New encyclopedia of Texas, volume 1, Part 110

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

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Mr. Burk was born at Somerset, Kentucky in 1868. His father, James S. Burk, was a large land owner and extensive farmer of Missouri. His mother was Miss Elizabeth Summers, a member of a prominent Kentucky family. Mr. Burk's early education was obtained in the public and high schools of Hunts- ville, Missouri. Later, he was a student for two years of the University of Missouri and graduated from that institution with the degree of L. L. B. After leaving college, Mr. Burk engaged in en- gineering and constructing in St. Louis for two years, and then went on the construction of different dikes and revetment work on the Mississippi River, and remained in this work for three years. He then came to Texas and to Houston and for two years was engaged in civil engineering for railroads. Mr. Burk was civil engineer for the Southern Pacific Railroad for the first railroad from Houston to Gal- veston. Followng this work for railroads, he has been engaged in general engineering work and was for four years city engineer at Palestine, Texas. For the past several years, Mr. Burk has devoted his time to drainage, irrigation and levee work.

Mr. Burk saw service in the Spanish-American War and also the World War. In the Spanish-Amer- ican War, he was a member of the Third United States Volunteers and Engineers and served one year in this war, several months of which time was in Cuba. Mr. Burk enlisted in the World War May 20th, 1917 and was discharged in September, 1919. He entered with the rank of captain and was dis- charged as a major and was re-commissioned as lieutenant colonel of engineers, which commission he now holds. During the World War, he spent almost two years in France with the Attached Headquarters Engineering Corps A. E. F. Mr. Burk is commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars in Houston and is president of the United States Of- ficers Club of Houston. Mr. Burk was invited to come to Austin in order to advise at the conference held to consider the state-wide reclamation of the state to prevent the overflow of waters, which prac- tically every year entails a loss to the people of this state amounting to millions of dollars.

Mr. Burk was married in Houston in 1913 to Miss Agnes Duke, a daughter of Preston Duke, who is well known in Tennessee and who came to this state from Tennessee. Mr. Burk is very optimistic as to the future of Houston and South Texas, and he believes with the proper drainage system and irriga- tion, the lands of South Texas would be equal for farming purposes to those of any country in the world.

RTHUR STEWART VANDERVOORT, JR., one of the progressive young business men of Houston, since establishing his business headquarters in this city, has become a fac- tor in commercial activities. Mr. Vandervoort has been identified with the oil activities in Texas, and has made a careful study of the industry from every angle. He has been able to use this knowledge advantageously in his business operations.

Arthur Stewart Vandervoort, Jr., was born in Houston in 1890, son of A. S. and Margurite Usher Vandervoort, the elder Mr. Vandervoort being a well known business man of this city. Mr. Vandervoort received his rudimentary education in the public schools of Houston, and after graduating from the

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high school here, was a student in A. and M. College for four years. He then went to the oil fields to learn the intricacies of the oil business from every angle, and to make a special study of cable and rotary drilling. With close application to detail he soon mastered the problems confronting the oil operator, and after four years thus engaged, re- turned to Houston. He went with the Byers Com- pany immediately on his return, holding various positions in the different departments, and was made manager of the Southwestern District on January 1st, 1922.

Mr. Vandervoort has taken an active interest in social and civic affairs at Houston, and is one of the popular members of his social set. He is a member of the University Club, in Dallas and Hous- ton, having spent a year in the former city as representative of the Byers Company. He is also a member of the Houston Country Club, and resides at 1409 Wentworth. Mr. Vandervoort, in the short time that he has been identified with activities at Houston, has made many friends, and is considered by the older men of the business world to have an exceptionally bright future. His policy of fair deal- ing and business integrity has made him a large circle of friends.

ACO STEWART, JR., business man and At- torney-at-Law, came to Dallas from Gal- veston during the latter part of 1923, when the new law firm of Burgess, Owsley, Stor- ey and Stewart was formed, with offices located in the Stewart Building. Mr. Stewart was admitted to the bar in 1919, and, prior to his removal to Dal- las, was associated with the Stewart Attorneys, of Galveston, Houston, Dallas, San Antonio and El Paso, which is headed by his father, Maco Stewart, Sr., and was engaged in the general practice of law. Mr. Stewart is regarded as one of the leaders among the younger lawyers of the state, and is vice- president of the Stewart Title Guaranty Company, which is the largest company of its kind in the South, with a capital stock of $1,000,000, this com- pany maintaining offices at Galveston, Houston, Dallas, San Antonio and El Paso, Texas. Mr. Stew- art was also a member of the Texas legislature from the Galveston district, being one of the youngest members of this important body. He is president of the Texas and Ohio Drilling Company, which has large oil and gas interests in Texas and Ohio, both in the developed and undeveloped territory of these states. He is associated with his father in his va- rious interests throughout Texas, among which may be numbered the Guaranty Building and Loan Com- pany, the Gulf Fisheries Company and the Galves- ton City Company. The latter-named corporation enjoys the distinction of having its charter signed by General Sam Houston on sheepskin in the days of the Republic of Texas. This company was cre- ated in 1837, and incorporated under the laws of the Republic of Texas in 1841; it owned the city of Galveston, which it laid out, and is still engaged in business in the Island City. Maco Stewart, Jr., is also vice-president of the Stewart Syndicate, which is the owner of valuable oil holdings in the State of Texas, and was a director of the Texas State League of Building and Loan Associations when it was first formed. Mr. Stewart saw serv- ice during the World War, and while a student of the University of Texas, left this institution in

order to enter the conflict, and has the distinction of being the first man from the University of Texas to enter the World War. He was in the aviation branch and served overseas with distinction as Cap- tain of the First Marine Aviation Force on the Bel- gium front. He was associated with the late Theo- dore Roosevelt in forming an overseas force, and would have served on the Colonel's staff had that distinguished personage been allowed permission to aid the Allies. He was vice-commander of the Amer- ican Legion in Texas and was appointed on the Na- tional Legislative Committee of the American Le- gion, and helped materially to promulgate its poli- cies of Americanism. The arrangements for form- ing the present law partnership were started by Mr. Owsley, Mr. Stewart and Mr. Storey at the San Francisco Legion Convention, and details were worked out after their return to Texas. Mr. Stew- art's removal to Dallas was necessitated by the in- crease in the business of the Dallas office of the Stewart Title Guaranty Company, calling for the presence in Dallas of one of the vice-presidents. George T. Burgess, formerly of Galveston, has, for some time, been counsel for Stewart Title Guaranty Company, at Dallas. Alvin M. Owsley, former com- mander of the American Legion, is a native of Den- ton, Texas, and was elected to this important post at New Orleans in 1922. He relinquished this post at the San Francisco convention, after one of the most strenuous years ever spent by a legion Com- mander, making a trip to Europe during his tenure of office. He was endorsed by Texas to be the vice- presidential candidate of the Democratic party. The other member of the firm, Robert G. Storey, of Tyler, Texas, is a former assistant attorney general of Texas, and well-known in the legal circles of the state and Regent of the University of Texas.

A native Texan, Mr. Stewart was born at Gal- veston, on October 28th, 1896. His father, Maco Stewart, Sr., is one of the leading attorneys and financiers of the state. He is president of the Stewart Title Guaranty Company, and associated with many other of Texas' leading financial and in- dustrial institutions, and is regarded as one of the outstanding Empire builders of the Lone Star State. Maco Stewart, Junior's mother, was Miss Lillian C. Moore, of Alabama (deceased since 1916) and a member of one of the most prominent families of that state; her mother was a Warren, one of the oldest families of Virginia. His early education was obtained in the public and high schools of Galveston, after which he attended the West Texas Military Col- lege, and Culver Military Academy, and later be- came a student of the University of Texas, leaving that institution in order to enter the World War.

In social organizations, Mr. Stewart is a mem- ber of the Galveston Country Club, the Artillery Club, Dallas Athletic Club, Dallas University Club and Kappa Alpha Fraternity of the University of Texas. Mr. Stewart has always been popular in the social and business circles of Galveston and Dallas, is well-known throughout the state, where he has many friends. While Mr. Stewart is a mem- ber of one of the best known and most prominent families of Texas, and is proud of the fact, yet he believes that every man should build up his own character and reputation, and, in this matter, he is standing on his own feet, and is making a wonder- ful success in the fields in which he is active.

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NEW ENCYCLOPEDIA OF TEXAS

EILL T. MASTERSON has for many years been prominently identified with the busi- ness interests of Houston and of Texas. He has devoted considerable attention to the development of the Rio Grande Valley, where he owns large tracts of land. The Neill T. Masterson holdings he purchased some years ago, when he foresaw the possibilities of this part of the State. With a view to letting the people throughout the country know about the wonders of the Rio Grande Valley of Texas, and in order to further develop this country, which not only rivals the famous val- leys of California, but is superior in many ways, excursions are conducted from Kansas City, and many come and view the "Magic Valley," invest and locate in this great fruit belt of Texas. Mr. Masterson's personal office is located in the First National Bank. He also maintains offices in Kansas City, where he has a representative and also a Southern office at Harlinger, Texas. In the Rio Grande Valley every kind of fruit, berry and veg- etable is grown sucessfully, but the specialty in this portion of the State is the citrus tree, where in the orchards which are old enough to bear fruit there is more grapefruit produced and this fruit is of better quality than any other section of the country has ever produced. Even the far-famed delta of the Nile, the ultra rich section of tropical Mexico, India and Brazil, have no better soils than those found in the long, narrow strip of land known as the Magic Valley of the lower Rio Grande, and the climate is ideal for agriculture and horticulture. The climate is idyllic for either summer or winter, and the touring public is fast awakening to the advantage of making the Rio Grande Valley its year around playground. The average annual rain- fall in the Lower Rio Grande country is twenty- three inches. The convenience to the larger mar- kets of the United States is much in favor of this section, being 2,000 miles nearer to Eastern Sea- board points than is California and 1,000 miles nearer to Chicago and other central-western cities. The citrus industry is now on a commercial basis, and the many beautiful groves of citrus fruit trees make it a show place for all tourists and home- seekers. In the unirrigated district, just outside the valley proper, is a dry farming section which is coming to the front as a citrus growing district, thereby demonstrating the fact that irrigation is not entirely a necessity. The returns from the or- chards that are bearing, is perhaps larger than from any other Texas crop, and it is a fact that trees of grapefruit are grown in the valley producing almost two thousand fruits at one time.

A native Texan, Mr. Masterson was born in Bra- zoria County, June 1st, 1885. His father, H. Mas- terson (deceased), was also a native of the Lone Star State and for more than a quarter of a century was engaged in the real estate business in Brazoria County. His mother was Miss Sallie Turner, a member of a prominent and pioneer Texas family. His early education was obtained in the Houston public schools, after which he took a preparatory course at the A. and M. College. He then became a student of the Washington and Lee University and graduated from this institution with the B. L. degree, in the class of 1904, after which he took a post-graduate course at the University of Texas. After finishing college, Mr. Masterson came to Houston and engaged in business, in which he was

successful, and which he continued until he felt that he should give his time and attention to his large holdings in the Rio Grande Valley.

Mr. Masterson was married in Houston in 1906 to Miss Libby Johnston, a member of a prominent Houston family. They have three children: Neill T. Masterson, Jr .; Elizabeth and Harris. Mr. Mas- terson is a member of the college fraternity Sigma Nu, the Houston Club, the Houston Country Club, the Houston Chamber of Commerce, and the Epis- copal Church. He is regarded as one of the enter- prising and progressive men of Texas and his work in the development of the Rio Grande Valley has been worth much to the State of Texas.

K. WARREN, veteran lumberman and crate manufacturer, has for a number of years been one of a group of lumbermen who have taken a leading part in shaping indus- trial affairs at Houston, where he is well known throughout the lumber industry. Mr. Warren is vice president and manager of the Anderson Lum- ber Company, one of the large wholesale lumber corporations of South Texas. This firm was estab- lished and incorporated in 1922, and in addition to conducting an extensive wholesale lumber business they also operate a manufacturing business, and make flooring, siding, ceiling, and all kinds of mill work. The lumber is shipped in the rough from the saw mills, and is finished in the plant here. They do an extensive building business, selling many of the completed structures to better home owners. This plant, located at the H. B. & T. R. R. and Race Street, occupies a site of five acres with buildings covering twenty thousand square feet, and has both railroad frontage and frontage on the Houston Ship Channel. The Anderson Lumber Company has fifteen employees. D. C. Anderson is president and treasurer of the company. J. K. Warren, vice president, and J. F. Bahr, secretary.

Mr. Warren began in th lumber business in Mich- igan, with the Cobbs & Mitchell Lumber Company, and with the Cummer Lumber Company. While in that state he created the Cummer folding onion crate, at Cadillac, Michigan, in 1894, making and putting on the market the first of those crates offered to the trade. They are now used exclusively in shipping onions. He came to Texas in 1905, and located in Paris, where he built a large plant, with five hundred operatives, and engaged in the man- ufacture of the Cummer folding onion crate. He came to Houston in 1918 and has since engaged in the wholesale and manufacturing lumber business here, operating a number of small saw mills. When the Anderson Lumber Company was organized in 1922 he came with this firm as vice president and manager.

Mr. Warren was born at Lowell, Massachusetts, in 1870, son of Homer and Rebecca (Hoar) Warren. He was educated in the schools of his native State, and later, after the family removed to Michigan, attended Ferris Institute at Big Rapids, Michigan. After finishing there he entered on his career in the lumber industry.

Mr. Warren was married at Cadillac, Michigan, in 1894, to Miss May McClelland, daughter of Fred L. and Carrie McClelland, her father a railroad en- gineer there. They have four children, Miriam, Fred, Harold and Maurice. The family live at 4803 Fan- nin Street and attend the Methodist Church.

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B. SHARP, one of the younger members of the oil fraternity, and well known in business and social circles in South Texas, has been identified with the various branches of the petroleum industry since his vaca- tion days as a school boy. In this manner he became familiar with the many intricacies of the profession. This practical experience has been helpful in his various undertakings. He was associated with the Republic Production Company for some time and is now president of the Security Royalty Company, and is vice president of the Mission Sales Corpora- tion.

A native Texan, Mr. Sharp was born in Dallas, November 8th, 1896. His father, W. B. Sharp, Sr., (deceased since 1912), was also a native Texan, and a pioneer oil man of this State. He was one of the first operators at Corsicana in 1895. He operated with his brother, James Sharp, under the name of Sharp Brothers, at Corsicana and Spindletop. He afterward became identified with J. S. Cullinan and operated the famous Shoe String Lease. Mr. Sharp, Mr. Cullinan and James Sharp were the chief own- ers of the Producers Oil Company, which had the same owners as The Texas Company, in which com- pany he was one of the board of directors and one of the founders. His mother was Miss Estelle Boughton, a member of a prominent family of Michigan. She maintains her beautiful residence in Houston, but spends the greater part of her time in New York and in Europe. Mr. Sharp's early edu- cation was obtained in the public schools of Hous- ton, later he was a student of the Hill School at Pottstown, Pennsylvania, and then attended the Sheffield Scientific School, Yale University and com- pleted his courses here in the year of 1921. In or- der to learn the oil business from the ground up, and to take in every phase of it, Mr. Sharp worked for several summers in the oil fields with The Texas Company and other oil companies. After his discharge from the army, he worked at West Colum- bia with the Humble Producing Department as driller, helper and at other duties in the fields, and continues to spend a great deal of his time in the oil fields. In November, 1922, he entered the oil well contracting business and did considerable drill- ink in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana. In January, 1924, he sold his contracting business to Gordon Folwell and Dickson. During the develop- ment of the Wortham field he was active here in the interests of the Republic Production Company.

Mr. Sharp enlisted in the World War as a private and was assigned to the 36th Division, and received his training at Camp Bowie, Fort Worth. He went overseas with this division and landed in Brest, France, in June, 1918, and was with the 36th Di- vision during all the time it was at the front, and participated in the battle at Champagne and others where this division was in action. He was dis- charged as second lieutenant of the 133rd Machine Gun Battalion of the 36th Division in June, 1919, and returned to Yale University where he com- pleted his studies.

Mr. Sharp was married in Houston, January 10th, 1923, to Miss Patty H. Lummis, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. F. R. Lummis (deceased), and a mem- ber of a pioneer Texas family. Mr. and Mrs. Sharp have one daughter, Stelle Boughton. Mr. Sharp is a member of the Yale College fraternity, Chi

Phi, Allegro Club, Houston Riding and Polo Club, the Houston Country Club, River Oaks Country Club, Houston Club, the University Club and Christ Episcopal Church.

RCH MACDONALD, capitalist, with offices in the Chronicle Building, came to Hous- ton in 1900 and during the time that he was active, was of the leading timber men in Texas, and now practically retired from active busi- ness, is devoting his time to his own personal affairs. Mr. MacDonald owns 25,000 acres of land in East Texas, also large tracts of timber land in Mexico. He has 350,000,000 feet of timber in the Republic of Mexico and expects to build a paper mill there for the manufacture of paper from the spruce timber which he owns. From 1900 to 1912, Mr. Mac- Donald was actively engaged in the timber business, and operated largely in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Mexico. During this period, he was also engaged in the banking business and was one of the organ- izers of the Union National Bank, National Bank of Commerce and the Bankers Trust Company, which is now known as the Bankers Mortgage Com- pany, and the Texas Trust Company. Mr. Mac- Donald was also a director in the Merchants Na- tional Bank and one of the promoters of this insti- tution. He is a stockholder in the Rice Hotel and many other local projects.

Mr. MacDonald was born in Bay City, Michigan, on September 7th, 1880. His father, Roderick Mac- Donald (deceased since 1910), was a prominent lum- ber man in Michigan, and came to Waco, Texas, in 1900 and was active in the timber business in the Lone Star State until his death. His mother was, prior to her marriage, Miss Mary E. Ramsey, a member of a well known Michigan family; she died in 1919. His education was obtained in the high schools of St. Louis, Colorado Springs and Detroit.

Mr. MacDonald has spent practically all his busi- ness life in the timber business and knows timber as few men know it. From 1898 to 1900 he operated in timber in Arkansas and Louisiana from his head- quarters in St. Louis. After coming to Texas he spent about ten years in fifteen East Texas counties, and knew every saw mill in that country, the amount of timber each mill cut each year, and estimated, inspected and invested. Mr. MacDonald handled 150,000 acres or one billion feet of lumber in East Texas, also much in Louisiana and Mississippi. Mr. MacDonald has always been regarded as a far- sighted business man, with keen perception, and quick and capable judgment. During the time that he was on the board of the Union National Bank, he urged the erection of the Union National Bank Building, and due to his persistence in the matter, the building was erected.

Mr. MacDonald was married at Colorado Springs, October, 1901, to Miss Mae Cassady, a native of Colorado Springs, and a daughter of J. B. Cassady, for many years connected with the Continental Oil Company, and a niece of Senator Harry Cassady, on the budget commission of Colorado. Mr. and Mrs. MacDonald have two residences and divide their time between the two, Bay Ridge and Broodmoor, Colo- rado. Mr. MacDonald is a member of the Houston Country Club, the Houston Club, the Broodmoor Golf Club and the B. P. O. E. He is known through- out the country by timber and lumber men, and

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NEW ENCYCLOPEDIA OF TEXAS

since his timber has been cut, he is devoting his time to his own private business, and in the business world is known as a free lance. He believes in hav- ing and making his friends according to his own ideas of the man, rather than according to his fi- nancial standing. Mr. MacDonald is one of the lead- ing men of Houston, and has contributed his share to make this city the leader in Texas, and he be- lieves that it will continue to grow rapidly as a commercial and shipping center.

J. WALLACE of Houston, for the past several years one of the leading exponents of safety work in the oil fields, has had an interesting career, his work along this line being marked by many unusual features, and has contributed materially to the advancement of the work being done in this field. Mr. Wallace is safety manager of the Humble Oil and Refining Company and the Humble Pipe Line Company, a position which gives him a great opportunity in this field of service. He was also the first presi- dent of the Petroleum Safety Council, and chairman of the petroleum section of the National Safety Council-organizations made up of members from the various major oil companies of Texas, and who combine their interest in safety work in an ef- fort to secure less hazards in the oil fields and pro- tect the safety of the workers. A feature of Mr. Wallace's work is the motion pictures, depicting conditions in the fields that make for accidents, which he makes and shows to the oil fraternity right in the field, suggesting at the same time measures that will lessen this hazard, and also giv- ing "first aid to the injured" suggestions. Since taking charge of this work, the first of January, 1921, Mr. Wallace has made rapid progress along this line, and company records show a decreasing list of accidents, both minor, serious and fatal, and a consequent decrease in money losses. The year 1922, to give a specific figure for illustration, showed that the Humble Refinery operatives lost less time from work, as a result of accidents, than any refinery reporting to the National Safety Council.

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New encyclopedia of Texas, volume 1, Part 110

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