A history of Texas and Texans, Part 151

Author: Johnson, Francis White, 1799-1884; Barker, Eugene Campbell, 1874-1956, ed; Winkler, Ernest William, 1875-1960
Publication date: 1914
Publisher: Chicago, American Historical Society
Number of Pages: 906

USA > Texas > A history of Texas and Texans > Part 151

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Walter Caruth was born in Allen county, Kentucky, February 1, 1826, and was past seventy years of age at the time of his death. He was the oldest in the family of John and Catherine (Henderson) Caruth, who were natives of Virginia, and at an early day settled in Ken- tucky, where the father was a farmer and merchant. The father came out to Dallas county, Texas, in 1858, and died there in 1868. His wife survived some years.

Walter Caruth was reared and educated in his native county and his merchandising experience began early in youth. After his arrival in Dallas, in 1852, he estab- lished a store and was active in its management until 1881. In that year he became owner by purchase of a large farm of nine hundred acres, partly improved, the previous owner of which had been Judge Patterson. Mr. Caruth during the succeeding years gave much of his at- tention and personal management to the improvement of his place, and made of it one of the finest rural home- steads in Dallas county. At the same time he owned and occupied with his family a beautiful residence in the city.

In 1861 Mr. Caruth entered the Confederate army, in Col. N. H. Darnell's regiment, holding the office of com- missary for one year, after which he was quartermaster in Colonel Stone's regiment. In 1865 he became quar- termaster at Tyler, Texas, and held that post until the end of the war.

In 1865 Mr. Caruth was married in Dallas to Miss Anna Worthington, who was born in Mississippi, a daughter of Thomas and Rebecca (Hort) Worthington. Her parents were natives of Kentucky, but settled in Mississippi at an early day, and afterwards moved to Texas, where her father owned several stores. Her father died in Mississippi, and the widow afterwards came to Dallas county, where her death occurred. In 1892 Mr. Caruth took up his residence on his farm near Dallas and lived there until his death. At the time of his death he was also owner of a mercantile establishment and possessed a great deal of land and stock. The children are mentioned as follows: Mattie, wife of N. A. Mc- Millan, who is president of the St. Louis Trust Com- pany of St. Louis; Walter died at the age of twenty- seven and had been in the mining business in Nevada;

Robert & Huff

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William is a mining man at Joplin, Missouri, and is mar- ried; Raymond P., a real estate operator, is married. The late Mr. Caruth, who was a Democrat, was often offered political honors, but never accepted. With the aid of his brother, William Caruth, he built the Caruth Chapel, on the Caruth farm, for the benefit of his tenants. He was always devoted to his home and was a good man in every sense of the word.

GREGORY OBERLY. Among the men who have con- tributed materially to the advancement of Dallas as a great commercial center of the Southwest may be men- tioned the late Gregory Oberly, who will perhaps be re- remembered only by the older generation of business men, but whose activities left their impress upon the life of the community. For many years Mr. Oberly was the directing head of the Oberly Cooperage Company, an enterprise which he built up from modest beginnings to become one of the largest business ventures of its line in the state, and to which he gave the active years of a long and useful career. Mr. Oberly was a native of Switzerland and was born in 1831, a son of John and Mary Oberly, both born in that country. In their native land the parents of Mr. Oberly were prominently known as large wine growers and had an extensive and profit- able business, but in 1848 decided to try their fortunes in the United States, and accordingly disposed of their interests and embarked for this country. First settling in Cincinnati, Ohio, they remained there until 1851, and in that year made removal to Missouri, where they lo- cated near Commerce, in Scott county. After coming to America, the elderly Oberly was engaged in agricul- tural pursuits, and continued to be so employed to the time of his death. He was a man of industry and in- tegrity, laboring faithfully to make a home for himself and family, and ever displaying a commendable spirit of loyalty to his adopted land. He and his wife be- came the parents of sixteen children.

Gregory Oberly received his early education in the schools of his native land, and was seventeen years of age when he accompanied bis parents to this country. He began to learn the trade of cooper in Cincinnati and, after serving his apprenticeship, worked at that vocation for some time, although while a resident of Missouri he was also engaged in mercantile lines. Having heard of the wonderful opportunities for business success in the Southwest, Mr. Oberly came to Texas and in 1876 founded the Oberly Cooperage Company, of which he was directing head during the remainder of his life. It was not surprising that Mr. Oherly's career proved a suc- cessful one, for he had all the essential characteristics which go to make for success in the commercial field. Far sighted, possessed of acumen, judgment and inherent ability, he also had the somewhat contradictory traits of conservatism and courage in the grasping of opportuni- ties. Those who had business dealings remember him as one in whom the utmost faith could be placed, and to whom many of his contemporaries in the business field went to for advice and leadership. His success never made him forgetful of the days when he was fighting his way step by step over the numbers of obstacles which harass the young man seeking financial independence, and he was at all times ready to lend a hand to aspiring youth. Having served in the Union army during the Civil war, he was a member for many years of the Grand Army of the Republic, in the work of which he ever took an ac- tive and helpful interest, and he also belonged to the Pioneers' Association. He was reared in the faith of the Catholic church and lived up to its teachings through life. A stanch Republican, he earnestly supported the candidates of his party, and, although never a seeker for public preferment, was sincere in his desire to assist in the development and advancement of his city. In his death, December 19, 1890, Dallas lost one of its best citizens.

On June 20, 1856, Mr. Oberly was united in marriage

in Missouri with Miss Sophia Heisser, who was born in France, one of the ten children of Michael and Monica (Stobler) Heisser, who came to this country when Mrs. Oberly was a child of eleven years. They became farm- ing people of Missouri, and in that state passed the re- mainder of their lives. Nine children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Oberly, as follows: Mary L., who is deceased; Victoria, who is also deceased; Mary Magdalen, who has also passed away; Pauline, who is single and resides at the old home, at No. 3116 Ross avenue, Dallas; John N., who is deceased; Carrie E., who is the wife of Wiley T. C. Jones, of Los Angeles, California, and has one child, Claud T .; Joseph M. and William J., both single and residents of Dallas, and Hattie, single and a music teacher, living at the old bome place in Dallas.

ROBERT E. HUFF. President of the First National Bank of Wichita Falls, and one of that small group of men who in every city are controlling factors in business affairs, Robert E. Huff is a lawyer by profession and has practiced law and has been closely identified with civic and business affairs in Wichita Falls for more than thirty years. He was one of the pioneer members of the local bar, and it has been his privilege to witness and to bear an important part in all the development of the town from its village days until it is now one of the best and most vigorous commercial centers of the northern section of the state.

Robert E. Huff is a native of Virginia, born at Leb- anon, January 31, 1857, a son of William and Martha (Johnson) Huff. His father was born in Virginia and after the Civil war moved to Tennessee, where he spent the remainder of his life, dying in Bedford county of that state in 1898 at the age of seventy-four. During the war he was chaplain in a Virginia regiment. By profession he was a minister of the Baptist church and was devoted to the cause of religion and humanity. The mother, a native of Tennessee, in Carter county, was reared and educated in that state and after her marriage accompanied her husband to Virginia. She is now living at the age of seventy-five with her children in Wichita Falls. There were seven in the family, of whom the banker and lawyer was the oldest.

As a boy he had the privileges of the country schools of Tennessee, in which state he was reared from about the time he was eight years old. He afterwards entered Cumberland University in the law department and was graduated in 1879. His first practice was in Shelby- ville, but after two years he determined to seek a new field in Texas. In following out this resolution he arrived in Wichita Falls on May 2, 1882. Thirty years ago Wichita Falls was a very small town, situated on the newly constructed railroad, and the railroad and the fact that it was the prospective county seat were the chief advantages and promises of great things for the place. In a short time Mr. Huff became one of the leaders in the local bar, and for many years has been notable for his ability and success as a civil lawyer. He has confined himself entirely to civil practice and has never accepted a criminal case in all the years he has practiced in Wichita Falls. The success which he gained as a lawyer in its material reward be converted largely into bank stock, and in 1888 became interested in the First National Bank of Wichita Falls. He was elected president and has managed the affairs of this bank to the present time. The First National Bank was organized in 1884 and its present capital stock is $100,000.00, with surplus of $140,000.00.

In the earlier years of his residence, Mr. Huff was especially active in Democratic politics, and was elected and served for a term as county attorney when Wichita county was organized. He was a delegate to the national Democratic conventions in 1904 and in 1912. He is a member of the County Bar Association, belongs to the Baptist church and since 1908 has been president of the Wichita Falls Chamber of Commerce. This chamber of

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commerce is regarded as one of the strongest aggrega- tions of live business men in Texas and Mr. Huff has given much of his time as president to the broad work planned and carried out for the greater development and betterment of the city.

On May 13, 1885, at Bowie, Texas, Mr. Huff married Miss Elizabeth Burroughs, a daughter of Rev. H. M. Burroughs, a well known Baptist minister, whose home was in Montague county. Her mother is deceased. The four children born to Mr. and Mrs. Huff are: William E. Huff, born in October, 1888, at Wichita Falls; Arthur Huff, born in 1889 at Wichita Falls and is now married and lives in Wichita Falls; Robert E. Huff, Jr., born in 1893 at Wichita Falls and attending the North- western University in Chicago, Illinois; Marshall Huff, born in 1902 at Wichita Falls and attending school. Mr. Huff during his boyhood was not surrounded by affluent circumstances and has had to work his way and gain his success largely through his own efforts. He has accom- plished much more than the average man either in the law or in business and occupies a very important and influential place in his home community.

LOUIS S. FLOTEAU, JR. The death of Louis S. Floteau, Jr., which occurred December 25, 1912, cut short a career of brilliant promise in the field of business. During the comparatively short time that he had identified himself with the affairs of Dallas, Mr. Floteau had gained a wide reputation and high standing among realty men of the Southwest, and his early demise was sincerely mourned by those who had been associated with him in every walk of life. He was born at Pittsburg, Camp county, Texas, July 31, 1876, and was a son of Louis S. and Ella (Potts) Floteau, the former a native of France and the latter of the Lone Star state. He was one of a family of seven children: Kate, who became the wife of T. T. Ratcliffe, of St. Louis, Missouri; Louis S., Jr .; Lotawona, who is the widow of Mr. Ellis, of Dallas; Lula, the wife of Thomas C. Gooch, of Dallas; Winnie, the wife of G. C. Long, of Hartford, Connecticut; Henry C., of Dallas, and Sadie, who is single and resides with her mother.

Louis S. Floteau, Jr., attended the public and high schools of Pittsburg, Texas, and when sixteen years of age took a post-graduate course in the latter institution. Following this, he went to Louisiana, where he took charge of his uncle's sugar plantation, but after two years came to Dallas, where he entered the employ of a large implement house. Starting in the capacity of office boy, his ability and faithful application gained him such rapid and steady promotion that at the end of two years he found himself in charge of the buggy department of this great concern. He continued in the employ of this enterprise for nine years, and then embarked in business on his own account in the line of real estate, and at the time of his death owned extensive properties in vari- ous parts of Texas, as well as a large orange grove at Redlands, California, the latter, however, having been since sold. His career was one of constant industry and rapid advancement, and his operations at all times were marked by the most conscientious devotion to the strict- est integrity. His contribution to the growth of Dallas is found in the modern Floteau Building, one of the city's handsome business structures, and in various ways he assisted in the development of the varied interests of his adopted place.

In 1903 Mr. Floteau was united in marriage with Miss Ruth Bryan, a native of Texas and daughter of J. H. and Sophia (Clark) Bryan, the former a native of Texas and the latter of Tennessee. Mr. Floteau was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. He was a Democrat in his political views, but found no time to euter actively into the struggles of the political arena. For some years he was a member of the State Militia, in which he rose to the rank of lieutenant-colonel, but pressing business obligations caused his resignation. His widow, who

survives him, resides at No. 2620 Maple avenue, Dallas, and is well known in social circles of the city. She is a member of the Apostolic faith.

CHARLES AUGUSTUS BOHNY. A former business man of Dallas, Charles Augustus Bohny lived in this city for a number of years, and his family, consisting of widow and children, have their home here at the present time.

Charles Augustus Bohny was born in Germany in 1854, a son of Joseph and Caroline (Hauck) Bohny. The father, who was a winegrower and manufacturer, died in Germany when Charles Augustus was a child, and the mother brought her family to America when he was six years old, first locating in Nashville, Tennessee, where the mother died. Of the six children in the family only one is now living, namely, Josephine, the widow of Paul Melms, of San Diego, California. The late Charles Au- gustus grew up and received a public school education iu Nashville, and his mother died when he was fourteen years old. At the age of nineteen he hegan an appren- ticeship in the pattern- making trade, and followed that for a few years. He worked in that line at Dallas when first arriving here, and from this city moved to Denver, Colorado, where he spent four years in the employ of a large furniture house. Returning to Dallas, he estab- lished himself in the liquor business, and followed that until his death in 1911. He was a good business man and left a large property, now owned by his widow. She and her family reside in a large house at 2727 Live Oak street, and she also owns a dwelling which she rents and a ranch of one hundred and forty acres near San Antonio. The late Mr. Bohny was a member of the Catholic faith, belonged to the Knights and Ladies of Honor, and was a Republican in politics.

In 1883 he married Miss Catherine Hamberg, who was born in Marshall, Texas, and was of German parentage. Both her parents are now deceased, and Mrs. Bohny is the only one now living of their six children. The six children born to the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Bohny are mentioned as follows: Otelia, wife of L. S. David- son, a traveling salesman of Dallas, and they have one child, Katherine; Viola is unmarried and lives at home; Frances is a business woman and also lives at home; Leontine, Charles J., and Laura Marie are all attending school.

ARTHUR GEEN. The journalistic world of Texas has never been called upon to suffer a more severe loss than that occasioned by the death of "Major" Arthur Geen, who for practically a quarter of a century was a valued member of the forces of the Galveston-Dallas News. While not known to the public at large as a contributor to the daily news sheets, it is doubtful if there was an employe of the News in either Dallas or Galveston who did not hold him in the greatest esteem and affection, and the memory of his kindly disposition, his great- heartedness and his whole-souled devotion to what he be- lieved to be the right will long remain as a cherished memory wherever Texas newspaper men foregather. He was born November 2, 1852, at Topsham, England, a son of William H. and Elizabeth Geen, natives of that country. Mr. Geen's father, a florist by vocation, died in England, while his mother still survives and makes her home at Stoke-on-Trent. There were eight children in the family, as follows: Arthur; John, of Galveston, Texas; Emily, unmarried and a resident of England; Fred, who is mayor of Stoke-on-Trent, England; William, who is deceased; Elizabeth, single and living in Eng- land; Annie, who is also unmarried and lives in her na- tive land, and Alfred, who is deceased.

Arthur Geen received ordinary educational advantages in the seliools of England, and as a youth of fifteen years emigrated to the United States locating at once in Galveston, Texas, where he secured employment with J. Reymershoffer, a wholesale dealer in crockery, in whose home he resided. He subsequently hecame an employe

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of the Galveston postoffice and rapidly rose in the service through various positions in the money order depart- ment to the office of assistant postmaster, and at one time was acting postmaster. He was assistant post- master under J. S. Witwer in 1885, when he resigned his position to accept that of chief bookkeeper and cashier of the Dallas News, a capacity in which he acted up to the hour of his death. In 1906 he was elected a director of the corporation of A. H. Belo & Company, publishers. In an article written at the time of his death by one who had labored with and loved him, the writer said of Mr. Geen in part as follows: '. Men who work long together in a newspaper office grow to have an affection for each other not commonly appre- ciated. And of all those who have had a part in the history of the News, none emjoyed to a greater degree than Mr. Geen the respect and esteem of his associates. In their affection they called him 'Major, ' and all his younger associates were 'Sonny' to him. Always cheerful and courteous and never under any circum- stances indulging in criticism of others, he made and kept many warm friends. The authority he exercised over those subordinate to him was more paternal than otherwise. He had been with the News practically a quarter of a century and his affection for it extended beyond the men who helped make it to the very furniture in his office. When the News left the old building on Commerce street and moved into its present quarters, he declared that it was with a genuine pang that he parted with the desk at which he had worked daily for many years. Since the removal he had become attached to another desk, principally because the lock of this one, like the one on that in the old building, did not work well. "'

On September 12, 1974, Mr. Geen was married to Miss Elizabeth Smith, of Kirkaldy, Scotland, whom he met while on a visit to his mother in England. She was a daughter of Robert and Elizabeth ( Watson) Smith, of Scotland, whose other children were: Robert, Wil- belmina and William, all of whom are deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Geen were the parents of eight children: Wil- liam, who is deceased; Arthur H., employed in the News composing room, Dallas, who has one child, Helen; Eliza- beth, who died in infancy; Robert S., secretary of the Dallas Trust and Savings Bank, who has two children, Elizabeth and Robert; Douglas H., who is single and engaged in the banking business at Houston, Texas; John, who died in infancy; Emily, who is single and resides at home; Alfred H., a graduate of Texas Uni- versity, and now a student at Yale College, studying electrical engineering.

Mr. Geen was a Republican in his political views, but aside from his positions in the postal service, never sought official office. He was a very faithful worker, not only for the Central Congregational Church, but for the Colonial Chapel, and his life was in keeping with the teachings of this faith. His death caused universal sorrow in that those who had known him realized that from their midst had gone one whose place it would be almost impossible to fill. One of his ex-employes wrote of him: "As a valued employe of the News he was truly incomparable. His efficiency, his winsome smile, his pleasant voice, his nobility of character, are now a thing, or memories, of the past. Never will I forget Major Geen's hearty handshake and pleasant conversa- tion on my return from a trip on the road during the five years of my work with the News. As an ex-employe and as a friend of Major Geen I extend to the News sincere sympathy. They have sustained a loss which I know is and will be felt by every member of the force. I never saw the Major angry. I never heard him speak a sharp word, and I never heard any one speak any- thing but good of the Major. This is the greatest tribute I can pay to his memory."

On the day following his death the Employes' Asso- ciation of the Dallas News met and adopted these resolu-

tions: "Bowing to the will of our Heavenly Father, we, the members of the News Employes' Association, mourn the loss of our departed brother and fellow- worker, Mr. Arthur Geen, a lovable Christian character and one who combined in his personality many virtues and the noble attributes of his race. A man of splendid business ability in his field, he was conspicuous for his sterling integrity, his fidelity to duty, his loyalty to his employes and fellow-workers, notably so as to those who had long been connected with the News, from the lowest to the highest station. A model of faithfulness, of cour- tesy, of kindness, of cheerfulness, whatever the difficulties, and withal modest, it can be truthfully said of him that he was one who would 'Hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil.' For the erring brother he found excuse; of him no one that we can recall spoke evil. His was an ex- ample of good which has left its impress and will endure. Sensible of our great loss in his removal, we tender to his bereaved family, so much more losing, these expres- sions as a weak token of our heartfelt sympathy."

In closing this all too inadequate review of a man who so lived as to win the love of his fellows, the biog- rapher will quote from the resolutions unanimously adopted by the Dallas Press Club: "We have lost a good friend in Arthur Geen, we members of the press. and with his going has gone what has always seemed a cheery ray of sunshine, brightening us when we were sad and making us even happier when we were happy. Others may have been influenced by the worries or vari- ous troubles that come in the newspaper profession, but not Mr. Geen. To us always he was cheerful, kindly and considerate, and although he was modest and retiring al- most to the point of self-effacement, those of us who knew him felt the cheer of his presence when we would chance to meet him, and had grown to count upon it.

"The youngest boy, the oldest writer, the young re- porter and the veteran newspaper man were all one to him in his greeting. The Press Club, realizing these things and feeling the loss to the press as it must, can form some idea of the grief of his family, and to them it extends its heartfelt sympathy, and asks them from the hearts of its members to share this one thought: He was content always with what God gave him, and now he has been called to receive the reward the Creator bestows on those who have done his will on earth, and his joy must now be complete."

HARRY L. KYLE, M. D. For many years prominent both as a physician and farmer at Frankfort, in Dallas county, Dr. Harry L. Kyle died at his home there Febru- ary 7, 1898.

He was born in North Vernon, Indiana, in 1845, being one of a family of four children. The sister Kate is deceased, his brother Thomas lives in California, and his brother Edward in Cincinnati, Ohio. In his native state of Indiana he grew up and received his education, starting out when young to make his own way in the world. He paid his own way while studying medicine, and soon after his graduation moved to Texas and set- tled in Dallas county, at the village of Frankfort. There he combined medical practice with farming, and after twenty years moved into the city of Dallas. He was there only six years, and in that time acquired and looked after a good practice. A distinguishing char- acteristic of Dr. Kyle was his love for country life and farm activities, and it was this which caused him to give up his city residence and practice and return to his old home at Frankfort, where he remained until his death. He was very prosperous both as a farmer and doctor, and left his widow an ample competence. She still owns the farm of two hundred and fifty acres, consid- ered one of the model country estates of Dallas county, well improved and all in cultivation. Dr. Kyle was a Democrat in politics, was a liberal contributor and a worker in the Methodist church, and was affiliated with the Masonic Order. Outside of these interests, he spent

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A history of Texas and Texans, Part 151

Author: Johnson, Francis White, 1799-1884; Barker, Eugene Campbell, 1874-1956, ed; Winkler, Ernest William, 1875-1960 Publication date: 1914 Publisher: Chicago, American Historical Society Number of Pages: 906

Author: Johnson, Francis White, 1799-1884; Barker, Eugene Campbell, 1874-1956, ed; Winkler, Ernest William, 1875-1960
Publication date: 1914
Publisher: Chicago, American Historical Society
Number of Pages: 906