New encyclopedia of Texas, volume 2, Part 105

Author: Davis, Ellis A.
Publication date: 1926
Publisher: Dallas, Tex. : Texas development bureau, [1926?]
Number of Pages: 1262

USA > Texas > New encyclopedia of Texas, volume 2 > Part 105

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

At this time Mr. Rutt is manager and joint owner with L. L. Rutt of the Rutt Home Builders, with general offices at 547 Keith Building. The business was organized by Mr. Rutt in 1915 and since that time has built and sold more than seven hundred houses in Beaumont. Enjoying a steady growth since its organization, the company completed dur- ing 1923 a total of approximately seventy-five houses and in 1924 built about one-half that many. The financing and construction of the houses is all cared for by the Rutt Company and sales to owners are made on very easy terms of payment.

Mr. Rutt is a native of Illinois and was born at Dixon on September 23, 1876, a son of Abram R. and Maria (Landis) Rutt. His father was a well known farmer, land owner and merchant. Mr. Rutt attended the public schools of Illinois and later had a course of instruction at a commercial college. After leaving school, he was connected with a mercantile establishment at Sterling, Illinois, for a year and a half and then engaged in the lumber and fuel busi- ness. After that he was with lumber mills in Louis- iana as manager and part owner from 1901 until 1904 and organized and operated the C. L. Rutt Lum- ber Company. Coming to Beaumont, he continued in the lumber business, organizing the Dayton Lum- ber Company the year following his removal here. He was secretary and treasurer of this company until 1914 when he disposed of his interest. The following year he organized the Rutt Home Build- ers. Mr. Rutt has taken a keen interest in politics and was a delegate from the Second Congressional District of Texas to the Republican National Conven- tion, 1912 to 1924, and was chairman of the Jeffer- son County Republican Executive Committee from 1908 to 1920 and was chairman of the Republican Executive Committee, Second Congressional District, 1908 to 1918. From July 14, 1924, to February 19, 1925, he served as acting postmaster at Beaumont.

Mr. Rutt was married at Leesville, Louisiana, in 1905, to Miss Matilda Ferguson, daughter of William Ferguson, prominent lumber man and sheriff of Jas- per County for many years. Mr. and Mrs. Rutt have three children, Fornia Edith; C. L., Jr. and Gor- dan. The family reside at 2235 North Street.

Always taking an active interest and civic and fra- ternal matters, Mr. Rutt is a Mason, a member of the York Rite and of Arabia Temple Shrine. He is a past commander of Beaumont Commandery and has been prominent in Masonic work for a number of years. Mr. Rutt also is a member of the Lions Club, Chamber of Commerce, Young Men's Business League and the Hoo Hoos. His church affiliation is with the First Methodist Church, where he is a member of the board of stewards.

His years of experience in the lumber business admirably prepared Mr. Rutt for his work of build- ing and selling homes and this, coupled with his un- failing honesty and integrity, has built a splendid business. He is a very active and popular man, in- terested in the growth and development of Beau- mont and ready at all times to do his part in any movement looking to this end.

URWELL BOYKIN, JR., whose name for two decades has been of special significance in the business world at Beaumont, is di- recting head of one of the largest manu- facturing enterprises in this section, and has taken a prominent part in the industrial development of the city. Mr. Boykin is president and manager of the Boykin Machinery and Supply Company, one of the largest foundries in this territory, established in 1911, and specializing in the manufacture of grey iron castings and forgings, and also in rebuilt ma- chinery and tested pipe. The Boykin Machinery and Supply Company is located at the corner of Laurel and Second Streets, the shops covering an entire city block, and an additional block being used for supply yards. The plant is complete in every de- tail, with every provision for efficient operation, and furnishes employment to more than one hundred operatives, more than one-third of whom are expert skilled machinists. All equipment used in the shops is the best and most modern obtainable, and includes specially designed lathes, presses, shakers, planes, trip hammers, and like equipment, installed at a cost of more than one hundred and fifty thousand dollars. Six modern pipe machines are in use in the pipe manufacturing shop, and turn out a large volume of the tested pipe in which the company spe- cializes. One of the largest and most modern fur- naces and foundries in this part of the state is used in the casting department, and castings, from the smallest, up to ten thousand pounds are turned out there. The company manufacures a line of oil well supplies, making rotary equipment only, and makes a complete line of crown blocks, traveling blocks, countershafts, swedge nipples, bull plugs, drill col- lars, and all kinds of rotary bits. They also make all kinds of special work, and do much work for the refineries in this district. The trade territory, however, is not localized, but extends throughout Old Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louis- iana. The trade name under which the leading pro- ducts of the Boykin Machinery and Supply Company are marketed is "Greyhound" and this name is syn- onymous with quality wherever foundry products are used. The officers of the company are Bur- well Boykin, Jr., president and manager; M. Guiter- man, vice president, and E. L. Boykin, secretary and treasurer.

Burwell Boykin, Jr. was born at Montgomery, Ala- bama, the twenty-fourth of January, 1876, son of Burwell Boykin, a farmer and landowners of that state, and Fannie James Boykin. Mr. Boykin was educated in his native state, and after finishing school came to Beaumont, in 1894, and began in the foundry business with the Beaumont Iron Works, be- ginning at the bottom, and in a short time becom- ing superintendent. He remained with the Beau- mont Iron Works for around a decade, after which he went with the Neches Iron Works, where he spent three years, and then went to Alexandria, Louisiana, where he went in business for himself, and remained three years. He then returned to Beau- mont, starting his present business, which has grown to be one of the largest in the state.

Mr. Boykin was married at New Orleans, in 1908, to Miss Bella Fusich, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Sam Fusich. Mr. Fusich has been in the wholesale fish and oyster business at New Orleans for many years. Mr. and Mrs. Boykin make their home at 2020

1764

Fertitta 三

NEW ENCYCLOPEDIA OF TEXAS

Broadway, and have four children, Burwell Boykin the third, Elizabeth, Helen and Celeste. Mr. Boy- kin is a charter member of the Neches Club, and belongs to the Beaumont Club, and the Beaumont Country Club. Mr. Boykin's achievement in the in- dustrial world has made him known not only locally but throughout the Lone Star State, and in adjoin- ing states, and he is considered one of the best in- formed men in his field in this territory. While he is essentially a business man, he is also deeply interested in the advancement of Baumont, and has done much to further the development of this city. He contributes liberally to all welfare work, and has for many years taken an interest in improving the conditions of industrial workers, a phase of welfare work in which he is especially interested. There have been few civic movements during his resi- dence here that he has not actively supported, and Mr. Boykin may be truthfully said to be one of the most public spirited of Beaumont's citizens.

AM FERTITTA, financier, real estate and insurance broker, has been actively identi- fied with the commercial interests of the City of Beaumont for twenty-eight years and is one of the best known citizens of this fast growing Southeast Texas city. Mr. Fertitta main- tains a suite of offices at 302-3 Temperance Build- ing, where he is principally engaged in buying and selling real estate, loaning money and handling his large insurance brokerage business. Departments for the handling of practically every line of insur- ance are maintained, including life, health, accident, fire, tornado and casualty lines. Many thousands of dollars of business annually is written by the Fertitta agency.

Although he has been and is still interested in various other lines as well, Mr. Fertitta, for the past twelve or thirteen years, has devoted most of his personal time and attention to his large real estate business. A keen judge of values, Mr. Fer- titta has been especially successful in this work. He has performed a highly valuable service for the people of Beaumont in financing and building homes, which he has sold to people of moderate means on easy terms.

A native of Italy, Mr. Fertitta was born at Cefalu, on November 2, 1883. He is a son of Chas. S. and Zula (Difatta) Fertitta, Sr. His father was for many years a well known merchant of Cefalu.

When twelve years of age Mr. Fertitta emigrated to America, settling first in New Orleans, where he remained for two years, and then going to Bowie, Louisiana. When fifteen years of age Mr. Fertitta moved to Beaumont, Texas, where he has resided since, and established a number of barber shops which are today among the largest and most up-to- date barber shops in Beaumont. He also established a retail grocery and fruit store in 1898 in which he was very successful.

In 1901 Mr. Fertitta was married at Beaumont to Miss Jennie Cuchia, daughter of G. and Antoi- nette Cuchia. Mr. Cuchia is a well known merchant of Beaumont. Mr. and Mrs. Fertitta are the par- ents of four children-Margaret, 19; Charles, 17; Julian, 14; and the baby, Sam, Jr., three years of age. The family home is at 1186 College Street.

For many years Mr. Fertitta has been recognized as one of the leaders of the Italian colony in Beau-

mont and his steady devotion to business and the principles of fair and square dealing have been an inspiration to others of his countrymen, who have sought greater opportunities and freedom of thought and action in America. He is a communicant of San Joseph Catholic Church and a member of the Knights of Columbus.

LINTON LYTER SCHERER of Beaumont, Texas, has established an enviable reputa- tion as an engineer in South Texas, where he has successfully handled some of the lar- gest projects requiring engineering skill and prac- tical experience, which have been carried out in this portion of the state. In March, 1921, Mr. Scherer was appointed to the position of district drainage engineer for Jefferson County District No. 6, and the drainage work which he began in that year and finished in 1924, at a cost of $1,000,000.00, was among the greatest achievements of this portion of the country, on account of the depths, which ranged from six feet to fifteen feet. Mr. Scherer com- pleted the storm sewers in Beaumont, which cost more than $260,000.00. He has complete charge and supervision of all drainage in this district, which ex- tends about one hundred and forty miles. Owing to the careful and practical business methods used by Mr. Scherer about thirty-five more miles of work was completely finished than had been estimated. Mr. Scherer's office is located at 216 Temperance Building, Beaumont, where he gives his personal attention to the details of all work. Mr. Scherer has lived in this portion of the state all his life and the fact that he is entirely familiar with the conditions, gives him an added advantage in his work as an engineer here. Mr. Scherer was county surveyor of Chambers County for one year, after which he was with the Santa Fe Railroad in the engineering de- partment, for two years. He then came to Beaumont in 1901 and was engaged in a general engineering practice until 1905, when he became city engineer and remained in this position until December 1st, 1919. In addition to practicing his profession, Mr. Scherer has since 1915 been engaged in rice farming on a large scale and in 1920 had seven hundred acres planted to rice.

A native Texan, Mr. Scherer was born at Turtle Bayou September 9th, 1874. His father, S. S. Scher- er, was one of the pioneer settlers of that portion of Texas and throughout his life was engaged in cattle raising, ranching and farming. His mother was Miss Amelia Jane Barrow, a member of a well known and pioneer family of the Lone Star State. Mr. Scherer's education was obtained at the Coronal Institute, San Marcos, Texas, after which he became a student of the A. and M. College, where he re- mained for three years and graduatd from that in- stitution in the class of 1896 with the degrees of B. S. and C. E.

Mr. Scherer was married at San Marcos, Texas, in 1899 to Miss Irvy Robertine Fourquean (deceased since 1914) a native of Virginia. He has three chil- dren, Mrs. Emma Rubena De Bouy, Samuel Clinton Scherer, in the United States naval department, and Janey Octavia. The Scherer home is at 924 Sabine Pass Street. Mr. Scherer is a member of the A. F. and A. M. and the American Society of Civil En- gineers, and is a consistent member of the Meth- odist Church.

1767

MEN OF TEXAS

ALTER A. KAVANAUGH, who has for a number of years figured as one of the sterling residents of Port Arthur, is one of the prime factors in the grain business in this city, and has taken an important part in the industrial development of the community. Mr. Kavanaugh is vice president and general manager of the Port Arthur Grain Company, one of Port Arthur's fastest growing business houses, and one of the largest grain businesses in this section of the state. The business was organized in 1910, in a small way, handling a local trade in hay, grain and flour. Today the business occupies a modern brick structure, covering a half city block, at 601 Houston Avenue, and handles all commodities ac- cessory to the grain trade. The plant is one of the most modern in the southeastern part of the state, and includes modern cold storage rooms, with all latest machinery, and making Port Arthur inde- pendent of outside cities for their meat and produce supplies. In the cold storage department eight large cooling rooms are equipped to care for one hundred thousand pounds of meats, cheese and other cold storage products. In the huge flour ware- house, adequate provision is made for handling many carloads of flour per month, Other departments are given over to all kinds of grain, including mixed grains, and grain products, and hay and feedstuffs of all kinds. From a business employing two men this has grown to an organization requiring some twenty salesmen, and a group of officials to super- vise their management. Mr. Kavanaugh, vice presi- dent and general manager, and the subject of this sketch, has been with the Port Arthur Grain Com- pany since 1918, at which time the business of the concern was around eight thousand dollars per month. Under his direction, and largely as the re- sult of his management, it has advanced to a fifty thousand dollar a month business, and is one of the fastest growing in Port Arthur. In September, 1923, a branch office and warehouse was built at Port Neches to take care of the business which had been built up in that section. It has a capacity of about eight carloads and enables the company to give quick service to their many customers in that section. J. E. Josey of Beaumont is president, and C. C. Chinski, secretary and treasurer of the Port Arthur Grain Company.

Mr. Kavanaugh was born at Auburn, New York, the fourth of February, 1882, son of D. J. Kavan- augh, a native of England, who came to Texas in 1891, and was in the contracting plumbing business at Dallas at the time of his death, in 1917, and Mrs. Mary (Hullahee) Kavanaugh, a native of Ire- land. Mr. Kavanaugh was educated in the public schools of Dallas, graduating from the high school there, after which he entered directly upon his busi- ness career. He went first with the Armstrong Packing Company as salesman, and during the sev- eral years that he held that position was both city salesman and also on the road, representing that company to the trade in the Lone Star State. Later he was made sales manager, and at the time of leaving the Armstrong Packing Company to come to Port Arthur, he had under his direction a corps of forty-two salesmen, and has made a record in the field of salesmanship. While on the road for the Armstrong Company Mr. Kavanaugh made the de- cision to make Port Arthur his business headquar-

ters, and came to this city in 1918, as the result of that decision. He went with the Port Arthur Grain Company immediately after coming to Port Arthur, and has more than fulfilled predictions as to his business ability made at the beginning of his career, and has built up a business of which Port Arthur is proud.

Mr. Kavanaugh was married at Dallas, the twen- ty-third of November, 1904, to Miss Florence O'Mally, a native of Denison. Mr. and Mrs. Kav- anaugh have six children, Frank, a graduate of the Port Arthur high school; Helen, Walter A., Jr., Frederick, Robert J., and Mary Susan. The family reside at 1625 Ninth Street. Mr. Kavanaugh is a Knight of Columbus, fourth degree, Port Arthur Lodge, a member of the Rotary Club, and of the Eagles. He is a leader in all commercial and in- dustrial activities, and has taken a deep interest in the advancement of Port Arthur as an industrial center. He sees in this city, with its rail and water transportation facilities, an industrial location that offers unusual development opportunities to industrial firms, and has taken an active part in se- curing new business for the city. Mr. Kavanaugh is also interested in the civic welfare of the commu- nity, and has been associated with all civic move- ments of recent years.

RNEST E. WELLER came to Port Arthur, Texas, in 1919, and since that time has been a factor in the business circles of this city. He is now engaged in the wholesale grocery business. In addition to his grocery inter- ests Mr. Weller has greatly assisted in the develop- ment of Port Arthur. He has built many rent houses in this city and now has in course of con- struction a splendid two-story building at 417-425 Fifth Street, of reinforced concrete and brick con- struction, seventy-five feet by one hundred and thirty feet in size, which will be known as the Wel- ler-Zeller Building, and will be a credit to the city of Port Arthur and to the builders. Mr. Weller began his business career with five years spent with the Heisig-Norvell Company as secretary to the president of that company, after which he became associated with his brother, George Weller, in the department store business at Beaumont. He re- mained in this field of activity for two years, when he sold his interest to his brother, and became as- sociated with the Texas Pipe Line Company, and was for a period of three years connected with this company. He then came to Port Arthur in order to assist in the organizing of the Adams-Govin Com- pany, and has remained here since that time. At the start he was treasurer and assistant manager, and later became vice president and general man- ager, after which he disposed of his interests with this company in order to become associated with T. S. Reed and Company, wholesale grocers, who took over the business May 1st, 1923. He left their employ May 1st, 1924, in order to organize his own business.

Mr. Weller was born at Russellville, Kentucky, on July 20th, 1893. His father, James Monroe Wel- ler, was for many years a well known merchant of Kentucky, and came to Beaumont, Texas, in 1901, where he engaged in various lines of business, but is now partly retired from active business pursuits. His mother was prior to her marriage, Miss M. C. Dearing, a member of a prominent family of Glas-

1768

Wakavanaugh

H.L. Crawford.

NEW ENCYCLOPEDIA OF TEXAS

gow, Kentucky. His early education was obtained in the public schools of Beaumont, and his business training was secured at the Hall Business College.

Mr. Weller was married at Beaumont, June 27th, 1922, to Miss Gladys Lee Gray, a native of the Lone Star State and a member of a pioneer family. They have one daughter, Helen Gray Weller. Mr. and Mrs. Weller reside at 2530 Procter Street. Mr. Weller comes of a progressive family, all members of which have made their marks in the business world. His brother, George Weller, is the sole owner of the Weller Department Store at Beaumont, which is the largest establishment of its kind in that city. Mr. Weller since coming to Port Arthur has identified himself with the growth and progress of this city, and among the younger business men of Port Arthur, who have sought their fortune in this city, there are none to whom the future seems more full of promise and prosperity.

ENRY C. CRAWFORD, for around a decade has been identified with manufacturing ac- tivities at Port Arthur, and has been closely associated with the advancement and devel- opment of the city during this time. Mr. Crawford is president and general manager of the Port Arthur Planing Mill Company, one of the largest industrial plants here of this kind, and an enterprise that has made rapid progress during the past few years. The Port Arthur Planing Mill was first established dur- ing the early days of Port Arthur's history, but after a period of operation was closed down, and remained inoperative until 1916, when Mr. Craw- ford came here to reopen the mill. He operated the mill until 1919 under the old management, in that year, however, effecting a reorganization of the business, and has since been president and man- ager, with Captain Jack Hanson as vice president, and Willard Davis as secretary and treasurer. Since that time the mill has been materially en- larged, and has more than doubled the output. The Port Arthur Planing Mill is located at the west end of Lake Shore Drive, on the canal, where a five-acre tract is occupied. The buildings are all modern and well equipped, and the firm manufac- tures all kinds of interior finishings, sash and doors, and other general mill work, and furnishes employ- ment to around thirty-five operatives.

Mr. Crawford was born at Opelika, Alabama, the seventh of August, 1883, the son of the late S. D. Crawford, a farmer of Alabama throughout his life- time. As a boy Mr. Crawford attended the public schools of Alabama, and at the age of 15 began in the lumber mills of that state, where he was em- ployed until coming to Texas in 1901. He went first to El Paso, and was in various lumber mills there for the ensuing eleven years. He then came to Houston, and spent two years with the Bering Manufacturing Co., after which he went to Galveston and was with the Seaboard Lumber and Milling Company for two years. The following year he was at Beaumont, with the Smith Lumber Company, after which he came to Port Arthur, to open the Port Arthur Plan- ing Mill, which had been closed some years.

Mr. Crawford was married at Houston, Texas, the fourteenth of April, 1915, to Miss Clara Cashion, a native of the Lone Star State. Mr. and Mrs. Crawford reside at 3549 Fifth Street. Mr. Craw- ford is a director of the Port Arthur Finance Com-

pany, of the Port Arthur and Port Neches Bus Line Company, and of the Port Arthur Chamber of Commerce and Shipping, and chairman of the Indus- trial Committee of this organization. He is a mem- ber of the Lion's Club, one of the organizers and first president of the Young Men's Business Club, and is a Mason, being affiliated with Cosmopolitan Lodge, No. 872, Royal Arch Chapter, No. 250, and a Knight Templar. He is also a member of the Na- tional Hoo Hoo Association of Lumbermen. Mr. Crawford is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, and is a steward and trustee of the church. He is one of the substantial citizens of Port Arthur, interested in various enterprises of importance to community life, and active in all civic work.

HARLES M. DISMUKES, for upwards of a decade has been identified with building ac- tivities at Port Arthur, and in addition to his interest in various enterprises of this nature, has been active in all civic work. Mr. Dis- mukes is the owner of the firm of C. M. Dismukes, gas and steam fitters, and plumbing contractors, a business he established here shortly after his arrival in the city in 1912. The firm handles a general heating and plumbing contracting business, sells re- tail plumbing supplies, and employs a force of six- teen men. He is also vice president of the Builder's Lumber Company, one of the leading lumber com- panies of Port Arthur, and owns the Dismukes Building, a modern, fireproof, two-story brick struc- ture, seventy-five by eighty-six feet, which he built in 1921. This building is one of the finest in Port Arthur. Mr. Dismukes occupies a part of the lower floor, and has arranged it to accommodate two other businesses. The second floor is used as a modern office building.

Mr. Dismukes was born in Gonzales County, Texas, the seventeenth of November, 1886, the son of S. A. Dismukes, a native of Georgia, who came to Gonzales County in the early seventies, and was first a farmer, later becoming a merchant, and who was active in all civic work until his death, and Mary (Hughes) Dismukes, of Missouri, who now makes her home in Port Arthur. Mr. Dismukes at- tended the public schools of Gonzales County and graduated from the high school there. He then entered his father's store, and after several years there came to Port Arthur to buy a lumber busi- ness. After looking over the situation, Mr. Dis- mukes decided to go into the contracting plumbing business, and established the firm of C. M. Dis- mukes, which has enjoyed more than a decade of successful operation. Later he became associated with the Builder's Lumber Company, retaining his plumbing business, and is now vice president of the former company.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

New encyclopedia of Texas, volume 2, Part 105

Author: Davis, Ellis A. Publication date: 1926 Publisher: Dallas, Tex. : Texas development bureau, [1926?] Number of Pages: 1262

Author: Davis, Ellis A.
Publication date: 1926
Publisher: Dallas, Tex. : Texas development bureau, [1926?]
Number of Pages: 1262