New encyclopedia of Texas, volume 1, Part 62

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

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Captain Thompson was born in Rusk County, Texas, the fourteenth of February, 1875. His father, J. M. Thompson, was one of the pioneer lumber men of Texas, and prominent in the early days of our State. He came here in 1833 with Sam Houston, from Georgia. Captain Thompson's mother, prior to her marriage, Miss Emma Holt, was a native of Tennessee, her people being prominently identified with that State, and the battle of Franklin was fought on her father's farm. Captain Thompson attended Dr. Alexander's Private School, at Kilgore, Texas, and later Austin College, at Sherman, Texas. He left school in 1891 and went in the lumber busi- ness, meeting with phenominal success, and organ- ized at various times during the twenty-five years he spent in this industry the following firms: Thompson Brothers Lumber Company; Thomp- son-Ford Lumber Company; Texas Long Leaf Lumber Company and the Rock Creek Lumber Com- pany. He still retains his interest in these busi- nesses, but is not active in them. Captain Thomp- son also served two terms in the State Legislature, having a seat in the Thirty-Sixth and Thirty-Sev- enth Legislatures.

Captain Thompson was married at Sherman, the twenty-first of June, 1898, to Miss Helen Kerr, who is a sister of the wife of Dr. Vinson, President of the University of Texas. Her father, John S. Kerr, of Sherman, is a noted authority on horticulture. Captain and Mrs. Thompson have two sons, Lewis, who was a Major in the Artillery at Princeton, and graduated with honors in the class of 1923 at that institution, and is now with the Chemical National Bank of New York, and Ben, a senior in the Uni- versity of Virginia, Captain of the La Crosse and member of the football team.

Captain Thompson is Lieutenant Colonel in the Reserve Corps, Major in the National Guard, In- spector General of the 36th Division, and belongs to the Houston Club, the Houston Country Club, the University Club, and the Lumberman's Club. He is a member of the First Presbyterian Church.

313

MEN OF TEXAS

HOMAS J. DONOGHUE, pioneer oil man, has had an experience which extends over every phase of the oil industry; he was one of the organizers of the Texas Company and is the only present official who has been with this company since its organization. Mr. Donoghue is the leading executive of this company in Texas and is a director and a member of the executive committee. The Texas Company, organized in 1902, is not only one of the major oil corporations of the entire United States, but is also one of the largest capitalized corporations in any line of business oper- ating successfully under a charter from the state of Texas and is, in fact, what the charter implies-a Texas Company. The capital stock of the Texas Company is $164,450,000.00 and a surplus of $94,- 476,396.00 in 1922. Payment of stock and cash dividends by the Texas Company have amounted to $116,787,000.00 since the company's organization. The cash dividend declarations ranged from a ten per cent cash payment of $165,000.00 in 1903 to a 12 per cent payment of $19,734,000.00 in 1922. The Texas Company has appropriated $10,000,000.00 to extend its refineries in 1923. Twenty-seven thou- sand people are in the organization of the Texas Company; about ten thousand of whom are in Texas. The payroll of the Texas Company amounts to $100,- 000.00 per day. The daily production of this com- pany, exclusive of their Mexican production, is about sixty thousand barrels. The Texas Company have eight large refineries, three of which are located in Texas. They own two thousand miles of pipe line and about eight hundred oil stations. The Texas Company has done a great deal for Texas and in turn Texas has done a great deal for the Texas Company. Their magnificent building erected in Houston is one of the finest buildings in South Texas, is thirteen stories in height and is occupied entirely by the Texas Company. Mr. Amos L. Beaty, New York, is president of the Texas Company and E. C. Lufkin is chairman of the board.

Mr. Donoghue was born at Titusville, Pennsyl- vania, May 13th, 1869. His father, C. C. Donoghue, a native of Pennsylvania, was one of the early re- finers of that state. His mother was Miss Catherine M. Goodwin, a member of a pioneer Pennsylvania family. Mr. Donoghue was educated in the schools of Titusville and Bradford, Pennsylvania. Mr. Dono- ghue was born in an atmosphere of the oil indus- try. His father being in the refining business, it was only natural that he should enter this line of endeavor and when fifteen years of age he entered the employ of the Standard Oil at Bradford, Penn- sylvania, and was in the pipe line and purchasing departments of this company until 1901 when he came to Corsicana, Texas, with J. S. Cullinan and he remained at Corsicana for one year. In 1902 he went to Beaumont and was one of the organizers of the Texas Company there and in 1908, the offices and headquarters were moved to Houston.

Mr. Donoghue was married at Bradford, Pennsyl- vania, December 15th, 1896, to Miss Mary E. Sulli- van, a member of a well known Pennsylvania family. They have three children, Francis J. and Gerald T., who are away at college, and Mary Catherine, with parents. Mr. and Mrs. Donoghue reside at 17 Court- land Place. Mr. Donoghue has interests in various commercial enterprises in Houston and is a director

in several of the subsidiaries of the Texas Company. Mr. Donoghue is a member of the Houston Country Club, the Houston Club and the Houston Chamber of Commerce and has served as a director in this organization. He takes an active part in all move- ments having as their object the progress and ad- vancement of Houston, where he is regarded as one of the city's most public-spirited citizens.

ILLIAM N. SANGSTER came to Houston, Texas, from Phoenix, Arizona, in 1917, as assistant general auditor of the Kirby Lum- ber Company, remaining in this position until 1921, when he was made assistant general- manager. The Kirby Lumber Company, of which John H. Kirby, one of the developers of the lumber industry of Texas, is president, is one of the largest lumber companies in the United States. Thousands of people are employed in various capacities of the many branches of this organization. Many millions of dollars are invested in Texas by the Kirby Lum- ber Company in timber and mills, the finished product of which is shipped to practically every section of the United States, and to European mar- kets. Mr. Sangster started his career in the busi- ness world with the Santa Fe Railroad, when a very young man, and from 1905 to 1913 he was in the service of this company as traveling auditor and his territory at various times extended from Albu- querque, New Mexico, to San Francisco, California. He was later made secretary of the Arizona State Corporation Commission with headquarters at Phoe- nix, Arizona. He remained in this position until he came to Houston and with the Kirby Lumber Company.

Mr. Sangster was born at St. Andrews, Quebec, Canada, on January 16th, 1887, but was brought to the United States by his parents when five years of age. His parents, George Sangster and Jane (Lindsay) Sangster, were both natives of Canada, where they were members of well known families. They now reside in Ormstown, Quebec, Canada. His education was obtained in the public and high schools of Monticello, Indiana, where he graduated from the latter school.

Mr. Sangster was married at Denver, Colorado, on November 3rd, 1915, to Miss Gertrude Gardner, a native of Illinois and a member of a well known and pioneer family of that state. They have one son-William N. Sangster, Jr., four years of age. Mr. and Mrs. Sangster reside at 3415 Audubon Place. Mr. Sangster is a member of the A. F. and A. M., with membership in Blue Lodge of Houston and has attained the 32nd degree in the Scottish Rite bodies of this Order and is a Shriner of Arabia Temple, Houston. He is also a member of the River Oaks Country Club and other of the city's social and civic organizations. Since coming to Houston, Mr. Sangster has taken an active interest in the business and social life of this city, and has made a host of friends here. As assistant gen- eral manager of the Kirby Lumber Company he has established a commendable record in lumber cir- cles, and has had much to do with the success of this company during the period he has been con- nected with it. He takes a keen interest in the civic affairs of Houston and is ready at all times to give of his time and means to any project having as its object the progress and advancement of this city.

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NEW ENCYCLOPEDIA OF TEXAS

OLLIN H. SPENCER, for two decades, has been allied with the implement and ve- hicle business at Houston, attaining the reputation of a merchant of experience with success in his line. He devotes his energies not alone to his private business interests, but to the advancement of his community. In 1907 Mr. Spencer established the South Texas Implement and Machinery Company, of which he has since been president and general manager. This firm, one of the largest in the city, has made a continuous record of growth along progressive lines, and, by the ap- plication of Mr. Spencer's business ideals, has be- come known as a firm at all times reliable and pleas- ant to deal with. The firm are dealers and dis- tributors for farm implements, wagons, engines, road and building contractors' machinery, such as road graders, road maintainers, tractors, gasoline engines, oil engines, ditchers, excavators, spring wagons, buggies, harness and scales. They also specialize in Fordson equipment for both farming and industrial purposes. The South Texas Imple- ment and Machinery Company sells to the whole- sale and retail trade, maintaing, also, a branch at Beaumont, and covers the entire southern part of the State. They are located on North San Jacinto Street, at North Wood, the plant having more than a hundred thousand square feet of floor space. Twenty-five employees in the house, and three sales- men on the road are required to take care of the business of the company. N. B. Pelton is vice-presi- dent of the company, J. T. Evants, secretary, and J. D. Spencer, treasurer. The show rooms are lo- cated at 601-7 Preston Avenue.

Prior to the establishment of the South Texas Implement and Machinery Company, Mr. Spencer had been for more than a decade connected with the implement business, first at Minneapolis, Minne- sota, and, later, at Houston, with the International Harvester Company. He has been active in civic development, serving as County Commissioner, Pre- cinct No. 1, appointed in 1919, to which he was elected in 1920 and re-elected in 1922. Since assum- ing this office Mr. Spencer has been responsible for four hundred miles of fine roads in his precinct. Mr. Spencer is a director of the Joint Stock Land Bank, and director of the Gibraltar Savings and Building Association, and the Houston Agricultural Credit Association.

Mr. Spencer was born at Minneapolis, Minnesota, the fifteenth of October, 1875, son of W. Q. Spencer, now retired, and who came to Texas in 1905. Mr. Spencer was educated in the public schools of Min- neapolis, graduating from the High School there. He then attended Stanford University, graduating with the A. B. Degree, class of 1898. He has since been identified with the implement business.

Mr. Spencer was married at Council Bluff, Iowa, in 1903, to Miss Flora Besley, a native of Illinois, and raised in Iowa. They make their home in Hous- ton, 3703 Travis Street, and have three children, William, Winifred and Jean.

J. SMITH for the past decade has been identified with the life and progress of the busy city of Houston, taking an important part in the development of the butter manu- facturing industry and produce business. The Texas Creamery Company, of which Mr. Smith is Presi- dent and General Manager, was established by him

in 1914, with a small plant, affording only three thousand square feet of floor space, and four em- ployees. The decade of progress that has marked the time since its organization, has seen this busi- ness develop and expand until it is the largest plant of its kind in the State. The Texas Creamery Com- pany occupies a modern, four-story brick building, with one hundred thousand square feet of floor space, equipped with the most modern machinery, and employing a hundred people in its operation. They make 'butter only, their brand, "Morning Glory," finding an extensive market, and being rec- ognized for its superior quality. They use pure cream only in the manufacture of "Morning Glory" butter, and put on the market a full carload daily. The plant is valued at over five hundred thousand dollars. He has a modern cold storage plant, with thirty thousand square feet of floor space. Mr. Smith ships butter and eggs to points throughout South Texas, Louisiana, Old Mexico, Cuba and South America.

Mr. Smith was born at Winfield, Kansas, in 1888, the son of William A. and Kathryn Smith. His father is engaged in the creamery and produce busi- ness in Kansas, and after graduating from the high school at his native city, Mr. Smith began with his father and spent a number of years in association with him in this business. He came to Texas, in 1914, and organized the present company.

Mr. Smith was married in Kansas in 1910, to Miss Amelia Eastman, daughter of an implement dealer of that State. Mr. and Mrs. Smith have made their home in Houston since Mr. Smith's business activi- ties have been centered here, and live at 606 Hatha- way Street. They have three children, A. J., Junior, Vincent and Leota.

P. SWISHER, for a number of years iden- tified with the implement trade in the Lone Star State, became a citizen of Houston several years ago, and since his arrival in this city has been a factor in implement merchandis- ing. The Houston Implement Company, Incorpo- rated, was established in 1921 with Mr. Swisher as President, and A. H. Wiggins, Treasurer, Secretary and Manager. The firm, located at 525 Preston Avenue, occupies two floors of a modern building, fifty by one hundred feet. They handle all classes of farm implements, tractors and farming tools. An extensive trade has been built up, dependability be- ing a feature of the stock of the Houston Imple- ment Company. The firm employs three salesmen.

Mr. Swisher was born in Denton County, Texas, in 1876, son of A. P. Swisher, a native of Missis- sippi. He was educated in the public schools of his native county, and after finishing his education en- tered the implement trade as a salesman for the P. and O. Company, of Dallas, traveling throughout the State, and the adjoining States of New Mexico and Louisiana. After eleven years with this firm Mr. Swisher removed to Houston, and with A. H. Wig- gins, established a business of his own.

Mr. Swisher was married at Denton, Texas, in 1900, to Miss Ermine Gotcher, daughter of Dr. W. A. Gotcher, well known physician of that city. Mr. and Mrs. Swisher are now making their home in Houston, at 2020 McGowan Avenue. They have four children, a daughter, Garland, a son, H. P., Junior, a son, Jack, and a daughter, Helen. Mr. Swisher is a Knight of Pythias and a Dokey.

317

MEN OF TEXAS

G L. NOBLE, well known throughout Texas came to Houston from Palestine in 1908 and has since that time been associated with the Texas Company, of which he is vice presi- dent and director. Prior to becoming associated with the Texas Company, Mr. Noble had for more than a score of years been connected with the Texas and Pacific Railroad and the International and Great Northern Railroad; the last eleven years of this time was in an official capacity. A year after Mr. Noble entered the employ of the Texas Company he was made manager of sales in the fuel oil depart- ment. In 1912 he was made vice president, hand- ling the railway sales of fuel oil, etc. In 1922 Mr. Noble's headquarters were moved to New York, where he was in charge of railway traffic sales, but he retained Houston as his home, and on January 15th, 1923, his headquarters were transferred back to Houston, handling every field of work of the com- pany. The Texas Company is not only one of the major oil corporations of the entire United States, but is also one of the largest capitalized corpora- tions in any line of busiess operating successfully under a charter from the State of Texas, and is, in fact, what the charter implies, a Texas Company. The capital stock of the Texas Company is $164,450,- 000.00 and surplus of $94,476,396.00 in 1922. The company was organized in 1902, and since that time their payment of cash and stock dividends have amounted to $116,787,000.00.

Mr. Noble was born in Lawrence, Kansas, Novem- ber 26th, 1868. His father, George Noble, a native of Pennsylvania, was engaged in the railroad busi- ness all his life, chiefly as a builder and an execu- tive. He came to Marshall, Texas, in 1873. He built the Texas and Pacific Railroad from Eagle Ford to El Paso, and from Texarkana via Paris to Fort Worth. He was general superintendant of the Texas and Pacific at the time of his death in 1886. His mother was Miss Harriett M. Coulter, a member of a well known Pennsylvania family. His educa- tion was obtained in the public schools of Marshall, Texas, and Lawrence, Kansas, and the University of Kansas. In 1885 he left college and engaged in railroad work. In 1886, he entered the employ of the Texas and Pacific Railroad at Dallas as a clerk in the auditor's office and remained in this capacity until December of the same year, when he entered the office of superintendent of transportation. In 1892 he was made chief clerk to the general mana- ger, where he remained until 1897 when he went with the International and Great Northern as assist- ant superintendent. This title was later changed to assistant general manager. He remained in this postion until 1908, when he resigned from this com- pany and came with the Texas Company.

Mr. Noble was married at Dallas, September 21st, 1892, to Miss Penelope G. Mann, a native of Indiana, but reared in Texas by her grandfather, Col. John A. Mann, who came to Texas in 1878 and settled in Dallas. They are the parents of seven children; five of whom are living: George L., Jr., secretary Hous- ton Production Company; Lawrence E., in sales de- partment of The Texas Company; Eloise at college; John E. and Penelope at school in Houston. The de- ceased children are: Edith, their eldest child and Mary, the fourth child. Mr. Noble is active in the various civic affairs of Houston, and in republican political affairs. During President Harding's cam-

paign, he was chairman of the republican finance committee. In fraternal, social and commercial organizations, Mr. Noble is a member of the A. F. & A. M., Knights of Pythias, University Club, Hous- ton Club, Houston Country Club, Chamber of Com- merce, Mid Continent Oil and Gas Association, the Petroleum Institute, and of the Presbyterian Church. Mr. Noble predicts that Houston is destined to be- come the industrial and financial center of the Southwest within the next decade, and that it has the enterprise to attain this supreme position.

RAIG BELK has been engaged in the insur- ance business in Houston for almost a score of years, and with his associates has suc- ceeded in building up one of the largest and strongest insurance firms of this city. Mr. Belk is a member of the well known insurance firm of Rice and Belk, with offices on the third floor of the Chronicle Building. This firm represents some of the oldest and largest insurance companies of the country and write all classes of insurance-fire, tor- nado, etc. Prior to becoming a member of the pres- ent firm, Mr. Belk was the executive head of Belk and Company, General Insurance, which he had or- ganized in 1906. In 1913 the present firm was or- ganized; the other member being Mr. Brown B. Rice, a member of one of Houston's pioneer families, who figured prominently in making this city what it now is, and who for many years has been active in the business and social circles of Houston. Mr. Belk was born in Houston and graduated from Houston High School in 1900. That same year he entered the law office of Baker, Botts, Parker and Garwood, one of the best known and strongest law firms of the Lone Star State. He remained with this law firm for seven years, and left, in order to organize an insurance agency in 1906.

Mr. Belk was born at Houston, Texas, on August 15th, 1881. His father, Thomas Jefferson Belk, a native of Alabama, was for many years a contractor in Texas. His mother was Miss Mary Grinstead, a member of a prominent Mississippi family. Both parents are now deceased. His education was ob- tained in the public and high schools of Houston, where he graduated from the latter in the class of 1900.

Mr. Belk was married in Houston on February 19th, 1914, to Miss Mary Parker, (deceased since May 5th, 1923), a native of Texas and a daughter of Chas. D. Parker. Mr. Belk has two children, Mary P. Belk and Craig Belk, Jr. The Belk home, which is one of the most beautiful in Houston, is located at 1303 Bissonette Street. Mr. Belk is a member of the A. F. and A. M. and is a life member of Arabia Temple of Houston. He is also a member of the Houston Club, the Houston Country Club and the Turnverein Club. He is a member of the Texas Associaiton of Insurance Agents, and is a former President of this organization, a member of the Executive Committee of the National Association, and is well known throughout the State as well as nationally. Mr. Belk has always been an enthusias- tic worker for the Insurance Agents Association and his hard work and sound advice have contributed much to the success of this organization. Mr. Belk is ambitious for his city and his business and is an ardent worker for the success of both, and is re- garded as one of Houston's most progressive busi- ness men.

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NEW ENCYCLOPEDIA OF TEXAS

L. ROBERTSON, president of the Hous- ton Base Ball Association, came to Houston, Texas, in 1911. Born in Detroit, Michigan, October 19th, 1885. Married Miss Betty Stoner on August 3rd, 1912, in Houston.

Mr. Robertson is very much interested in boys' welfare work in Houston, and is the head of the Knot Hole Gang, a boys' organization, the expressed purpose of the movement being the reaching out to the boys in the City, by giving them free admission to the games under conditions and supervision which would be helpful to them.

Mr. Robertson is also a director of the Newboys' Club, a branch of the Y. M. C. A. activities in the City.

RANK CONRAD BERING is one of the best known business men in Houston and South Texas, where for thirty-two years he has been Secretary and Treasurer of the Bering Manufacturing Company; he also acts as credit man for the company. The Bering Mannfacturing Com- pany is one of the oldest institutions in the State, having been established in 1858 by A. Bering and Brother. In 1890, Mr. A. Bering bought the interest of his brother, and at that time the business was incorporated and A. C., T. C., and Frank Conrad Bering were taken in as partners in the positions they now hold. In 1875 the Company bought their present location, which consists of five acres, and they have more than two hundred thousand square feet of floor space, and ninety people are employed by this company. The Bering Manufacturing Com- pany are manufacturers and jobbers of lumber, and makers of sash, doors, blinds and any and all wood construction that is used in building. The office of the company is located at 2005 Canal Street. The Bering Manufacturing Company sell lumber at both wholesale and retail. Other officers of the company are A. C. Bering, President, who was born in Hous- ton in 1856, and has lived in Houston and been con- nected with the A. B. Bering and Brother and the present company all his life. The Vice President of the Bering Manufacturing Company is Mr. T. C. Bering, who was born in Houston in 1862. As a youth, he attended the Houston schools and later was a student at Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, for two years and graduated from that institution in the class of 1882. After leaving col- lege he became associated with A. B. Bering and Brother and has been in the company since that time.

A native Texan, Mr. Bering was born in Houston in 1858. His parents, Conrad Bering and Cathryn Bering, were among the pioneer settlers of Texas and of Houston, and the members of this family have continued this business since its establishment in 1858. Mr. Bering's early education was obtained in private schools, after which he attended Baldwin University for one year. Later he had special tutor- ing at night in bookkeeping and other studies that would, in the future be useful in his business suc- cess.

Mr. Bering started his business career in the em- ploy of Capt. Henry Scherfius, who was engaged in the sale of farm implements and was also Mayor of Houston. His next place was with R. Cotter and Company, wholesale and retail drug establishment, as a bookkeeper, where he remained for one wear. When Mr. Bering reached the age of twenty-one

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New encyclopedia of Texas, volume 1, Part 62

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