New encyclopedia of Texas, volume 1, Part 150

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

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H. J. L. Stark was united in marriage with Miss Nita Hill of Austin, daughter of the late Dr. Homer Hill of that city. Mrs. Stark was educated at the University of Texas and has interested herself in social and civic affairs. For several years she has served as chairman of the National Committee of the Pi Beta Phi Fraternity that maintains a set- tlement school at Tennessee, which they founded in 1912. Mr. and Mrs. Stark adopted twins, whom they named William H., and Homer B. Hill Stark. Mr. Stark is a member of various civic, social and religious organizations, among which are the Pres- byterian Church, of which he is an elder, chairman of the Central Stadium Committee of the Univer- sity of Texas, Rotary Club, Orange Chamber of Commerce, of which he is past president; director of East Texas Chamber of Commerce and the Phi Gamma Delta, College Fraternity. Few drives for money are undertaken in his section of the State without his contribution of time and money. He has been mentioned for the office of governor and the presidency of the University of Texas. He is a democrat and a power in local and State politics, although he has never sought office for himself. H. J. L. Stark has lived an unselfish life of service for his fellowman and his friends predict a continued brilliant career for him.

OHN L. KEITH, whose activities for almost half a century have identified him with the City of Beaumont, has taken an im- portant part in the commercial life here, and is one of the leading hardware merchants of Texas. Mr. Keith is president of the E. L. Wilson Hardware Company, a firm dating back to 1878, when it was established by E. L. Wilson. The busi- ness was incorporated in 1891, at which time it had already become an integral part of the community, and was a recognized success. The firm is one of the oldest and largest in Texas, and does both a wholesale and retail business. The retail store, located at 321 to 339 Pearl Street, occupies a modern

store building, with 14,400 square feet of floor space, and is complete in every detail. An excellent line of merchandise is featured, the stock includ- ing everything to be found in larger hardware stores. A sporting goods department, with a large and complete stock has also proven popular. The store arrangement is attractive and special atten- tion is given to window and stock display. The ex- ecutive offices of 5,400 square feet of floor space adjoin the retail house, and is located at 235 to 251 Liberty Street, while the warehouse is located on Washington Street between Pearl and Main. The stock here, like that in the retail department, is very complete and a large volume of trade in Beau- mont and in nearby cities is handled through this establishment. Ninety-one thousand three hundred square feet of floor space is used by this department, affording ample room for the efficient arrangement of stock without undue crowding and every effort is made to dispose of the stock in such manner that orders may be filled with dispatch. A branch office and warehouse was established in Houston about twelve years ago. A new building was recently completed for the company in Houston and is lo- cated on Live Oak between Walker and Mckinney. The building has 22,500 square feet of space. The officers of the E. L. Wilson Hardware Company are: John L. Keith, president; E. G. Edson, vice president and general manager, and Charles L. Berly, secre- tary and treasurer. A force of one hundred and fifteen people are employed by the company.

Mr. Keith was born at Sabine Pass, Texas, the twenty-eighth of December, 1860, son of H. C. L. Keith, a native of Alabama, who died in 1869, and Sarah E. LaPorte Keith. Until his death the elder Mr. Keith was a farmer and land owner in Jasper County, Texas, and in 1862 went with the federal government as war tax collector at Sabine Pass and later a steamboat pilot between Beaumont, Sabine Pass and Galveston. The boat that made this run was owned by J. M. Long, father of Mrs. J. L. Keith. Mr. Keith first attended the schools of Sabine Pass, where he lived until 1872, when the family removed to Galveston, after which he at- tended public schools there, until 1876, when he began work in a drug store and other mercantile establishments. Two years later in 1878, he came to Beaumont, and went with the Beaumont Lumber Company, remaining with that firm until 1880, when he went with Long and Company, and also the Long Manufacturing Company. He remained with the Long interests until 1897, when he joined the firm of the E. L. Wilson Hardware Company as secretary and treasurer. A few years later he became presi- dent and general manager, which position he has since held until 1925, when Mr. Edson became gen- eral manager. Mr. Keith has made a big success of the business, building it up along conservative lines.

Mr. Keith was married at Beaumont in 1884 to Miss Ida L. Long, daughter of James M. Long, and Theresa Jackson Long. Mr. and Mrs. Keith have three children, all of whom are associated with their father. Virgil L. Keith, general sales manager, Guy H. Keith, department manager, and Dick L. Keith, in the wholesale department. The family reside at 982 Calder Street, and attend the First Baptist Church of this city. Mr. Keith is a member of the Beaumont Club, Beaumont Country Club, Rotary Club and is director of the First National Bank and

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of the San Jacinto Life Insurance Company. He has always been active in Chamber of Commerce work and for many years served this organization as a director and as president. By the citizens of Beau- mont, Mr. Keith is held in highest esteem, both for his work in commercial affairs, and his participation in all development movements. His career in his home city might briefly be covered by the following quotation written by his fellow citizens: "His fountain of optimism seems always to flow un- ceasingly, and if his efforts to make his town a better place in which to live were tabulated it would make a list reaching from Beaumont to Sabine Pass. None of us ever heard that he was too busy to serve." Mr. Keith has watched the growth of the city, from the small village of half a century ago, to its present greatness, and has done much to help in this growth. He has always been a believer in the future of Beaumont, and foresees for the city a great future.

ILLIAM L. SIMONTON has been actively identified with the commercial interests of Beaumont for more than twelve years, hav- ing come to this city on January 1, 1912. During his residence in Beaumont, Mr. Simonton has been active in most of the civic movements that have brought the city to the forefront of South Texas communities.

Mr. Simonton is the manager for Jefferson Stan- dard Life Insurance Company, one of the leading in- surance companies of the United States. Before coming with this company, Mr. Simonton was dis- trict manager for the Southwestern Bell Telephone Company, and to him is given a large amount of credit for the company's growth and expansion in the Beaumont district.

A native Texan, Mr. Simonton was born at Pat- terson in Waller County, on November 13th, 1887. He is a son of William W. and Alice Eugenia (Wright) Simonton. His father for many years was one of the leading planters and land owners of Wal- ler County. Mr. Simonton received his education in the public and high schools of Houston, and upon leaving school began his career with the Telephone Company, at Houston, on July 21st, 1901. He has a service record of more than two decades, and has worked in each of the three major divisions of tele- phone work, plant, commercial and traffic. His thorough knowledge of the different departments of telephony enabled him as district manager to main- tain a high character of service to the public. After working at Houston for nearly eleven years, Mr. Simonton came to Beaumont as cashier and was promoted to the position of district manager, in 1919, which position he held up to the time of mak- ing his present connections.

On June 14th, 1911, Mr. Simonton was married at Houston to Miss Blanche Adams Joy, daughter of John C. and Fannie C. Joy of Houston. Mr. Joy was a well known builder and contractor. Mr. and Mrs. Simonton have their home at 1233 Liberty Street. Mr. Simonton has served the business in- terests of Beaumont faithfully and well, and as pres- ident of the Young Men's Business League, has been active in fostering many civic movements that have resulted in untold good to the city as a whole. Be- sides his work with the Young Men's Business League, Mr. Simonton is also a director of the Cham-

ber of Commerce. He is a Mason, a member of the Blue Lodge and Scottish Rite bodies, the Elks, Neches Club, and Saint Mark's Club. He is a mem- ber of Saint Mark's Episcopal Church and served as treasurer for one year and junior warden for two years. Pleasant and agreeable, alert to every interest of his company and the community it serves, he is one of the most widely known and popular men in this section of the state.

D. EDWARDS came to Sour Lake, Texas, in 1905, and since that time has been gen- eral superintendent of the Minor Oil Com- pany, with complete charge of the drilling and production of this company in the Sour Lake field. The Minor Oil Company, of which Mr. C. H. Chambers is president, has one hundred and forty acres in the Sour Lake field, on which is located twenty-five producing wells, with a daily produc- tion of about one hundred and ten barrels of oil. An average of fifteen people are employed by this company here. The lease of the Minor Oil Com- pany is one of the oldest in this field, with splendid power plant, and the best of storage facilities. Mr. Edwards has a comfortable home on the lease of the Minor Oil Company, where he and his family reside. He is an oil operator as well as superin- tendent of this company, being one of the oldest and most successful men engaged in this line of business here. He owns some acreage and has been very active in the development of this field. He is also the owner of business property in the city, and has for more than ten years owned and operated the only moving picture show house in Sour Lake. Prior to engaging in the oil business, Mr. Edwards was for fifteen years engaged in farming, ginning and operating threshing machines near Waco, Texas. He entered the oil business with the Minor Oil Company and has continued with this company throughout his career in the oil business, and is one of the most successful men in this bus- iness.

Mr. Edwards was born at Lebanon, Tennessee, on November 2nd, 1867. His father, W. H. Edwards, was for many years engaged in the lumber business in Tennessee and was well known in the business circles of that State. His education was obtained at the various schools of his native State, and after leaving school he was engaged in farming in Ten- nessee and continued in this line of endeavor until he came to Texas in 1886.

Mr. Edwards was married near Waco, Texas, in 1895 to Miss Lola Rock, a native of the Lone Star State and a daughter of W. S. Rock, well known farmer, merchant and hotel owner of Central Texas. They have two children-Zede Donald and Mary Annie. Mr. Edwards is a member of the I. O. O. F. and takes an active interest in this organization. Mr. Edwards is popular with the oil fraternity of South Texas, and is regarded as one of the best men associated with the Minor Oil Company. He takes a great interest in all matters having to do with the progress and advancement of his city, and is regarded as one of the most public spirited cit- izens of Sour Lake. He is held in high esteem by the officials of the Minor Oil Company, and is a man of sound judgment, fully competent to manage the position he holds with the company, and the responsibilities involved.

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EONARD F. BENCKENSTEIN, vice presi- dent and general manager of the Vinton Petroleum Company, is probably one of the best known, as well as one of the most popular oil men in the Gulf Coast oil fields. In 1910 with his associates, Mr. Benckenstein organized the Vinton Petroleum Company with a twenty-acre Gray Lease at Vinton, Louisiana. The capital stock was only eighteen thousand, but the company has pro- duced over twelve million barrels of oil in the last fifteen years, and at the present time has a pro- duction of twenty-six hundred barrels per day. With his associates he recently bought the controlling interest of the Capital Oil Company that brought in a ten thousand barrel gusher at Batson in October, 1925. The other officers of the company are W. H. Stark, president; H. J. L. Stark, treasurer, and C. H. Benckenstein, secretary. Mr. Benckenstein is inter- ested in various other commercial enterprises, and is a member of the board of directors, and vice presi- dent of the First National Bank of Orange; president of the Ged Iron Works at Ged, Louisiana, and has valuable lands in Texas and Louisiana, and valuable oil royalties both in Texas and Louisiana.

Leonard F. Benckenstein was born in Cincinnati, May 15th, 1869, son of J. and Elizabeth (Schwenk- meyer) Benckenstein. J. Benckenstein was engaged in the wholesale boot and shoe business in Cincin- nati, and was one of the leading business men of his day. The family settled in Ohio in 1840, and be- came well known and good citizens in the communi- ties where they resided. Leonard F. received his early education in the public and high schools of Cincinnati. After leaving school he became a trav- eling salesman for his father for eight or nine years, and then engaged in the insurance business for a like period in Cincinnati. He then moved to Detroit where he was engaged in the insurance and stock and bond business. In 1901, while on a duck hunting trip to Corpus Christi, Spindletop field came in and he immediately came to Beaumont. He began operating with Judge Matlock and other associates, and drilled six gushers in the field. By the time the play was over in Spindletop he had become an oil operator for all time, and along with other oil men followed the trend of development through Batson and Sour Lake. He was successful in Sour Lake, where he paid large dividends to his Detroit associates. With a surplus of twenty-five thou- sand dollars he went from Sour Lake to Evange- line, Louisiana, where he was associated with T. H. Bass and Mally Eastham. He drilled the first suc- cessful well here, which came in with twenty-one thousand barrels, and flowed over one million barrels of oil. For a time he operated under the name of Bass and Benckenstein, and later formed the Evangeline Oil Company, Sam Carnes and T. H. Bass being associated in the company with him. He then bought the Port Neches Refinery, and built a pipe line, fifty-four miles from Evangeline to below Breaux Bridge, transporting the oil by river barge so that connections were made with the Mis- sissippi River. In 1905 Mr. Benckenstein came back to the Texas fields and later organized the Vinton Petroleum Company as heretofore set out. During the twenty-five years of his oil operations, Leonard F. Benckenstein has produced over thirty million barrels of oil, which is probably more than any one individual operator in this section of the country

is responsible for.

In 1889 Mr. Benckenstein was united in marriage with Miss Genevieve Peterson, a native of Ohio. The children of this union are: Chas. H., secretary of the Vinton Petroleum Company; Leonard J., a prominent attorney at Beaumont; Alfred G., assist- ant field superintendent of the Vinton Petroleum Company; Stanley P., field superintendent of the Vinton Petroleum Company and John H., law stu- dent at the University of Virginia. On October 8th, 1914, he was united in marriage to Mrs. Louise Sneed, a native of Ohio. The latter had one son by a former marriage, Carroll Sneed, who is em- ployed as a traveling salesman by Norvell-Wilder Hardware Company of Beaumont.

Mr. and Mrs. Benckenstein have a pretty bunga- low in Orange, where they have maintained head- quarters since 1914. They travel a great deal, spend- ing their summers in Rockland, Maine, at the Sam- O-Set Hotel, and the winters in Florida at the Bellevieu Hotel at Belleair. Mr. Benckenstein is a member of the Beaumont, Orange and Lake Charles Country clubs, the Houston Club of Hous- ton and is chairman of the Red Cross Committee in Orange. Throughout a long and busy career as an oil man, Leonard F. Benckenstein has always found time to make friends along the way, and in any gathering of oil men, when the early days of the industry is mentioned the name of Leonard F. Benckenstein is usually brought into the reminis- cence, and always with respect and honor. He is highly regarded in his home community, where he is interested in the civic and general commercial activities and where he is regarded as one of the outstanding citizens of Southeast Texas.

H. COOMBS, Oil Operator and Financier, came to Houston in 1910 as Assistant Gen- eral Freight Agent of the Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railroad, became interested in the oil business and was Secretary-Treasurer and General Manager of the company which brought in the discovery well in Goose Creek. Mr. Coombs was Secretary, Treasurer and General Manager of the West Virginia Oil Company, which drilled the first deep oil well in the Goose Creek field. This well came in on March 28, 1917, and made 9,600 barrels oil the first day. It flowed until July 4, 1917. This company had other producing wells in this field, and is still in existence. The properties of the West Virginia Oil Company were sold to the Majestic Oil Corporation in 1918. J. M. West was President of this company. Mr. Coombs was a partner in the oil firm of West, Coombs and Bennett, and operated in Pine Island, Louisiana, and drilled three produc- ing wells in 1919; they sold this property after the wells came in.

Mr. Coombs was born in Bowling Green, Ken- tucky, September 7, 1872. His father, Dr. S. W. Coombs (deceased) was also a native of Kentucky, and was a well known physician of Bowling Green. His mother was Miss Mattie Hampton, a member of a prominent Kentucky family. His early educa- tion was obtained in the public schools of Bowling Green, and later was a student of Ogden College, Bowling Green, and was a classmate of Walker D. Hines, who was also a cousin of Mr. Coombs.

Mr. Coombs started his business career in the steamboat business as Secretary and Treasurer of the Evansville and Bowling Green Packet Company,

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NEW ENCYCLOPEDIA OF TEXAS

and remained with this company until 1896, when he came to Texas as Commercial Agent of the Mis- souri, Kansas and Texas Railroad. In 1910 he was promoted to Assistant General Freight Agent at Houston, and remained in this position until 1920; at this time he is special representative of the Mis- souri, Kansas and Texas Railroad. Mr. Coombs has been closely connected with the commercial interests of Houston for many years and is a director in the National Bank of Commerce, Vice-President of the Yellow Cab Company, Vice President of the Bender Hotel Operating Company, Treasurer of the Daley- Moffat Hotel Company, who own the Crosby Hotel at Beaumont and the O'Neal Hotel at Palestine, and is the Manager of the West Building at Houston. The West Building, located on one of the best cor- ners of the city, has 205 office rooms, and Mr. Coombs sees that the tenants get the best of service.

Mr. Coombs was married in Bowling Green, Ken- tucky, September 7th, 1895, to Miss Kate Meyler, a member of a prominent family of Bowling Green. Her father, R. J. Meyler (deceased) was President of the Spring Water Distilling Company, and con- nected with various other business enterprises in Bowling Green. They have two daughters, Jose- phine and Virginia. Mr. Coombs is a member of the A. F. and A. M. and the Chapter. He holds membership in the Houston Country Club, the Golf- crest Country Club, of which he is Secretary, the Kerrville Country Club, and the Baptist Church. Mr. Coombs has always been active in the business, social and general community life of Houston, and is optimistic as to the future of the city of his adop- tion.

ARWICK BELL LANDES, owner of the Cement Products Company, 1407 Crockett Street, has been a resident of Beaumont since 1916 and has been in business for him- self in his present line since 1919, when he pur- chased the Cement Products Company and assumed the active management of its business.

The Cement Products Company is the only con- cern of its kind in Beaumont and does a large busi- ness in cement blocks, tile roofing and cement house construction. The company also constructs side- walks, curbs and gutters and concrete driveways and has twenty-five employees in its various de- partments.

In addition to the Cement Products Company Mr. Landes owns a large tin shop for the construction of tin roofs, complete.

A native of Virginia, Mr. Landes was born at Staunton on July 19, 1892, a son of W. H. and Hester (Link) Landes. His father served as mayor of Staunton for twelve years and later represented his district in the state senate. He has been prom- inently identified with the legal profession for many years and is one of the best known attorneys in Staunton.

Young Landes attended the public and high schools at Staunton and later had three years at the Uni- versity of Virginia. He then attended a commer- cial college at Poughkeepsie, New York, and in 1914 came to Texas. He became connected with the Car- ter Lumber Company and was employed at the mill for three years and later at the company's office in Beaumont.

In April, 1917, he volunteered as a naval aviator and received his training at Boston, Mass., and Miami and Pensacola, Florida. He received his com-

mission as ensign and was discharged in December, 1918. It was after his return to Beaumont following the armistice that Mr. Landes purchased the Ce- ment Products Company which he has developed into a splendid, paying business.

On August 17, 1918, Mr. Landes was married at Miami, Florida, to Miss Eleanor Carter, daughter of E. A. Carter, of the Carter Lumber Company of Houston. Mr. and Mrs. Landes have one daugh- ter, Eleanor Wallace. Their home is at 409 Joachim Street.

Mr. Landes is actively interested in civic affairs and is a member of the Beaumont Rotary Club and the Round Table Club. He is easily one of the most popular of the younger business men of Beaumont and is rapidly forging to the forefront in the busi- ness world.

RCHIE R. WILLARD came to Beaumont around a decade ago and since that time has taken an active part in the commercial life of the city, establishing one of the largest tile and marble companies in this section. Mr. Wil- lard is owner of the Beaumont Tile and Marble Com- pany, the only firm in Beaumont engaged in the selling and setting of tile and marble. This business was established in the early part of 1914, shortly after Mr. Willard came to Beaumont, and has been very successful, establishing a business not only local, but handling a large volume of tile and marble setting and selling in Port Arthur and the adjoin- ing territory. Mr. Willard has a large and complete stock, maintaining his office and warehouse at 840 Bonham Street, and does all kinds of tile and marble work, including the building of store fronts, bank interiors, the setting of tile and marble floors, and residence work.

Mr. Willard was born in Salem, Oregon, the twen- tieth of September, 1888, the son of Mr. and Mrs. J. E. Willard, of Salem. The elder Mr. Willard for many years has had two businesses, a grocery business and a cigar business in Salem, and is well known there. Mr. Willard was educated in the pub- lic schools of Salem, and after his graduation from high school went to Portland, Oregon, where he learned the tile and marble business under experts, and became one of the most expert workmen in that business. Later he came to Beaumont and estab- lished his present business, and although since he has established his business here four or five like businesses have been established, they have dis- posed of their interests, and he is the only one in the city engaging successfully in the tile and marble business.

Mr. Willard was married at Spokane, Washing- ton, the twenty-fourth of December, 1908, to Miss Amy Dungey, daughter of Thomas Dungey, who for many years has been in the mining business in the Northwest. Mr. and Mrs. Willard reside at 912 Avenue E and have one child, Levona. Mr. Wil- lard is a member of the Rotary Club, and is a Mason, York Rite, and a member of El Mina Temple Shrine at Galveston. He has many friends at Beaumont, who have watched the development of his business with interest. He takes a deep interest in the up- building of Beaumont, and has been active in civic work since coming to this city. Mr. Willard has es- tablished an enviable reputation in the field of marble and tile work, and is known in Beaumont and throughout this section for his expert work.

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New encyclopedia of Texas, volume 1, Part 150

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