My name is Jane Gravis. My grandfather had strong ties with the citizens of Tamina
After building a summer home in Tamina, Dr. Thomas Seymour Falvey became entrenched in this community. His granddaughter, Jane Gravis, has discovered through her own research of Falvey’s legacy that she has a strong connection with her grandfather.
My grandfather, Dr. Thomas Seymour Falvey, was born in 1874. While he was the first surgeon in Conroe and ran a clinic there, he also owned a summer home in Tamina and became the doctor for the community.
After oil was discovered south of Conroe by George W. Strake in 1931, thousands came in search of their own fortune. My uncle was one of those, and drilled for oil in Tamina. Instead of discovering oil though, he struck an artesian well deep underground, which quickly created a lake. My grandfather heard about it, purchased the property, and built a summer house on that land. He became entrenched in this community and brought a line from the artesian well to the road so that those living in Tamina could fill their barrels.
Joe Rhodes remembers Christmas services at church. “When Dr. Falvey walked in, everyone would applaud and cheer for him,” Joe says. “They loved him and were so grateful, because he would bring baskets of food, toys, and crates of sodas. He threw parties for us too. He would kill a goat or a cow and cook it for us. He was always giving to this community.” In honor of Louise Williams, a Tamina resident who worked as his mid-wife, he built the Falvey Baptist Memorial Church.
Fifteen years ago, I was invited to go on a mission trip to Kenya through my church. I fell in love with the land and its people. Within the following years, I built an orphanage there, which gave children the opportunity to be raised in loving homes. We built a well and installed a spigot at the edge of our property, providing water everyone in the neighboring village.
It was not until recently that I learned about my grandfather’s summer home and dedication to the people of Tamina. He was providing an African American community with a water source, and for the past fifteen years, I have been providing water for that community in Kenya. I can’t believe there is such a fierce connection between my grandfather and me, and I’m so proud to continue his legacy.