Piece of history a flea-market find
Woman finds baby books from Ghio family with pictures and details of life
A pair of century-old baby books discovered at a flea market provides a glimpse into the lives of a prominent early Texarkana, Texas, family later to be struck by tragedy.
In the books about Anthony Ghio III and Joseph Ghio— born in 1905 and 1910, respectively, the grandchildren of city founder Anthony Ghio— their mother, Teresa Ghio, noted what they said, did and saw in their early childhoods.
The contents, including phonetic transcriptions of the children’s baby talk and descriptions of them playing with pets, are especially remarkable in light of later history: In 1920, the boys and their father, Anthony Jr., would drown in the Red River near the Index Bridge.
Native Texarkanian and local history buff Tammy Kidd Kelley recently found the books for sale at the Squirrel’s Nest Flea Market on New Boston Road and bought them for $10 each.
How the books got there is a mystery. The vendor who sold them said they were purchased at an estate sale, but she could not remember where, when or what else she bought with them, Kelley said. The Ghio family was one of the cornerstones of early Texarkana. Anthony Ghio Sr. was present at the first sale of lots in 1873 and built the first commercial structure in the city, according to the Texarkana Museums System’s website. He later served several terms as Texas-side mayor and
“I love you and that sufficient.” —Anthony Ghio III said at about age 5
operated a real estate business until his death. He also built the town’s first opera house and owned a vineyard.
The books contain basic biographical information about the boys, such as the exact times and addresses of their births, as well as photographic portraits of them as young children.
But Teresa did not stop there. Alongside typical categories such as baby’s first word, first step and first tooth, she wrote in small but legible script long lists of details of the family’s daily life.
Entries on medical procedures such as tonsillectomies and bouts with now-rare diseases such as measles are intermingled with noted entertainments the family attended such as the Ringling Brothers Circus and Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show.
Teresa remarks on the boys’ first reactions to automobiles, airplanes and telephones and notes a sighting of Halley’s Comet at 4:10 a.m. May 10, 1910.
Entire pages are devoted to the boys’ quotations.
“I love you and that sufficient,” Anthony III said at about age 5. He also speculated about the origin of rain: “Maybe God, give angels hose, turn on water & let ‘em sprinkle.”
Kelley said she is unsure what she will ultimately do with the books, but in the short term she has planned a way for those interested to take a look at them. Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., she will make the books available for viewing at the Squirrel’s Nest, 3706 New Boston Road.