TOMBSTONE TUESDAY: William Patrick (W.P.) Regan, Sr

TOMBSTONE TUESDAY (July 1, 2025): William Patrick (W.P.) Regan, Sr. was born in Indianola on November 2, 1873. He was the 4th child and 2nd son of Irish immigrant and Union Army veteran Dominick H. Regan and his wife Mary Virginia (Hogan) Regan, who had been born in Houston. Willie, as he was called as a boy, grew up with 5 brothers and 7 sisters. His father was a prominent merchant and operated a Dry Goods store in Indianola until the town was destroyed with the August 1886 hurricane, after which the family moved to Victoria. William’s boyhood home, which his father had completed in 1883 after surviving the hurricane of 1875, had washed intact from its foundation in the 1886 storm. Danish immigrant and pre-eminent architect Jules Leffland, who had designed the house, was rehired to divide the 6,000-square-foot mansion for rail transport to Victoria, where it was reassembled and remains today at 507 S. DeLeon St.

After high school, Will, as he was called as a young man, attended Notre Dame University in Indiana where he graduated in June 1890. In a 1940 Port Lavaca Wave Golden Jubilee historical edition article, William described his first impression of Port Lavaca when he arrived in 1893 aboard Southern Pacific’s “Old Salty” train from Victoria. William recalled that about three quarters of a mile from Port Lavaca, “Old Salty”, named for the salt stains on the locomotive due to the frequent trips to the coast, stopped dead still. The brakeman climbed out, opened a gate, and the train crept through. After securely fastening the gate again, the brakeman joined them on the ride. William thought he had truly arrived at a “back woods” place, but soon after changed his mind. He immediately started in business for himself with a sample line of merchandise and an M. Born & Company (a men’s clothing supplier) Tailoring Book. He set up a department store, first located at the corner of Austin and Guadalupe Streets across from the present Grace Episcopal Church. 

The business district at that time [1890’s] was located in that area along E. Austin Street – if 4 businesses can be termed a business district. According to that 1940 Port Lavaca Wave article, the property around there was owned by only a few individuals who would not sell or lease for commercial development. So, about 1900, William purchased property at the northwest corner of Main Street and Guadalupe Street and hired M.L. Seabrook to build the first brick buildings in Port Lavaca. The bricks for them came from the Texas Brick Factory in Lolita and the mortar came from Magnolia Beach. He chose brick so that he could obtain insurance for the buildings. The wooden buildings in the old district were too high of a risk to obtain insurance. He sold the corner building to First National Bank [present day Cee’s Antiques] and gave the Masonic Lodge the neighboring building for a year’s rent and a lease, where they established their meeting place on the second floor and William opened his store on the first floor in 1904. The buildings were two storied and a staircase ran up the back of the bank building to the second story of both buildings. Quoting from the 1940 Port Lavaca Wave article, “It was a far-sighted decision to take his business establishment to a location where the town could grow, and surrounding property be purchased. At that time nothing but residences surrounded the bank and store with the exception of two small places in the next block. Mr. Regan stayed at that location for 29 years and during that time, little by little, the houses disappeared, and new stores were built. His business had increased to such an extent that new quarters were found at his present location [across the street at present day Texas Traditions], where he now has one of the most complete department stores in South Texas – in fact it is so rated by the traveling men who call on Mr. Regan. This fine store is operated on a strictly cash basis thereby enabling him to give quality merchandise at unusually low prices. Port Lavaca is indeed fortunate in having a department store with so complete and fine a stock.” 

In 1904, with his building newly completed, William married Gertrude Clement of Cuero. Gertrude had been born in 1880 in Indianola, where her father served as an agent for the Morgan Steamship line. After the 1886 hurricane, her family had relocated to Cuero. William opened a department store also in Cuero in 1896. The couple were married on April 28 at noon in a ceremony at her family home in Cuero. That evening they traveled by train to Victoria to enjoy an elaborate reception at the D.H. Regan “mansion”, as papers of the time called it. 

W.P. was a charter member of the Port Lavaca Rotary Club, founded in 1925, and served as President during the 1934-35 term. His wife Gertrude contributed to the club as its pianist until 1940. In 1936, W.P. played a key role as chairman of local arrangements when Port Lavaca hosted several hundred visitors for the Indianola Association’s annual meeting commemorating the 50th anniversary of Indianola’s destruction. A May 17, 1936 article in the Houston Post noted that as part of the observance, “The motor caravan of pilgrims to the old ruins at Indianola will make the trip regardless of weather conditions this year, as an all-weather road has recently been completed from Port Lavaca to Magnolia Beach, thence to Indianola”.

After 58 years as a highly successful merchant, W.P. retired in 1951 and sold his business to George Cole. His success stemmed from decades of dedicated service and a deep commitment to the civic life of his community - a legacy that continues through his granddaughter Jan Regan, a former City of Port Lavaca Councilwoman who remains active in the community today. In addition to his business affairs, W.P. also owned a farm. He and Gertrude often took early morning, and late evening drives out to their farm to check on their growing crops, a simple pleasure they both cherished. W.P. passed away on April 21, 1959, at the age of 85 and was laid to rest in the Port Lavaca Cemetery. When Gertrude passed away 12 years later, she was believed to be the last known survivor of the devastating 1886 hurricane that destroyed Indianola. As childhood residents of Indianola, both William and Gertrude, had been active members of The Indianola Association (or also known as the Indianola Historical Society) regularly attending its annual meetings beginning in 1930 until the organization disbanded in the 1940’s.

Tombstone Tuesday is written and compiled each week by Jody Weaver and Sheryl Cuellar of the Calhoun County Historical Commission, sharing the people and stories behind Calhoun County's history.