History of Texas, together with a biographical history of the cities of Houston and Galveston; containing a concise history of the state, with protraits and biographies of prominent citizens of the above named cities, and personal histories of many of the early settlers and leading families, Part 49

Author:
Publication date: 1895
Publisher: Chicago, The Lewis publishing co., 1895
Number of Pages: 1532

USA > Texas > Harris County > Houston > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of the cities of Houston and Galveston; containing a concise history of the state, with protraits and biographies of prominent citizens of the above named cities, and personal histories of many of the early settlers and leading families > Part 49
USA > Texas > Galveston County > Galveston > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of the cities of Houston and Galveston; containing a concise history of the state, with protraits and biographies of prominent citizens of the above named cities, and personal histories of many of the early settlers and leading families > Part 49

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EORGE BALL was born May 9. 1817, in Saratoga, New York, where he resided until twelve years old, when he went to live with his uncle, George Hoyt, at Albany in that State. He learned the trade of silversmith and jeweler from this uncle, and was indebted to him also for most excellent training in busi- ness affairs. On reaching his majority George Ball set out to seek a location for himself, traveling extensively through the Western and Southern States, and finally settling for a time in Shreveport, Louisiana. There he came to hear a great deal of Texas, and, being moved by the favorable reports received, at last decided to try his fortunes in the then infant Republic. Re- turning to New York he formned a partner- ship with his brother, Albert, and procuring a stock of general merchandise and lumber sufficient to erect a small store building, he embarked for Galveston, arriving here in the fall of 1839, during the disastrous epidemic of yellow-fever that prevailed that year. Nothing daunted by the gloomy pros- spects before him, he landed his cargo, and, leasing a lot on Tremont street between Mechanic and Market, proceeded to erect his building and open his business. His brother joined him the following year, and their business proving successful they moved to the vicinity of Strand and Twenty-second streets, at that time mnuch nearer the center of trade than the site first selected. After a few years this firm was dissolved, Albert entering the clothing business and George continuing that of dry goods.

In 1854 Mr. Ball disposed of his mer- cantile interests, and, associating with him- self John H. Hutchings and John Sealy, formed the firm of Ball, Hutchings & Com- pany for banking and commission purposes.

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As the senior member of this firm Mr. Ball showed himself a man of keen business saga- city, the firin under his management soon taking rank among the first in the city and eventually becoming the first in the State. During the four years of the late war, 1861- 5, this firin conducted a good business with Europe through Mexico; and afterward, in 1873, tided over that year of panic and failure, meeting all demands, and by integri- ty and business sagacity have met and weathered all storms of disaster.

From the first Mr. Ball manifested an abiding faith in the future of Galveston and took great interest in everything pertaining to its welfare. There were very few enter- prises ever started in the city in which he was not one of the foremost workers, and to a number of corporations and scores of pri- vate undertakings, he was a stanch friend and valued contributor. He early foresaw the advantages of Galveston as a shipping point, and advocated and assisted all meas- ures tending to the development of the transportation interests of the city. He took the first $10,000 worth of stock in the Mallory Steamship Company on its organi- zation.

On April 19, 1843, Mr. Ball married Miss Sarah Catherine Perry, a daughter of Captain James Perry, who settled at Gal- veston in 1838, and who was for a number of years a respected citizen of this commun- ity. Of this union six children were born, but two of whom survive, -Mrs. Nellie League, wife of J. C. League, of Galveston, and Frank Merriman Ball.

Mr. Ball sought no public office, his family and business occupying all of his time and attention. He was a man of quiet tastes and retired habits, known for his great kind- ness of heart and disposition to be helpful to

others. He came to be the possessor of much wealth, which however he sought to use in such manner as to accomplish the most good for himself and fellow-men. The year preceding his death he donated $50, 000 for the erection of a building in Galveston for public-school purposes. This building was in course of construction when his life drew to a close March 13, 1884. His will provided funds in trust for other charities, the chief of which was a fund of $50,000 to aid the poor of the city.

Mr. Ball was buried with all the honors a grateful people could confer on one so universally mourned. The Ball high-school building finished and equipped since Mr. Ball's death, at a cost of $100,000,-one half of which was contributed by his widow and children, -stands as a splendid monu- ment to the memory of this truly good man. -

THEN V. PICHARD, son of Vic- tor and Christina Pichard, was born in the city of Galveston, October 21, 1847, and was reared here to the age of sixteen, at which time he was sent to Europe to complete his edu- cation. He ran away from school soon after going abroad and returned home to enter the Confederate army, enlisting and remaining in the service till the close of the war. After the surrender he engaged in in- dustrial and clerical pursuits for some time till, finding himself arrived at that age when he must engage in business for himself, he went to New Orleans, took a course in a commercial college, and returning to Gal- veston soon afterward embarked in the hide and wool business, and was so engaged un- til his death. Mr. Pichard was devoted strictly to business and during his brief ca-

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reer met with noteworthy success. He left a very good estate and an honorable name. He was for two years a member of the city Council, a man of progressive ideas and one who always did his full share as a citizen in everything relating to the welfare of the community.

In 1874 Mr. Pichard married Miss Jo- hanna Kleinecke, a native of Galveston and . a daughter of Theodore and Caroline Klein- ecke, the former having been a resident of this city since 1846. The issue of this union was four children, -Victor, Louisa, Etna and Athen. Mr. Pichard died Decem- ber 21, 1883. He had been for some years a member of the Lutheran Church. Victor Pichard, father of Athen V., went to Cali- fornia during the gold excitement in 1849 and died there. His widow subsequently married again, and died some years ago in this city. Mrs. Olympia Freybe, only sis- ter of the subject of this sketch, resides in San Antonio, this State.

ILLIAM VORDENBAUMEN, - the subject of this sketch, came to Texas in 1850. He is a native of Germany having been born in the town of Westphalen, 'on August 16, 1820. Ilis parents were also natives of Westphalen, his father, Mathias Vordenbau- men, being a wheelwright by trade, a man. of strong inechanical genius, which talent he transmitted in a considerable degree to his descendants. William Vordenbaumnen learned the trade of carpenter in his native coun- try and followed it there a few years before his removal to Texas. After settling in Galveston he continued to work at his trade until 1870, finding at an earlier day, a large field of employment, the town being small

and building operations going actively on from year to year.

In 1870 Mr. Vordenbaumen quit carpen- tering and engaged in the undertaking busi- ness, opening an establishment on Winnie avenue between Twenty-first and Twenty- second streets, where for twenty years, un- til 1890, he performed the delicate and : difficult duties of a funeral director. For four years past he has practically lived in retirement, having accumulated enough to keep him comfortably in his declining years.

In 1851 Mr. Vordenbaumen married Mary Bieling, of Galveston, who died fifteen months later, in 1853, leaving one son, Frederick, who died in 1875. On March 25, 1854, Mr. Vordenbaumen married his present wife, whose maiden name was Mary Harber, born the 19th of September, 1824, then residing in Galveston, but a native of Prussia, coming thence to Galveston in 1852. The offspring of this union has been one child, a daughter, Mary, born July 26, 1862, died July 2, 1874. Mr. Vordenbaumen has one brother, Herman, residing in Galveston, and one, the Rev. Frederick Vordenbaumen, a Methodist clergyman, residing in Cuero, Texas, and a sister, Mrs. Henry Cortes, residing in Gal- veston.

P ETER GABEL, who for nearly a half century has been a resident of Houston, being one of the few old settlers now left, is a native of Germany, having been born November 4, 1813, in Rheinfels, Bavaria, now a portion of the German empire, then, however, be- longing to France and under the dominion of the Emperor Napoleon.

His parents were Peter and Madeline

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Gabel, the mother's family-name being Frederick. Both were natives of Bavaria, and came of German stock as far back as anything is known of their history. Besides the subject of this notice they had another son, Phillip, who died at about the age of seventy-one, and a daughter, Margaret, wlio died at the age of fifty-seven, the wife of Henry. Krether. The father died when the subject of this sketch was only about two years old, and the mother when he was about six. The mother, however, had mar- ried a second time, and left another son, John Wagner, who later died in Houston, Texas. On the death of his mother young Peter Gabel was taken into the family of a relative and brought up with reasonably good care, receiving some educational ad- vantages and being taught a trade, -- that of cooper and brewer, -which helped him very materially in his struggles in after life.

He lived in Germany until he was twenty-seven years old, when, desirous of seeing the world and perfecting himself in his trade, he came to America. For a while after coming to this country he lived at Lewiston, Mifflin county, Pennsylvania, where he worked for his friend and country- inan, Charles Engel. Later he went to St. Louis, Missouri, and worked at his trade in that city for nearly three years. Having heard a great deal about Texas, he was seized with a desire to see this country, and in November, 1844, came on and after a little prospecting located at Houston. Short- ly after his arrival here he formed the ac- quaintance of a man named Jacob Werlin, who represented himself as being a first- class soapmaker, and Mr. Gabel, believing that there was an opening in the new town for a soap factory, was induced by Werlin and others to join them in starting a busi-

ness of that character here. Their estab- lishunent was set up on the Market square, and there, as Mr. Gabel very characteristi- cally expresses it, they "boiled away until they boiled all they had away," lack of ex- perience making a failure of it. From this Mr. Gabel fell back on his trade as cooper, and took employment in an establishment at what was then known as "Tallowtown," the establishment being owned by Mckinney & Williams, of Galveston, and operated by Martin M. Shepherd, of Houston. He made barrels for Mckinney & Williams, who were then doing a large business in tallow-mak- ing, for two or three years. Still later he worked for Shepherd, making wooden cis- terns, and did well while engaged at each place. He was then induced by Joshua T. Herel, who had considerable knowledge of the land business, to invest his earnings in a 250-acre tract of timber land on Buffalo Bayou, valuable chiefly for the timber, which was in demand as cord-wood for steamers. Taking sick, he was unable for some time to look after his interests, and they in consequence suffered. Later, how- ever, he purchased another tract and re- covered in some measure his former losses. He also made another real-estate deal about this time with Herel, which finally proved to be a better one than either of the others, this being the purchase of four blocks and ten acres of land in Houston.

From Houston, and his operations about "Tallowtown," Mr. Gabel turned his steps toward the Brazos river country, where there was promise of steady work at good wages, making barrels and hogsheads for the sugar planters. He remained on the Brazos and Caney creek for some time, en- gaged pretty steadily at his trade until the country was swept over by the California

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fever in 1849. He was siezed with the fever and determined to try his fortunes on the Pacific coast, and returned to Houston to put his affairs in shape to go out. Here by fortune's good favor he met one of his countrywomen, a native of Rheinfels, the same province in which he was born. Forming an acquaintance with her which soon ripened into a very strong mutual at- tachment, they were married, and this put an end to the California scheine.

Mr. Gabel at once set about to establish himself in business. He saw what he be- lieved to be a good opening for a brewery, and erecting suitable buildings on one of the lots previously purchased soon had his plant going at a good pace. He did a prosperous business up to the opening of the war, hav- ing in the meantime added the necessary appliances to distil whisky, a good article of which he was turning out and finding a ready sale for among home consumers. The opening of the war rendered brewing unprofitable, and although his distillery went on he sold his product for Confederate money, which turning out to be worthless his four years' work were in vain. He re- sumed brewing, however, when the war was over, dropping off the making of whisky on account of the excessive revenue tax, and at this continued until 1870. In the meantime he had made a trip to Europe, where he had considerable interests in vineyards in his na- tive place, the product of which, made into wine, he shipped to Houston, and from this point distributed it to dealers over the State. For several years he did a large business in this line, as well as at brewing.

Mr. Gabel was taught habits of economy not only by precept but by necessity in his earlier days, and he made it a practice when fortune was favoring him to lay up some-

thing for the proverbial "rainy day." He had confidence in the future of the country and believed that good real estate offered one of the safest means of investments, and therefore purchased property from time to time as his capital accumulated. In this way he has come to be a considerable real- estate holder, owning between $75,000 and $80,000 worth in Houston and Harris coun- ty, besides seven or eight sections, mostly timber lands, in other portions of the State. For twenty years past he has not had any active business pursuits, being contented with what he already had, in looking after which he has found sufficient employment for his years. He has interested himself in a general way in matters of common inter- est to the people of the community where he lives, and was at one time induced to take stock in one of Houston's local enter- prises, -the Western Narrow Gauge Rail- road, -but is not proud of his connection with this, the same having cost him about $4,000.

Mr. Gabel has never held public office of any kind, not for lack of interest in the pub- lic welfare nor for lack of confidence in him on the part of his fellow-citizens, but be- cause he has never looked to the public for support, having learned to rely on himself, and because he has always found such posi- tions in great demand by a large class of his fellow-citizens, who were ready to make sacrifices for them, which he could not very well make. He is independent in politics and somewhat independent also in matters of religion, although his parents were devout church members and he was reared to a strict observance of the Protestant faith and practice.

The fact has been stated that Mr. Gabel married after coming to Houston. His mar-

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riage took place on the 7th day of June, 1849, the lady whom he wedded being Mrs. Maria Stein, then the widow of John Stein. Mrs Gabel's maiden name was Gebhardt, and she accompanied her parents fromn Ger- many to America when she was a girl and settled in Brown county, Ohio, whence she later went to New Orleans, where she was inarried to Mr. Stein. She came with him in 1845 to Houston, where he died, in 1849 By her first marriage Mrs. Gabel had two sons: William, who was aboard the ill-fated steamer Nautilus, on his way to school in the East, when that vessel was lost; and Louie, a resident of Harris county. Mr. and Mrs. Gabel never had any children. Mrs. Gabel died at her home in Houston on the 14th day of June, 1892, lacking just twelve months of having reached the golden year of her wedding with Mr. Gabel. Her death, leav- ing himn, as it did, almost alone in the world, was a great loss to him, and one which he has keenly felt.

Mr. Gabel is a Mason, having been ini- tiated in 1849.

S AMUEL SAM .- Pre-eminence is a goal most men strive to attain. No matter in what field, the ambition of the true man will push him to such endeavor that his success will stand out with distinctness. Such is the case with Mr. Samuel Sam, one of the most prominent real-estate men in Houston. Mr. Sam was born in the kingdom of Prussia, now part of Gerinany, March 14, 1825. He learned the blacksmith trade in his native country and when twenty years of age he determined to seek his fortune in the United States. This was in 1845, and when he reached New York city he had the modest sum of ninety-

five cents. Although but a poor boy he was rich in integrity, industry and resolution, and his subsequent career should serve as an example to the young man who, unaided and alone, starts out to combat with life's stern realities. From the city of New York young Sam made his way to Charleston, South Carolina, where an older sister, who had preceded him to this country by a year, was residing, and he entered the blacksmith shop of his brother-in-law, who was then engaged in business at that place. For some time he was engaged in making iron gates and fences, but subsequently business be- came slack, his brother-in-law suspended, and young Sam was thrown out of employ- ment. Determined to find honest employ- ment of some kind, he went to a boarding house, where he secured work as a dish- washer, for his board. Circulating among the guests he solicited the privilege of clean- ing their clothes, blacking their shoes, etc., and accepted whatever they were disposed to give, sometimes receiving five cents, again ten, and in some instances as much as twenty-five cents. Many times it was twelve or one o'clock before he retired for the night, his labors being thus prolonged in the hope of making a few extra cents. In this man- ner he saved nine dollars, and with that sum purchased notions, which he started out to peddle, working his way out as far as one hundred miles from Charleston and spending the time from June until September in this work. During this time he saved about $80, and after returning to Charleston he pur- chased a small stock of fruit and tobacco, and opened a small establishment on the corner of Hallbeck alley and King street. About this date, 1848, he married, and sub- sequently opened a boarding house, which he and his wife carried on in connection

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with the store. Shortly afterward Mr. Sam Secured a position on the police force and of course gave alinost all of his attention to the duties of that office, his wife looking after the store and boarding house. In this way they made considerable money. Mr. Sam held his position under two administra- tions, Mayor Snirley and Mayor Hutcheson, and under the latter's regime he was a mounted policeman. In the year 1851 Mr. Sam sold out in Charleston and moved to Clinton, Louisiana, in which city he arrived without a cent. He borrowed $3.75 from Levi Sterne to pay the freight on his house- hold goods; and subsequently borrowed a little more from the same source, with which to buy a peddler's pack. Again he went on the road, and peddled in one parish in Louis- iana from 1851 to 1854. From there he came to Texas, and, leaving his wife and children in Galveston, he came to Houston in order to find work. Here he bought a horse and dray and started out in business, following draying but a short time, however, as he found that he was not making very much money. Again he branched out as a peddler and followed this occupation through Austin county until 1857, when, having saved some money, he purchased a store from J. B. Pierce, paying for the same $450. This he carried on for a year and them sold it to William D. Cleveland, father of the present prosperous merchant of that naine in Hous- ton. His next move was to purchase a farm in Austin county, and on this farni of ninety acres he opened a store. About the same time lie opened two other stores, one at Sempronius and the other at Chapel Hill.

In 1861, when the war broke out, he ·sold the stores at Sempronius and Chapel Hill, but continued to carry on the other in connection with his farm. Soon after the

war opened he began freighting between the agricultural districts of Austin county and Honston, which was then the market place for all the territory northwest of it. He hauled cotton to Houston and goods back, running two ox-teams of five yoke each. He received 70 cents per hundred weight each way, and collected the money on the spot. During the war he also handled live- stock and. became the owner of a large number of cattle. Shortly after the war he sold his farm and came to Houston. In this place he purchased a lot, on the corner of Austin street and Congress avenue, for $2,000 in gold, and later purchased a lot adjoining, for $1,000. On the first lot he built a $5,000 business house, and on the second a tenement house. He also built another small house, and started his daugh- ter in the millinery business. On account of domestic troubles, he turned over all his property to his wife and children, and in 1869 went to work as a roustabout on the .. "Silver Cloud," a small steamer, plying between Houston and Galveston, receiving for his services $45 per month. From Houston he took a similar position on the

"Morgan," and later went to New Orleans, where he embarked on a stern-wheel steamer and worked his way to St. Louis. In that city he worked at different occupations some two years, when, having accumulated a small sum of money, he invested it in a stock of goods and a horse and wagon, and again went on the road as a peddler. He continued this occupation in Missouri about a year, buying rags, feathers and hides, and cleared $1,000. After that he returned to Houston, reaching this city April 20, 1872, and decided to try the dray business again. He bought two mules, three horses and five drays, hired four negroes, and, taking charge

Respectfully

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of one dray himself, went to work. This did not prove as remunerative as he had expected, and he sold out, and, in connec- tion with L. Weil, leased a lot of ground on Liberty avenue, then called the old Liberty road, on which he built a house, and again opened a store. In a few months Mr. Sam purchased Mr. Weil's interest, and conducted the business alone. He was slirewd and possessed of excellent business acumen, and made a great deal of money in this venture. About two years later he leased a lot on the same street, on the J. C. Lord property, built thereon a house 30x60 feet, and carried on business on a much larger scale. This he continued very successfully until 1877, when he sold it to his two sons, Simon L. and Jacob W., and purchased property on the corner of McKee street and, Liberty avenue, being in business there about two years, part of which time H. O. Gordon was his partner. At the end of two years he sold out this business and turned his attention to Houston real estate. He has been buying and improving, and now owns eighty houses, which he rents, and sixty vacant lots, all of which are in the Fifth ward.

In the year 1848 Mr. Sam married Miss Caroline Sterne, in Charleston, South Caro- lina, and eight children were born to this union, six of whom survive, -Henrietta; Simon L., in the shoe business in Houston; Jacob W. and Levi, in the clothing business in Houston; Joe M., an attorney of Hous- ton; and Sarah. " One of his sons, Nathan, died when a young man. May 29, 1890, Mr. Sam married Mrs. Fannie Dryfus, of Houston, and by this union became the step-father of one child, Arthur Charvet. Mr. Sam enjoys the reputation of being a good business man, and is also regarded as a gentleman of the soundest integrity.

REDERICK WILMOT SMITH, one of the oldest and most highly respected citizens of Houston, is a native of Brookfield, Litchfield county, Connecticut, where he was born on the 24th day of January, 1814. His father and father's father each bore the baptismal name of Joseph, and were born, the father in Connecticut, March 14, 1774, and the grandfather- in England, somewhere near the middle of the last century. The grand- father was a soldier in the Revolutionary war, and took part in many of the notable battles fought by the Continental armny, dying in Connecticut on August 1, 1810, at an advanced age. The junior Joseph Smith also died in Connecticut, on September 30, 1825.

The mother of Frederick Wilmot Sinith bore the maiden name of Martha Wilmot, and she was born in New Haven, Connecti- cut, December 23, 1773, being a daughter of Daniel Wilmot, a prominent citizen of New Haven, who lost all his property by the burning of that city by the British. Joseph Smith and Martha Wilmot were married August 15, 1794, and she died in 1863. Their children, nine in number,

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Author: Publication date: 1895 Publisher: Chicago, The Lewis publishing co., 1895 Number of Pages: 1532

Author:
Publication date: 1895
Publisher: Chicago, The Lewis publishing co., 1895
Number of Pages: 1532