Charles Stillman 1810-1875

Forward to the Second Printing

My father, Chauncey D. Stillman, was proud to be a great grandson of Charles Stillman and was grateful to Herbert L. Stokely, Mayor of Brownsville from 1945-1957, for bringing the descendants of Charles Stillman together for the 1955 dedication of the Stillman Town Hall. The printing of this biography in 1956 was a real labor of love for him. After my father’s death in 1989, several of Charles Stillman’s descendants of my generation have expressed interest in obtaining copies of this book for their children, and some did not even know of its existence.

The Charles Stillman House in Brownsville, Texas was purchased by Chauncey Stillman in 1958 and donated to the City of Brownsville and the Brownsville Historical Association. Over the ensuring years these two groups have done a magnificent job of preserving the house and displaying its history, recently completing major work in both areas. I have been impressed by the dedication and knowledge of these wonderful people, and I am grateful to them for preserving the heritage both for the city and for the descendants of Charles Stillman. I feel most fortunate to be able to stand in the house and tell my children, “Your great great grandfather was born in this very room.” I hope that all my cousins will visit Brownsville and avail themselves of this unique opportunity.

Theodora Stillman Budnik

Pougheepsie, N.Y. 1997