James Francis Cuff (1845–1927) was
born in County Sligo, Ireland. His brother, Anthony C. Cuff (1843–1928), was a
year or two older. They came to America in 1861 or 1862.
James became a contractor who
helped to build the railroad line that brought the MK&T Railroad to
Denison, Texas, in 1872. He continued this work for many years, building Katy
tracks to the south and southwest. On August 2, 1874, James married Catherine "Kittie"
Carey (1861–1929), born in Wisconsin but migrated to Texarkana, where the
wedding took place. The couple moved to Denison immediately, living there until
James' death in 1938. The family was in good standing at Saint Patrick's Catholic Church. They had five children. They were:
- Mamie Cuff [1878–1964] married Vincent Eugene
Campion
- Frank J. Cuff [1879–1944]
- Catharine "Kittie" Cuff [1892–1963] married John Gregory Maloney
- James Anthony "Quinnie" Cuff
[1895–1963] married to Alice Margaret Glackin
- Anita Leo Cuff [1898–1945]
Meanwhile, in 1870, Anthony was a boarding
student at the De La Salle Institute in New York City. This was a Catholic
school for boys that operated in Manhattan beginning in the nineteenth century. By
1876, Anthony had joined James in Denison. The two brothers were partners
operating the Excelsior Livery, Sale, and Feed Stable at 301-303 West Main, at
the northwest corner of Burnett Avenue. According to the Denison Daily News of September 23, 1876, the Cuffs kept "the
only first-class hearse in the city."
In 1878, James built the building
at 203 West Main Street that later housed the Liberty Theater (see below). As
early as 1887, James and his family were living on the north side of West
Washington (now Martin Luther King) Street, at the north end of Rusk Avenue. He
and his family lived here for decades—until James' death in 1927, and perhaps
longer.
This house is believed to be the James F. Cuff House at 301 West Washington
Street (now MLK Street) in Denison.
The photographer was Otto Lorenz.
Photo made before 1900
Courtesy of Bill C. Bauder
301 West Washington St. (now MLK St.)
James Cuff Residence
Denison, Texas
Source : Art Work of Grayson County, 1895
Around 1880, Anthony too married a
woman named Catherine, Catherine Mittie, called "Kate." In the
mid-1890s, he became a real estate dealer with an office on Main Street. There
was no mention of children from this marriage.
James listed his occupation variously
as farmer, capitalist (meaning investor), stone contractor, and builder. He
likely acquired large tracts of land north of his home on West Washington. This
was the area that was developed after his death as the "Cuff
Addition." 
The Liberty Theater and Quinnie Cuff
[Source: Holcomb, Billy. Theater Row: Movie Palaces of Denison,
Texas. Denison, Texas: Denison Heritage Inc., 1999.]
One of the five children of James
and Catherine, "Quinnie" Cuff, was born in Denison on May 8, 1895,
and was named for his father, James, and his uncle, Anthony. His godfather's
name was Quinn. At an early age he was known as "Little Quinn," until
soon he was called only "Quinnie." In 1909 the Denison City Directory
reported that he was attending Draughon's Practical Business College.
Located at 203 West Main Street,
the Liberty Theater was opened by James Anthony “Quinnie” Cuff amid a huge
celebration on November 19, 1927. The first film screened at the Liberty was A Lady of Whims, starring Clara Bow. A
big “Name the Theater” contest was held, with a prize of ten dollars (worth
more then than now) going to the winner. Judges were B. McDaniel, John Lindsey,
and Paul Leeper. The winning essay was written by Ollie Moye, who then lived at
611 West Crawford Street. Moye was an employee at Chief News, situated at 609
West Main Street.
The Liberty was equipped with a
balcony and a seating capacity of 287. After getting off to a roaring start,
the theater was damaged by fire only a few weeks later. In a couple of months,
however, in March 1928, it reopened and again offered programs for the
enjoyment of movie fans. A flyer from the era exhorts patrons to:
Laugh with the
Laurentian Players
In their closing play of the Season
“Why She Loved Him”
A Comedy in Three Acts
Liberty Theatre, Monday May Fourth, 8 p.m.
Specialties -
Group of songs by Miss Genevee Sweeney
Accompanied by Mrs. Frank Parsons
Numbers by J. E. Lynch
The week after opening the
Liberty, on November 26, 1927, Quinnie Cuff took a bride, twenty-nine-year-old
Alice Margret Glackin. She had been born on May 13, 1898, in New York City. Her
family came to Texas and operated a clothing store on Main Street in Denison.
The Liberty was very popular in
the early days. Quinnie Cuff’s sister Anita, who was deaf as the result of a
childhood illness, sold tickets. She would read the lips of actors on the
silent screen and laughingly tell the Cuffs what the actors “really” were
saying. Later, in March 1932, as the Great Depression swept the nation, Mr.
Cuff had to close the Liberty. Starting in 1938, the building was owned by
Anita, and later, from 1968, by C. J. McManus.
Quinnie and Alice Cuff went on to
develop the area known as the Cuff Addition in North Denison. Mrs. Cuff passed
away on November 9, 1961, and Quinnie Cuff followed on July 20, 1963. They were
buried in Calvary Cemetery in Denison. Their only daughter, Cynthia Cuff Center
(Denison High School Class of 1950) of Dallas, was proud of her parents’
contributions to the city of Denison.
This location at 203 West Main
Street was part of the first lot in the city of Denison to be sold at auction
when the town was founded in 1872. The Liberty Building was purchased by C. J.
McManus in 1968. Many merchants occupied the location over the years: George
Cutules Cafe, C. B. Dunn Clothing, S. L. Levy Dry Goods, E. C. Taylor Meats, G.
P. Stanford Mercantile, Earl Waters Furniture, the Knights of Columbus, Solomon
Akers Grocery Store, Frank Williams Furniture, Union Jack, Carl’s Cafe, Jan’s
Cafe, and sculptor Mark Niemi. |
