John H. Shary Collection | Personal Papers & Official Records | University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

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John H. Shary Collection

The John H. Shary Collection contains the papers from John H. Shary (1872-1945), the founder of Sharyland and Father of the Texas Citrus Industry. Shary was a prominent land developer and was president of the United Irrigation Company in the Mission / Sharyland area. The digital images from the Shary Collection include letters, speeches, and photographs. For more materials of the John H. Shary Collection, view the Finding Aid on ArchivesSpace.

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Address by John H. Shary given at 1930 Sharyland High School commencement

John H. Shary

Speech given by John H. Shary to the graduating class of Sharyland High School of 1930.
Address by John H. Shary given at a banquet in honor of the Sharyland High School senior class of 1933

John H. Shary

Speech given by John H. Shary to the graduating class of Sharyland High School 1933.
[Agriculture] Photograph of an Agricultural Worker Harvesting Sugarcane harvest

Mexican farm worker harvesting the sugarcane crop. Part of Shary Collection.
[Agriculture] Photograph of Anderson Orchard SE 10-33-4

Gray

Young citrus trees with a paved road and telephone lines along the left side. Part of Shary Collection.
[Agriculture] Photograph of cattle in field

Copy negative of a small herd of cows grazing in a field with low brush. Trees are visible in the background. The original print is pinned to a background with push-pins. Part of Shary collection.
[Agriculture] Photograph of cattle in front of shed

Cows and shed. Possibly Jersey dairy cows. Part of Shary collection.
[Agriculture] Photograph of cattle in milking shed

Cows in milking shed being milked by machine. Part of Shary Collection.
[Agriculture] Photograph of cattle standing in water

Cattle standing in water near tree. Part of Shary Collection.
[Agriculture] Photograph of Clearing the field

Two men in donkey-driven carts clearing a field to prepare for planting. Part of Shary Collection.
[Agriculture] Photograph of Commercial bee hive

Photograph of a commercial beehive with honeybees. Part of Shary Collection.
[Agriculture] Photograph of Corn

9 corn cobs with two cross sections and a ruler indicating size of corn. Part of Shary Collection.
[Agriculture] Photograph of Cotton crop in field, house in background

Corn crop in field with house in background. Part of Shary Collection.
[Agriculture] Photograph of Date palm

Date palm with large cluster of dates. Part of Shary Collection.
[Agriculture] Photograph of Dirt Canal with two people

Photograph of a dirt canal with one person standing in the water, and the other person standing on the right bank. Part of Shary Collection.
[Agriculture] Photograph of dirt road past corn field

Dirt road with a corn field on the left, and an uncleared field on the right. Part of Shary Collection.
[Agriculture] Photograph of Grapes

Close-up photograph of several clusters of grapes or berries hanging from vines that are propped up with wooden sticks. Part of Shary Collection.
[Agriculture] Photograph of Harvested crop

Harvested crop in wooden crates. Part of Shary Collection.
[Agriculture] Photograph of Lemons

4 lemons with ruler indicating size. Part of Shary Collection.
[Agriculture] Photograph of Pigs in pen #1

Photograph of adult and baby pigs in a pen. A wooden fence and wooden structures are visible in the background. Part of Shary Collection.
[Agriculture] Photograph of Strawberries

Strawberry plant with strawberries and flowers. Part of Shary Collection.
[Agriculture] Photograph of Testimony from W. B. Hinckly

Testimony of a farmer concerning the opportunities in the Lower Rio Grande Valley. Part of Shary Collection.
[Agriculture] Photograph of young cotton field

Young cotton crop in field. Part of Shary Collection.
Article in Successful Attitudes - "A Romance With the Valley" The citrus industry and John H. Shary

Allan Shivers Jr.

"There is romance in the Valley. It's been said that the citrus and the palms give it that romance. It also comes from the natural hospitality of its people. An article in 1924 noted; "the openhanded hospitality with which newcomers are greeted, the ever willingness to aid them in getting established and advising them ... are phases of the older settlers activities that vie in generosity with those of any community in the world". These older settlers certainly found romance in the orange trees growing to "magnificent height" along the river."
Biography of John H. Shary, incomplete

Incomplete typed biography of John H. Shary. 1939ca
Correspondence and payment collections between United Irrigation Company and G. C. Jensen from 1919 to 1933

United Irrigation Company and John H. Shary

Correspondence between the United Irrigation Company and the client G. C. Jensen as well as payment receipts. At one point, the client owed to the company, and a receipt can be seen. The client was also complaining that the irrigation company did not water his crops, and they issued a response.
Correspondence and payment collections between United Irrigation Company and S.E. Seim

United Irrigation Company and John H. Shary

Correspondence between the Irrigation United Company and the client S.E. Seim. The client owed to the company, and a receipt can be seen. The client was also complaining that the irrigation company did not water his crops, and they issued a response.
Correspondence between John H. Shary and Frank Walker regarding taxes

John H. Shary and Frank Walker

Correspondence between John H. Shary and Frank Walker. They discussed Mr. Walker's land and taxes.
Correspondence between John H. Shary, W. S. Dougherty, and E. V. Sprowl

John H. Shary, E. V. Sprowl, and W. S. Dougherty

Correspondence between John H. Shary, W. S. Dougherty, and E. V. Sprowl regarding net sales of fruits.
Correspondence between T. Melden, George C. Stokes, and John Shary

John H. Shary, George C. Stokes, Pearl Perry Stokes, Tim Melden, Leon H. Brown, J. F. Ewers, and Hollis Rankin

Correspondence regarding lot 282, Shary Subdivision between November 1, 1930 and October 15, 1942 between T. Melden, George C. Stokes, John Shary, Pearl Stokes, and attorneys for the United Irrigation Company.
Correspondence from Blaine Holcomb to R.D. Martinez showing buildings in Mission, Texas

Blaine H. Holcomb

One letter accompanied by a page with photographs and sketches of the various buildings in Mission, Texas. Shown are the First Christian Church, the Methodist Church, Sharyland High School and Grade School, the Catholic Church, and the Presbyterian Church.
Correspondence from Buckingham Palace to Lady Edward Spencer Churchill and Mr. John H. Shary.

Buckingham Palace (London, England) and John H. Shary

John H. Shary sent a shipment of grapefruit on two separate occasions in 1929 and 1931 to King George V and Queen Mary of England.
Correspondence from D. W. Glasscock to R. L. Lewis regarding construction of school building in Sharyland

D. W. Glasscock

Correspondence from D. W. Glasscock to R. L. Lewis, McAllen school board president concerning promised construction of a school building in Sharyland.
Correspondence from Earnhardt Deming Inc. to United Irrigation Company

Earnhardt Deming Inc. (McAllen, Tex.)

Letter printed on stationary with images of buildings belonging to Earnhardt Deming Inc. and a home owned by Mr. Earnhardt. The company is inquiring on taxes owed on Lot 32-11.
Correspondence from John H. Shary to Dr. S. Sprecher

John H. Shary

Correspondence discussing condition of crops, amount of water used, United Irrigation Company hardships, and livelihood of the renter.
Correspondence from the Pres. Junior Class to Mr. John H. Shary

Deona Alexander

Correspondence from the President of the Junior Class inviting Mr. John H. Shary to make the principal address at the Junior-Senior Banquet.
Correspondence from Water Users' Association

E. G. Overmiller

Correspondence from Water Users' Association to a user who wishes to join. The purpose and fees of the association are described in the letter.
Correspondence regarding access to flumes by United Irrigation Company employee

Tim Melden

Correspondence addresses an issue regarding a flumes watchman being unable to cross the flume in an area due to a fence being erected by Mr. Price.
Correspondence regarding finances

John H. Shary

A handwritten letter to John H. Shary about finances. John H. Shary replies to the client in another letter.
Correspondence regarding Morelos Fruit Fly Plague of 1932

John H. Shary

A letter regarding the Morelos Fruit Fly plague written by the Texas Citrus Growers Exchange. The letter urges the employees to collect the fruit left on the trees.
Dedication speech for the opening of the new Sharyland school

John H. Shary

Typed dedication speech delivered by Mr. John H. Shary. One of many speeches delivered during the dedication.
Deed of land for the Grangeno School site sold by John Shary to the Trustees of Common School District 15 for $1.00

John H. Shary and Hidalgo Common School District No. 15 (Hidalgo County, Tex.)

Land sold to build the Grangeno school on 1.86 acres of land north of Grangeno Banco between the old and the new Military roads.
Documents pertaining to the purchase of two Victrolas for the Sharyland schools

The children of each school were given the option of serving as their own school janitors in exchange for a Victrola for each school. Victrola 90 was eventually purchased, and John Shary donated records to the schools.
Edinburg educational center

Edinburg Chamber of Commerce

A pamphlet promoting the growth of the city of Edinburg. Includes pictures of a school, roads, hospital, among others, and talks about the citrus industry.
[Edinburg] Photograph of Hidalgo County Courthouse, Edinburg, Texas

Men standing in front of the Hidalgo County Courthouse in Edinburg, Texas. Part of Shary Collection.
E. H. Shary - Milton Glen Torno (All E. H. Shary Surgaen sold) (Tract 25, 5 acres; Tracts 11 and 12, 20 acres, all in Section 58 of the Geo. H. Paul Subdivision), 1945-1955

E H. Shary; Milton Glen Torno; Edward H. Vogel Sr; Blaine H. Holcomb; C R. Latham; Southtex Land Sales, Inc.; John H. Shary Estate; and Christine K. Torno

2.4 Real Estate, Box 117, Folder 26