rock Island Railroad survey crew relaxes in a tent that also served as an office. The crew surveyed a ten-mile stretch between Dallas and Fort Worth in the fall of 1902. J. O. Schulze and fellow crew member Otis Brown decided to found a town along this stretch of track. They left the survey crew and in December of 1903 launched the town of Irving, Texas.

Information on original photograph: 4¼" by 3¼", black and white.

Collection: The Charles and Catherine Schulze Collection Collection #: 31-51 Date of photograph: 1902 Description: J. O. Schulze, Rock Island Railroad survey crew chief and cofounder of the town of Irving, Texas, at his desk in a tent in the survey crew camp. The crew traveled through Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Texas surveying routes for railroad lines in 1902.

Information on original photograph: 3½" by 4½", black and white.

Collection: The Charles and Catherine Schulze Collection Collection #: 31-53 Date of photograph: 1909 Description: E.M. Story home, 304 S. Britain Rd.; front row: Clarence Story, Jane Story, Myrtle Story; back row: unknown, Early May (E. M.) Story and wife Lucinda Catherine Ewalt Story. The Story family was a pioneer family to what would become the Irving area, arriving in the region in 1855. In this photo descendants of the original pioneers stand in front of their house in Irving.

Information on original photograph: 5½" by 3½", black-and-white postcard.

Collection: The Charles and Catherine Schulze Collection Collection #: 31-54 Date of photograph: 1909 Description: E.M. Story children; Lewis Story, Myrtle Story, Clarence Story, and Jane Story. The Story family was a pioneer family that settled in northwest Dallas County in 1855. E. M. Story owned Irving's first telephone company. His daughter Myrtle was the town's first telephone operator.

Information on original photograph: 3½" by 5½", black-and-white postcard.

Collection: The Charles and Catherine Schulze Collection Collection #: 31-55 Date of photograph: 1919 Description: Myrtle Story White with her husband Jim White in Irving, Texas. Myrtle Story was a descendent of one of the area's pioneer families. Myrtle was the Irving's first telephone operator. She married Jim White in 1917.

Information on original photograph: 4½" by 2½", black-and-white postcard.

Collection: The Charles and Catherine Schulze Collection Collection #: 31-56 Date of photograph: 1909 Description: Early May Story and members of his family meet with friends at their home in Irving, Texas. The Story family were pioneers to northwest Dallas County arriving there in 1855.

Information on original photograph: 4¼" x 3¼", black and white postcard.

Collection: The Charles and Catherine Schulze Collection Collection #: 31-57

Date of photograph: c. 1935 Description: Ladies of the Irving Garden Club on a trip to Ft. Worth: L to R: Mrs. R.E. Fulton, her sister, Mrs. Charles Wilson, Mrs. C. P. Schulze, and Mrs. Mickey Wilson.

Information on original photograph: 2¾" by 4½", black and white.

Collection: The Charles and Catherine Schulze Collection Collection #: 31-58 Date of photograph: 1923-24 Description: Irving School class photo, sixth grade, 1923-1924. Charles Schulze, donor of this collection, is in the back row.

Front row: Mildred Mosher, Hazel Mosher, Mildred Chapman, Eugenia Lawrence, Thelma Thompson, Hattie Lee Pemberton, unknown, Mary Ellen Plumlee, Audrey Story, Hester Pendergrass Middle Row: Burnet Beaufford, Arthur Grider, Thelma Pierce, Freda France, unknown, Teacher-Miss Shrader, unknown Castleberry, Edna McCoy, Helen Keeling.

Back Row: Dan Price, Charles Schulze, Ray McCutchen, John Brown, John Roberts, Marvin Story, Lester Anderson , John Pullen, Ray Lucas, Geddes McFarland.

Information on original photograph: 7½" X 4¼", black and white.

Collection: The Charles and Catherine Schulze Collection Collection #: 31-59 Date of photograph: 1923 Description: Irving school class photo, fifth grade, 1922-1923. Charles Schulze, donor of this collection and son of C. P. and Virginia Schulze, is in the second row.

Front row: Ray Lucas, Lester Anderson, Ray McCutchen, Dan Price, Ike Story, Geddes McFarland Second row: John Brown, Paul unknown, Hazel Mosher, Charles Schulze, Mildred Mosher, Marvin Story, John Roberts, Hugh Pennington Third row: Mary Ellen Plumlee, August Beauford, Helen Keeling, Arthur Grider, Hattie Lee Pemberton, Burnet Beauford, Audrey Story, unknown; Top row: Eugenia Lawrence, Thelma Pierce, Edna Stockton, Ellie Roseberry, Teacher-Miss Andrews, unknown, unknown, unknown, Freda France, Thelma Thompson.

Information on original photograph: 7"X5", black and white.

Collection: The Charles and Catherine Schulze Collection Collection #: 31-60 Date of photograph: 1912 Description: The Joe Williamson home. On the left are Joe Williamson and his wife May. In the center are C. P. Schulze and his wife Virginia; and on the right are the Williamson children. The group is in front of the Williamson home which was located on the site of today's Nimitz High School in south Irving.

Information on original photograph: 8½" by 6½", black and white.

Collection: The Charles and Catherine Schulze Collection Collection #: 31-62 Date of photograph: c. 1912 Description: The Joe Williamson home is typical of early Irving area homes. On left are C. P. Schulze and his wife Virginia; next to her is Joe Williamson and his wife May and their daughter. The Williamson's son is on the ground in front. The Williamson home was located where today's Nimitz High School stands in south Irving.

Information on original photograph: 8½" by 6½", black and white.

Collection: The Charles and Catherine Schulze Collection Collection #: 31-66 Date of photograph: c. 1902 Description: Railroad survey crew poses in camp with survey instruments. C. P. Schulze, brother of crew chief and town of Irving founder, is on far left.

Information on original photograph: 8½" by 3½", panoramic black and white.

Collection: The Charles and Catherine Schulze Collection Collection #: 31-67 Date of photograph: c. 1902 Description: Members of the Rock Island Railroad survey crew that surveyed a ten-mile stretch of land between Dallas and Fort Worth in 1902. Two crew members founded the town of Irving along the tracks in 1903.

Information on original photograph: 11½" by 3½", panoramic, black and white.

Collection: The Charles and Catherine Schulze Collection Collection #: 31-71 Date of photograph: c. 1902 Description: Members of the survey crew posing in their camp.

Information on original photograph: 11½" by 3½", panoramic, black and white.

Collection: The Charles and Catherine Schulze Collection Collection #: 31-74 Date of photograph: c. 1902 Description: Members of the survey crew, C.P. Schulze second from left.

Information on original photograph: 8¾" by 3½", panoramic black and white.

Collection: The Charles and Catherine Schulze Collection Collection #: 31-75 Date of photograph: c. 1902 Description: Members of the railroad survey crew in front of tent with surveying instruments. C. P. Schulze second from right. His brother and survey crew chief J. O. and fellow crew member Otis Brown founded the town of Irving along the tracks between Dallas and Fort Worth in 1903.

C. P. Schulze moved to the town in 1905.

Information on original photograph: 10" by 8", sepia.

Collection: The Charles and Catherine Schulze Collection Collection #: 31-76 Date of photograph: c. 1902 Description: Members of the survey crew on a wagon. The crew spent 1902 traveling through Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Texas surveying for the Rock Island Railroad.

Information on original photograph: 5½" by 3½", sepia.

Collection: The Charles and Catherine Schulze Collection Collection #: 31-77 Date of photograph: c. 1902 Description: Members of the Rock Island Railroad survey crew on a wagon.

Note: A note on the back of the photo says that this photo was taken in downtown Dallas, although question remains as to the accuracy of the note.

Information on original photograph: 10" by 7¾", sepia.

Collection: The Charles and Catherine Schulze Collection Collection #: 31-78

Date of photograph: c. 1904 Description: J.O. Schulze, Irving's co-founder, and his wife Agnes built this home in Irving in 1904, shortly after the founding of the town. Due to poor health, the Schulze's moved back to their home town of Iowa City, Iowa in 1905. The house stood until the early1980s, when it was destroyed by fire.

Information on original photograph: 4¼" by 3¼", black and white.

Collection: The Charles and Catherine Schulze Collection

Collection #: 31-79 Date of photograph: c. 1902 Description: Members of the survey crew with surveying instruments.

Note: back of photo reads “rodmen.”

Information on original photograph: 3¼" by 4¼", black and white.