A STORY OF HOPE, HISTORY and HUMANITY

    Founder, President and Board Member, The Caroline Gilbert Hinchee House Project 

 Ed Touchet, a native of Beaumont, graduated from Monsignor Kelly Catholic High School in Beaumont, TX, in 1975. Ed was on the Beaumont Y Swim Team from 1965 to 1970. He was a member of the Boy Scouts from 1968-75, attaining the rank of Eagle Scout. Ed is retired from the US Army and TX Army National Guard after 32 years of military service, enlisting in 1982 and promoting to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel before his retirement in 2014. He retired from Texas Department of Public Safety in 2010, where he was a State Trooper assigned to the State Capitol. Since 2010, Ed has been the owner of Austin Architecture and Planning Associates in Austin, and in 2013, he became the founder and CEO of Austin International Shooting Club. In June 2019, he became the Commander of VFW Post 4443 in Austin. Ed founded The Beaumont Caroline Gilbert Hinchee House Restoration, Maintenance and Management Project as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in March 2018.      The Caroline Gilbert Hinchee House was the last house on Ed’s Beaumont Journal newspaper route when he was growing up in Beaumont. The memories and emotions that swelled up when he saw photos of the house slated for demolition are the source of his inspiration to save it from destruction. Ed has training in urban planning and a vision for how the Hinchee House could benefit Beaumont. He believes “The trick is to start a movement to stop the destruction.” Ed’s hope is that saving the Caroline Gilbert Hinchee House and using it for the betterment of the community will be the beginning of this movement.  

 Administrative Director and  Board Member, The Caroline Gilbert Hinchee House Project 

 Kate Beaver was born in Baltimore, Maryland, and graduated from Eastern Vocational Technical High School, Class of 1977, also in Baltimore.  After graduation, she joined the U. S. Army. She attended Basic Training at Fort McClellan, Alabama, then was stationed at Fort Sam in San Antonio. She became a medic and transferred to Aschaffenburg, Germany. Kate attained SP4 while serving in Company D, 3rd Medical Battalion, Marne Division. After leaving the Army, Kate moved to Dallas, while there, she worked at a dental office beginning as hygienist’s assistant, and eventually became office manager and payroll clerk.  Kate worked as a secretary for C. R. Guy Insurance Co. from April 2004-November 2010.   
 While in South Dakota in 1986, Kate saw a town named Frazee, Minnesota. Frazee was her maiden name, so this piqued her curiosity and led to her lifetime project of researching her family history. Having started her genealogy work before the days of computers in everyone’s home, she spent a lot of time in courthouses, libraries, and cemeteries, plus lots of time writing letters and making phone calls. Kate is an artist, writer and photographer with a passion for genealogy which led to her interest in history. Her over 30 years of genealogy experience, along with her interest in history, naturally led Kate to researching the Caroline Gilbert Hinchee House, and the families that have lived in the house over the years. Her office and leadership skills have well-prepared her for her work as  Administrative Director of the Caroline Gilbert Hinchee House Restoration Project. 

 Executive Director and Board Member,  The Caroline Gilbert Hinchee House Project

 Bruce Hamilton graduated high school in Beaumont, TX, class of 1973, Forest Park High School. He served in the US Army from 1974-1978 where he attained the rank of Sergeant. During his service he was stationed in Camp Casey in Korea, as well as Fort Sill, OK. Bruce attended Cameron University in Lawton, OK, as well as Lamar University in Beaumont, TX. After his military service, he became a chemical process operator at Goodyear Tire and Rubber, where he was employed from 1978 until 2005.   
 Bruce’s family has roots in Beaumont going back five generations and has since added two. Some of his family were business owners – Hamilton Nursing Home and Hamilton Lumber Company. He has been owner of Papertiques of Texas since 1982 which is a business centered on memorabilia and antiques. Bruce has an extensive collection of Beaumont memorabilia as a result of his long-standing interest in history, particularly Beaumont’s history. He is a member of the Jefferson County Historical Commission, having served many years in the past as Chairman. Bruce was installed as Commander of VFW Post,#1806 here in Beaumont in 2019. Bruce’s love of history and Beaumont led to his work with the Caroline Gilbert Hinchee House Restoration Project. 

  Board Member – The Caroline Gilbert Hinchee House Project

  
 Dr. Steven Lewis graduated high school as Co-Valedictorian of his class at Vidor High School, Vidor, TX,  in 1967. He attained a B.S. degree in Environmental Science from Lamar State College of Technology in 1971, and a Masters in Biology from Lamar University in 1974. He went on to earn his Ph.D. in Zoology at Texas A&M University in 1989. Steven has extensive teaching experience from public school to university level, where he held various positions including lecturer, teaching assistant, research assistant, and teaching fellow.   
 In addition to his many presentations given concerning environmental science, he has also given talks  on history to various groups including the Tyrrell Historical Library Association, volunteers at the McFaddin-Ward House, and the Oaks Historic District. His professional associations include Sigma Xi, Jefferson County Historical Commission, Tyrrell Historical Library Association, Inc. (President), Beaumont Heritage Society, Texas Gulf Historical Society, Beaumont Main Street, and Beaumont Camera Club. Steven has combined his interests in history and photography with an emphasis on comparing “then-and-now”, with plans to publish a book on photos of Beaumont, as well as a book on Beaumont postcards. His interest in history and the older buildings in Beaumont naturally led to Steven Lewis’ involvement in the restoration of the Caroline Gilbert Hinchee House. Steven

Board Member, The Caroline Gilbert Hinchee House Project

  Janelle Templeton, whose family roots go back over 100 years in East Texas, graduated from Jasper High School in 1982. She earned her Bachelor of Business Administration, Accounting, from University of Texas in Austin, in 1986. Janelle worked in accounting for several years, holding positions in auditing, internal reports, and contract controller and consulting, for three different companies. Since 2009, she has been working with Family Office & Private Equity Accounting as a Controller. Janelle is a supervisor, and also prepares investment summaries and reconciliations, as well as prepares taxes for over 80 businesses. She is an experienced accountant for many types of entities.
 Janelle loves old homes, and it was a special privilege to help restore the David Glenn Homestead, a family home, which dates to around 1858, and is located in East Texas. She enjoys the outdoors whether she’s at the beach, in the woods, or working in her flower garden.   
 Her experience restoring the David Glenn Homestead, and also, in accounting, along with an appreciation of history, abundantly equip her for service as a member of the board. 

Board Member- The Caroline Gilbert Hinchee House Project  

David Vann De Cordova, a Beaumont native, obtained Bachelor degrees from Lamar University in Business Administration in 1982, and General Finance in 1985. He graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Juris Doctor Degree in 1990, from South Texas College of Law, and he has been practicing law in Beaumont, TX, since 2010.
 During his career, “Vann” has been admitted to Hawaii District Court in 2006, as well as Texas Fifth Court of Appeals, Texas Eastern District Court in 1990.
 His Practice Areas include Administrative and Public, Business, Creditor-Debtor, Family, Government/Administrative, Labor-Employment; Litigation: Commercial, Real Estate, Wills-Trusts-Probate, Construction; Appellate: Civil.
 Because “Vann” is a distant relative of Caroline Gilbert’s, he is uniquely interested in serving on the Board, and lending his assistance in restoring her home to its original beauty. 

Board Member- The Caroline Gilbert Hinchee House Project

 Frank Inzer graduated from Forest Park High School in 1972. He has many interests including nature (he once raised a couple of bats), hunting, and playing guitar. Over the years he has worked with Boy Scouts and done set construction for local plays. He has spent years in real estate and construction, owning and managing several businesses. As a general contractor and owner of Frank B. Inzer Construction (located in Vidor, TX), he is experienced in all aspects of construction, remodeling, and renovation of homes. Frank also does historical restoration, making him a valuable member of the board. 

 Board Member- The Caroline Gilbert Hinchee House Project 

 Meghan Cobb graduated from Little Cypress Mauriceville High School in 1999. She attended Lamar University from 1999-2001, majoring in Graphic Design - a field in which she's been a professional for over 20 years. Her design & marketing skill set includes logo and web design, newspaper pagination, painting and portraiture, print and digital marketing materials, copywriting and promotion.

Meghan joined the construction industry in 2007 as a surveyor in the SETX refineries, and later as a land surveyor. As founding partner of Cobb Creek Construction LLC, she is adept in construction trades including tile, interior/exterior/landscape design, flooring installation, carpentry, team leadership, and project and resource management. She recently completed the American Home Inspection Training course and is slated to complete her state (TREC) and national tests in the fall to obtain certification.
Meghan is a Court Appointed Special Advocate (guardian ad litem) in Jefferson County, and is a registered Daughter of the American Revolution.