New encyclopedia of Texas, volume 1, Part 109

Author: Davis, Ellis A.
Publication date: 1926
Publisher: Dallas, Tex. : Texas development bureau, [1926?]
Number of Pages: 1416

USA > Texas > New encyclopedia of Texas, volume 1 > Part 109

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Mr. Harris, with several of his friends are organ- izing a company at Bay City, for the construction and operation of a large preserving plant, which will handle all the figs grown in this section.

Mr. Harris has, for several years, been connected with the H. Kempner Cotton Firm of Galveston, one of the largest cotton concerns in the country, acting as their buyer in Matagorda County and ad- joining territory.

A native Texan, Mr. Harris was born in Fort Bend County on February 21st, 1888. His father, Dr. R. L. Harris, came to Texas when fourteen years of age-grew to manhood and obtained his degree to practice medicine in this State. Dr. R. L. Harris was well known as a physician, planter and cattle man. Mr. Harris' early education was obtained in the public schools after which he became a student of the Southwestern University at Georgetown, at- tending for four years.

Mr. Harris was married at Calvert, Texas, on November 2nd, 1909, to Miss Irene Gamill, a mem- ber of a prominent family of Central Texas. Mr. Harris has been prominently identified with the farming and cattle industries in South Texas. He is a member of the Bay City Chamber of Commerce, the Advertising Club, the Fig Growers Association, and is the vice president of the Association of Fig Industries of Texas, which he helped to organize. The object of this organization is to keep the fig industry clean in every way, to keep down fake promoters, help real builders and investors and to build up a market for the product. This organ- ization has the backing and support of the real fig men of the State, and is working diligently to get rid of the bad methods and crooked business. Mr. Harris is a conservative leader in this great in- dustry and understands all the branches of the business. He gives his entire personal attention to the development of what he and his associates be- lieve will soon become one of the leading industries of the South Texas territory. Perhaps no man in Texas has done more toward the development of the fig industry in this State than has E. D. Harris of Bay City, Texas.

677

MEN OF TEXAS

KE L. HILL, although a comparatively re- cent addition to the business circles of Houston, has entered into the spirit of the Southwestern Metropolis and has been a factor in building up a large business. Mr. Hill came to Houston in 1923 as Manager of the Gulf Coast Division of the Jefferson Standard Life In- surance Company. Prior to coming to Houston, Mr. Hill was District Manager at Beaumont for the same company, and had occupied that position since De- cember, 1922. Mr. Hill's office is located in the Bankers Mortgage Building, and his business has grown rapidly since the establishment of the Hous- ton office. Forty agencies are maintained in this division, all of which are under the supervision of Mr. Hill. The Jefferson Standard Life Insurance Company is the largest southern life insurance company, and among the thirty largest in the United States. Its home office is housed in a $2,000,000 structure which it built from surplus earnings and is the largest building between Washington, D. C., and New Orleans. The company has $250,000,000 of business on its books and its investments in Texas is 200 per cent more than required under the Rob- ertson Law. Mr. Hill directly supervises these in- vestments in the Gulf Coast section. He started his business career as a mere boy in the railroad service, and continued in this work for twenty years, during which time he served in the traffic and transporta- tion departments, and reached the top in this line of work. He came to Orange, Texas, in 1915, and es- tablished the Ford Agency there. He was the Ford dealer in that prosperous East Texas city for seven years and was interested in various other business activities during his residence there: He was very active in civic work and all work for the good of Orange County, and served as chairman of the Good Roads Committee which built the concrete road to Beaumont. During the last two years in which he resided at Orange, Mr. Hill was General Manager of the Orange Chamber of Commerce, and his regime as Manager of this organization was one great ac- complishment. He remained as Manager of this body until he became associated with the Jefferson Standard Life Insurance Company, when he removed to Beaumont.

A native of Kansas, Mr. Hill was born in McCune on June 26, 1881. His father, E. Page Hill (de- ceased), was a native of Illinois, but spent the greater portion of his life in Kansas, where he was widely known in the business circles as a producer of soft coal. His mother was Miss Margaret Mc- Cune, a member of a prominent family of Kansas. His education was obtained in the public schools, which he left at a very early age in order to enter the business world, and the liberal education which he has received was entirely through self help.

Mr. Hill was married at Kansas City, Missouri, on November 8, 1911, to Miss Cora Showalter, a native of Kansas, and a member of a well known family of that State. Mr. and Mrs. Hill reside at 4206 Walker Avenue. Mr. Hill is a member of the A. F. and A. M. with membership in the Blue Lodge of Orange and has attained the 32nd degree in the Scottish Rite bodies of Galveston, and is a member of El Mina Temple Shrine of Galveston, and of the B. P. O. E. of Orange. In 1925 he served as Presi- dent of the Houston Life Underwriters Association. Mr. Hill is ambitious for his company, and his city, and is an untiring worker for the good and ad-

vancement of both. Wherever he has resided he has taken a keen interest in civic and business af- fairs, and his influence has already been felt in this city.

OMER L. HOLCOMBE has been identified with the automobile industry of Houston for almost a decade and is the owner of "Hol- combe," which was formerly known as the Auto Laundry and Storage Company. "Holcombe" is a service station above the average, located at Texas Avenue and Caroline Street, which dispenses the highest grade gasoline and lubricating oils. They also carry a stock of genuine Ford parts, auto ac- cessories, Federal tires and tubes, and do body and frame work and auto repairing. The building has been completely remodeled and better equipped to give service to Mr. Holcombe's many patrons, and now has twenty thousand square feet of floor space, with auto storage and repairs, where only men skilled in this particular work are employed. "Hol- combe" is open to the public twenty-four hours daily, and ten experienced men are employed to serve his patrons. In 1913, Mr. Holcombe establish- ed a small auto shop on the Harrisburg Boulevard, and later was engaged in his present business at other locations, before coming here, and for several years owned and operated at his present location the Auto Laundry and Storage Company, and since the remodeling of his building, Mr. Holcombe is now fitted to serve the general public and his many patrons promptly and efficiently. The same tow-in and wreck service, formerly the feature of his busi- ness, is still maintained.

Mr. Holcombe was born in Birmingham, Alabama, on April 9, 1890. His father, R. S. Holcombe, was for many years well known in the business circles of that State, where he was a member of a pioneer family. Mr. Oscar Holcombe, the Mayor of Houston, is a brother of Mr. Holcombe. His education was obtained in the public schools of San Antonio, Texas, and soon after coming to Houston, his health be- came bad and he returned to San Antonio, where his physicians thought there was little chance for his life, but he entered the automobile industry at San Antonio, and was for several years with the Cadil- lac Company there, where he worked in all the me- chanical departments of their plant and later, was made trouble man for the Cadillac Automobile Com- pany. In 1911 he again returned to Houston and worked for his brother, Mayor Oscar Holcombe, who at that time was one of the best known and suc- cessful contractors and builders of Houston, and re- mained in this line of endeavor with his brother until 1913, when he entered the automobile industry for himself, and has met with success.

Mr. Holcombe was married in San Antonio, Texas, December 25, 1912, to Miss Dorothy Maude Hart, a native of Missouri, but had been reared and edu- cated in the Lone Star State. They have three chil- dren, Homer L. Holcombe, Jr., Thelma Lucile and Dorothy Inez. Mr. and Mrs. Holcombe reside at 1304 Hadley Avenue. In the midst of his private work, Mr. Holcombe finds opportunity to give his time and assistance to many movements of a public nature, and is always in the forefront when any matter having to do with the progress and advance- ment of Houston is to be looked after, and he be- lieves that this city will continue to grow until it will become the leading city of the entire South- west.

678

NEW ENCYCLOPEDIA OF TEXAS

A. GRIEVES came to Houston in 1904 to become associated with the Myers-Spalti Manufacturing Company, which from a small beginning, has become one of the largest manufacturing plants of its kind in the Southwest. Mr. Grieves is Secretary of the Myers- Spalti Manufacturing Company, but his duties cover the entire plant. The Myers-Spalti Company was organized in 1904, and represents an investment of more than one million dollars. It is located on Run- nels Street and covers several acres of ground, where practically everything in the furniture line is manu- factured. It is modern in every particular and equipped with all conveniences and contrivances for the manufacture of furniture, and only first-class artisans are employed in any of the various branches of the plant.

Mr. Grieves was born at Indianola, Iowa, on Octo- ber 18, 1880. His father, S. L. Grieves (deceased) was for many years engaged in the stock raising business in Iowa and was well known in the busi- ness circles of that State. His mother was Miss Mary L. Larsh, a member of a prominent family of Iowa. His education was obtained in the public schools of his native State, and soon after leaving school, Mr. Grieves began his business career in the furniture store of Oliver-Myers at Indianola, Iowa, and re- mained with this well known firm until they sold out there and removed to Texas. Mr. Grieves re- mained with the firm who purchased the Oliver- Myers establishment for two years, when he came to Houston on the request of Mr. Myers, who had bought a small factory here in 1904, and Mr. Grieves started in this small factory. As the plant grew, Mr. Grieves was advanced, and was later made Sec- retary of the company, and has remained in this position since that time.

Mr. Grieves was married in Houston, March 12, 1905, to Miss Maggie Henderson, a native of the Lone Star State, and a daughter of W. H. Hender- son, of Dallas, in which city she was reared and educated. They have one son, J. A. Grieves, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Grieves reside at 3402 Crawford Street. Mr. Grieves is a mamber of the T. P. A. and takes an active interest in this organization. Mr. Grieves has spent his entire life in the various branches of the furniture business and is regarded as one of the best men in his line in the country. He is popular in the business and social circles of Hous- ton and with the employees of the company, who re- gard him as their personal friend.

H. HEYMAN came to Houston twelve years ago and since that time has been the direct- ing head of one of the largest wholesale lumber companies in the city, specializing in hard wood, and is firmly established as a business man who makes his influence felt in every branch of this important industry. Mr. Heyman is the owner of the American Timber Products Company, which he organized in 1912, and has since operated. The American Timber Products Company does a wholesale business exclusively, selling only in car load lots. All kinds of lumber and timber products are handled, the company buying lumber all over East Texas direct from the mills, especially the medium and small mills, and selling direct to the consumer in all parts of the United States. A large volume of business is handled annually, and a force of salesmen and other employees retained to

conduct the business in the most efficient manner. The company does an export business with the Brit- ish Isles and countries on the European continent. The offices of the American Timber Products Com- pany are in the Union National Bank Building.

Mr. Heyman was born in Germany, in 1879, and came to America in 1904. His education had been received in the schools of his native country, where he attended both public and private schools. After coming to the United States he located at New Or- leans, and for seven or eight years was identified with the lumber business there. He came to Hous- ton in 1912, shortly after his arrival establishing the American Timber Products Company, which he has since owned. Mr. Heyman is recognized as one of the most progressive men in the lumber industry, and has built up his large trade through his business methods, consistently operating his business in an efficient manner, and making a point of giving his customers the best. Mr. Heyman makes his home at 410 Fargo Avenue.

UGH H. GALLOWAY has for the past sev- eral years been actively identified with South Texas banking affairs, coming with the Public National Bank as assistant cash- ier on February 1st, 1924. Before becoming asso- ciated with the Public National Bank, Mr. Galloway was active vice president of the First Capitol State Bank of West Columbia, Texas.

Hugh H. Galloway was born at Round Mountain, Texas, in August, 1892, son of N. C. and Sue Gal- loway. His father was in the general merchandise business for many years, and is one of the best known men of his community. He now makes his home at Marble Falls. Mr. Galloway was edu- cated in the public schools at Llano, Texas, grad- uating from the high school there, after which he engaged in the general mercantile business at Marble Falls for six years. He enlisted in the army in April, 1917, in the Second Texas Infantry, Thirty-sixth Division, and was sent to Camp Bowie, and later to the Mexican border, where he remained for one year. He was then sent to Jacksonville, Florida, with the I. M. C., remaining there for eight months, after which he spent three months at Syracuse, New York, going from there to Newport News, Vir- ginia, where he remained until 1919. He was dis- charged the twenty-fourth of September, 1919, as lieutenant. After receiving his discharge at Fort Sam Houston, Mr. Galloway went to West Columbia and entered the banking business with the Guar- anty State Bank, remaining with them until the mer- ger with the First Capitol State Bank in 1922, be- coming vice president of the consolidated banks, serving in this capacity until coming with the Pub- lic National Bank at Houston.

Mr. Galloway was married at Marble Falls, Texas, the twenty-sixth of October, 1921, to Miss Lucile Yett, daughter of Dr. J. R. and Mrs. Ollie Yett. Dr. Yett is a prominent physician, banker and rancher of Marble Falls, and is known throughout this sec- tion. Mr. and Mrs. Galloway make their home at 1114 Fairview Avenue. Mr. Galloway has made many friends since coming to Houston. In financial circles he impresses all who know him as a young man of sound business ability and conservative financial policies, well qualified to fill the position he now holds.

681

MEN OF TEXAS

URTIS B. JAPHET, one of the younger men engaged in the oil business with headquar- ters in Houston, has already become suc- cessful as an indepenednt operator. In 1924 he was one of the organizers of the Japhet Produc- tion Company, of which he is vice president and field superintendent. The company has production in the El Dorado, Arkansas, fields. In 1925, with his associates he organized the National Drilling Company of which he is secretary and treasurer. This company is engaged in contract drilling in the El Dorado, Arkansas, fields. Mr. Japhet person- ally owns the F. H. Scott lease on which he has production. There are several well defined pay sands in this section and he is planning to drill addi- tional wells there later. His operations in this sec- tion are conducted under the name of the C. B. Japhet Oil Company. In addition to his oil inter- ests Mr. Japhet is director of the Harrisburg State Bank.

A native of Houston, Mr. Japhet was born on April 11th, 1898, and is a son of Dan A. and Martha (Kosse) Japhet. His father for many years has been one of the leading oil operators of the coastal field and the famous Japhet lease of twenty acres is known to oil men all over the country. This tract has produced already more than a million bar- rels of oil. The elder Japhet is a director in two of the leading banks of Houston and has extensive holdings of business property and other real estate in Houston. Mr. Japhet's mother, formerly Miss Martha Kosse, is a native of Houston and a daugh- ter of Max Kosse, pioneer citizen of the town of Kosse, and for whom this well known oil town was named.

Mr. Japhet received his education in the Hous- ton public schools and high school and at the A. and M. College of Texas, where he was stationed during his service in the Automobile Transport Corps of the United States army during the war. After receiv- ing his discharge from the army, he entered the oil fields at West Columbia with his father and when the latter disposed of his holdings there he became connected with the Hyde Production Company and later with the Humble Oil and Refining Company. In 1921 he engaged in business for himself and has offices at 1001 State National Bank Building.

Unlimited energy and good judgment has resulted in Mr. Japhet forging rapidly to the front in the oil industry. During the few years he has been engaged in business for himself, he has achieved a success that would be considered exceptional for a much older and more experienced operator. Thoroughly imbued with the Houston spirit, he looks upon this city as the logical oil center of the Southwest and this, coupled with its commanding position as a dis- tributing center for oil well supplies and splendid shipping facilities for export business, is destined, he believes, to make Houston a city of half a mil- lion inhabitants in the next few years.

Mr. Japhet is unmarried and resides at 704 Jef- ferson Avenue, Houston.

R ICHARD DOZIER has had a wide and varied business career and prior to entering his present business was one of Houston's lead- ing insurance men, being chief executive of one of the representative companies of this city.

Mr. Dozier is secretary and manager of the Frat- ernal Credit Union with offices at 1016 Keystone Building, which is the only institution of its kind in Texas, and was chartered under the laws of Texas in September, 1923. The main object of the Fraternal Credit Union is: to promote thrift among its mem- bers, to provide credit facilities to its members, to loan money for provident purposes on easy terms and to create the desire and stimulate the habit of regular, systematic saving. This organization, al- though young, has a large membership and is grow- ing. Other officers of the Fraternal Credit Union are: Ewing H. Lancaster, president, and Tom H. Crawford, vice president. In its operation and con- trol, the Credit Union is a "bank in miniature" con- cerned in the small questions of credit, loans at low interest rate, long time and installment repay- ments in small amounts to members. Mr. Dozier began his business career as a very young man in the grain business at Baltimore, where he remained for ten years. He then went to Newport News, New Jersey, where for one and one-half years he was engaged in the building of ships. He then entered the army of the United States and engaged in the Spanish-American War and was assigned to the Fifth Corps, First Division and First Brigade. After the close of the Spanish-American War, and he had received his discharge, he located in New Orleans, where he engaged in the insurance business. He later went to Beaumont, Texas, and from that place removed to Houston and began his career in the in- surance business in this city. Besides representing many of the strongest and oldest insurance com- panies, he was president of the Gulf Mutual Life In- surance Company and also president of the Ameri- can Industrial Banking Company, and many other organizations of Houston, with which he remained active until he organized the Fraternal Credit Union.

Mr. Dozier was born at Georgetown, South Caro- lina, on November 5th, 1863. His father, Richard Dozier, also a native of South Carolina, was a grad- uate of Yale College and one of the most prom- inent lawyers of his time. He was also engaged in the banking business and for several years was state senator of his native state. His mother was Miss Elizabeth Exum, a member of a prominent South Carolina family. Both his parents are now de- ceased. His early education was obtained in the schools of his native state, after which he became a student at Sewanee University and later entered the University of South Carolina and graduated from that institution in the class of 1882 with the B. S. degree.

Mr. Dozier was married in Georgia on September 7th, 1899, to Miss Luella Chalifour, a member of a well known Louisiana family. Mr. and Mrs. Dozier reside at 1504 San Jacinto Street. Mr. Dozier is a member of the A. F. and A. F. and for the past five years has served as secretary of Temple Blue Lodge. He is also a member of the Knights of Pythias and is a past chancellor of this organiza- tion. In social organizations he holds membership in the City and County Club and the United Spanish War Veterans. Mr. Dozier has since coming to Houston identified himself with the business life as well as the fraternal and social life of this city and is regarded as one of Houston's most progressive and public-spirited citizens.

682

B Japhet Curtis

NEW ENCYCLOPEDIA OF TEXAS

C. HUNT, for more than a decade a leader in maritime activities at Houston and a fac- tor in the constructive development of this city, has been for almost a quarter of a cen- tury allied with important industrial and commercial affairs here. Mr. Hunt is engaged in the shipping business, but handling principally cotton, cotton pro- ducts, lumber and rice, as agent for the International Mercantile Marine Lines, the White Star, Red Star, Atlantic Transport, White Star Dominion, American Lines, the Frederick Leyland Company, Ltd. and the Harrison Steamship Line, commonly known as the Joint Service. Mr. Hunt has given careful atten- tion to the economic handling of exports, and dur- ing the years that he has spent in the shipping business has been largely instrumental in making Houston a shipping point of primary importance. He maintains his offices at 806-7 Cotton Exchange Building, where he directs his extensive shipping activities. Mr. Hunt was one of the organizers and the first chairman of the Maritime Committee of the Houston Cotton Exchange and Board of Trade, and has also held other positions of importance to maritime interests and the general prosperity of the city. While primarily a shipping man, Mr. Hunt takes a great interest in the civic and commercial world.

W. C. Hunt was born at New Orleans, Louisiana, the sixth of October, 1882. His father, E. R. Hunt, a native of Boston, lived in New Orleans most of his life, his death occurring in that city. His mother, before her marriage Miss Emma Cutter, is a na- tive of Cleveland, Ohio, and now makes her home at New Orleans. Mr. Hunt attended the public schools of his native city, later going to Tulane Uni- versity, where he rounded out his education. He came to Houston around 1900 and was a factor in the cattle and ranching industry for a decade prior to entering the shipping business.

Mr. Hunt was married at Houston, the third of December, 1913, to Miss Erma Jones, daughter of one of the most prominent pioneer families of Hous- ton. Her mother, Mrs. S. B. Jones, makes Houston her home and is a large property owner here. Mrs. Hunt is a sister of Judge Murray B. Jones, well known throughout the state as a jurist. Mr. and Mrs. Hunt reside at 24 Courtland Place, where they have one of the most attractive homes in the city. They have one child, Effie Jones Hunt. Mr. Hunt is a Delta Tau Delta, of Tulane, and a member of the Houston Country Club and the Cotton Exchange. He takes a great interest in all progressive move- ments, particularly those affecting maritime activi- ties, and is a man of many distinctions in the com- mercial and civic world.

AMES S. BURK, civil engineer of Houston, has for more than a quarter of a century been practicing his profession in this city, where he has had charge of some of the largest drainage and irrigation projects in the state. Mr. Burk specializes mostly in drainage systems, irrigation plants and levee construction and is super- vising the construction of four drainage districts which are nearing completion. Mr. Burk is regarded as the leading drainage engineer in Texas and has been twice appointed by the governor of Texas as the representative for this state to the National Drainage Congress.

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New encyclopedia of Texas, volume 1, Part 109

Author: Davis, Ellis A. Publication date: 1926 Publisher: Dallas, Tex. : Texas development bureau, [1926?] Number of Pages: 1416

Author: Davis, Ellis A.
Publication date: 1926
Publisher: Dallas, Tex. : Texas development bureau, [1926?]
Number of Pages: 1416