New encyclopedia of Texas, volume 1, Part 81

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. Shearer reside at 1012 Hawthorne Avenue in Montrose. He is a 32nd Degree Mason, at East Saint Louis, a Knight Templar, and a mem- ber of Arabia Temple Shrine of Houston. He is also a member of the Glenbrook Country Club. Since coming to Houston, Mr. Shearer has become a regu- lar booster for this city, and believes that it will soon become the Metropolis of the Southwest, as well as a refining center. He is very popular with his men and in oil circles generally, and is consid- ered one of the best informed and expert refining men in South Texas.

B. FINKELSTEIN, one of the best known independent oil operators in the coastal fields, has for many years made his head- quarters at Houston, directing his opera- tions from this city, and is a factor not only in the petroleum development of this section, but in the commercial and civic advancement of the city. Mr. Finkelstein operates under his own name, maintain- ing a suite of offices in the Foster Building, and handles oil investments, lands, leases, and real estate investments. Mr. Finkelstein is the type of operator who uses his own money in development activities. His success in this field has called for an accurate knowledge of oil possibilities, geological formations, land values and possible values, and the ability to predict the trend of future operations. Mr. Fink- elstein controls acreage in various of the Coastal fields, among them Hull, Humble and West Colum- bia. He has also made real estate investments in Houston, and owns the Hortense Apartments, and other city property.

Mr. Finkelstein came to Texas in 1903 and en- tered the mercantile business at Sour Lake shortly becoming interested in oil development in that field. He acquired land in fee, royalties and production

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there, developing these holdings with private capital, and never organizing a company for the sale of stock and the promotion of oil holdings through that channel. While at Sour Lake he became ac- quainted with R. S. Sterling, one of the outstanding figures in the development of that section, and as- sisted him in the organization of the Sour Lake State Bank, capitalized at fifteen thousand dollars, and of which he was Vice-President, with F. H. Car- penter as President. He continued the operation of the merchandising establishment he had started when he first came to the city, and many of the boys and young men who worked in this store, and received their business training under him, have since become successful. Mr. Finkelstein is proud of these "boys," and justly so, giving them as he did the sound rudimentary training in the business field that has so largely entered into their subsequent success.

In 1915 Mr. Finkelstein removed to Houston, es- tablishing his headquarters in this centrally located city, and has hereafter directed all his operations from here. He still retains interests at Sour Lake, and has from time to time added to his royalty and lease holdings, taking active part in the develop- ment of the fields at Hull, Humble and West Colum- bia.

Mr. Finkelstein was born in New York City, in May, 1878, and was educated in the public schools there. He received his business training in that city, with B. Altman Company, of New York City, later coming to Texas, his career thereafter being sketched in the preceding paragraph.

Mr. Finkelstein was married at Houston in 1911 to Miss Fannie E. Becker, who was reared in San Antonio, and whose parents have been residents of Texas for many years. The family reside at 1412 Chestnut Street. They have two children, Hortense and Selma. Mr. Finkelstein belongs to the Elks. One of the outstanding men in the history of oil devel- opment in the Coastal fields, Mr. Finkelstein is known to all the "old timers" in this section as a man whose sound judgment and basic principles of business integrity have been contributing factors to his success. As a business man he has taken a deep interest in the development of Houston, this interest being reflected in his numerous realty investments in this city, and finding outlet in his activity in civic affars. He has contributed generously to various welfare movements and charitable organizations, and is in every way a useful, substantial citizen.

REDERICK MC ALPINE HUTCHINSON, independent oil operator, with offices in the Second National Bank Building, Houston, has been identified with the oil industry directly or indirectly all of his business life, namely twenty years. Equipped with a theoretical training in geology, followed with nine years of practical oil field education, and with eleven years' exper- ience as the executive head of one of Texas' large oil corporations, he seems to be prepared to cope successfully with the problems that daily confront the oil man of today. Since his resignation as pres- ident of the Higgins Oil & Fuel Company, in 1924, Mr. Hutchinson has devoted his attention to oper- ating with his associates in the Gulf Coast and the Mid-Continent fields. His efforts on his own ac- count have already been rewarded with success.

Mr. Hutchinson was born on a farm near Nashville, Arkansas, June 25th, 1884. His father, A. S. Hutch- inson (deceased) was a well known farmer of Arkansas. He was a colonel in the Confederate Army in charge of the 19th Arkansas Infantry; he had several years' military training before the out- break of the Civil War, but entered the army as a private, and won his way up to colonel. His mother. was Miss Susan Purdom, a member of a well known Arkansas family and is now residing in that state. Mr. Hutchinson's early education was obtained in . the public schools of Nashville, Arkansas; later he entered the University of Arkansas, taking a course in the studies that would be of value to him in his future life-civil engineering and geology. When twenty-one years of age, Mr. Hutchinson left col- lege and went with the United States Geological Survey in Pennsylvania and Ohio and remained in this work until 1907, during which time he gained valuable knowledge and experience. In 1907, he went with the Philadelphia Company of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in the geological department, and his activities were chiefly in West Virginia until 1909. At that time, W. T. Griswold and Company was or- ganized and he became one of the partners in charge of geological work and engineering with headquar- ters in Marietta, Ohio. During this same year, Mr. Hutchinson spent a field season with the Kentucky Geological Survey in mapping the geology of the Central City district of the Western Kentucky coal field. In 1910 Mr. Griswold withdrew from the firm, and it was continued until 1912 as Hutchinson and McCrary. Mr. Hutchinson came to Houston in 1912 as geologist for the Houston Oil Company of Texas, and remained with this company until Feb- ruary, 1913, when he became president of the Hig- gins Oil and Fuel Company. This position he held until February, 1924.

At the time Mr. Hutchinson came with this com- pany, it had been for some time in process of liqui- dation and the production and other assets then re- maining were of small value. With the assistance of a splendid organization, he was soon enabled through the acquisition and development of additional prop- erties, to bring the company into the list of substan- tial and successful producers, which position it has continued to occupy.

Mr. Hutchinson was married at Claysville, Penn- sylvania, October 12th, 1910, to Miss Margaret Jose- phine Liggett, a native of Pennsylvania and a daugh- ter of M. A. Liggett, a well known business man and land owner and a member of one of the oldest families of Pennsylvania. They have three chil- dren-Margaret Jean, Julia McAlpine and Frederick Marion. Mr. and Mrs. Hutchinson reside at 410 Avondale Avenue. In fraternal, social and commer- cial organizations, Mr. Hutchinson is a member of the A. F. and A. M., being a member of the Scot- tish Rite body of that order to the 32nd degree, a Shriner of Arabia Temple, University Club, Hous- ton Club, Houston Country Club, American Petro- leum Institute and the Mid-Continent Oil and Gas Association. Mr. Hutchinson is popular with all classes, from the oil field workers to the heads of large oil companies, and is enthusiastic as to the future of Houston. He believes this city is growing rapidly as a center for oil, as practically all the big companies are locating headquarters and offices here.

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7. Me. Huthman.

NEW ENCYCLOPEDIA OF TEXAS

S W. NARREGANG has since coming to Houston in 1906, been active in the devel- opment of South Texas, and is the execu- tive head of several of the largest industrial organizations in this portion of the state. Mr. Nar- regang is president of the Pinetree Products Cor- poration, producers of turpentine, pine oil, char- coal, wood preserver, tar, gum varnish and allied products. This corporation has a capitalization of $150,000.00 and was organized for the purpose of using the stumps on the thousands of acres of cut- over pine lands in South and East Texas. He is president of the Oil Products Company, Inc., with a capital stock of $1,000,000.00, and their home of- fice in Wilmington, Delaware. This company acts as a parent company for other concerns in drilling and they also deal in high grade lubricating oils. Mr. Narregang is president and treasurer of the Petroleum Refining Company, dealers in High Grade Lubricating Oils. He is President of the Nar- regang Investment Company, Inc., with home office in Aberdeen, South Dakota, dealers in real estate, investments and insurance. This is the largest com- pany of its kind in this section of the Northwest, having a rental income of $40,000 per year. It farms 3000 acres of land and raises high grade cattle and hogs. Thirty years were spent by Mr. Narregang in building this investment company, and his time seems to have been well spent. Mr. Narregang is a director in the Friendswood Orchards Company, Inc., which is engaged in the development of the country in the vicinity of Friendswood as a fig- growing section, where 720 acres are being planted to figs. Large preserving plants have been con- structed in order to take care of the figs when ripe and the Friendswood Orchards Company leave the matter to the option of the purchasers of the fig lands and orchards as to whether they live on same or not. If the purchaser does not care to move on the land, the crop is raised and cared for, gathered and sold under the supervision of experts in this particular line of work. Mr. Narregang owns much valuable land contiguous to the Friends- wood section, which was originally purchased for citrus orchards, but later developed into fig growing. He recently erected a beautiful apartment building at the corner of California Avenue and Waugh Drive, Houston. Mr. Narregang was born at Dams- ville, New York. His father, Lynford Narregang (deceased since 1888) was a well-known business man of Aberdeen, S. D. His mother, Mrs. Harriett Narregang, is a member of a prominent family of New York State, and is now residing in Aberdeen at the age of eighty-three years. Mr. Narregang's education was obtained in the public and high schools of Lodi, Wisconsin. He has been engaged in the real estate and development business prac- tically all his life. In 1882, Mr. Narregang went to Aberdeen, South Dakota, and engaged in the mort- gage and real estate business, and owns much city property there and farm lands in the State of South Dakota. He built the first office building here and erected one of the finest apartment buildings to be found between Minneapolis and the Pacific Coast. He also engaged in the loan business in Aberdeen, in connection with his real estate, and was very successful in his ventures there.

Mr. Narregang was married in Chicago in 1914, to Miss Mathilda Henchling, a daughter of Dr. Theo-

dore Henchling, Ships Surgeon for the Hamburg- American Line, and during his duties had made twenty-eight trips across the Atlantic Ocean. Her mother was Miss Margaret Moller, a member of the well-known Moller family, who were the original sugar refiners of this country, and sold their plants to the Havemeyer interests. Mr. and Mr. Narre- gang reside at 1118 California Avenue. He is a member of the A. F. & A. M., with membership in the Temple Blue Lodge in Houston. He also holds membership in the B. P. O. E., Chamber of Com- merce and Theosophical Society. Mr. Narregang is very active in the Houston Chamber of Commerce and is Chairman of the Live Stock and Dairy Com- mittee and a member of the Agricultural Com- mittee of this organization. Mr. Narregang has done much for the development of South Texas, and has been active at all times in all matters having to do with the advancement and civic improvement of Houston, where he is regarded as one of the city's most progressive citizens.

MORGAN CHOAT for a number of years has been identified with the automobile in- dustry at Houston, and for the past several years has been a factor in the tire busi- ness, distributing a well known line of tires to the automobile owners of this city. Mr. Choat is a member of the firm of Choat-Hutchings Tire Com- pany, a firm operating in Houston, Galveston and Beaumont, and is manager of the Houston branch. The Choat-Hutchings Tire Company is one of the largest tire agencies in the city, representing the Star and Sampson lines exclusively, and in addition to handling the distribution of these dependable tires also operates a service department that is a feature of the business. A modern gas and oil station and a storage department, with space for fifty cars, completes the organization and makes the business a real factor in the commercial life of the city. The Choat-Hutchings Tire Company oc. cupies a modern building at 1026 Main Street, with fifty feet frontage on Main and running back one hundred and fifty feet on Lamar Street. Every facility is provided for the efficient servicing of the cars in the city, and the business is conveniently located in the business district. Since opening the station in 1921 the volume of business done an- nually has increased rapidly and a force of seven employees are required to care for the trade. Sealy Hutchings is the other member of the firm and is manager of the Galveston branch, which, with the Beaumont branch, is about like the Houston es- tablishment.

A. Morgan Choat was born at Dublin, Texas, the fourth of February, 1889, son of J. A. Choat, a na- tive of Missouri, who came to Texas more than sixty years ago, and has since that time been a farmer and cattleman of West Texas, and is now a resi- dent of Dublin. Mr. Choat's mother, before her marriage Miss Julia Dalton, was a native of Tar- rant County, Texas. Mr. Choat attended the public schools of Dublin, later going to the West Texas Business College and finishing at the Central Texas College at Plainview. He then came to Houston and went with the Bonner Oil Company, remaining with that firm for three years. His next step was the opening of the Main Street Garage at 910 Main Street, which he operated for two years, then sold

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out. The ensuing six years was spent with the Mod- ern Tire and Repair Company, of which he was vice president and general manager, until 1921, when he sold his interest and formed the partnership with Mr. Hutchings, establishing the firm of Choat & Hutchings, and in which Mr. Choat is now active.

Mr. Choat was married at Plainview, Texas, in 1910, to Miss Ida Gifford, a native of the Lone Star State. They have made their home in Houston for some years, living at 710 Harold, Montrose addi- tion. Mr. Choat is an Elk, Houston Lodge No. 151, and takes an interested part in the development of his city.

AMES ANDERSON, on becoming Vice- President of the Humble Oil and Refining Company, brought this Company the knowledge that had been developed through almost a score of years of experience, which has had an important part in the success of this Com- pany. Mr. Anderson severed his association with the Standard Oil Company of Louisiana and came to Houston March 1st, 1919, for the purpose of or- ganizing the Humble Pipe Line Company, and was President of that Company prior to becoming a member of the Board of Directors of the Humble Oil and Refining Company.

Mr. Anderson has built up the system since 1919 and now the Humble Oil and Refining Company have through their subsidiary twelve hundred and fifty miles of trunk pipe lines and over a thousand miles of gathering lines. This Company handles approxi- mately five million barrels of crude oil per month and from five hundred to fifteen hundred men are employed in the departments which are directly under the supervision of Mr. Anderson.

He is directly in charge of the transportation of oil, marine transportation, storage, insurance and the purchase of oil in field.

Mr. Anderson was born at Rockville, Maryland, April 27th, 1877. His father, James Anderson, (de- ceased since 1921), was also a native of Maryland, where their family have been prominently known for many generations. The Anderson family in the State of Maryland date back to 1642. His mother was Miss Sarah Thrift, a member of an old Vir- ginia family, and whose ancestors, both paternal and maternal, were Virginians. Mr. Anderson's early education was obtained in the public schools of Rockville, and later attended Rockville Academy and still later was a student of the University of Maryland, graduating from that institution with the B. S. degree, and in 1902 with the M. E. degree. After leaving college, Mr. Anderson engaged in the practice of his profession of mechanical engineer, later entering the oil business, and prior to 1905 had been engaged with several oil companies in different capacities, and in 1905 he became associated with the pipe line department of the Ohio Oil Company, where he was associated in its activities in Ohio, Indiana and Illinois, and remained with this Company for four years. For ten years covering the period from 1909 to 1919 Mr. Anderson was Superintendent of the Pipe Line Department of the Standard Oil Com- pany of Louisiana, and resigned this position when he came to Houston.

Mr. Anderson was married in Shreveport in 1916 to Miss William Edna Watson, a daughter of Samuel Watson, a well known banker of Shreveport. They have one son, James Anderson, Jr. Mr. Anderson is

a member of the A. F. & A. M. to the 32nd degree, with membership in Shreveport and is a Shriner of El Karuba Temple of Shreveport. He is also a member of the Houston Club, the Houston Country Club, River Oaks Country Club, American Society of Mechanical Engineers, American Petroleum In- stitute and the Mid-Continent Oil and Gas Associa- tion. Mr. Anderson is very optimistic as to the future of Houston and considers that her prospect is more promising than any other city in the State, and is now the great oil center of the Southwest.

AYMOND F. BAKER, one of the well known petroleum geologists of the mid- continent and coastal fields, has for several years past maintained his headquarters at Houston, where he has taken an active part in the development of the coastal fields, from a geological standpoint. Mr. Baker is chief geologist for The Texas Company, and since assuming the responsi- bilities of his present position, has rendered a val- uable service to the company. He has under his supervision a well organized department, with a corps of trained assistants.

Raymond F. Baker was born in New Haven, Connecticut, the eleventh of January, 1892. His father, Frank Baker, a native of London, England, came to the United States as a lad of thirteen, and has been a mechanical engineer in Connecticut throughout his active career. His mother, whose maiden name was Miss Carrie Goodbred, was born in Connecticut, but was reared in Illinois. Mr. Baker received his elementary education in the schools of New Britain, Connecticut, and after graduating from the high school there entered Sheffield Scien- tific School of Yale University, graduating in the class of 1912, with a Ph. B. degree. He then went with the New York Central Railroad, as Civil Engi- neer, and spent a period of eight months with that road. He then returned to Yale University, where for three years he took special geological courses, after which he went to Tulsa, Oklahoma, in 1916, as geologist in that district for The Texas Com- pany. Two years later, at the entrance of the United States in the World War, he entered mili- tary service, enlisting in the U. S. army, as a private, in the infantry, Headquarters Company, 90th Division. He went to France with this division, one of the real fighting divisions, and was in a number of major engagements. While overseas he served with the 90th Division, returning with this division and was discharged, as sergeant, in June, 1919. He then went back with The Texas Company, in August, 1919, as geologist, at the headquarters of the company at Houston, and in 1920 was made assistant chief geologist, and in 1923 was made chief geologist, the position he now holds.

Mr. Baker was married in New York City, the seventeenth of June, 1918, to Miss Madeline Gilliam, a native of Roanoke, Virginia. Mr. and Mrs. Baker have one child, Gladys D., and reside at 511 Drew Avenue. Fraternally Mr. Baker is a Mason, Temple Lodge, No. 4, and a member of the Scottish Rite. He also holds membership in the American Asso- ciation of Petroleum Geologists, the Society of Eco- nomic Geologists, the American Petroleum Institute and the Book and Bond Club at Yale. He has a large circle of friends among petroleum men, and is highly regarded by all with whom he has come in contact.

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James Anderson.

NEW ENCYCLOPEDIA OF TEXAS

ABRIEL J. LEE is one of the well known oil operators of Houston and has been active- ly connected with development work in the coastal fields for several years. He is presi- dent of the Oil Production Co., of Houston, with of- fices at 204 Mason Building. Bassett Blakely, another well known Houston cattle and oil man, is vice president of the company. Mr. Lee is also president of the Southern Company that does a leasing busi- ness in the gulf coast territory.

The Oil Production Company was organized in 1919 and has had a successful history. It is now developing some property at Big Creek and near Richmond in Fort Bend County where the company already has two producing wells. The company formerly owned another well at Blue Ridge but sold it.

Mr. Lee was born in Houston on March 3, 1885, and has spent practically his entire life here. He was born in the old Hutchins house, one of the former land marks of the city, which stood on the ground now occupied by the Southern Pacific Rail- way passenger depot. His father, J. M. Lee, was a native of Alabama and came to Texas soon after the close of the Civil War. He was one of the pioneer railroad men of Texas and for a number of years was superintendent of the International and Great Northern Railway.

Mr. Lee received his education in the public and high schools of Houston and in A. and M. College. After leaving school he engaged in railroad work, his first employment being as ticket clerk at Sour Lake. He later worked for the M. K. T. Railroad for a time and then was employed by the Waters Pierce Oil Company at Sour Lake.

Returning to Houston, Mr. Lee engaged in the real estate business in which he was successful. He did a general real estate business and also bought and developed property for his own account. He still owns Red Bluff, a valuable bay front property, which he developed and placed on the market.

Becoming interested in the oil business, with Bassett Blakely and others he formed the Oil Production Company in 1919 and has been very successful in his efforts in developing oil properties. Besides his interest in the Oil Production Company and the Southern Company, Mr. Lee has valuable personal holdings and a working interest in some good production.

On November 5, 1908, Mr. Lee was married at Waco to Miss Marie Clark, daughter of Hon. George Clark, prominent jurist and attorney, well known in legal and political circles of Texas for many years. Mr. and Mrs. Lee have three children, Marie Clark, Gabriel Jordan, Jr., and George Clark Lee. They reside at 412 Sul Ross Avenue.

Mr. Lee is a consistent booster for Houston and believes the coming decade will see a greater era of growth and prosperity than the city has ever known before. He believes the city will continue to grow and expand in direct ratio with the development of the ship channel and improvement of its ship- ping facilities. He takes an active interest in any movement for the betterment and development of Houston as a whole and is an active participant in various civic activities. Mr. Lee is a member of the Houston Country Club, The Houston Club and the Chamber of Commerce. A man of pleasing personality he is popular among members of the oil fraternity and business men of the City of Houston.

D F. HAIL has for more than a score of years been associated with the electrical business of Houston. He is secretary and sales manager of the Empire Electric Sup- ply Company, which was established and incor- porated in 1921. This company sells electric sup- plies, which consist mostly of batteries, wireless equipment, telephone equipment and supplies, auto batteries, independent lighting systems, motors of all sizes, U. S. Paracore wire, inside and outside construction supplies, Youngstown Sheet and Tube Company (Buckeye Brand) conduit, residence light- ing fixtures, ornamental electric glass ware, Ben- jamin steel industrial lighting, show window and store lighting, municipal street lighting, Allis Chal. mers motors, generators and transformers. The building of the Empire Electric Supply Company is a three-story brick structure, fifty by one hundred feet in size and arrangements have been made to double this space within a year, which will com- prise thirty thousand square feet of floor space. This company sells to the wholesale trade only, and thirty people are employed in their establishment and five men on the road, who travel their territory in Cen- tral and Southeast Texas and the southern portion of Louisiana. The business of this company has grown rapidly, which is shown by the following fig- ures of their business: In 1921, the year of the es- tablishment and incorporation, their business amounted to $180,000.00; in 1922, $355,000.00; in 1923, $500,000.00. Other officers of the Empire Electric Supply Company are H. L. Robertson, pres- ident; W. C. Ragan, vice president, and T. B. Mat- thews, treasurer.

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New encyclopedia of Texas, volume 1, Part 81

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