Submitted by Kay Boyd
Mary Kennerly Cloud was the society editor for the Austin American-Statesman in the 1920s and the curator of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas Museum, which was then located on the grounds of the Capitol. Mrs. Cloud was remarkable for her time, leading progressive causes and participating in community and cultural organizations. She was a charter member of the Austin League of Women Voters and the friend and biographer of Clara Driscoll of Laguna Gloria.
When Mary Kennerly was born on April 8, 1876, in Oak Hill, Travis County, the area was known as Oakmanville. She one of six children born to parents John and Mary Kennerly, known as “Big Daddy” and “Little Mama.”
Mary married Frederick Grandin Cloud in 1903 when she was 27 years old. She and Fred moved to Austin, first living with relatives in 1910. Fred worked for the post office. By 1920 Mary and Fred lived on Riverside Drive and she was a reporter at the newspaper while he was employed by the post office. They had three children. In 1930, Fred died at his desk at the post office and Mary was the secretary at the Museum of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas in the old Land Office Building on the grounds of the Capitol. (This is now a Capitol gift shop) She lived nearby at 1406 Brazos. By t1949 she was the curator of the museum responsible for all of the displays. Mrs. Cloud was remarkable for her time, leading progressive causes and participating in community and cultural organizations. She was a charter member of the Austin League of Women Voters and the friend and biographer of Clara Driscoll of Laguna Gloria.
Mary Malinda Cloud served as curator for the Daughters of the Republic of Texas Museum for 28 years. She served as secretary of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas for 8 years while the late Clara Driscoll was president. She was a member and past president of the William B. Travis Chapter. DRT, a charter member of the Altrusa Club and a member and past president of the Austin Kwill Klub. Dealing with Texas history in the museum, she wrote feature stories of a historical nature. She was a 50-year member of the Methodist Church.
In 1916, the Land Department moved from the Old Land Office Building on the Capitol grounds, and a portion of the structure was turned over to the DRT for use as a museum. The DRT Museum occupied the second floor of the building until 1989 when restoration of the deteriorating structure began. Four years later, during the centennial year of the DRT, the Daughters purchased a building to house the museum and the organization’s headquarters.
Mary Cloud
A newspaper article reported: “On the second floor of the old Land Office building every Tuesday afternoon from 4 to 6 o’clock, Mrs. Fred Cloud, secretary of the DRT, and official hostess of the museum, entertains visitors with real Texas hospitality. Mrs. Cloud is herself a native-born Texan and is thoroughly conversant with the history and tradition of her native State. With her humorously twinkling eyes, Mrs. Cloud is an interested observer of folks and their foibles. through whose efforts the museum is today in existence, may often be found assisting Mrs. Cloud in entertaining visitors.
“Miss Robertson enjoys the privileges of living in the only house ever built and owned in the US. by a foreign representative to this country- This house is the old French Embassy in Austin, which was purchased by Dr. J. W, Robertson many years ago from Count de Saligny, French Ambassador to the Rep of Texas. “A buttered table which is over 100years old occupies a place of prominence in the museum. This table was in the pioneer home of Dr. J. W. Robertson, father of Miss Lillie Robertson.’’
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