Honoring James Wilkins and His Legacy
I first met Mr. James Wilkins as a teenager at the old Tyler Civic Theatre in the round. He was a quiet gentleman, usually seated off to the side, sketching the actors for the program covers that would soon grace upcoming performances. Over the years, his artwork immortalized not only my parents and their friends but also my own circle—including, eventually, my future brother-in-law. The theatre was a beloved part of my life, and Mr. Wilkins’s sketches became woven into those memories.
In 2007, after more than a decade in Carrollton, my husband, daughter, and I moved back to Tyler. That fall, my mother invited me to a Smith County Historical Society program led by James Wilkins. The topic: the many diners and cafés that once dotted the Tyler landscape. My mother explained that her own mother, Louise Kidd, had long been a member of the Society, so we made our way to the auditorium. To our surprise, it was standing room only—and what a night it was! For nearly an hour, James transported us through detailed stories of not just two or three, but nearly a dozen eateries from Tyler’s past. How could someone pack so much information and entertainment into a Tuesday evening? Only James could. That night marked the beginning of my own deep involvement with the Society, and you could say he sparked a passion that has shaped the past twelve years of my life.
James has a rare gift: when he encounters a subject—whether overheard in casual conversation, found in an old newspaper ad, or sparked by someone’s family story—he refuses to let it go. Calling it “research” hardly does justice to his process. He approaches a topic with the persistence of a detective and the curiosity of a true storyteller. His friends and fellow researchers, Vicki Betts and Andy Leath, often remark on his relentless pursuit of detail. No door is too remote, no phone number too distant for James to call if it might bring him closer to the truth. This dogged determination, more often seen in law enforcement or old-time newspaper reporting, has been his “hobby”—and one that has immeasurably enriched the Smith County Historical Society. His energy has fueled the success of the Chronicles publication for years.
During one of my own research trips to the Texas State Archives, I discovered a letter James had written to a board member of the State Historical Commission. In it, he asked how to compile the most complete record of Civil War veterans from Smith County. The advice he received was to start with the cemeteries. And so James did—tramping through miles of Piney Woods, painstakingly recording names, dates, and details. The fruits of his work now exist in binders covering every letter of the alphabet, filled with interviews, newspaper clippings, sketches, maps, and photographs—pieces of a massive historical puzzle taped, stapled, and glued into place.
A few years ago, James and his wife Judy prepared to leave their longtime Wall Street home in Tyler. Like all of us do when moving, they began to pare down decades of accumulated treasures. Out of that process came a remarkable gift: the donation of the James Wilkins Research Collection to the Smith County Historical Society Archives. More valuable than any present tied with a bow, this collection now resides permanently in our care, open to the public, ready to spark curiosity in future generations of researchers.
In the coming weeks, we will publish a full inventory of the collection, complete with object IDs and subject listings. Access guidelines and appointment instructions will also be available. Please stay tuned for more details—not only about this extraordinary resource, but about the many other collections we continue to preserve. For nearly sixty years, the Smith County Historical Society has safeguarded the unique history of our community, and thanks to gifts like James Wilkins’, that legacy grows richer every day.