USA > Texas > A Twentieth century history of southwest Texas, Volume II > Part 13
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He located at Corpus Christi in 1889, where he was resident sur- geon of Bayview Infirmary associated with Dr. Spohn, this being a hospital devoted exclusively to diseases of women and children, besides regular private practice. In the early nineties Dr. Hamilton located at Guerrero, Mexico, where he practiced medicine and was also United States consul at that place. In 1893 he located at Laredo, which has since been his home.
Here Dr. Hamilton has established a large practice in medicine and surgery. His education and training has been such as to place him in a leading position among the city's practitioners and he has been very successful here. In 1898 he was appointed as surgeon in charge of the United States Public Health and Marine Hospital Service, at Laredo, which position he has filled ever since with credit to himself and with safety to the public health. The examination of immigrants and others coming through this gateway from Mexico has an important bearing on the general public health and the position is one of responsibility. The Doctor is councillor of the State Medical Association of the South- west Texas District, also United States pension surgeon since 1894. He served as city physician two years from 1896 to 1898. In 1904 the Doctor was selected by Governor Lanham of Texas, as a delegate to represent Texas at the international congress on tuberculosis, held at St. Louis, during the World's Fair. He was elected one of the vice- presidents of the International Congress on Tuberculosis for 1905. He has been a member of the American Medical Association since 1896, member of the State Medical Association of Texas and is one of the councillors, member of the Texas State Historical Association, member of the Association of Military Surgeons of the United States and Amer- ican Association of Medical Examiners, National Association of United States Pension Examining Surgeons, West Texas Medical Society, and Webb County Medical Society, which he organized in 1903 and was its president for two consecutive terms.
Dr. Hamilton was married in this city to Miss Lamar Benavides,
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daughter of Christobal Benavides, appropriate biographical mention of whom and family is made elsewhere in this volume.
DR. EDMOND H. SAUVIGNET is known as a leading physician and surgeon of Laredo, where he has a very wide practice and where he is also interested in various enterprises and industries which are valuable to the city and vicinity. He is a native of Texas, having been born at San Antonio, although of French ancestry. His parents, H. A. and Laura (Rigollot) Sauvignet, were both born in Central France and came to Texas in 1868, locating at San Antonio. In later years his parents came to Laredo, where his father engaged in business; among other enterprises he has a fine onion and truck farm lying a short dis- tance north of Laredo.
The son, Edmond, was sent to Lyons, France, to obtain his pre- liminary education and there under the splendid educational system in vogue, he received a most thorough groundwork for his subsequent professional education. After returning home he spent four years in the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas making a specialty of chemistry and the natural and biological sciences. He studied medi- cine in the City of Mexico and in Tulane University, New Orleans, in which latter institution he graduated in 1898. This was followed by two years as house surgeon in Santa Rosa Infirmary, San Antonio, where he received a wide and valuable experience, particularly in sur- gery. In his work here he was associated with the most distinguished physicians and surgeons of San Antonio, a training which was to be of invaluable worth to him in his later career. In 1900 he located for the practice of his profession in Laredo and here he has maintained the excellent career which was started in San Antonio. He is the secretary of the Webb County Medical Society, a position which he has held ever since its organization, while he is also a member of the State and Amer- ican Medical Associations. He is interested in everything that tends to develop and foster this new agricultural feature of this portion of Texas and is secretary of the Laredo Truck Growers' Association.
Dr. Sauvignet was married in San Antonio to Miss Leonore Beze. daughter of the late Victor Beze, a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this work. They have one son, Victor Sauvignet.
COL. CALVIN G. BREWSTER. Although not a native of the state of Texas, nevertheless Col. Calvin G. Brewster, United States marshal for the Southern District of Texas, is counted as one of the very earliest living pioneers among the American residents of Laredo, where he has lived continuously for the past thirty odd years. Col. Brewster was born in Bureau county, Illinois, in July, 1844,. his parents being Dwight Williams and Emily C. (Kinney) Brewster. The Brewsters were ori- ginally of Connecticut stock our subject's father's family coming from that eastern state to Illinois in the early year of 1836 and locating in Bureau county. In 1847 the family came to Texas, settling in Corpus Christi, where the father, Dwight W. Brewster, died in 1852. Soon thereafter, Calvin G. and his mother returned to Illinois and made their home in LaSalle county. Upon the breaking out of the Civil war. Calvin became fired with a desire to join the army, but on account of his ex- treme youth he was prevented from enlisting in his home county. Noth-
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ing daunted at this, he went to Chicago and enlisted in the Nineteenth Illinois Infantry, with which regiment he served throughout the war. He was first in the Army of the Ohio and later in the Army of the Cumberland, and was in many of the important battles of the war, in- cluding the engagements at Stone River, Chickamauga and, other con- flicts in which the Army of the Cumberland engaged.
After the close of the war he returned to Illinois and resumed the education which had been interrupted by his period of service, and for a year and a half he attended Lombard College, Galesburg, Illinois. Then, in 1868, with the memories of Texas urging him, he returned to the Lone Star state, locating at his former home, Corpus Christi. Here he was in the custom house service for a period of five years and in 1874 he came to Laredo, which has since been his home. After coming here he was for ten years deputy collector of customs, and in 1888 he was appointed by President Harrison as collector of customs for the Corpus Christi district, with headquarters at Laredo. After the change of administration caused by the election of President Cleveland, he re- tired for the time being from public position and engaged in the mer- cantile business, in connection with custom house brokerage and a gen- eral commission business, in which he was engaged successfully for sev- eral years. In June, 1906, President Roosevelt appointed him United States marshal for the Southern District of Texas, a position which he: is now filling in a most efficient manner. He has also been called upon by his fellow citizens to fill various other offices of a public nature and the one in which he takes the greatest amount of personal pride is that of president of the Laredo school board, which has charge of all the educational facilities of the city. Col. Brewster is enthusiastically inter- ested in all that pertains to public education and a great deal of his time is devoted to promoting the growth and efficiency of the public schools of his city.
For a number of years Col. Brewster has been a conspicuous figure as a leader in the Republican party of the state of Texas. He has been a delegate on many occasions to the state and national Republican con- ventions and he is remembered as having placed in nomination for re- election Gov. Edmund J. Davis. On three different occasions he was the Republican candidate for Congress from this district and each time he made heavy inroads upon the old-time Democratic majorities. He has always been active in local political affairs and it is largely through his instrumentality that Webb county has become known as a Republi- can stronghold in Texas, returning as it did a Republican majority of 900 at the second election of President Mckinley.
Col. Brewster was married at Corpus Christi, in June, 1869, to Miss Lydia A. Barnard and they have four children living, viz. : Emily, Vivia, Alma and Lamar F. Of these, Miss Vivia Brewster has achieved a notable success as an operatic singer. Her musical education was re- ceived at Laredo, San Antonio and New York city, and soon after com- pleting her studies in the last named place, and with scarcely any pre- vious, dramatic training, she was selected as prima donna for the Robin Hood Opera Company, and has ever since held equally as prominent positions on the operatic stage, her comparatively brief career thus far
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having been remarkably successful. Her undoubted musical talent is probably inherited from her mother, who came from a family of noted singers, one of her uncles having been for a number of years associated with the famous Lombards, Frank and Jules, in Chicago, before and during the war.
WILLIAM CHAPMAN CHAMBERLAIN, who is believed to have been the youngest soldier in the Confederate army and is one of the best known and most prominent Masons of the south, enjoying the distinc- tion of having attained the thirty-third degree, makes his home in Laredo. He was born in Brownsville, Texas, October 2, 1850, his par- ents being Rev. Hiram and Anna Adelia (Griswold) Chamberlain. His father was born in Vermont and was a Presbyterian minister, who in 1847 made his way to the Mexican frontier of Texas, acting as chap- lain with General Scott's army in its operations against Mexico. After the Mexican war was over he settled at Brownsville and lived there until his death, which occurred November 1, 1866. He was also chap- lain of Luckett's regiment in the Confederate army in the Civil war. His wife, who was born in Connecticut, was a member of the well known Griswold family of that state, which has produced several men of prominence. Her family lived for a number of years in Brooklyn, New York, where her father owned extensive landed interests, and in her later years Mrs. Chamberlain left her Texas home and returned to Brooklyn, where she died November 27, 1882.
William C. Chamberlain, of Laredo, was reared in Cameron and Nueces counties. He was a favorite protege of his brother-in-law,
Richard King.
Captain Richard King, the great cattleman, by whom he was reared. Captain King had married Mr. Chamberlain's elder sister. Henrietta Moss Chamberlain. The Captain was born in Orange county, New York, in 1825 and in early youth went to Mobile, Alabama. He worked as a cabin boy on an Alabama river steamboat and became a soldier in the war against the Seminole Indians. In 1847, following the out- break of the Mexican war, he came to the Rio Grande country of Texas, where he joined Captain M. Kennedy, who had charge of the steam- boat service on that river in the quartermaster's department of the United States forces, and in that service Capt. King became a pilot. Then, after the war with Mexico, he engaged in steamboating on the Rio Grande, forming a partnership in 1850 with Captain Kennedy, and together they built or purchased twenty-six steamboats and operated them on the Rio Grande in the vicinity of Brownsville. The partner- ship with Captain Kennedy continued until 1872. In the meantime. beginning in 1860, Captain King had made a start in the cattle busi- ness, which under his direction gradually grew and expanded until at the time of his death he was the largest individual cattle and land owner in the world. The great Santa Gertrudes ranch with its adjoining lands, lving in Nueces, Cameron and Starr counties, which Captain King founded and which is still owned by Mrs. King and stocked with the finest breeds of cattle, has increased in value to such an extent that her fortune runs up into the millions and; like her husband, she is the largest
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individual ranch and cattle owner in the country. Captain King died April 14, 1885. He was a man of remarkable business capacity and enterprise, capable of managing large affairs, was a typical pioneer and frontiersman and a stockman of the old school. He possessed generous impulses and his life was characterized by kindly deeds, while his ex- tensive improvement and development work in bringing Southwestern Texas to the notice of the world will long be a monument to his memory.
Through the kindly assistance of his sister and Captain King, Mr. Chamberlain was afforded the best educational facilities, spending sev- eral years in study in San Antonio, at Washington, Pennsylvania, and as a cadet at West Point. The greater part of his education came after he had had a military record that was somewhat remarkable from the fact that he enlisted when only thirteen years of age and as far as the records show he is the youngest soldier of the Confederate service. He was permitted to join the company of Captain James Richardson of Georgia, who came to Texas and was given command of a company in Rip Ford's regiment of Texas Rangers and Indian fighters. In this service Mr. Chamberlain engaged along the Mexican border of Texas until the war closed and was in the last battle of the war, which indeed was fought after the surrender at Appomattox. It occurred on the Rio Grande a few miles below Brownsville.
For several years Mr. Chamberlain made his home mostly at Brownsville and in Nueces county, and in 1894 he removed to Laredo, where he has since resided. He was justice of the peace for seven years in Cameron county and held a similar position for two years after com- ing to Laredo. His business interests are represented by large invest- ments in valuable gold, silver and coal mining interests in the state of Durango, Mexico.
Mr. Chamberlain's name became widely known in 1878, when he was spoken of as the "wolf bitten Texan," from the fact that he had been bitten on the face by a wolf, being poisoned thereby. Upon apply- ing to Dr. Spohn at Corpus Christi for treatment the Doctor immedi- ately started with him for Paris, accompanied by Edwin Chamberlain, a brother, and now a prominent banker and business man of San An- tonio. In Paris they went to the home of Dr. Pasteur, who treated Mr. Chamberlain and cured him.
January 17, '07, Mr. Chamberlain was compelled, to have an opera- tion performed, losing his right eye, and came near losing his life but for valuable medical assistance rendered him by Dr. A. Spohn and Dr. H. Redmond of Corpus Christi.
In Nueces county, Texas, September II, 1872, was celebrated the marriage of William C. Chamberlain and Miss Carmen Pizaña. They have seven sons and one daughter, namely: William, Ella, John, Rich- ard King, Hiram Griswold, Mifflin Kennedy, Louis Pasteur and Arthur Spohn.
As stated Mr. Chamberlain is the best known Mason of the south. The thirty-third and highest degree of Masonry has been conferred upon him and he is illustrious deputy of the most sovereign grand commander for Texas under the Covington (Kentucky) jurisdiction. He has occu- pied all the chairs through all the different degrees up to and including
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the thirty-third, and in Matamoras, Mexico, in 1870, was initiated into the order as an entered apprentice. He is also connected with the Odd Fellows' society, together with other local organizations in Laredo, and is chief of records for the Red Men. In the Masonic fraternity he has done much work among the Spanish speaking Mexicans, and it is through his labors and influence that thousands of Mexicans in Texas and Mexico are Masons. Mr. Chamberlain is also an elder in the Mexi- can Presbyterian church, for which denomination he does considerable missionary work among the Mexicans. His life has shown a thorough appreciation of individual responsibility and the recognition of oppor- tunities for successful accomplishment, not only in a business way but in those lines of activity which make the world better and which prove directly beneficial to those with whom he comes in contact.
JOHN ARMENGOL. the head of the widely known mercantile firm of J. Armengol, Laredo, is a native of Spain, where he was born in the province of Cataluna in 1861. At the early age of twelve years he be- gan learning his mercantile career, which was done in the two prin- cipal cities of Cataluna-Tarrega and Barcelona. He remained as a clerk in Spain until nineteen years old, when he followed the example of many of his countrymen and went to Havana. Cuba, and entered business on his own account, the line being groceries. In 1888 he re- turned to Spain, but the advantages of the new world still held attrac- tions for him and he soon returned to Havana and re-entered the mer- cantile line. this time as a partner in a commercial house. In 1802 he went to New York and opened a branch house for his firm, remaining in New York in charge thereof until the Cuban revolution disturbed trade considerably. Then he retired from his firm and came to Mexico, where he went into business in Torreon, in the state of Coahuila, as a partner, temporarily, in a grocery store. Soon, however, he saw fit to give up commercial life for ranching and he purchased and developed a fine stock ranch in Chihuahua, in which line he met with great suc- cess, making a specialty of raising improved breeds of goats. He gave his personal attention to the business until 1899, when he was summoned to Laredo, where he has since resided. The ranch interests have all been disposed of, Mr. Armengol devoting his entire attention to the busi- ness of the J. Armengol house.
The house of T. Armengol is an old and prominent one in Laredo. the line being wholesale merchants. Mexican products. agricultural im- plements, vehicles, and kindred lines. It was established in Laredo in 1881 by our subject's uncle, Joseph Armengol, a native of Spain who came here from that country in that year. In 1883 Tames Armengol. a brother of the subject of this review. came from Spain and joined his uncle in the Laredo business. James Armengol remained in the business until 1896, when he retired to Spain, but the following vear he was again summoned from his mother country by the death of his uncle. the founder of the firm. James returned to Laredo and as- sumed the chief management of the business. in partnership with the widow of his deceased uncle. This partnership was continued until James Armengol's health failed to such an extent that he was compelled to summon his brother, John, from Mexico to take charge of the busi-
mengo
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ness. The latter accordingly came and formed a similar partnership with his uncle's widow, with the exception that his two nephews, Miguel V. Armengol and Antonio V. Armengol, were also admitted as part- ners. This partnership continued for four years, at the expiration of which time John Armengol purchased the interest of the widow of Joseph Armengol and formed a new partnership, this time with the two nephews mentioned above and his brother, James. In 1901 James Armengol again retired and returned to Spain, our subject assuming his brother's interest. This partnership continued until 1906, when James Armengol again purchased an interest in the firm, since which time the business has been owned by James and John Armengol and their two nephews. From the start, however, the firm name has re- mained the same, being known as J. Armengol.
An exceedingly large business has been transacted and the house bears an enviable reputation in this whole region. Its operations are not confined wholly to Texas, but also embraces many transactions in the Republic of Mexico, where there are hundreds of customers who have been with the firm since .it was first established. Large importations of Mexican goods and products are made and the firm also sends large quantities of American products into Mexico. The business has always been conducted in a reasonably conservative manner, but at the same time the best interests of all patrons have been fully conserved. The firm is a wealthy one and its operations grow in volume each year.
L. R. ORTIZ, who has been the sheriff of Webb county ever since 1896, is not only a popular and most capable official, but he has long been known as a leading business man and ranchman, his interests in this immediate vicinity being very extensive. Mr. Ortiz is a native of Laredo, as was his father before him, so it will be seen that the Ortiz family must of necessity be one of the oldest in the city. L. R. Ortiz was born in Laredo, August 25, 1858, and this has always been his home, although he spent a number of years in other places in his young man- hood, acquiring his. education. His parents were Juan and Antonia (Farias) Ortiz, life-long residents of this locality. His father was for years a prominent land owner stockman and merchant, with a large and exceedingly valuable interest in Laredo and Webb county from the time he attained to manhood to the date of his death, which occurred here in 1900. In addition to his large business interests, he also served his city and county in a public capacity upon several different occa- sions, being county commissioner for several years and alderman of the city several terms.
Their son, L. R. Ortiz, was reared in Laredo and in his younger days he had considerable ranching experience, particularly in the sheep line, when that industry was the leading one in this section of the coun- try. The Ortiz family were among the first and largest people in this line and their operations were on a most extensive scale. The son re- ceived a most liberal education, he pursuing courses of study at St. Mary's College in San Antonio, at the Jesuit College in Mobile, and at Fordham's School in New York, finishing for commercial life at Pack- er's Business College in the last named city. With this complete prepa- ration he in 1876 entered his father's store in Laredo as manager and
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was in mercantile life for several years. In 1890, his eminent fitness for the duties of public life, coupled with his popularity and the confi- dence reposed in him by his fellow citizens, culminated in his election as district and county clerk of Webb county, and he has been kept in public office ever since. He served as district and county clerk for a period of six years and then, in 1896, he was elected sheriff of Webb county. Regularly ever since he has been re-elected to this same office, a fine tribute to his efficiency and popularity. Since his last election, in 1906, he has announced that at the end of his present term, in 1908, he will retire of his own volition from the office.
Although his duties as sheriff take up the greater portion of his time, nevertheless he has been compelled to devote some attention to the large and varied outside intersts with which he is connected. He is counted as one of the wealthiest residents of Laredo and Webb county and in addition to his other investments he is the owner of about ninety thousand acres of fine ranching land on which he conducts an exten- sive and profitable stock business, mainly in the line of fine horses, mules and cattle. His principal ranch headquarters are at San Ignacio, Webb county, where the outfit is a very complete one and business con- ducted on a large scale. He is thoroughly in touch with the best in- terests of Laredo and the surrounding country and is widely known as a man of good judgment, an influential citizen and one who commands the regard and esteem of his fellow citizens.
His wife is Anita (Ugarde) Ortiz and their home is in Laredo. Mr. Ortiz is a prominent local member of the Catholic order, the Knights of Columbus, and his social relations are of the best.
A. M.»BRUNI. The life of Mr. A. M. Bruni, one of the leading, wealthy and influential citizens of Laredo, is a fitting example for the young man who wishes to achieve success in this country, for it has been filled with honest endeavor, the development of keen business sagacity and the accumulation of a great deal of this world's goods, while at the same time his career has been one to win the confidence and esteem of all who know him.
Mr. Bruni is a native of Italy, where he passed his boyhood and received his education. When only sixteen years of age, in 1872. he came to the United States, locating at San Antonio. Here he remained for five years, learning the mercantile business as conducted in this country, and after an apprenticeship of five years thereat, during which he gained much useful knowledge, he came, in 1877, to Laredo, where he has ever since resided. Southwest Texas was a pioneer country when Mr. Bruni came to it, and thus it remained in a great measure for sev- eral years thereafter. He first entered San Antonio by stage from Aus- tin and he likewise was compelled to make his first trip to Laredo over- land, there being no railroads reaching this place until 1882.
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