A Twentieth century history of southwest Texas, Volume I, Part 59

Author: Lewis Publishing Company
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 648

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In 1894 Mr. Ball came to San Antonio, since which time he has been extensively engaged in the practice of law in this city. For several years he was associated in partnership with the late Hon. Tully A. Fuller of this city. He is often called the "cowman's lawyer" of Texas because of his service through a long number of years as attorney for many of the lead- ing cattlemen of the state. It was his interest in this branch of the practice, in fact, that induced him to locate in San Antonio, which he regards as the natural center and headquarters of the greatest cattle region of the United States and believes that it will remain such for many years to come. Since his arrival here he has been continually prosperous in his profession and has valuable business interests in this city and vicinity, being now vice president of the National Bank of Commerce, which position he has held since its organization in 1903.

He was marred in 1892 to Miss Marian Cooke, who was born and reared in Washington county, Texas, and they have two daughters, Con- stance and Marian Ellen. The family occupy a prominent position in social circles of the city, and the hospitality of the Ball household is greatly enjoyed by many friends. He is prominent in Masonry and is a

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Past Master of Alamo Lodge, A. F. & A. M., Past High Priest of Burleson Chapter, R. A. M., and Past Eminent Commander of San An- tonio Commandery, K. T.

Undeterred by the difficulties and obstacles in his path, Mr. Ball has gained a position of distinction in legal and business circles. Success is methodical and consecutive, and however much we may indulge in fan- tastic theorizing as to its elements and causation in any isolated instance, in the light of sober investigation we will find it to be but a result of the determined application of one's diligence and powers along the rigidly defined lines of labor ; Mr. Ball's career has been no exception to the rule. His success in his practice came soon because his equipment was unusually good and because he applied himself earnestly to the mastery of every case entrusted to him. His abilities, natural and acquired, were those indis- pensable to the lawyer-a keen, rapid, logical mind, plus the business sense, and a ready capacity for hard work. He also possesses a strong personality, an eloquence of language, an earnest, dignified manner and a thorough grasp of the law, together with the ability accurately to apply its principles. He interests himself in public affairs and participates earnestly in any effort to propagate a spirit of patriotism and of loyalty to American institutions.

JESSE YANTIS, engaged in the dairy business in San Antonio, is a native of Kentucky and a son of Robert F. and Susan ( May) Yantis. His parents were also natives of Kentucky, his father having been born in Garrard county in the year 1828. With his family he removed to Missouri and lived at various times in Pettis, Clay and Shelby counties. From the last named the family removed to Texas in 1875, settling in Wilson county, where they lived until 1880, when they came to San Antonio, where the family home has since been maintained. Robert F. Yantis has during the greater part of his life been connected with farming and stock raising interests, but is now living retired in the enjoyment of well earned ease. His sons have all grown up in the stock business and have been closely associated with this work, which constitutes one of the most important sources of revenue to the state of Texas. Mrs. Yantis, the mother, died in Wilson county. Two of the sons, James C. and Robert May Yantis, are engaged in the dairy business in San An- tonio, but are not partners, conducting instead individual enterprises.

Jesse Yantis, the eldest of the three sons of the family, was reared under the parental roof. accompanying his parents on their various re- movals in Missouri and Texas. As stated, he became connected with the stock business, assisting his father in his business career. He em- barked in the dairy business in San Antonio in 1880, when quite a youth. He has been uniformly successful since that time and today his dairy interests are extensive, with a retail and wholesale business in milk and dairy products noted for their excellence and uniform high quality, the extent of his trade in these lines being second to none in the city of an individual character. The high quality and richness of the milk is insured by the splendid herd of high bred Jersey cows, of which he milks con- stantly about one hundred and fifty, while from two to three hundred head are kept on his pasture, which comprises seventeen hundred acres of land on the Frio road seven miles from San Antonio. Mr. Yantis

Jesse Mantis

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HISTORY OF SOUTHWEST TEXAS

also deals quite extensively in fine cattle, buying and selling in large numbers. He is well known in business circles and is one of the sub- . stantial citizens of San Antonio.

Mr. Yantis was married in Hays county to Miss Frank M. Townsend, and they have seven children: Robert Spencer, Eli Townsend, Roy Edith, James Berkley, Florella, Jonathan May, and baby unnamed. For more than a quarter of a century Mr. Yantis has resided in San Antonio, and the family has been prominent in connection with the line of busi- ness of which he is a representative. In matters relating to the public welfare he is interested and his co-operation has been counted upon as an active factor in advancing the general good.

EMIL P. TSCHIRHART, the present superintendent of the county hos- pital at San Antonio, has had a noteworthy experience of western and wild frontier life such as to connect his career with the pioneer history of Texas. Born at Castroville, Medina county, in the year 1864, he is the son of Nicholas and Katharine (Meyer) Tschirhart. His father was born in the town of Obersulzbach, now in the German province of Alsace- Lorraine, May 4, 1814. He was an educator of note, and, as indicated by the early annals of Obersulzbach, the family was among the best in that locality.

Nicholas Tschirhart received a good education, and, leaving his native place at an early age, joined the first Castro colony to Texas, arriving at Castroville in 1843. Here he established a home and pros- pered to such an extent that the Tschirhart family became wealthy and influential in the new western country. Besides carrying on a general livestock business (he being one of the pioneer cattlemen of Southwest Texas), Nicholas Tschirhart organized and conducted an extensive freighting business between San Antonio and Port Lavaca on the Gulf. In the conduct of this extensive and responsible business he employed bull teams. It was in the midst of his greatest activity and usefulness that he was seized with a fatal attack of cholera, dying in 1866. Of the twelve children of the deceased eleven are still living.

While Mr. Tschirhart had abundant means at his command, the absence of schools in his locality prevented his children from receiving as good an education as they would otherwise have obtained and as he himself would have desired. The younger members of the family had not only the lack of neighborhood schools to contend with, but the constantly present dangers of Indian attacks. Under the circumstances it is much to the credit of Emil P. Tschirhart that he finally became an educated and widely informed man, possessing a good knowledge of both books and men. The frontier conditions under which he lived in his earlier vears made it impossible for him even to learn to read and write until he had reached young manhood. On account of his father's death, when only nine years of age, he commenced to earn his own living, and when only eleven years old he was driving a mule team at San Antonio, being engaged in the hauling of rock for the construction of the well known lookout clock tower at Fort Sam Houston, for whose building his brother, Edward Tschirhart, had a contract. Two years later he was entrusted with the driving of a mule team in one of the Tschirhart freighting out- fits between San Antonio and El Paso, Chihuahua and Paral. Nearly

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all of the Tschirhart boys, of whom there were nine, eventually engaged in the freighting business in western Texas, New Mexico and Mexico, and the family name is prominently associated with that ante-railroad traffic for many years. In their days there was constant danger from Indian attacks and bandits, and the Tschirharts had their full share of these troubles. One fight is especially recalled in which Edward Tschir- hart disposed of the chief Indian on the banks of the San Saba within gunshot distance of Fort McKavett. On one of these western trips he remained for some time in business at Deming, New Mexico, during which period he distinguished himself for fearlessness and bravery in contending with the strong array of "bad men" who were making life picturesque and dangerous in southern New Mexico at that time. There are numerous persons yet living who were eyewitnesses to his supreme qualities of coolness and courage under the most trying circumstances.

Mr. Tschirhart has led an exceeding busy life, and has not even con- fined himself to his special business as a freighter, in which he became particularly expert and commanded the highest wages. While a driver for freighting teams he decided to learn the barber's trade, and became an expert in that line, besides leading the movement for better wages and prices among the members of the craft. The scale, which he was the means of largely fixing in Texas, is now in force throughout the United States. Mr. Tschirhart's first shop was at old Frio City, the first county seat of Frio county, and when Pearsall became the county seat he trans- ferred his business to that point. Early in 1888 he established himself in this business in San Antonio, and was so successful that he soon had shops in operation at various localities and was making a comfortable fortune. In later years, however, he suffered business reverses.

In 1900 Mr. Tschirhart was appointed by Judge Green to his pres- ent position as superintendent of the county poor house and hospital at San Antonio. He has filled the position with the greatest satisfaction to the county authorities and the tax payers, conducting the institution under such thorough business methods that it has the reputation of being at a higher state of efficiency than ever before.

Mr. Tschirhart's wife was formerly Miss Gabriel Foutrel, a mem- ber of one of the oldest and best known French families in San Antonio. They have four children-George, Harvey, Allen and Lucile.

It may also be mentioned that Mr. Tschirhart has had considerable military experience and has obtained not a little prominence. He was first lieutenant of the well known Medina Rifles, which he himself organ- ized at Castroville, and which is well known throughout the state. In fact, it may be said that there are no movements with which he has identified himself which have not felt the good benefits of his energy, executive ability and judgment.

ANTONIO R. PEREZ, notary public and real estate dealer of San An- tonio, is a native son of this city, having been born here on the 2d of December, 1842. His parents were Antonio and Josephine (Falcon) Perez, of Mexican nationality, his father having been born in the state of Coahuila and his mother in San Antonio during the time of the Mexican regime in Texas. Antonio Perez, Sr., was a well known soldier of the Texas Republic, served as a scout under the command of the notable Jack

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Hayes and participated in all of the fighting (much of it in San Antonio and vicinity) leading up to the independence of Texas. Following the achievement of Texan independence he acted as post guide and was engaged in scouting and other duty with the regular troops. He died in this city in 1847. He was one of the picturesque characters of that early time when almost every day added a new and interesting chapter to the history of the Lone Star state.

Reared in San Antonio, Mr. A. R. Perez was for a long period engaged in clerking in different stores of the city. When a youth of only fourteen years he secured a situation in the dry goods store of Gans & Koenigheim. Later he was employed by the firm of Rose & McCarthy, and afterward was a salesman in the establishment of Lavanburg & Brother. This firm became very wealthy and in course of time was suc- ceeded by the present firm of Frank Brothers, the partners being G. B. and Aaron. Frank, who were clerks in the store at the same time Mr. Perez was an employe there.

At the time of the Civil war Mr. Perez put aside all business and personal considerations and joined the Confederate army as a private soldier, enlisting on the 13th of March, 1862, as a member of Company H, Third Regiment of Texas Volunteers, under command of Captain S. G. Newton, who later became colonel. On the 'ist of November of that year Mr. Perez secured his discharge from that regiment in order to enter Captain James Davis' company of partisan rangers, of which com- pany he was made a second lieutenant, serving with that command during the remainder of the war, being a part of the time under General Bee. With the rangers he went to Fort Brown, now Brownsville, Texas, where he remained until the Confederate army evacuated that place. The regiment afterward campaigned in different parts of southern and eastern Texas, being stationed at Galveston, at Tyler and at other places, and at Jefferson when the war closed.

Mr. Perez then returned to San Antonio and re-entered mercantile life as a clerk in the store of Koenigheim & Co., where he remained for ten years. On the expiration of that period he went to the cattle country as a cowboy at the head of the Nueces river. Following his return to San Antonio he began work in the store of Schram & Company, proprietors of the original "dollar store" of San Antonio. At a later date Mr. Perez. served for ten years as deputy county clerk under Thad W. Smith, and since holding that position he has devoted his time to real estate interests and to service as a notary public. He has informed himself thoroughly concerning realty values and has handled considerable property.

Mr. Perez was married in San Antonio to Miss Theresa Cassiano, a daughter of Jose Feiman and Theresa ( Flores) Cassiano. The father was of Italian ancestry and was a prominent and wealthy man of his day, owning very large tracts of land in the vicinity of San Antonio. The Flores are also one of the old time prominent families of Spanish origin. To Mr. and Mrs. Perez have been born ten children, namely: Esther Adela, who is assistant principal of the Spanish department in San An- tonio high school; Mrs. Bertha Mormion; Josephine, William, Maggie, Freddie, Arthur, Antonio, Gilbert and Judelia.

A native son of the city Mr. Perez has for sixty-four years been an

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interested witness of the growth and development of San Antonio, of the changes that have occurred and the transformation that has been wrought in its business, political and social conditions. He is well known to many of its prominent citizens, having long been connected with commercial and business interests here and also as a representative of a prominent pioneer family of the days of the republic. He deserves mention in this volume.

GEORGE R. STUMBERG, SR., who is engaged in merchandising in San Antonio and is also a director of the National Bank of Commerce, was born in this city in 1848, his parents being H. D. and Dora (Heiner) Stumberg, both of whom were natives of Germany, whence they came to Texas in 1846, spending their remaining days in San Antonio. The father was a prominent merchant and business man of this city and in 1852-3 was a member of the city council.

George R. Stumberg was reared in San Antonio and attended col- lege in New York city. After completing his education he remained in the eastern metropolis for about three years and subsequently spent some time in Mexico. In fact, he traveled quite extensively before settling down per- manently in his old home, but in 1870 he established himself in business in San Antonio and has been continuously connected with its commercial interests since that time, his labors being attended with such success that he is today one of the worthy and substantial residents of the city. The business is now conducted under the firm style of George R. Stumberg & Son, the junior partner being his son, George R. Stumberg, who was admitted to an interest in the business some years ago and is now man - ager of the house. The firm is engaged in general merchandising, con- ducting both wholesale and retail departments, and the enterprise is carried on in the Stumberg Building, on South Flores street, where Mr. Stumberg's mercantile interests have always been located. He has in- creased his stock to meet the growing demands of his trade and has kept in touch with methods of modern progress in business circles. In addi- tion to his mercantile interests he has erected several business blocks ill this city, including one on Commerce street, and also several on South Flores street in the district of his mercantile establishment, including the Eureka Hotel Building. He has for several years been a large holder of property in this vicinity, making judicious investments from time to time in realty that has greatly appreciated in value and been an important source of income. He has also during his business career accumulated considerable ranching and farming lands, much of which is in Bexar county. He is likewise a director in the National Bank of Commerce.

Mr. Stumberg was married in San Antonio to Miss Dora Russey; and they have two sons and two daughters, George R., Herman, Mrs. Ida Rister and Mrs. Adele Rilling. Mr. Stumberg is a member of the Busi- ness Men's Club of which he was a director for two years, and he is interested with all that is connected with commercial progress and ad- vancement in his city. His own career has been marked by a steady growth in the extent of his business operations and in the desirable results which have attended his efforts.

MAJOR ALLEN BUELL, chief of the weather bureau at San Antonio and a veteran of two wars, whose valor and loyalty have stocd as un-

God din burg

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HISTORY OF SOUTHWEST TEXAS

questioned facts in his career, whether on the field of battle, in private life or in the conduct of interests as a public official, was born in Genesee county, New York, in 1848, and is a son of Cyrus and Kate Kramer Buell. The father was a native of Vermont, but in early life settled in Genesee county, New York. He came of Welsh ancestry, the family having been founded in America by William Buell during the seventeenth century. A number of the Buells are inscribed deeply upon the pages of American history, including Don Carlos Buell, a cousin of Major Buell, who won distinguished honors in the Civil war. Mrs. Buell, mother of our subject, was born in Schoharie county, New York.

When the spirit of patriotism and military ardor were rife in the land Major Allen Buell, then not fifteen years of age, enlisted at Batavia, New York, on the 18th of December, 1863, for service as a private of Company L, Eighth New York Heavy Artillery, under Captain George H. Roberts ; and in Company H, Tenth New York Infantry, being with the latter only a few days prior to its muster out in June, 1865. The Eighth New York was the famous "fighting regiment" of the "Irish Brigade," which was a part of the second army corps that on account of its unusual quota of young, skilled and seasoned soldiers was brought into requisition to do the great effective campaigning beginning at Spottsylvania and continuing through the momentous siege of Petersburg, resulting in Grant's final entry into Richmond and the surrender of General Lee at Appomatox. Major Buell participated in all of this service, the first battle in which he participated with his regiment being on the Fredericksburg road. The first pitched battle, however, in which he took part was at Cold Harbor, where his regiment lost six hundred men. He was in the Petersburg campaign and subsequently in the almost continuous fighting that led up to the surrender of the Confederate forces at Appomatox, Major Buell being on the skirmish line when Lee and his army ceased fighting, acknowledging the supremacy of the Union forces.

Major Buell was often selected for picket duty, much of his service being of that nature. This led him into many dangerous and sometimes amusing situations, and he recalls that on one occasion he slept all night between the lines with a Confederate soldier. During his service he was promoted to corporal and after the war was over he was given a testi- monial letter by Captain Roberts, which he still preserves, stating that he was a brave, tireless and most efficient young soldier and that he de- served higher promotion than he had received.

Major Buell participated in the grand review in Washington, the most celebrated military pageant ever seen on the western hemisphere, and in June, 1865, he was mustered out of the Union army at Munson's Hill, Virginia. He then returned to his home in Genesee county, New York, and continued his education, attending school through the two succeeding years. His military spirit, however, was dominant and he joined the Fourth United States Artillery, with which he served until July, 1870. Having become attracted to the signal corps branch of the service, he decided to join that, and in July, 1870, became an observer in that depart- ment. In November of the same year he established the first government · observation station at Detroit, Michigan, and published the first weather report that was issued under the bureau. He remained in charge of

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the weather bureau at Detroit for more than a year and was then trans- ferred to Buffalo and subsequently to' Washington, Cincinnati and Toledo. Later he had charge for a year and a half of the bureau at Chicago, and afterward came to Texas, being located at Galveston, whence he was transferred to Abilene, Texas, where he remained for ten years. This brought him up to the time of the Spanish-American war, when he be- came one of the organizers and was commissioned major of the Fourth Texas Regiment of Volunteer Infantry. He served as major of this regi- ment until March 10, 1899, when he re-entered the weather bureau in charge of the department at San Antonio, which city has since been his home.

Major Buell was married in Washington, D. C., to Miss Jennie Dowd and they have three children: Elsie May, Genevieve and Allen, Jr. Major Buell has made a splendid record for military and official service, characterized by unfaltering loyalty to the duties and responsibilities en- trusted to him. His social relations in San Antonio and other parts of the South have been of a most pleasing nature and he now has an extensive circle of friends in this city.

HENRY FEST of San Antonio, who devotes his time to merchandising and the control of his property interests, was born in Atascosa county, Texas, a son of Simon and Mary Annette ( Biehl) Fest. He represents one of the oldest families of the Alsatian colonists of Southwestern Texas. His father, Simon Fest, was born in Alsace of a French family and was

Castro Colony.

one of the members of the Castro colony of Alsatians who came to Texas, arriving at San Antonio with his family on the IIth of Febru- ary, 1846. His wife was also a native of Alsace and her father, Michael Biehl, made the trip in company with Simon Fest. After a brief period spent at San Antonio they proceeded on to the Castro colony of Castro- ville on the Medina river, but did not remain there long. They returned to San Antonio, where they resided until 1853, when they removed to Atas- cosa county. While living in San Antonio Simon Fest resumed his former occupation as a stone mason, prospering in that undertaking, and pur- chased land at the head of the San Antonio river, afterward known as Washington Heights. In Atascosa county he turned his attention to the stock business, in which he engaged until 1865, when he again took up his abode in San Antonio and erected a home on South Flores street be- tween Simon and Fest streets, the two latter named in his honor. This property has remained in the family continuously since and is now the home of Henry Fest. A part of this property is the old adobe house at No. 118 Simon street, a small residence which was built in 1842 and is therefore one of the landmarks of the city, having been a mute witness of the rapid growth and development of San Antonio through sixty- four years. The father continued the management of his business affairs for many years and was very successful in his undertakings, accumu- lating a large and valuable estate and becoming one of the substantial citizens of Southwestern Texas. He died at the old family home in 1899 and his wife passed away in 1889. One of his sons, Simon Fest, Jr., who (lied within recent years, was the founder of the present mercantile busi-

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A Twentieth century history of southwest Texas, Volume I, Part 59

Author: Lewis Publishing Company Publication date: 1907 Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 648

Author: Lewis Publishing Company
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 648