William “Billy” Lewis Sr. With His Family and the Historical Lewis Railroad Hotel is a book written by Vanessa Price Harris that was published in October 2020.  

 

Ms. Harris grew up in Forney, Texas. She visited her grandparents each summer in San Augustine. Her maternal grandparents were Cleveland “Buddy” McCoy Sr. and Emma Ballard McCoy; paternal grandparents were John Wiley Price and Sarah Jane Coleman Price.

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According to Ms. Harris, “This book is about Mr. Lewis, a black man, and his family who built their home about 1887 and served the people of San Augustine, Texas, through the excellence of their generosity during a time when the country was racially divided.

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The Lewis Railroad Hotel became popular during the 1920s when railroad construction in east Texas increased. The hotel not only provided a safe haven for African American travelers through the area, but also served as a home for African American men working on the railroad.”