New encyclopedia of Texas, volume 1, Part 95

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

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Mr. Deering was born near Caldwell, Kansas, Jan- uary 6th, 1880. His father, John A. Deering (de- ceased since 1900) was a well known farmer of Kansas and one of the early pioneer citizens of that state. His mother was Miss Sarah J. Hipson and came to Kansas from New York City. Both par- ents were natives of North Ireland. His education was obtained in the schools of Sumner County, Kan- sas, graduating from the Caldwell High School in 1898, after which he was a student of the University of Kansas. Mr. Deering began his business career soon after leaving school in the real estate business, stock raising and farming, which he continued up to the time of the death of his father. Later he went to the Indian Territory, where he remained for four years engaged in real estate business and stock- raising. For a time he was engaged in the cattle business in West Texas with John W. Light. They shipped out the first fat cattle from Texas to Kan- sas City on the Orient Railroad. Then he went to Arizona and later to Old Mexico, where he continued in the ranching and cattle business. While in Ari- zona, Mr. Deering settled up Sulphur Springs Val- ley to farming, also had a large ranch in Mexico. When the Revolution came in the Republic, he came to Houston and for a time engaged in the real es- tate business here. In 1910 and 1912 Mr. Deering drilled in Toyah Valley but continued in the real es- tate business and in the latter part of 1917 began in the oil industry exclusively, which he has continued. Mr. Deering has other interests in Texas and is treasurer of the Lincoln Oil Company, which has large royalty production.

Mr. Deering was married in Houston December 31st, 1913, to Miss Gladys Leora Barrow, a daugh- ter of Mr. and Mrs. S. E. Barrow. The late S. E. Barrow was a prominent rancher and cattleman of Chambers County. Mrs. S. E. Barrow, nee Annie Leora Sterling, daughter of B. F. Sterling, a member of the well known Sterling family, resides in Hous- ton. Mr. and Mrs. Deering have two daughters, Gladys Marie and Evelyn Leora. Mr. Deering is a member of the A. F. and A. M., the Y. M. C. A., in which organization he is active, and the Presbyterian Church. Mr. Deering is popular in the oil circles of South Texas and is doing much to assist in the de- velopment of this part of the state. He has great faith in the future of Houston and in Texas, which he believes is rapidly forging to the front in the wake of progress and advancement.

OSEPH F. MEYER, JR., native Houstonian, came with the Houston National Bank in January, 1919, where he is active vice pres- ident and director and is regarded as one

of the active young bankers of South Texas. The Houston National Bank has a paid-in capital of $800,000.00 with earned surplus and net undivided profits of $839,342.88 and has individual deposits of over ten million. Other officers of the Houston Na- tional Bank are Joseph F. Meyer, Sr., president; Dr. J. Allen Kyle, vice president; Robert E. Goree and Melvin Rouff, active vice president; T. M. Mc- Donald, cashier.

Mr. Meyer was born November 25th, 1886. His father, Joseph F. Meyer, Sr., president of the bank, is one of the builders of the South Texas metropolis and is one of the city's pioneers, where he has, dur- ing a lifetime spent here, been active in all of the city's enterprises and activities, financial, civic and educational and is regarded as one of the city's fore- most citizens. His early education was obtained in the public schools of Houston, where he also had two years of high school training, after which he attended a business college. After leaving school, Mr. Meyer engaged in several lines of business and for several years was engaged in fire insurance busi- ness, and during the administration of Hon. H. Bald- win Rice as mayor, he was connected with the city water department. Later, he became associated with the Mosehart and Keller Automobile Company and remained with this well-known firm for a period of eight years, when he entered the army during the World War, and for one year was stationed at San Antonio, Texas. After receiving his discharge, he returned to Houston and became bookkeeper for the First National Bank, where he remained for a short time, and in January, 1919, came with the Houston National Bank as bookkeeper, and remained in this position until January, 1921, when he was made assistant cashier, and in January, 1922, was made cashier and director. In January, 1924, he be- came vice president. Mr. Meyer, in addition to his banking interests, has many other large interests in Houston and other parts of Texas.

Mr. Meyer was married in Houston January 11th, 1909, to Miss Alpha Genevieve Pettus, a native of Houston and a member of one of the city's well known and pioneer families. Mr. and Mrs. Meyer reside at 102 Stratford Avenue. Mr. Meyer is a member of the A. F. and A. M., with membership in Holland Lodge No. 1, of Houston, and is also a 32nd degree Scottish Rite of this order, a Knight Templar of Commandry No. 2 and a member of Arabia Temple Shrine. He is also a member of the Eastern Star, the Knights of Pythias, the Houston Club and of many of the city's civic organizations, in which he takes an active interest.

He also organized the Meyer Corporation, of which he is vice president, engaged in the building of residence sub-divisions. Other officers are his broth- ers, George Baker, president, and Frank K., secre- tary. They build subdivisions and buildings in the fine residential parts of Houston.

While a very young man, Mr. Meyer worked in the Houston National Bank, in 1904-5 and 1906, as a collector and bank runner, when Mr. Henry S. Fox, Sr. was the president of this institution. Mr. Meyer had a desire to master the details of the banking business, and this was wholly through choice, not necessity, but he preferred to be the architect of his own future. He has always been an advocate of efficiency, promptness and punctuality, and no detail is too small to receive his personal attention.

570

JM During

NEW ENCYCLOPEDIA OF TEXAS

EREDITH H. JAMES has for a decade been active in horticultural work, and since com- ing to Houston has taken part in the devel- opment of orchard and nursery stock, at- taining a reputation as an authority on fig growing and horticulture. Mr. James came to Houston in 1915 as acting chief inspector of orchards and nurs- eries for the State of Texas, and later became ad- visor for the Friendswood Orchards Company, of which he was vice president. This company grows, develops and sells fig lands, and now has over one thousand acres planted, with a large proportion of this acreage now bearing, and all handled by ex- pert fig growers. The officers of the Friendswood Orchards Company are John Ruhl, president; M. S. Drake, secretary, and W. E. Long, treasurer, with Mr. James as vice president and horticultural su- pervisor.

Mr. James is also manager of the Fauna Farms, twelve miles east of Houston, where one thousand acres are in figs, and Poland China hogs are bred. This farm, of which B. F. Greenwood of the Central Lumber Company is president, is being developed as a private enterprise, and no stock or land is of- fered for sale.

Mr. James is a recognized authority on fig grow- ing and other branches of horticulture and has writ- ten many articles for the United States Government. He spent one-half a year investigating the apple orchards of New Mexico for A. & M. College, and later spent three seasons investigating the peach orchards of East Texas. He then had charge of a big plantation in Brazoria County and came to Houston as special agent for the Bureau of Horti- culture for three years, at the same time acting as chief inspector for orchards and nurseries for the State of Texas. Mr. James also had charge of one of the largest peach orchards in the world, consist- ing of three thousand acres at Scottsville, Texas, for three seasons. He spent one year as general fruit inspector in New York State, for the State Experiment Station, one season at the Cornell Uni- versity Station of New York investigating the vineyards around Lake Cayuga. After November, 1918, his services were transferred to the Agricul- tural Department at Washington, D. C., at which time he did special investigating of the citrus fruit district of the Rio Grande Valley. With the excep- tion of a year spent in the navy, in the Marine Steam Engineering Corps, where he had five promo- tions and was discharged as warrant officer, Mr. James has been actively engaged in horticultural work since leaving the university. In addition to his horticultural work Mr. James was also engaged in the real estate business at 1008 Chronicle Build- ing. He was sales manager of the firm of L. W. Babbitt and Company, who in addition to doing a general real estate business are general contractors and builders. His office is now located at 413 West Building.

Mr. James was born at Bryan, Texas, in 1890, son of Meredith H. James, a druggist of that city, and Hattie Webb James. Mr. James began his educa- tion in the public schools of Bryan, and after grad- uating from the high school there attended the Allen Academy at Bryan for three years, after which he entered Texas A. & M. College for the four-year course, graduating with the degree B. S. He then

went to Stephens Institute of Technology at Hobo- ken, New Jersey, where he graduated with a diploma for marine steam engineering.

Mr. James was married at Houston in 1920 to Miss Beatrice Giles. They have one child, Meredith H. James the Third. The family reside at 2105 Morse Street. Mr. James is an Elk and a Mason.

H. NEBLETT is the head of the largest organization in South Texas dealing exclu- sively in contractors' and builders' equip- ment. Every piece of equipment used by contractors and builders in the erection and con- struction of buildings of every kind, including resi- dences, apartment houses, hotels, office buildings and warehouses and other commercial buildings, is carried in stock and made immediately available to those engaged in the contracting and building busi- ness in Houston and South Texas.

Mr. Neblett's Company is known as R. B. Everett and Company, Inc., and was organized in 1910 by R. B. Everett. Mr. Neblett acquired complete own- ership of the business and took over its management in 1915, and has continued its operation with an ever increasing degree of success since that time. Sales have shown an appreciable increase year after year and practically every contractor and builder in South Texas is a customer of this company. Be- sides equipment used by contractors and builders, Mr. Neblett is the sales agent in Houston for Fen- estra steel windows and Kinnear rolling steel doors, used in warehouse, factory and office building construction. The business is located at 3118 Har- risburg Boulevard and a large warehouse is main- tained to care for the reserve stock of thousands of items that are carried at all times.

Mr. Neblett is a native of Texas and was born at Galveston on November 26th, 1884, a son of U. M. Neblett. He received his education in the public schools and high school at New Orleans and when a young man engaged in his present line of busi- ness in New Orleans. He knows every piece of equipment used in building construction and its adaptability to a particular kind of work, and this knowledge has been of inestimable benefit to con- tractors and builders in purchasing equipment for a large and difficult job. He continued his busi- ness in New Orleans until 1915, when an oppor- tunity to take over the R. B. Everett Company induced him to sell out there and remove to Hous- ton. By dint of hard work and fair dealing he has built a big business. While he devotes all of his personal attention to it, yet he is interested in other commercial enterprises and is secretary-treas- urer of the Hedges Roofing Company.

In 1921 Mr. Neblett was married in Houston to Miss Emma Benjamin, a native of New Jersey. Mrs. Neblett is associated with her husband in the man- agement and operation of the business, and, as E. B. Neblett, is secretary-treasurer of the corpora- tion.

There is probably not a line of business in Hous- ton that performs a wider or more varied service for its clients than that operated by Mr. Neblett. He is a splendid type of business man, thoroughly energetic and progressive, and every ready to do his part in any movement for the general better- ment or upbuilding of Houston. He takes a very active interest in civic affairs and is a member of the Rotary Club.

573

MEN OF TEXAS

EORGE W. SMYTH, Houston, Texas, has been a factor in the business life of this city since August, 1922, when he opened the Houston office of the Uvalde Rock Asphalt Company. General offices are at San An- tonio, Texas. Mr. Smyth is promotion manager of this company, which is the largest concern of its kind in the United States. He has complete juris- diction over Harris County territory, and the plant here, located on Cedar and Baker Streets. More than one hundred and fifty men are employed at the plant and on the streets, besides five trained men in Mr. Smyth's office. The greater portion of the work of the Uvalde Rock Asphalt Company is within the city limits of Houston, where they have paved many of the principal streets, among which is Caroline Street, Bayland Avenue, Leeland Avenue, Bissonett Street, Riesner Avenue, West- heimer Road and many others. This company has widened Mckinney Avenue, which they have also paved. In 1914 Mckinney Avenue was paved by his company from Main Street to the Trinity and Brazos Valley Railroad tracks, and since Mr. Smyth has been here this thoroughfare was widened from Louisiana Street to the Houston Belt and Terminal tracks and the widened portion paved. It is a note- worthy fact that the paving work on Mckinney Avenue, which was put down in 1914 is as good as when it was paved, after almost twelve years of hard service.

A native Texan, Mr. Smyth was born in Newton County on November 10th, 1897. His father, J. B. Smyth, of San Antonio, Texas, is the president of the Uvalde Rock Asphalt Company, the founder and organizer of this company. It has been directly due to the foresight of Mr. Smyth that a paving material has been produced that would give satis- faction for a long period of time, and the Uvalde Rock Asphalt Company is now producing the most perfect and the most satisfactory street and road pavement in existence today. Mr. George W. Smyth's mother, Mrs. Ollie (Seale) Smyth, was a. member of one of East Texas' most prominent fam- ilies. His early education was obtained in the pub- lic and high schools of Beaumont, Texas, after which he attended Richmond Academy of Richmond, Virginia, and later became a student of the Gulf Coast Military Academy of Gulfport, Mississippi. On leaving college, Mr. Smyth immediately entered the service of the United States Army and for a period of one and one-half years he was located at Ellington Field, Houston, where he was a member of the 189th Air Service. He was discharged in 1919 and entered the business world with the Uvalde Rock Asphalt Company at San Antonio. He re- mained with this company for one year and then joined the forces of the Davidson Lumber Company, remaining with this organization until 1922, when he opened the Houston office of the Uvalde Rock Asphalt Company. Mr. Smyth has had much to do with popularizing the Uvalde Rock Asphalt in Houston and its environs, and has made a host of friends in Houston by his genial and friendly atti- tude towards all with whom he has come in con- tact. He is numbered among the leading business men of the younger generation in this city.

Mr. Smyth was married at Houston on December 27th, 1919, to Miss Miriam Davidson, a daughter of Hon. Lynch Davidson, former lieutenant governor

of Texas, and the executive head of the Lynch Dav- idson and Company. Mr. Davidson is one of the state's best known and most prominent citizens- in the business, financial and political world. Mr. and Mrs. Smyth have one child-Lynch Davidson Smyth. Their residence is located on Cherokee Boulevard. Mr. Smyth is a member of the River Oaks Country Club and many other of the social and business organizations of the city. Mr. Smyth is carrying on the spirit of the Uvalde Rock Asphalt Company here and is doing the best work possible in the paving line.

OHN S. COCHRAN, owner of John S. Coch- ran & Company, Cotton Merchants and Ex- porters, has been a factor in the business circles of Houston for several years, having prior to entering the cotton business been for sev- eral years active in the banking circles of the city. Mr. Cochran established his cotton business here in July, 1923, and employs six people in his office, which is located at 1301 Cotton Exchange Building, and although a comparative recent addition to the cotton circles of Houston, he has succeeded in build- ing up a large and profitable business and his in- fluence is felt in the cotton circles, where he is thoroughly familiar with the system of marketing, shipping and exporting, that the millions of acres of the Texas staple demand.

A native Houstonian, Mr. Cochran was born May 29th, 1892. His father, O. L. Cochran, was a native of Tennessee, who came to Houston in 1837, where he spent the balance of his life seeing the city grow from a hamlet of a few houses to a thriving city. He was very well known in the business circles of the State at the time of his death in 1914. His mother (now deceased) was Miss Mary Alice Shep- herd, a native of Houston and a member of a pio- neer South Texas family. His education was ob- tained in the public schools of Houston and San Antonio, Texas.

After leaving school Mr. Cochran began his busi- ness career in the banking business in Houston, where for four years he was associated with the First National Bank and left the employ of that in- stitution in order to enter the army during the World War. Mr. Cochran was assigned to the Sig- nal Corps of the 36th Division, which was stationed at Camp Bowie, Fort Worth, Texas, and in July, 1918, went overseas, where he saw much active service, and for twenty-six days was in the Argonne. He returned to the United States in June, 1919, and after receiving his discharge, entered the cotton business with the firm of H. L. Warren & Com- pany, with offices at Greenville, Texas, and re- mained with this well known cotton firm until he entered business for himself on July 15th, 1923. Mr. Cochran is a member of the Houston Cotton Ex- change, Houston Club, Houston Riding and Polo Club, the American Legion and the Episcopal Church. He takes an active part in the business and social life in Houston, where he resides at 3918 Brandt Street. Mr. Cochran never loses an opportunity to speak a good word for his native city, which he has seen grow and advance until it has become a thriving, prosperous city, and with its wonderful advantages, will soon take its place as the leading city of the entire Southwest, and Mr. Cochran has helped his city to become the South- ern metropolis.

574

George W. Smyth

NEW ENCYCLOPEDIA OF TEXAS

G. CHRISTIAN, well known oil operator and oil well contractor has had an experi- ence as a driller of oil wells in California and Texas extending over a quarter of a century. Mr. Christian came to Houston in 1919 from Batson, Texas, and is engaged in a general con- tracting of oil well drilling, mostly with rotary tools, and his drilling has been confined almost entirely to the coastal fields. He runs two or three rigs; this being as many as he can personally supervise, and has drilled on contract for practically all the big oil companies operating in the South Texas fields. Mr. Christian is the inventor, designer and patentee of the Christian Improved Fish Tail Bit, which is considered by oil people as the best bit on the mar- ket. It is the only improved Fish Tail Bit on the market that is forged from the best steel, of a special alloy, being specially designed and re-in- forced, with special collar on shank for re-threading, if necessary. The use of this bit, eliminates the usual loss of time in drilling, regulates the water course wherever it is wanted, and is indepensible as a reaming bit, making a straight hole in any kind of formation. In the using of this bit, it is practically impossible to choke it up in any kind of formation. By thorough tests, it has been proven that this bit will outlast six ordinary fish tail bits, and creates a saving in steel of 227 per cent and cuts the drilling bit expense not less than 50 per cent, and has saved the oil fraternity much money.

Mr. Christian was born at Noblesville, Indiana, May 4th, 1880. His father, J. R. Christian (de- ceased) was well known in the State of Indiana as a real estate dealer. His mother was Miss Mariah Hurlock, a member of a prominent Indiana family. His education was obtained in the public and high schools of Noblesville, graduating from the latter in the class of 1900, and while a boy, and attending school, Mr. Christian worked in the oil and gas fields of Indiana during the summer months in order to get a general experience, in drilling and tool dress- ing. In April, 1901, he came to Spindle Top, and did all kinds of rough work in the field there, and quit a place paying him $3.00 per day in order to take one paying only $2.75 per day with the Southern Pacific Railroad oil interests, which after- wards became the Rio Bravo Oil Company, and he later became field manager for this company and re- mained with them until 1903. At this time, he and his brothers drilled a well at Sour Lake, and about this time the Batson field opened up and they went there in the contracting business, made money and entered the production business under the name of E. G. Christian and Company, and brought in a fine well on the Milhome tract. He then entered business with T. H. Bass, Mr. L. F. Benckenstein and M. L. Eastham, and later drilled for himself in the Batson field and obtained some production there. In 1909 he sold all his interests and went to California and re- mained there until 1914, in the contracting business. In 1914 Mr. Christian came back to Texas and with his brother, drilled at Batson under the name of the Christian Oil Company, and the first light oil well in that field was brought in by them. Later, he returned to the producing end of the business and went to work with T. H. Bass and the Phoenix Oil Company, and at intervals worked with the Bass interests, which later became the Kirby Petroleum Company, and when this company was formed, he

went with them as field superintendent at Mexia. When T. H. Bass left the Kirby interests, Mr. Chris- tian became general superintendent of the Kirby Petroleum Company, and it was through his efforts that this company obtained the Hodges tract at Bat- son, consisting of 205 acres, and the Batson well was drilled under his supervision. On May 10th, 1923, he resigned from the Kirby Petroleum Company in order to enter the general oil well contracting busi- ness, and now has contracts to drill for the Kirby Petroleum Company and for many of the larger oil companies of the coastal fields, and is still a stock- holder in the Kirby Petroleum Company.

Mr. Christian was married in Los Angeles on De- cember 26th, 1911, to Mrs. Ella M. Bachant nee Ella M. Bolton, a native of Auburn, New York and a member of a well known family of that state. Mr. and Mrs. Christian reside at 110 Hunt Street. Mr. Christian is a member of the Knights of Pythias. Mr. Christian's brother, E. G. is field manager for the Kirby interests at Batson and G. H. Christian is a millwright of Central Texas. Mr. Christian is a great believer in the future of Houston and thinks that the time is near at hand when it will become the leading city of the Southwest, and also the oil center of the entire South.

OUIE COHN, since coming to Houston the first of July, 1918, has been identified with financial enterprises of wide scope, and prior to this time had devoted more than twenty years to constructive banking service. Mr. Cohn organized the Peoples State Bank, incorporated under state charter, the thirtieth of July, 1919. This bank made a splendid record under his guidance as executive. He remained with it until selling his interest. After a re-organization the bank be- came the Marine Bank and Trust Company. Mr. Cohn is familiar with sound financial principles and enjoys the confidence of the public. He has made many friends in Houston, and is numbered among the leading citizens here.

Mr. Cohn was born the thirteenth of December, 1881, in Germany, coming to the United States with his parents as a child in 1886. His father, now deceased, was for many years a hardware merchant in Hallettsville. Mr. Cohn attended the public schools of Hallettsville and graduated from the high school there. After finishing school Mr. Cohn went with the First National Bank of Hallettsville, formerly known as the Lavaca County National Bank, and was connected with this institution for thirteen years. He then went to Yoakum with the Yoakum National Bank where he remained for two and a half years. The first of January, 1911, he was appointed state bank examiner by B. L. Gill, then state banking commissioner, holding this po- sition for eight years. He then organized the Peo- ples State Bank and was an officer of the bank until going with the South Texas Commercial Na- tional Bank of Houston.

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New encyclopedia of Texas, volume 1, Part 95

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