The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 76, July 1972 - April, 1973 Page: 115

Book Notes

The Meyer Family: Master Potters of Texas. By Georgeanna H. Greer and
Harding Black. (San Antonio: Trinity University Press, 1971. Pp. 97.
Illustrations. $7.50.)
One sadly neglected area of Texas history is that dealing with locally
owned and operated industries. It is therefore a pleasure to report the
publication of this short monograph on one aspect of the Texas ceramic
industry.
The Meyer family first opened their pottery at Atascosa in 1887 and for
the next seventy-seven years produced a variety of utilitarian wares (such
as churns, crocks, jugs, pitchers, flowerpots). The authors present a con-
cise history of the Meyers' business activities along with an excellent de-
scription of the techniques used to produce stone and earthenware.
Although the text is brief (only eleven pages), the volume contains four
color and thirty-five black and white pictures, each accompanied by an
informative, explanatory note. Pictures showing the various wares pro-
duced as well as photographs of the factory are included.
A history of the Texas ceramic industry needs to be written. In the
meantime, this excellent study belongs in every Texana collection.
University of Texas, Arlington SANDRA L. MYRES
Lisbon West of the Trinity. By Helen B. Anthony. (Dallas: The author,
1971. Pp. 145. Illustrations, appendices, notes. $6.95.)
Lisbon, now engulfed by the city of Dallas, was one of the pioneer set-
tlements of Dallas County. Helen B. Anthony relates the story of this
agricultural village across the Trinity River from John Neely Bryan's gen-
eral store and its founder, Samuel Sloan.
The study has all of the strong and weak points of local history; it is
long on detail and short on generalization. Mrs. Anthony treats her mate-
rial topically, dealing with historic development, utilities, schools, parks,
and churches. The book will attract local history buffs. Its collection of
pioneer family histories, lists of tombstone inscriptions, and memberships
in area churches will interest those engaged in genealogical research in
Dallas County.
A map locating points mentioned in the narrative would have been
useful. One might wish to visit the Sloan house, built in 1846, that is still
inhabited. This structure is no Millermore but a typical, modest pioneer
dwelling worthy of a marker from the Texas State Historical Survey Com-
mittee.
Eastfield College SUSANNE STARLING
Goliad Survivor: Isaac D. Hamilton. By Lester Hamilton. (San Antonio:
The Naylor Company, 1971. Pp. vii+74. Bibliography. $4.95.)
Quartermaster Isaac Hamilton, an Alabama volunteer in Jack Shackel-
ford's "Red Rover" company under Fannin, fled the Goliad Massacre

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