New encyclopedia of Texas, volume 1, Part 77

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

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Mr. Shearn was married at Galveston, in 1881, to Miss Nettie Barrell, daughter of C. Barrell, a grain merchant of that city, and Margaret Taylor Barrrell. Mr. and Mrs. Shearn were the parents of six children, Margaret, who was the wife of C. T. Kendall, and John Corridon are deceased. The surviving children are: Charles P., Jr., secretary

of the South Texas Grain Company, and one of the progressive young business men of Houston; Mamie, wife of E. R. Forbes; Will C. Shearn, well- known in the business world, and Maynette, wife of J. H. Doscher.

MC GREW WILSON, for many years a well known lawyer of Houston and South Texas, has retired from active practice of his pro- fession and devotes his time to his many interests here, among which is the splendid Com- munity Market, of which he is president. This fine Community Market, located on Mckinney Avenue at Austin Street, was opened May 14th, 1921, with seven different departments, and employs twenty- two experienced people. The splendid building which houses this market is owned by Mr. Wilson and was constructed by him in 1921 especially for this busi- ness. It is sixty feet by seventy-three feet in size, is sanitary, modern in every particular and is equipped with all conveniences. The Community Market occupies one of the finest locations in Hous- ton and at all times has everything that the most exacting housewife could desire for her table. There is also a splendid cafe conducted in the store, and a part of the departments is owned by others who conduct them. Other officers of the Community Market are R. H. Hanna, vice president, who is con- nected with the South Texas Commercial National Bank as assistant vice president, and Miss Alice Wilson, secretary and treasurer.

A native Texan, Mr. Wilson was born in Brazoria County April 29th, 1884. His father, E. N. Wilson (deceased since 1888) was also a native of the Lone Star State and was a leading lawyer of South Texas during his lifetime. His mother was Miss Ella Mc- Grew, a member of a prominent family of Brazoria County, Texas and is now a resident of Houston. His early education was obtained in the public schools of Brazoria County, and he later attended the University of Texas, where he graduated in the class of 1907 with the L. L. B. degree, after which he located in Dallas and began the practice of his profession with the law firm of William Thompson, and remained with this firm for almost two years, when he came to Houston. He formed a partner- ship here and the firm was known as Rowe, Wilson and Wilson, and he continued the practice of law here under this firm name until the World War. In 1917, he entered the first Officers' Training Camp at Leon Springs, Texas, but five weeks later was discharged on account of disability, but being deter- mined to work in some capacity for his country, Mr. Wilson went to Washington and went to work in the War Department as a civilian employee, and remained there until 1920. After leaving the serv- ice of the United States government, he returned to Houston and constructed this splendid building, and opened the Houston Community Market, which fills a long-felt want and has been a success for all interested.

Mr. Wilson was married in Houston November 15th, 1921, to Miss Alice Perkins, a native of New York State. They have one son, J. McGrew Wilson, Jr., five months of age. Mr. and Mrs. Wilson reside at 603 Drew Street. Mr. Wilson is a member of the River Oaks Country Club and several college fraternities. He has great faith in the future of Houston and expects this city to continue its steady, consistent growth.

433

MEN OF TEXAS

A C. FORD is one of the pioneers of the lum- ber industry of the state, and came to Jef- ferson, Texas, in 1891, during the same year in which he had received his degree from Vanderbilt University and started in the lumber business in that historic East Texas town. Mr. Ford is president of the Oakhurst Lumber Company of Oakhurst, San Jacinto County, and is also president of the Walker County Lumber Company at Elmina, Walker County, and has large planing mills in con- nection with this business. His Houston office is located in the Second National Bank Building, from which he manages his numerous business affairs. He has devoted his entire business life to the lumber industry and knows lumber as few men know it, besides being one of the leading executives in this line of business in the state.

Mr. Ford was born in Marion County, South Caro- lina, August 16th, 1870. His father, A. H. Ford, also a native of South Carolina, during his lifetime made this state his home, where he was well known in the business circles throughout his native state. His mother was Miss Elizabeth Smith, a member of a prominent South Carolina family. His education was obtained at Vanderbilt University, graduating from this institution in the class of 1891 with the A. B. degree. During the same year of his grad- uation, Mr. Ford came to Texas and started his busi- ness career in the lumber business, which has grown to be one of the largest interests in the state. He remained at Jefferson, Texas, for five years and then removed to Fort Worth, where he continued in the lumber business for a period of twelve years, when he removed to Houston.

Mr. Ford was married at Jefferson, Texas, in 1895 to Miss May Ward, a native of the Lone Star State and a daughter of S. M. Ward, a well known banker and capitalist of Jefferson. They have three chil- dren, Ward, twenty-five years of age, a graduate of the University of Texas and now operating with the lumber firm of Ford and Jarvis; Sarah Ford, twenty-three years of age, and a graduate of Wel- lesley College in the class of 1923, and Sam, twenty years of age, learning the lumber business under the able guidance and tutelage of his father's firms. Mr. and Mrs. Ford reside at the Beaconsfield Apart- ments. Mr. Ford is a member of the Masonic fra- ternity, a Shriner of this Order and a Knight Temp- lar. He is also a member of the Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity, Houston Club, Houston Country Club, River Oaks Country Club and the University Club, of which he is past president and of which he is one of the organizers. Mr. Ford is a gentleman of the old school, highly educated and a great believer in education, and is a constant worker for the fur- therance of same. He has met with great success during his business life, which he attributes to close attention to the details of business and service given to his many customers and friends. His mature experience, wise counsel and sterling qualities of character and high ideals have always been an in- spiration to his children and his friends. Mr. Ford is chairman of the City Civil Service Commission, a trustee of the Houston Art League, and active in the general civic and social affairs of Houston.

E. BOUDREAUX of Houston, Texas, began his career in the lumber industry when fourteen years of age, and with the ex- ception of the time spent in the World War

and four years in law practice has been engaged in this field of activity since that time. Mr. Bou- dreaux came to Houston on January 1st, 1922, as manager of the Houston office of George C. Vaugh- an and Sons, one of Texas' largest lumber com- panies. This office is maintained as a buying and selling office, buying the lumber for all the other offices and yards on a very large scale. Many cars of lumber are bought and sold through this office each week. The Houston office is located at 705 Second National Bank Building, while the main of- fice of this company is located at San Antonio, Texas. Mr. Boudreaux was raised in an atmosphere of the lumber business and knows the various branches of this industry as few men know it. He started his career in the lumber business in Hardin County, Texas, when a mere boy, and later went to San Antonio where in 1900 he entered the employ of the Campbell Lumber Company, where he re- mained for some time and left this company in order to enter college. After finishing college and re- ceiving his degree, he returned to San Antonio and again became associated with the Campbell Lumber Company. He later resigned his position with this company and began the practice of law in San An- tonio where he continued his work in the legal pro- fession for about four years and during this period he was interested in the Campbell Lumber Com- pany as a stockholder. In September, 1917, he en- tered the air service of the army and was stationed at Kelly Field, San Antonio, and remained at this flying field until he was discharged on December 24th, 1918. He again returned with the Campbell Lumber Company as assistant manager, secretary and treasurer, Mr. Campbell being the president and manager of this company. He later went with the law firm of Terrell and Terrell and remained in the practice of law with this firm for one year, when he again engaged in the lumber business and came with George C. Vaughan interests and for a few months was located at San Antonio, after which he came to Houston where he has since remained, as manager.

A native Texan, Mr. Boudreaux was born in Har- din County on April 9th, 1890. His father, A. J. Boudreaux (now deceased) was a native of Louis- iana and throughout his life was a well known lum- ber man of Louisiana and Texas. For many years he was associated with Olive-Sternenberg Lumber Company and other prominent lumber firms. His early education was obtained in the public schools of Hardin County, after which he became a student of the San Antonio schools and later entered the Cum- berland University and graduated from that institu- tion in the class of 1912 with the L. L. B. degree.

Mr. Boudreaux was married at San Antonio, Texas, on October 1st, 1919 to Miss Kathleen Johnson, a member of a well known San Antonio family. They have three children, Dorothy Jeanne, Margaret Elizabeth and Mary Louise. Mr. and Mrs. Bou- dreaux reside at 1611 Kensington Avenue. Mr. Bou- dreaux is a member of the A. F. & A. M. with mem- bership in Blue Lodge No. 424 of San Antonio, and has attained to the 32nd degree in the Scottish Rite body of this order and San Antonio Commandery No. 7, K. T. He is also a Shriner of Alzafar Temple of San Antonio. He is a member of the Baptist Church. Mr. Boudreaux is optimistic as to the fu- ture of the lumber industry of Texas.

434

ac Ford

NEW ENCYCLOPEDIA OF TEXAS

ILLIAM E. BUCKLEY of the Buckley Shoe Company, 315 Main Street, Houston, was reared in an atmosphere of the shoe in- dustry and knows the various branches of this business as few men know it. The Buckley Shoe Company is a partnership composed of the three Buckley brothers-William E., John G. and S. A. Buckley. This business was established seven- ty-one years ago, in 1852, at Terra Haute, Indiana, by Stephen A. Buckley, the father of these three men, and for many years was the leading shoe store of that portion of the country, but forty-two years ago this store and contents burned and he then came to Houston and opened a shoe shop here. He made custom made shoes and boots, first selling a pair to a customer and then making them. Later, Mr. Buckley opened a shoe store in connection with the custom made goods and sold the manufactured prod- uct, when he was able to obtain them, as the manu- factured article at that time was scarce and difficult to secure. The Buckley Shoe Company now is one of the leading and oldest shoe stores of Houston, and employs twenty people in their establishment. They have a floor space in their sales room of twenty- five feet by one hundred and twenty feet and all their shoes are sold under their own trade mark, "Houstonian," which they have had for more than twenty years. They also manufacture leather boots, oil field boots, and novelties in leather boots.

Mr. Buckley was born in Jerseyville, Indiana, De- cember 1st, 1869. His father, Stephen A. Buckley, was one of the real pioneer shoe men of the United States, and operated several stores in Indiana before removing to Houston, where he continued in the shoe business until his death; he was a native of Cork, Ireland, and came to the United States as a young man. His mother was Miss Johanna Groce, also a native of Ireland, but reared in the United States, and married Mr. Buckley in this country. His edu- cation was obtained in the public schools of Hous- ton, his parents having removed to this city when he was nine years of age, and later attended a busi- ness college. As a boy, Mr. Buckley worked in his father's shoe shop, and after finishing school, went in his father's store, where he has been continuously in the same business. After the death of his father, the sons took over the business which they have operated very successfully and profitably.

Mr. Buckley was married at San Antonio, Texas, in 1895 to Miss Lois Holloway, a native of Weimar, Texas, and a daughter of R. E. Holloway, a pioneer planter, merchant and slave owner of the Lone Star State. They have one daughter, Miss Elliott Buck- ley, who has been educated in the schools of Houston and at colleges in Virginia and Washington, D. C., in music and art, and is regarded as one of the leading artists of Houston in her chosen lines. Mr. and Mrs. Buckley reside at 3116 Milam Street. Mr. Buckley is a member of the Knights of Columbus and has attained to the fourth degree in this or- ganization and is also a member of the Knights of Pythias and the Houston Country Club. Since coming to Houston, Mr. Buckley has seen the village on the banks of Buffalo Bayou grow into the busy, thriving city of today with the world's commerce brought to her very doors by the large ocean liners, and he believes that the future of the South Texas metropolis is one of the unlimited possibilities for continued growth, progress and advancement.

HARLES J. KIRK was appointed to the of- fice of Public Service Commissioner of the city of Houston on April 18, 1923, and has shown a broad knowledge of the principles that govern municipal administration and also that he is a man of strict loyalty and untiring devotion to his city and its people. Mr. Kirk has charge of the Telephone, Gas, Electric, Lighting System, Rail- roads, Telegraph Companies, Street Railways, Auto Bus Lines, etc., and it has been shown that he looks after the interests of the public as well as the utli- ities. Mr. Kirk's office is located at the City Hall, where he has a staff of able assistants.

A native Texan, Mr. Kirk was born at Navasota on August 15, 1875. His father, Charles J. Kirk, (deceased) was a native of Ireland, and came to the United States and to Texas as a young man, about 1873. His mother (now deceased) was Miss Mattie Claiborne, a native of Tennesse and a member of a pioneer family. His early education was obtained in the public schools of Navasota, and for two years, 1896 and 1897, he was a student of the A. and M. College of Texas. After leaving college, Mr. Kirk returned to Navasota and entered the drug business, and was successful in this line of endeavor. Mr. Kirk has been the recipient of many positions of honor and trust at the hands of his fellow men, and in 1901 was elected Mayor of Navasota, and served his city in this capacity until 1904. His ad- ministration in his native city was one of the great accomplishment and he has at all times stood for the interest of the people. Prior to serving his city as Mayor, Mr. Kirk was doorkeeper of the State Senate from 1899 to 1900. In 1904 and 1905 he served as a member of the State Senate, and fathered many measures that were for the good of the people of the Lone Star State. Mr. Kirk came to Houston twenty years ago, and entered the building and loan busi- ness and real estate buying and selling. He later entered the fire insurance business alone and after- wards became a member of the firm of Soape, Kirk and Soape, General Insurance, and is still a mem- ber of that firm. Since coming to Houston, Mr. Kirk has become interested in many of the financial and industrial institutions of the city and the State. Numbered among his interests is the Kirk Oil Com- pany, of which he is President. He is also Presi- dent of the Carlos Oil Company and the Houston Drilling Company, and is active in all the oil fields of Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana. Mr. Kirk is Sec- retary of the Houston Fair and Exposition, and is also Secretary of the Houston Red Rooster Club. He is President of the Julia Kirk Realty Company of Houston, and is the owner in fee of some of the most valuable land along the Brazos River in Texas.

Mr. Kirk was married at La Grange, Texas, June 30, 1903, to Miss Gertrude Kaulbach, a native of La Grange and a daughter of H. B. Kaulbach (now de- ceased) who was for more than fifty years a promi- nent resident of La Grange. They have one daugh- ter, Julia, who is a graduate of the Houston High School, and is now a student of the Rice Institute of Houston. Mr. Kirk is a member of the Houston Chamber of Commerce, the B. P. O. E., the I. O. O. F., the Knights of Pythias, D. O. K. K., the Macca- bees, the Lion's Club and the Red Rooster Club. Mr. Kirk has great faith in the future of Houston, which he has shown by his many investments here, where he is regarded as one of the most progressive citi- zens.

437

MEN OF TEXAS

W. REYNOLDS, pioneer lumberman, bank- er and capitalist of Houston, has been for thirty-five years a factor in the lum- ber and financial circles of the South. Mr. Reynolds is vice president of the Sabine Lumber Company which handles the output of the following lumber companies: Thompson Ford Lumber Com- pany of Grayburg, Texas; R. A. Myer Lumber Com- pany of Honey Island, Texas; Big Pine Lumber Company of Colfax, Louisiana; Texas Long Leaf Lumber Company of New Willard, Texas; Rock Creek Lumber Company of Trinity, Texas; Oakhurst Lumber Company of Oakhurst, Texas. Of the first three lumber companies, Mr. Reynolds is president and of the three last named he is vice president, and is an officer or director in various other interests in and out of Texas. Mr. Reynolds came to Houston in 1911 and his office is located at 1502 Carter Building. The output of the six saw mills, which is handled by the Sabine Lumber Company amounts to 600,000 feet per day. The Sabine Lumber Company, with a capital of $450,000.00, was organized about fifteen years ago by Mr. Reynolds and associates. Two thousand five hundred people are in Mr. Rey- nolds' organizations. Eight branches handle the sales with a corps of twenty-five salesmen. The product of the Sabine Lumber Company is sold throughout the United States and abroad.

Mr. Reynolds was born in Alcorn County, Mis- sissippi in 1871. His father, L. P. Reynolds was a well known lumberman and attorney of Mississippi. His mother was, prior to her marriage, Miss Emma Petty, a member of a prominent Mississippi family. His education was obtained in private schools of his native state.

When nineteen years of age, Mr. Reynolds began his business career in the lumber business in con- tract logging in Arkansas and remained in this branch of the lumber business from 1890 to 1897. From 1897 to 1900, he engaged in the manufacturing lumber business in Arkansas, continuing in this line after his removal to Louisiana during the latter year. Since coming to Houston, he has continued in this branch of the business. Mr. Reynolds has been closely connected with the commercial interests of Houston for many years and is a director of the Union National Bank and is a stock holder and di- rector in various enterprises located in Houston and South Texas.

He is president of the William Graydon Hardwood Lumber Company of Grayburg, Texas, manufac- turers of hardwood lumber, and is vice president of the Trinity Valley Southern Railroad. In August, 1923, with his associates, he organized the Reynolds West Lumber Company, of which he is president. The plant is located at Burnside, Mississippi, and manu- factures about 2,250,000 feet of Southern pine per month. Mr. Reynolds was married in August, 1896, at Old Danville, Mississippi, to Miss Nannie B. Job, a daughter of W. F. Job, a prominent planter of that state and a member of an old Mississippi family. They have three children-Mary, J. W., Jr., and Elizabeth. In fraternal and social organizations Mr. Reynolds is a member of the A. F. & A. M. and is a 32nd degree Scottish Rite member of that order and a Shriner of Arabia Temple; Southern Pine Association (company membership), Houston Coun- try Club, River Oaks Country Club, Houston Club,

the Lumberman's Club, of which he is past president, and the St. Paul's Methodist Church. Mr. Reynolds believes that Houston is the leading city of the Gulf Coast and will soon become the largest city in the State. He is one of the best known lumbermen of the South; a man who takes a keen interest in his city and its welfare. Although a young man, he is a pioneer in the lumber business of the South and Southwest, having contributed to the development of Houston as the lumber center of the South.

OBERT WITHROW WIER, president of the R. W. Wier Lumber Company and the Wier Long Leaf Lumber Company, has been a factor in the lumber industry in Texas for over a score of years, during which the Wier inter- ests have built up one of the largest lumber enter- prises in Texas.

Mr. Wier first began the lumber business on his own account in 1905, when with his associates he organized the Central Lumber Company with capital stock of $25,000, maintaining retail yards in Hous- ton and Beaumont. Two years later, in 1907, R. W. Wier Lumber Company was organized with a cap- ital of $200,000. This company built a mill in Texla and manufactured lumber for a period of ten years. In 1917, Mr. Wier and associates organized the Wier Long Leaf Lumber Company. This company pur- chased from the Lutcher Stark and Brown interests an area of about ninety thousand acres of virgin long leaf pine in Newton, Jasper and Sabine Coun- ties, erected one of the large mills in Texas at Wier- gate, named after the company's president.

The officers of the R. W. Wier Lumber Company are R. W. Wier, president; B. F. Bonner, vice pres- ident, and Thomas P. Wier, secretary and treasurer. The officers of the Wier Long Leaf Company are R. W. Wier, president; C. P. Myer, vice president and general manager, and Thomas P. Wier, secretary and treasurer.

R. W. Wier was born the fourth of July, 1873, in Avoyelles Parish, Louisiana, son of Thomas D. Wier and Margaret Flora (Campbell) Wier, both of Scotch ancestry. He received his education in the public and private schools of Louisiana, beginning his lum- ber career in 1896 with the Whitecastle Lumber and Shingle Company, of Whitecastle, Louisiana. He is vice president of the San Jacinto Trust Company, director of the Union National Bank, director of the Houston Lighting and Power Company, and holds directorates in other companies. He has taken a very active interest in civic organizations, and is a member of the Southern Forest Research Advisory Committee. He is president of the Houston Recrea- tion and Community Service, an organization direct- ing wholesome activity and good citizenship, of play instincts of boys and girls. He is one of the trus- tees of the Hermann Hospital Estate, was president of the Young Men's Democratic Club of Houston and is past president of the Houston Chamber of Commerce.

Mr. Wier has also taken a wholesome interest in the club and social life of Houston. He is past ex- alted ruler of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, a member of the Houston Club, member of the Houston Country Club, River Oaks Country Club, Kiwanis Club and past president of the Lum- bermen's Club. He is a thirty-second degree Mason, a member of the Houston Consistory, a Knight Templar and a life member of the Arabia Temple.

438

MReynolds

NEW ENCYCLOPEDIA OF TEXAS

ARTHUR MONCRIEF, president of one of the large manufactories at Houston, is identified with industrial activities and firmly established as a business man whose influence is felt throughout the city. The Moncrief- Lenoir Manufacturing Company, of which Mr. Mon- crief is president, was established in 1914 and manu- factures plain and litho cans, supplying their pro- duct to firms requiring containers for drugs, oil, lard and coffee. Their drug, oil and lard containers meet the heavy demand for this product and are used extensively by the large wholesale dealers and packeries in the state. The company also manu- factures galvanized sheet metal building material, and acts as jobber for a full line of sheet metal goods, tinners' supplies, corrugated roofing, flat metal plate and metal shingles. The Moncrief-Len- oier Company occupies a modernly equipped, three- story brick factory, with more than a hundred thou- sand feet of floor space, and employing two hundred and fifty operatives. They have an extensive trade territory, supplying a heavy demand for cans and containers coming from manufacturers, wholesale dealers and canners throughout the state, and in Western Louisiana and Southern Oklahoma. The increasing demand for home manufactured products to meet the needs of home industries is being re- flected in a rapidly increasing demand for the out- put of the Moncrief-Lenoir Company. They are the only manufacturing firm in the state turning out this product, their cans and containers meetings the highest requirements and holding high place in the manufacturing world. The firm has a branch at Dallas, acting as a distributing point. W. F. Lenoir is secretary-treasurer of the company and Mr. Moncrief the president.

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New encyclopedia of Texas, volume 1, Part 77

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