Record Street name origin.

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RECORD STREET NAME ORIGIN – Ed Sebesta 4/4/2021 There are two streets in Dallas with similar names. One is Record Street in downtown Dallas. The other is Record Crossing street.

Record Crossing Street is named after James K.P. Record who was part of the forces against the multi-racial democracy of Reconstruction. From the Dallas Morning News, (DMN) May 20, 1928: Mention has already been made of James K.P. Record’s part in the Reconstruction convention held immediately after the Civil War and resulting in the election of Throckmorton as Governor. Record’s Crossing on the Trinity River near Maple avenue commemorates this able lawyer whose passing in the prime of life was a source of regret to all who knew him.1 James K.P. Record attended the Conservative Union Caucus of 1866 in Austin, Texas formed to oppose civil rights for African Americans. He was one of the signers of the following letter on April 2, 1866: [Boldface added.]

To HON. J. W. THROCKMOBTON AND HON. GEO. W. JONES: GENTLEMEN: The undersigned representing, as they believe, the views of the people in various portions of the State, without distinction as to past party affiliations, desire permission to use your names for the positions of Governor and Lieutenant-Governor of the State of Texas at the next election.

Knowing you to be opposed to the radicalism of the day, which is persistently sought to be imposed upon the people of Texas, and being fully satisfied of your opposition to negro suffrage, and the hasty and inconsiderate elevation of the negro to political equality; knowing also that you indorse the good faith of the people of Texas, in their professions of loyalty to the general government, and appreciating their earnest desire for our State to be restored to her former Federal relations at the earliest practicable period; And believing, as we do, that the great mass of the people of Texas indorse President Johnson in his policy of restoration, which is based on the Constitution, we desire that you, whom we know to entertain the same views of his policy, should become the standard bearers of the Conservative Union men of the State in the coming election.

Richardson, Vivian, “Dallas Has Its Own Trinity Churchyard,” Dallas Morning News, 5/20/1928, pages 1,8. Reference to Record is on page 8, 2nd column. As you can see the people buried in Pioneer Park are basically the evil dead. For the rest of the footnotes Dallas Morning News will be DMN. 1

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Though you have persistently refused to allow your names to be used in this connection, the events of the last few days, we believe, render it necessary that you should yield to our wishes on this subject. These events speak trumpettongued to every patriot in the land. The radical branch of the Republican party of the North, who closed the doors of Congress against Southern representatives, who have declared their intention to reduce us to a condition of territorial vassalage, and to place us below the level of those who were once our slaves, have their adherents in our very midst. They have had their caucuses, adopted their platforms, nominated their candidates for the principal offices in the State, and are determined to aid and abet Stevens, Sumner, and Phillips, in their opposition to the policy of the President, in their raids against constitutional liberty, and in the establishment of a consolidated despotic government.

We assure you that this call is not confined to a few persons, nor to any particular locality, but comes from every portion of the State; from men who are determined, if possible, to preserve the country and its institutions from the machinations of those, who in the last hours of the Convention defeated the resolution indorsing the policy of the President, and are determined to bind us, hand and foot, and surrender us to the Radical Republicans, or prolong indefinitely Provisional and Military Rule.2 Later in Dallas at a rally to attempt to launch a new political party to support President Andrew Johnson and his policies of restoring white supremacy in the South, J.K.P. Record was a speaker. “Public Meeting in Dallas,” The Dallas Daily Herald, July 21, 1866, Saturday, Page 2.

At a meeting of a portion of the citizens of Dallas county, held at the Court House in the Town of Dallas, on the afternoon of the 18th July, 1866, for the purpose of appointing delegates to the Convention to be held on the 25th inst, On motion, Col. Jno. N. Bryan was called to the Chair, and Capt. W.L. Murphy appointed Secretary.

Judge Burford explained the object of the meeting, in a few forcible and appropriate remarks.

On motion, the Chairman appointed the following named gentlemen a committee to draft resolutions expressive of the sense of the meeting, viz: Nat. M. Burford, James E. Scott, W.H. Hord, John J. Good and Martin Rigg.

2

Pp. 98-99. Winkler obtained the text of this letter from The Daily Herald, (San Antonio), April 10, 1866.

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During the absence of the Committee, the meeting was addressed by Dr. A.M. Cochrane, in an able and eloquent speech, favoring the objects for which the meeting was called.

The Committee, through their Chairman, Judge Burford, reported the following resolutions, which, on motion, were unanimously adopted.

Resolved, 1st, That the citizens of Dallas county cordially approve of the policy of President Johnson, and of the Executive Department of the Government of the United States, of prompt restoration of the Southern States, without any amendments to the Constitution, or change in the laws, until the States not now represented in Congress participate in the same.

Resolved, 2d, That the citizens of Dallas county cordially approve of the objects of the National Union Convention to be held in Philadelphia on the 14th day of August, 1866, to be composed of delegates representing the great Conservative masses of all the United States, and having for its object the full restoration of all the States to their rights and privileges in the great American Union.

Resolved, 3d, That for the purpose of promoting the success of the above resolutions, we will send five delegates to represent Dallas county in the Conservative Union Convention of the State of Texas, to be held at Navasota, on the 25th inst.

Resolved, 4th, That John M. Crockett, Dr. H.J. Moffett, Cap. James Thomas, Dr. J.H. Fender, Col. Geo. Wilson and Col. J.C. McCoy be appointed to represent the county of Dallas in the Conservative Union Convention at Navasota; and should the said delegates be unable to attend said Convention, then J.J. Diamond, P.W. Gray, A.M. Gentry and G.W. Diamond, are requested to represent the county of Dallas in said Convention.

NAT M. BURFORD, W.H. HORD, JAS. E. SCOTT, MARTIN RIGG, JOHN J. GOOD, On motion of John J. Good, the following resolution was unanimously adopted: Resolved, That we respectfully recommend to the Conservative Convention to assemble at Navasota on the 25th inst., the name of Matthias L. Swing, as a suitable person for Delegate from this State to the Union Convention to assemble at Philadelphia, Penn., on the 14th August, 1866.

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The meeting was then addressed by Capt. J.K.P. Record, who appealed to the people to stand by the President, and to assist him and the Conservative Union party, in their rights under the Federal Constitution, Capt. Record, during his address, was repeatedly cheered.

On motion of J.K.P. Record, the Secretary was requested to furnish a copy of the proceedings of this meeting to the editor of the Dallas Herald, for publication.

On motion, the meeting adjourned sine die.

JOHN N. BRYAN, Chairman, W.L. MURPHY, Secretary.3

J.K.P. Record is listed as having been in the Confederate army on page 113 in the history, “Dallas County: A Record of its Pioneers and Progress,” by John H. Cochran.4 So J.K.P. Record fought for slavery and was politically active to restore white supremacy in Texas after the Civil War.

Record Street may or may not be named after J.K.P Record. Two DMN articles state that it is named after the County Records Building which is on the street. They are very credible.

A July 11, 1944, DMN article, “Change Asked In Street Name,” reports that the U.S. Postmaster J. Howard Payne along with downtown business persons asked that Jefferson Street between Pacific and Young have a name change since there was confusion with Jefferson Blvd. in Oak Cliff.5 The change of the name from Jefferson to Record to avoid confusion is reported in a Oct. 23, 1944, DMN article which told of “irate cab drivers” and that the demand for the name change included a manager for the Southern Supply Co. on Jefferson. The article states, “The new Record Street is named after the County Records Building.”6

Public Meeting in Dallas,” The Dallas Daily Herald, July 21, 1866, Saturday, Page 2.

Cochran, John H., “Dallas County: A Record of its Pioneers and Progress,” Direct Advertising and Printing Co., Dallas, copyright 1928, pp. 113. The author’s copy is a 1966 reprint by The Aldredge Book Store, in Dallas which fortunately is no longer in business with a forward by racist Sam Acheson of the Dallas Morning News.

5 No author, “Change Asked in Street Name,” DMN, 7/11/1944, page 1.

6 Dunbar, Mary, “Trolly, Trestle, Headache Give Dallas Street New Name,” DMN, 10/23/1944, page 6.

3 4

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Not everyone was happy with the new name. In a Jan. 18, 1945, DMN article, “Folks Prefer Jefferson, Not Record Street,” reports that Dallas mayor Woodall Rodgers considered the name change an “injustice” and wanted to change it back. Rodgers stated, “Just because a river separates two sections of a thoroughfare we do not have to change the name of one portion.”7 However, the name Record is still there.

These three articles would seem to settle the question of who or what Record Street was named after.

However, DMN columnist has a May 27, 1950 column, “Origin of Dallas Street Names,” in which he states that he believes Record is named after James K. Polk Record of the family having the Record Crossing bridge. After explaining the background of a Jefferson street on both sides of the Trinity river he states: Early in the current decade postal authorities and others persuaded the city to rename Jefferson in downtown Dallas. They thought the western tail was wagging the dog. And so downtown portion was rechristened Record Street. Major E.A. Wood and other veterans at the city hall are not certain why this name was chosen. It runs along side the County Hall of Records. But it is officially spelled in the singular. Best guess is that it honors James K. Polk Record, member of the pioneer family of that name, whose Record’s Crossing of the Trinity was long a local landmark. At least it is a fitting choice –if that is the explanation.8 However, naming streets in Dallas has not always been without deceptions. In a 1905 article, “Names for Streets,” in which the city council formed a committee to rename duplicate streets this subject comes up.

Mayor Barry moved that no street be named after any living man except Presidents, ex-President, Governors and ex-Governors. This motion was carried, but when some of the Councilmen ran out of names and it was found that some of the names suggested were identical with those of well-known citizens, the purpose was evaded that the street was named after the man’s father.9 In a April 18, 1950 DMN article, “Naming Streets Often Tough Job,” nasty racist John Stemmons explains how he circumvented the restrictions on naming streets after a living person. Quoting the article: More streets are named for people than for anything else. But most of the old timers in Dallas have already been so honored. And the city has an unwritten rule that you can’t name a street for any living local citizens.

No author, “Folks Prefer Jefferson, Not Record Street,” DMN, 1/18/1945, page 3.

Acheson, Sam, “Origin of Dallas Street Names,” DMN, 5/27/1950, page 2.

9 No author, “Names for Streets,” DMN, 4/15/1905, page 11.

7 8

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Stemmons learned of this rule when he wanted to christen Slocum Street in the same district. His idea was to compliment Joe Slocum, head of one of the first firms to build there.

“Sorry, Mr. Stemmons,” he was told at the city hall, “but we can’t let that stick – not with Mr. Slocum hale and happy here among the living.”

“Well,” said the real estate man, hesitating only for a second, “we’ll name it for – well, let’s see – for General Slocum.” And somewhat to Stemmons’ relief, there really was a General Slocum! Henry Warner Slocum, born 1827, died 1894.

Only in Dallas would it seem funny that the rich get to ignore the rules, but that truly is that Dallas way. The article then goes on to state that General Slocum was an American general in the Civil War and Stemmons faced a conflict in that he had Confederate ancestors.10 The point of this is that naming or renaming streets in Dallas isn’t always for the reasons publicly given. So, it could be that Record Street is actually named after J.K.P. Record, but for some reason that information was held back. Or the lack of the plural in the name could just be sloppiness. It could be naming the street after the Record family was a sort of prize, and by denying the real purpose, other families with early origins in Dallas couldn’t complain about being left out. You could endlessly speculate.

Sam Acheson in his book, “Dallas Yesterday,” Southern Methodist University Press, 1977, gives the origin of the names of a great many streets, the index lists dozens of them, but neither Record or Record Crossing are in the index entry for “Streets, naming of.” This doesn’t necessarily mean anything. The book was published posthumously. It might have been that the book was kept to a certain length, or an editorial decision to have the most interesting stories. Or that give the degree of uncertainty over the Record Street origins, having it in the book would undermine the credibility of the other street name origin stories. Or it could be that it would be too complex and lengthy for the book to discuss it.

As for John Stemmons being a nasty racist, there is a June 23, 1966 DMN article, “Stemmons Says Bill on Housing ‘Vicious.’” The article is about Stemmons testifying before the U.S. Senate constitutional rights committee about the 1966 Civil Rights Bill.

The article reports an angry Stemmons stating that the 1966 Civil Rights Bill, would “create a Gestapo,” urging the Senate to “defeat this vicious bill which would rob us of our birthright.” The article reports that the part of the bill that so inflamed Stemmons was the part that forbade discrimination in the purchase, renting, leasing, occupancy,

10

Acheson, Sam, “Naming Streets Often Tough Job,” DMN, 4/18/1950, page 2.

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financing or use of housing based on race, color, religion or national origin.11 One of these days I am going to track down and get the full text of John Stemmons testimony.

Back to the topic of Record Street, it is an odd naming if named after the County Records building. I don’t know of a case where such a street is named Record or Records because of a presence of an archive or records administration on the street. There are however, a lot of Courthouse Roads in existence, just use Google.

Given the usual practice in Dallas of naming streets and schools after people, the idea that a street would be named after something as prosaic as a county records building as opposed to a historically important family does seem dubious.

Also, it is interesting that the strong opposition of Dallas Mayor Rodgers to the name Record is not reported on further. Perhaps realizing it represented a family name and not a building he stopped his opposition.

The judgement of the author is that it is probably named after a member of the Record family.

One thing about places, is whatever is the true origin of their name, there can develop popular ideas about what the name origin really is. The impact of a place name is related to what people believe it is about. So even if a name isn’t really Confederate or something it functionally becomes so if that is the popular belief. It still is a problem.

Renaming may not be the solution, but if not renamed whatever solution that needs to be adopted needs to be decisive in its effect, not some token effort.

The issue with Record Street could be solved with the addition of an “s” at the end of its name.

Also, an accurate official listing of street name origins should be published.

Being that the libraries are still closed, I haven’t been able to do further research. Even if I make progress on researching the name, it still will need to be addressed, decisively.

11

Kowert, Nancy, “Stemmons Says Bill on Housing ‘Vicious,’” DMN, 6/23/1966, page 7.