Biography

     Tompkins was born January 27, 1870.  She graduated from Maple Hill Seminary and married Frank Tompkins.  They would eventually have seven children.  Ena Tompkins began her club career early and was a charter member of the Ariel Literary Club and President of the Derthic Music Club in Denton, Texas.  The family then moved to Pilot Point and she became involved with Sunday school and the Woman’s Auxiliary of the Presbyterian Church.  Tompkins was also president of the Nineteenth Century Club, the Shakespeare Club and the Parent-Teacher Association.  At this time she also joined the Texas Federation of Women’s Clubs. 

      In 1913 the Tompkins family moved to Corpus Christi and she became the first vice president of the Texas Federation.  In 1926 she became president of the Woman’s Monday Club.  Tompkins organized many clubs and belonged to the Nueces County Federation, Athenian Literary Club, Junior Harmony Club, Woman’s Department Club, Civic club, Au Courant Club, Home Demonstration Club, Parent Teacher Associations, Harmony Club, Daughters of the Confederacy, DAR, and Daughters of the Republic of Texas.   Her civic interest extended beyond club work when she became a member of the board for the City Plan Commission.   After her many years of civic duty Ena Tompkins passed away on Nov. 18, 1941.

While Ena Mounts Tompkins was President of the Woman’s Monday Club:

• She administered the Florence Westervelt Student Loan Fund, which aided 100 young girls and some boys to continue their education. 

• The club focused on music and education in schools and aided all aspects of this cause during her administration.

• The club also sponsored the Fifth District of the Texas Federation of Women’s clubs convention in 1926.

 Compiled by Cecilia Gutierrez Venable

Sources:

Woman’s Monday Club Scrapbook  #1 p. 22.

Corpus Christi Public Library’s Special Collections – De Garmo Papers Collection # 10.

DeGarmo, Mrs. Frank. Biography of Mrs. Frank Augustus Tompkins: (Ena Mounts Tompkins).  Austin: Press of Von Boeckmann-Jones Co., 1945.

Ena Tompkins