W.H. STARK HOUSE - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Registrar
- Collections & Exhibitions
Goss holds a BA in Archaeology from Washington University in St. Louis and an MA in Museology from the University of Washington. She comes to the Stark Museum of Art from Museum of the Moving Image in Astoria, New York where she was the Associate Registrar. She previously worked at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West in Cody, Wyoming as the Associate Registrar, where she first became familiar with many of the artists in the Stark Museum's collection. As the Stark Art and History Venues Registrar, she is responsible for all the objects in the collections at the Stark Museum of Art and The W.H. Stark House. In addition to managing paperwork and a database with records for every object, she cares for the collections so they can continue to be used to educate and enrich lives long into the future.
Barbara Grinstead were both born in England and came to work for the Starks early in the history of the House. George was the head gardener and Barbara had household duties. They raised their nine children while living on the second floor of the Carriage House on the Stark property. In 1932, W.H. and Miriam Stark bought them a house as a Christmas present.
Job Titles:
- Library & Archive
- Library and Records Manger
Hartmann holds a BA in history from Grinnell College in Grinnell, IA. and a Master of Science in Information (MSI) from the University of Michigan with a concentration in Archives and Records Management. He has worked in libraries and archives for over twenty years. This includes work as an archivist at the Catholic Archives of Texas in Austin, Texas, and as a librarian/cataloger at the Victoria Public Library in Victoria, Texas. He also worked as Processing Archivist at the University of Texas at San Antonio. As Library and Records Manger, he administers the Eunice R. Benckenstein Library and Archive, which includes a research library for staff, volunteers, and visiting scholars. He also manages the historic records relating the Lutcher and Stark families, and the institutional records of the Nelda C. and H.J. Lutcher Stark Foundation. Hartmann has worked for the Foundation since October 2019.
Katherine is a Beaumont native and holds a bachelor's degree from New York University, where she studied art history and anthropology. Katherine has previously worked for the Art Museum of Southeast Texas, the McFaddin-Ward Historic House Museum, the Tyrrell Historical Library and the Whitney Museum of American Art. She is a member of the Jefferson County Historical Commission and is a tenant at The Art Studio in Beaumont.
As Program Coordinator, Katherine assists with developing interpretation and programming at The W.H. Stark House.
Leona Brooks Batchan was the second floor maid for the family. She was an activist in the black community of Orange. She traveled with the Stark family to their ranch in Rand, Colorado. Leona helped place the furniture in the House after the restoration was completed in 1981.
Ollie Drake was the nurse for the Starks from 1932 until their deaths in 1936. She lived in an apartment on the third floor and even hosted parties in the House. After she left the House, she married John O'Grady and eventually moved to Mission, Texas. She was so beloved by the community that an elementary school in Mission is named in her honor.
Sadie Holland was the cook for the Stark family in the 1930s. She was known as Momma Sadie in her neighborhood. She was quoted as saying, her favorite meal was "a bit of meat, maybe stew meat with rice and gravy." Sadie lived to be 104 years old, and was believed to be the oldest person in the county at the time of her death.
Job Titles:
- Education & Programming Manager
Henderson holds a BA in English from Texas State University in San Marcos, TX, and a Master of Science in Information Science (MSIS) from the University of Texas at Austin. She has served a total of 8 years in the library, archives and museum field. This work includes as a Youth Services Librarian in La Marque, Texas and in Austin, Texas. As a Youth Librarian, she created and implemented programs primarily for ages 0-18 but assisted in the implementation of programs for ages 18+. She also worked as the Archives Assistant at Texas State University-Wittliff Collections.
As Education & Programming Manager, she creates and implements programs for all ages at the W.H. Stark House. Henderson also serves as the Coordinator for the Stark Foundation's annual scholarship contest, The Miriam Lutcher Stark Reading Contest.