East Texas Historical Association

11/04/2025

From Scott Sosebee:

I am sad to inform you of the passing of Bill O’Neal. Bill was an Association Fellow, Past President of the Association, and Life Member. He was a constant at our Meetings and active for decades. Bill had a varied and active career. He was a public school educator, an award-winning football coach, professor at Panola College, Texas State Historian, and prolific author. He was also one of the most gracious and friendliest person I ever met. It is truly a loss.

His daughter, Berri Neal Gormley, forwarded the information on Bill's funeral arrangements (see below)-- If you wish to contact the family or Berri, she will be checking his email [email protected].

Visitation will be 5:00 - 8:00 p.m. - Thursday evening - Nov 5, 2025. Jimmerson-Lipsey Funeral Home, Carthage, TX
Memorial service 11:00 a.m. - Friday [Nov 7] - Central Baptist Church, Carthage, TX
Graveside service 4:00 p.m.- Friday [Nov 7] Pattison Cemetery, Emhouse, TX
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Bill O'Neal. April 8, 1942-November 3, 2025. A valued longtime colleague and friend to many in the West Texas Historical Association (WTHA) he served as both board member and association president. In 2017, he was honored as a Fellow of the association. Most recently, he presented a paper at East Texas Historical Association conference this fall. He was the biggest fan of citizen historians and to honor them he revived the C. L. Sonnichsen Latin appellation -- genus Historianus herbidus.

After graduating from Corsicana High School in 1960, he attended Navarro College and Texas A&M University-Commerce. He served as an athletic director and head football coach at Anna High School (1967-1968) and Waskom High School (1968-1970). He was a State Historian of Texas (2012-2018) - second term reappointed by Governor Rick Perry. He authored 59 non-fiction books, including The Johnson-Sims Feud, The Johnson County War, Historic Ranches of the Old West, Encyclopedia of Western Gunfighters, and Cheyenne, 1867-1903. He is a retired history professor at Panola College (1970-2011 and in 1973, received the first annual "Excellent Teacher" award and in 2000, he became the first recipient of the Minnie Stevens Piper Professorship award at Panola College. In 2005, O'Neal received the National Association of Outlaw and Lawmen Association (NOLA) award for his book, "The Johnson County War". In 2007, True West Magazine named O'Neal the West's "Best Living Nonfiction Writer". In 2012, he received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Wild West History Association, and in 2016 received the A. C. Green Award to honor his distinguished writing career.

10/15/2025

Please share with your friends and colleagues.

10/04/2025

The Association’s Annual Meeting concluded on Saturday at The Fredonia Hotel in Nacogdoches. Once again, it was an informative gathering with great sessions, conversation, and—most of all—friendship.

06/27/2025

Gems of history are all around us. Retired Air Force Col. Eddie Boxx lives near Woodville. He has been a diligent researcher for local history. His latest work here, posted online at the Jasper County Historical Museum, is about WWII practice bombing runs in the Piney Woods of East Texas. You have to read it to believe it!
https://www.jaspercountytxmuseum.org/bayou-bombers/

03/31/2025

Scott Sosebee's column is live on the ETHA website. Check it out and share with your friends!

by Scott Sosebee Ask anyone that works within any Texas community in a public forum, be it a mayor, a council person, an organizational leader, or even a college professor, and they will tell you one truth that is universal in every city, town, or burg—if you want to accomplish your goal, get wome

03/23/2025

Ima Hogg’s fascinating life is the topic of Sosebee’s essay for ATH today. You can read it on the ETHA website!

by Scott Sosebee Texas has been blessed with a number of notable women who have made a mark on the state and its history. They did so despite long odds and multiple obstacles that restricted their public lives, their political voice, and their economic power. While it is a cliché, the old folk say

03/01/2025

For All Things Historical, Scott Sosebee entertains us with the story of "Mr. Sunshine," a Texas-born baseball player. Please, read and share!

by Scott Sosebee Baseball season is at our doorstep, and if you begin to name the best Texas-born and raised baseball players, your list would undoubtedly include some of the best who have ever played the game, men such as Nolan Ryan, Rogers Hornsby, Joe Morgan, Eddie Matthews, Tris Speaker—the li

02/28/2025

He married up. :)

02/15/2025

Read all about ETHA member, Joan C. Browning, at https://www.easttexashistorical.org/profiles.

01/21/2025

All Things Historical brings us a sense of lightness today by looking at the origins of the Texas Two-Step. https://www.easttexashistorical.org/ath/dancin-texas-style-the-origin-of-the-texas-two-step-jan-19-2025

01/13/2025

https://www.easttexashistorical.org/ath/the-cordova-rebellion-jan-12-2025

by Scott Sosebee When Texas became a Republic in 1836 after the Texas Revolution, it did not end the armed struggles within its borders. Nacogdoches became a focal point of much of the chaos, a condition of the turmoil and infighting that had plagued the region long before the Texas Revolution b

01/06/2025

Happy 2025 to the All Things Historical's readers: We hope to have more of you this year! Please, share!

by Scott Sosebee I think it is impossible to exaggerate the historical consequences and impact of railroads on United States history. Their spread and building played a large role in making the U.S. an actual “nation” because they linked regions together, were the first national business, and th...