New encyclopedia of Texas, volume 1, Part 130

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

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Mr. and Mrs. Schenberger had an ideal married life and their home at 1920 Caroline was one of those delightful places in which it was a joy to visit, as well as live. They had one son, Clyde Sylvanus Schenberger, who, like his father, is an oil operato1 in the Gulf Coast fields, where he has a wide and favorable acquaintance. He is a member of Holland Lodge and a life member of Arabia Temple Shrine, His father, the subject of this sketch, was also an honored member of the Masonic Lodge, a Knight Templar Mason since 1861, and his membership was transferred from Council Grove, Kansas, to Holland Lodge No. 1, at Houston.

Mr. Schenberger died the seventeenth day of No- vember, 1919, in Fort Worth, and was buried in Glenwood Cemetery, Houston. He was not only one of the most successful of the individual operators, and a creditable member of the oil fraternity, but was one of the most progressive business men of the city. A man of high intellectual attainments and sterling character, there was ever associated with his name an integrity that was one of his most cherished assets. He made friends easily, being of a genial nature, and to these friendship he was al- ways true, and ready at any time to go out of his way to do a favor or a kindness. His death was deeply felt by these friends, as well as his business associates, and he will be remembered for many years to come for his many likable attributes.

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MEN OF TEXAS

REDERICK WILLIAM HEITMANN. In re- lating the progress of Houston from a primitive village on the banks of the bayou to the city of today, the name of Frederick William Heitmann plays a most prominent part. To the pioneers of those by-gone days who faced hard- ships and discomforts to pave the way for the later generations, too much homage cannot be paid, and to none of these pioneers goes more credit than to Frederick W. Heitmann.

Frederick William Heitmann was born in Pots- dam, near Berlin, Germany, on the fifth day of June, 1828, the son of Henry and Caroline Heitmann. At the age of nineteen young Heitmann, in company with his brother, Carl, came to America. After a period of three years spent in New York City learn- ing the language and the ways of this country, he made a trip to Texas, and liking the country decided to locate in Houston, which at this time was in its infancy. He soon secured employment as a clerk in a store kept by Alexander Simon, where he remained for a period of three years. During this time by carefully saving his earnings he was able to go into business in a small way, choosing the cotton business as his first venture. He remained in this business with good success until the opening of the war. At this time, the cotton business, as well as all others, went to pieces and Mr. Heitmann filled in the troublous years from 1861 to 1865 doing whatever came to hand, part of the time filling small local offices, and part of the time being occu- pied with private pursuits. After the close of the war Mr. Heitmann again engaged in the cotton busi- ness, continuing in this line until going into the hardware business. Mr. Heitmann was one of the first to engage in the hardware business in Houston, and from a small beginning Mr. Heitmann saw his business grow to one of the largest in the city, and the splendid business of F. W. Heitmann Company stands today as a monument to the ideals and dreams of a man who had the business ability to make his dreams come true.

Frederick William Heitmann was married in Houston, March 26th, 1856, to Miss Mary Mathilde Erhard, a native of Plainfield, New Jersey, who came to Houston in 1839 with her parents, Peter Erhard and Therese Barbara Erhard. She was a sister to Captain Peter H. Erhard (deceased), a prominent cotton man of Galveston, who served as captain in the Civil War. Captain Erhard was married to Agnes Frederick, daughter of Julius Frederick, with whom Captain Erhard was in the cotton business. Mr. and Mrs. Heitmann had three children, Therese Caroline, wife of Edward Loren- zen (deceased), who was a prominent and successful business man of Houston; Frederick A. Heitmann and Peter, who died at the age of eleven. After the death of Frederick William Heitmann the business was successfully carried on by the family, Mrs. Ed- ward Lorenzen serving as active vice president and the son, Frederick A. Heitmann, as president.

On October 3rd, 1889, Frederick William Heit- mann passed away, but his good deeds, high ideals and his sturdy faith in the future of his city will go on forever.

DWARD LORENZEN-In the history of the Houston of the seventies, the name of Edward Lorenzen stands out preeminently as one of the most public spirited citizens

of that time that called for the best that was in

every man. Closely associated as he was with the history making events of that time, he took a prominent part in directing and shaping the destinies of the young city, and was a leader in every activity for the betterment of the community. Mr. Lorenzen was that rare type of public spirited men whose private interests were but another means of serving his community, and he was never too tired, never too busy, to answer any call that was made upon him. The brief period that he was identi- fied with the progress of the day, a period cut short in his early manhood, left its imprint on the life of the growing community, and the name of Edward Lorenzen has ever stood for love of city and his fellowmen.

Edward Lorenzen was born in Germany, the twenty-second of May, 1846. He came to the Unit- ed States at the age of twenty-one years, going to Baltimore, Maryland, in 1869, then to New York City, where he spent one year, and in 1872, came to Houston. Almost one of his first acts after ar- riving in this city was to establish one of the first furniture stores to be opened here. This business he continued to operate for the five years before his death. Familiar with the soundest principles of business operation and enjoying the absolute con- fidence of the public, he met with an assured pros- perity, his influence greatly affecting the industry of his city. Notwithstanding his close application to business, he took a deep interest in all that af- fected the welfare and development of the com- munity.

Mr. Lorenzen was married at Houston, the four- teenth of December, 1875, to Miss Therese Caroline Heitmann, daughter of F. W. Heitmann, pioneer hardware man of this city. Mr. Heitmann was one of the real builders of the city, much that he did in a business way directly influencing the prosperity of the community. He was active in all civic affairs, a generous contributor to every worthy cause, and always ready to lend a helping hand, whether to a business associate, or friend, or one who appealed to him without even a claim to his interest. The firm of F. W. Heitmann, Inc., which he established early in the history of the city, grew as the young city grew, keeping pace with the prosperity of the surrounding territory, and became an integral part of the community life. Mr. Heitmann continued the operation of this establishment until his death, each year finding the business keeping pace with the growth of the city. After his death the operation of the business was continued by his family, his daughter, Mrs. Edward Lorenzen, taking an active part in the management of the firm, and serving as active vice president; a son, F. A., is president.

Mr. and Mrs. Lorenzen had two children, Ma- thilde, wife of L. G. Hester, well known business man of Houston, and who has two children, Maud Gray and Fred W. Hester; and Hortense L. Renn, also of Houston, and who has four children: Philip, Robert, W. B., Junior, and Mary Catherine.

Mr. Lorenzen died at his home in Houston, fol- lowing a brief illness that began during the big storm of 1877, his death occurring on the twelfth of December, 1877. A young man, just thirty-one at the time of his death, his career held unusual promise, and he had already won many distinctions in the business world.

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F. W. HEITMANN

MRS. F. W. HEITMANN

NEW ENCYCLOPEDIA OF TEXAS

AMES C. KELSO. For many years James C. Kelso, pioneer of Galveston, was not only a factor in the industrial world, building up a large and successful enterprise, but was active in every line of civic endeavor, giving his support and enthusiasm to every movement that would benefit Galveston. Mr. Kelso was one of those rare individuals, safe, sane and sensible, whose coolness may be counted upon in any emergency, and the soundness of whose judgment could be re- lied upon. A man of the self-made type, of sterling integrity, he had a genius for handling large under- takings. An executive of real ability, Mr. Kelso was familiar with every phase of his great contract- ing and construction business, and few men in an executive capacity have his practical knowledge of the operation of their business. Further, he knew men, and although he employed hundreds of men on his various construction jobs, it was a rare thing that he had trouble with them.

James C. Kelso was born at Galveston, the elev- enth of April, 1870, the son of M. C. and Kathryn Kelso. He was educated in Galveston, attending private schools, and held various positions until 1895, when he went in the teaming and contracting business. Mr. Kelso was very successful in this field, and soon had all that he could do, his busi- ness growing rapidly, and in the course of several years becoming one of the largest in Galveston. Then came the storm of 1900, wiping out completely the business which Mr. Kelso had established, and leaving him, as it did so many others, penniless. But the indomitable spirit that had enabled Mr. Kelso to build up his first success prevailed, and a few months after the storm he re-established the business, and again in a short period of time had built it up until it was one of the largest teaming and contracting businesses here. During the en- suing years Mr. Kelso handled many paving and road building contracts, contracts for sidewalk lay- ing and teaming contracts, both in Galveston and Houston, and other towns of this section. He built the sidewalks and the beach boulevard, handled the paving contracts on many miles of paving in Galves- ton, and did much of the important work in this line here, remaining active in this business until his death. At the time of his death Mr. Kelso was working on a gravel road job at Victoria, a four hundred thousand dollar job, which Mrs. Kelso took over and finished, proving herself a business woman of unusual capabilitiy, for she not only completed the contract in a manner reflecting much credit on herself as to workmanship, but made money on it. After Mrs. Kelso finished the Victoria job she took her brother-in-law, W. A. Kelso, as a partner, and continued the business until 1917, when she sold out to him. During the time she operated the busi- ness she handled many important contracts, includ- ed in which was the paving of the Galveston cause- way.

Mr. Kelso was married at Galveston in 1891, to Miss Maggie O'Mara, the daughter of Arthur O'Mara, for many years in city employ at Galves- ton, and Emily O'Mara. Mr. and Mrs. Kelso had a family of five children, Mrs. J. Kenney, James C. Kelso, Jr., Mrs. J. C. Hunter, Harry B. and Roy, who at the age of four was drowned in the 1900 storm. Since Mr. Kelso's death Mrs. Kelso has continued to reside at 1328 M1/2 Street, the family home for a

number of years. Mrs. Kelso is not only a woman of social and home making graces, but is a business woman of real ability. Throughout her husband's lifetime she took a deep interest, aiding him in every way to build up the business success that he did, en- couraging him in all his plans, and thus becoming familiar with his business aims and ideals. When his death, on the eleventh of October, 1912, came, she was ready to take his place at the head of his business and fulfill the contracts he had made. She has also made real estate investments at Galveston, and owns some ten good residences, from which she receives a good income from the rents.

Mr. Kelso was that type of patriotic and public spirited citizen who is always ready to help in any way possible where the welfare of the public is con- cerned, and while he was primarily a business man, few men have done more to insure the prosperity of Galveston, and he will always hold a place of honor on the list of the builders of this city.

RANK Y. LOW, while a resident of Port Arthur for only a few years, yet left the imprint of his well lived life on the com- mercial, industrial and social activties of the city.

As the founder, president and general manager of the People's Gas Company, Inc., he gave his best efforts for the good of his community. His ambition was to devote all surplus earnings of the company to improve and extend the property over the entire city, and to this end he devoted his life.

Mr. Low was born at Taylorsville, Illinois, on October 18th, 1876. His father, Samuel A. Low, also a native of Illinois, was a well known business man of that state. Mr. Low's education was ob- tained at the Chicago high school and the Armour Institute of Technology, where he was a student in electrical engineering. Soon after leaving col- lege Mr. Low began his business career as an elec- trical engineer, and worked in practically every portion of the United States, following principally the construction and operation of public utilities. In his travels throughout the country Mr. Low looked for a permanent location and picked Port Arthur as the city with a great future. Along with his interests in the People's Gas Company he was president and general manager of the Arkansas and Missouri Power Company, with offices at Blytheville, Arkansas, and on May 1st, 1924, he purchased the Missouri Power Company, with head- quarters at St. Genevieve, Missouri.

Mr. Low was married at Davenport, Iowa, on March 17th, 1905, to Miss Elizabeth M. Dueser, a native of Iowa and a member of a well known family of that state. They had two sons, Frank Dean Low, thirteen years of age, and Frederick Stewart, deceased. He was a member of the Armour Tech chapter of Phi Kappa Sigma and of various civic and social organizations. Mrs. Low resides in Port Arthur, where she is active in the community af- fairs, women's clubs and the Episcopal Church.

On April 13th, 1925, Frank Y. Low passed away. Upon his death Port Arthur lost one of its most public spirited citizens, one who had worked for the advancement of the city with untiring zeal, one who always saw the bright side of any question and one who had unbounded faith in its growth and development.

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MEN OF TEXAS

HERESE C. HEITMANN LORENZEN is a member of one of the oldest Texas families, her father, Frederick William Heitmann having come to Texas and located in Hous- ton in the early fifties. For a time he worked in a mercantile establishment, later going into the cot- ton business, which he continued for a number of years. He later went into the hardware business, establishing the F. W. Heitmann Company, which has since grown to be one of the leading hardware establishments in South Texas. He died on Octo- ber 3rd, 1889. Mrs. Lorenzen's mother was also a pioneer Texan. Her maiden name was Mary Ma- thilde Erhard, whose parents, Peter and Therese Barbara Erhard, came to Houston in 1839. She was a sister of Captain Peter H. Erhard (deceased), a prominent cotton man of Galveston who served as a captain in the Civil War. She was a society belle of those pioneer days of Houston, and was acquaint- ed with Sam Houston and many of those pioneer citizens whose names have figured so prominently in Texas history. She was married to Frederick William Heitmann, March 26th, 1856. There were three children, Frederick A., now a prominent busi- ness man of Houston; Peter, who died at the age of eleven, and Therese Caroline, the subject of this sketch, who later married Edward Lorenzen, de- ceased.

Mrs. Lorenzen has made her home in Houston all her life, and has a wide circle of acquaintances, par- ticularly among the old pioneers. She owns ex- tensive interests in Houston business property, and has a merited place in the chronicles of Houston his- tory. The old family home at 1116 Dallas Ave- nue, where she resides, which when it was built was one of the finest residences of the city, is fast being swallowed up by the Houston skyscrapers, which are encroaching upon that section, but she prefers the old familiar surroundings to the more exclusive residential districts.

M RS. EDGAR ODELL LOVETT has had an active part in the educational, art and mu- sic circles of Houston since coming to this city nearly a score of years ago with her husband, Dr. Lovett, president of Rice Institute. She has been a leader and ardent worker in behalf of greater art culture in her adopted city, and has been a leader in many of the society and club ac- tivities in which the women of Houston are inter- ested, and a brief account of her career is well deserving of a place in the chronicling of Houston- ians who accomplish things worth while.

Mrs. Lovett is a descendant of an old and hon- ored American family. Her maiden name was Mary Ellen Hale. She was born at Mayfield, Kentucky. Her parents were Col. Henry S. Hale and Virginia Adelaide (Gregory) Hale. Her father, Col. Hale, was a native of Kentucky, born May 4th, 1836. He served on the staff of Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest in the Seventh Kentucky Regiment, was wounded and left for dead on the Harrisburg battle field, but a comrade rescued him and he recovered and return- ed to his command. Col. Hale, after the war, be- came very prominent in both social and political activities in Kentucky. He was the founder of the First National Bank of Mayfield, and was its presi- dent for a great many years. He was also presi- dent of the Woolen Mills in Mayfield, Kentucky. He

served as State senator in the Kentucky legislature from 1871 to 1875, and was state treasurer of Ken- tucky from 1890 to 1896. They were leaders in so- cial as well as business affairs in Kentucky, and Col. Hale contributed freely to charitable institu- tions and the Christian Church, of which he was a devout member. The Hale mansion, typical of the architecture of the old South, was the center of many enjoyable social gatherings, for Col. Hale was the true type of that grand old chivalry and gallantry of which the Southern colonels are so well known. Col. Hale died July 24th, 1922. Mrs. Lovett's mother, Virginia Adelaide Gregory, was a native of Mississippi, born in 1843. She was a finely educated woman, a graduate of the first woman's college in the South, which was located at Columbus, Mississippi. Her father, Henry Gregory, was a well known planter of Mississippi, who came to the South from Cooperstown, New York, in the early thirties. Her mother was Eliza Bell, whose parents, James and Ellen (Kennedy) Bell, were na- tives of Ireland, she having come to America in 1820.

Mrs. Lovett received her academic education in West Kentucky College at Mayfield, and while at- tending college she met Dr. Lovett, and a romance began, which culminated in her marriage to Dr. Lovett, who was a former teacher of mathematics in that institution. Mrs. Lovett became highly edu- cated in arts and is an accomplished musician, hav- ing specialized in piano and voice. Since coming to Houston she has been actively interested in the development of this city as an art center. She became a member of the board of directors of the Houston Art League in 1914, and with the excep- tion of two years has been on this board continu- ously since that day. The name of this league has since been changed to the Houston Museum of Fine Arts, of which she is at present serving as a mem- ber of its board of trustees.

Mrs. Lovett is a real connoisseur of art. She has traveled extensively abroad, and is thoroughly fa- miliar with the masterpieces of art, and all the famous galleries and museums in the ar't centers of Europe. During 1908 and 1909 she toured the world with her husband, when Dr. Lovett made this journey to study educational institutions, archi- tecturally and otherwise to better qualify himself for the building of Rice Institute, of which he had become president. Mrs. Lovett has made a number of more recent trips abroad. She accompanied her daughter, Adelaide, while a student at the Uni- vrsity of Paris, and more recently spent several months in the European art centers.

Mrs. Lovett is a member of the Daughters of the Confederacy, is eligible for the Daughters of the Revolutionary War, and the War of 1812, her direct ancestors having borne arms in both of these wars. Although taking a very prominent part in women's activities, Mrs. Lovett has not been neg- lectful of her domestic duties. Much of her life has been spent in rearing and educating her three children, whose names are mentioned in a previous article. Mrs. Lovett has a very engaging personality; she impresses one as a person who has a real purpose in life, with the will to accomplish that purpose, and her greatest ambition is to gather and perpetuate the beautiful things of life and to inspire more people to learn and love the beautiful.

842

Therese C. Lorenzen

NEW ENCYCLOPEDIA OF TEXAS

OHN FRANKLIN KESSLER-Among the pioneers and builders of Houston there are few names that stand higher than that of John Franklin Kessler, who came to this city in 1875, when Houston was just emerging from the confusion of the reconstruction period, and was thereafter a leader in civic and commercial affairs. Mr. Kessler gave many years from a busy life for the advancement of his home community and in the prosperity of the city, which has been so closely allied with his own prosperity, he found his greatest delight. He occupied a high place in the business world of his time and was considered one of those merchants who make their influence felt in many ways. He encouraged higher business standards, fair competition, as a medium of business building and civic advancement, and was one of the first mer- chants of his city to take this stand. To him Hous- ton represented more than a place to make a living, it was his home, a city with a future, and he stood ready at all times to make it a city that all would be proud to claim as a home. The association of his name with all movements for the advancement of his community, and his active support of such activities, places his name among the real builders of the city, and Houston today is proud to accord to him this honor.

John Franklin Kessler was a native Texan, his birthplace being in Colorado County, where he was born the thirty-first of July, 1850. His father, Charles Kessler, came to Texas in 1837, locating first in Houston and later in Alleytown, Colorado County, where for many years he had a large vine- yard and became well known as a wine maker. His mother, before her marriage, Miss Hannah Blasey, was a native of Philadelphia. Mr. Kessler attended school at Columbus in Colorado County, and later in Houston. After leaving school he spent several years with his father, near Columbus. In 1875 he came to Houston, establishing a business of his own, in a small way. The grocery store which he opened in that year, at 1801 Houston Avenue, at the corner of Crockett Street, he continued to occupy for the ensuing thirty years, gradually growing and expand- ing, as the rapidly growing city and an ever in- creasing patronage demanded. At the time of his retirement in 1912, this store was one of the lead- ing grocery establishments in the city, and had made him quite a fortune.

Mr. Kessler was married in Alleytown, the twenty-eighth of July, 1872, to Miss Annie Kauf- man, a native of Germany, who came to the United States as a child to make her home with her aunt in Colorado County. Mr. and Mrs. Kessler had one child, a daughter, Emma, wife of T. K. Dixon, prominent business man and banker of Houston, and who has one child, a son, T. K., Junior, a graduate of the Houston High School and a student at Rice Institute.

Shortly after his retirement, in 1912, Mr. Kessler built a fine new home at 3602 Main Street, where his death occurred nearly a decade later, November 25th, 1921, and where his widow now resides. He was seventy-one years old at the time of his death, and of this sturdy pioneer it may well be said that these were years well spent. His duties as a citizen he took seriously, and gave as freely as he received that Houston might achieve greatness. He took an active interest in Houston's political

affairs and served for two terms as alderman. In his declining years it gave him much pleasure to go about the city, so familiar to him, yet so different from the Houston he had come to almost half a century before, when it was a little town of log cabins and huts, and feel that in this great growth and prosperity he had taken a part. The memory of his life, so closely associated with the progress of Houston, is today an inspiration to many of the young men of the city, and suggestive of the achievement possible for a business man who holds to his ideals.

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New encyclopedia of Texas, volume 1, Part 130

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