New encyclopedia of Texas, volume 2, Part 109

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

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HARLES L. WIGNALL, who for around a decade has been the leading representative of the architectural profession at Port Ar- thur, has been held in high esteem for his work in this connection, and for his activities in the civic and business life of the community. Mr. Wig- nall, under the firm name C. L. Wignall, Architect, engages in a general practice, designing both busi- ness and residence construction, and maintains his offices in the Barnes Building. He has no associates and since the establishment of his office here in 1913 has been alone. Mr. Wignall has planned many of the business structures in the city, among them the Barnes Building, the Linn Motor Company Building, the E. P. Baker Auto Company Building and the Trinity Lutheran Church, and has also planned many of the finer homes here.

Charles L. Wignall was born at Chicago, Illi- nois, the ninth of May, 1889. His father, George Wignall, a contractor of Illinois for many years, was married to Miss Ida Schoonmaker of New York, who died when her son, the subject of this sketch, was a small boy. The elder Mr. Wignall was mar- ried for the second time to Miss Marriette DeWitt, who reared Charles L. Wignall, and whom he looks upon as a real mother. On account of the severe winters of Chicago the family made frequent trips South, coming to Port Arthur on a visit in 1897, and buying the first round trip ticket to this city on the Kansas City Southern Railroad, which had

just been completed. The future looked so promis- ing that they returned here in 1900, to make this city their home, the elder Mr. Wignall retiring sev- eral years later, after having bought various pieces of city property here, which he still owns. As a boy Charles L. Wignall attended the public schools of Port Arthur, graduating from the high school here in 1905, after which he entered Texas A. and M. College, where he took his B.S. degree in 1909. The following two years he was instructor in archi- tecture at A. and M., and then spent two years as inspector of buildings at A. and M., after which he returned to Port Arthur and opened his office as an architect, the only one of the profession in the city.

Mr. Wignall was married at Bryan, Texas, the eleventh of November, 1914, to Miss Adele Raysor, the daughter of Dr. Paul M. Raysor, for many years a resident of Bryan. Mr. and Mrs. Wignall reside at 610 Stilwell Boulevard, and have one son, Paul R. Wignall. Mr. Wignall is a member of the Rotary Club, the Port Arthur Country Club, and is a Ma- son, being affiliated with Cosmopolitan Blue Lodge, No. 872, at Port Arthur. He takes an active interest in the development and beautification of Port Ar- thur, and has many friends in this city.

LIFFORD G. HALL, a resident of Port Arthur for many years, and identified with commercial activities here throughout his business career, has for the past several years been active in the insurance field, and is one of the star agents for the Volunteer State Life In- surance Company. Mr. Hall is general agent for this company, and handles one of the largest life insurance businesses in Port Arthur. He also has several counties in this section under his direction. Mr. Hall's offices are in the Deutser Building. Since taking the agency for the Volunteer State Life Insurance Company, Mr. Hall has written a record amount of insurance on the books of that company, and is known to insurance men of the state as a real producer.

Mr. Hall was born in Kansas, the 21st of April, 1884, and was educated in the public schools of Kansas City, later attending the Kansas State Normal School. He came to Port Arthur in 1897, with his father, W. E. Hall, and with him engaged in the lumber business for a time. He later went with the Merchants National Bank, and was with that institution for five years, leaving as cashier. After this he spent several years in the real estate business, and in 1915 began in the insurance busi- ness. His father, W. E. Hall, now retired, was the organizer of the Merchants National Bank, of which he was president, and has other interests in this city.

Mr. Hall was married at Baldwin, Kansas, the 12th of June, 1923, to Miss Hortense Smith, a native of that state, this being his second marriage. His first wife, whose maiden name was Mildred Sherk, is deceased. Mr. Hall has three children by his first marriage: William, Josephine and Wendall. Mr. Hall is a member of the Rotary Club, the Country Club, the Chamber of Commerce and the Elks Club, and is a trustee in the last named club. He takes a deep interest in the civic and commercial advance- ment of Port Arthur, and has done much to assist in the development of this city. He is at all times ready to do his part, and more, where the future of Port Arthur is concerned.

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HRISTIE S. FLANAGAN, pioneer resident of Port Arthur, and for around three de- cades a leader in all civic advancements, is one of the outstanding men in shipping here, and is known in practically every port in the world as a contracting stevedore. Mr. Flanagan is president and manager of C. Flanagan and Sons, Inc., contracting stevedores. This business was founded by C. M. Flanagan in 1888 at Mobile, Ala- bama. In 1895 the firm opened up in Sabine Pass, Texas, and the following year was moved to Port Arthur. The firm is the largest stevedore contract- ing business in Port Arthur, and has adequate load- ing and unloading machinery to handle the loading and unloading and depositing of cargoes in the freight sheds along the water front. The volume of business handled annually reaches a large figure. Mr. Flanagan has been a factor in the advancement of Port Arthur, to its present position as one of the leading Gulf Coast ports. In 1900 he went to Liverpool, England, and arranged for the first line of steamships to come to Port Arthur, and has since devoted a great deal of his time to the advancement of Port Arthur along this line. Other officers of the C. Flanagan and Sons, Inc., are James J. Flan- agan, vice president, and R. P. Flanagan, secretary. The officers, together with Frank C. Flanagan, comprise the stockholders of the corporation.

Christie S. Flanagan was born in Canada in 1876. Although the family home was in New Orleans, his father, C. Flanagan, was a native of that country, later moving to the United States, where he took out his citizenship papers in 1858, at Savannah, Georgia. As a boy he began as stevedore in Canada and even before that, at the age of seven years, he started serving his time in a rigging loft, spinning oakum on his knee. By the time he was twenty he was on the high seas, and there won his mate's ticket. He then went to New York City as a steve- dore, afterwards going to Savannah, Georgia, and from there to Wilmington, North Carolina, and then to New Orleans, later to Mobile, Alabama. He steamboated on the Mississippi River from New Or- leans to St. Louis for a time, and afterwards on the Red River as far up as Jefferson City, Texas. Later he went to Sabine Pass, and from there came to Port Arthur, where his death occurred in 1911. Mr. Christie S. Flanagan's mother, whose maiden name was Marie Cunningham, was also a native of Can- ada, and makes her home at Port Arthur. As a boy Mr. Flanagan attended the public schools of Mississippi and Alabama, and later entered Notre Dame College at Point Levis, Canada, where he took a commercial course. Leaving college he went home to Mobile, Alabama, and began as a lumber exporter, and steamship agent. In that city he maintained his headquarters from 1894 to 1897, during that time making six trips abroad as super- intendent of cargo. In 1897 Mr. Flanagan came to Port Arthur to join his father and from that time represented exporters of lumber as well as assist- ing his father in the contracting stevedore business. It has been largely due to Mr. Flanagan's executive ability that this corporation has become so suc- cessful.

Mr. Flanagan was married at Quebec, Canada, the twelfth of January, 1904, to Miss Mary Katherine Sims, a native of that country. Mr. and Mrs. Flan- agan have one child, Christie S., Jr., a graduate of

the Port Arthur high school, class of 1923, and now a student at business administration at Notre Dame College, Indiana. Mr. Flanagan belongs to the Ro- tary Club, the Elks Club, and the Knights of Colum- bus. Few men in the shipping world are better or more favorably known, and he has attained a repu- tation as contracting stevedore that is world-wide. Mr. Flanagan's influence on the life of his com- munity has been far-reaching and few men, if any, have done more for the development of Port Ar- thur, especially for its advancement as a port.

OHN R. ADAMS has been associated with the progress and development of Port Ar- thur since the incorporation of this city, and has been a factor in the merchandising and shipping world here, building up a wholesale and retail grocery and hardware and ship chandlery business that is the largest in Southeast Texas. Mr. Adams operates this business under the firm name of John R. Adams and Company and the other mem- bers of the partnership are his brothers, W. J. and George T. Adams. The business was established in 1897, the volume of business handled that year ag- gregating more than sixty thousand dollars. Since that time there has been a constant growth, the re- flection of the business policies of Mr. Adams, and the business never drops under sixty thousand dol- lars per month, usually greatly exceeding this amount. A general wholesale and retail grocery and hardware business and ship chandlery business is conducted. John R. Adams and Company occupies the Sherman building, a modern, two-story struc- ture, fifty by one hundred and forty feet, at the corner of Austin and Fifth streets. Mr. Adams is building a six-story office building, one hundred and forty by one hundred and fifty feet, just across the street, and will use the lower floors for his business, and the upper floors as a modern office building. This building will be completed by January 1st, 1926, and the present business will be moved in the new building. In addition to this they also use a large warehouse, sixty by one hundred feet. There is a force of fifty employees in the Port Arthur office of John R. Adams and Company. A branch has been established at Sabine, with six employees; one at Orange, with eleven employees, and one at Beau- mont, with twenty employees. The firm also con- trols the T. S. Richie store at Port Arthur, a busi- ness employing seven operatives.

Mr. Adams was born in Jasper County, Texas, the thirteenth of October, 1868, son of W. J. Adams, a native of Georgia, who came to Jasper County in the early days, and is now, although retired from active business, one of the largest land owners in this county. Mr. Adams' mother was before her marriage Miss Mathilda Scurlock, a native of Sa- bine County, and a resident of Jasper County for many years. Mr. Adams attended the public schools of Jasper County, and after finishing school began work in his father's mercantile store. Later he went to Beaumont, where he spent five years with the Beaumont Lumber Company, after which he came to Port Arthur and established his present business.

Mr. Adams was married in January, 1888, to Miss Sadie Henderson, a native of Jasper County and the daughter of D. J. Henderson, a resident of Jas- per County more than forty years, and now de- ceased. Mr. and Mrs. Adams reside at the corner

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NEW ENCYCLOPEDIA OF TEXAS

of Waco Street and Lake Shore Drive. Mr. Adams is a member of the Chamber of Commerce, and the Retail Merchants' Association, and has been one of the men to help make Port Arthur the prosperous and growing city it is today.

EN COHEN has been a resident of Houston for thirty-five years, during which time he has been active in business circles and in the upbuilding of the city. Mr. Cohn is president of the Smart Shop, Inc., located at 317 Main Street, which is one of the very exclusive la- dies' stores of Houston. This splendid, high-class store was opened June 1st, 1923, but prior to open- ing this establisment, Mr. Cohen had for twenty years owned and operated one of the leading de- partment stores of Houston. The Smart Shop, Inc. employs from fifteen to thirty people and their busi- ness has had a wonderful growth. Other officers of the Smart Shop, Inc. are Mrs. Annie Cohen, vice president, and Louis Leon, secretary, treasurer and manager.

Mr. Cohen was born in Germany, October 4th, 1874. His father, Jacob Cohen, also a native of Germany, was brought to Houston a few years after Mr. Cohen had made a success of his business here and continued to reside in Houston until his death at the age of eighty years. His mother, who died in Germany, was Miss Bertha Cohen. Mr. Cohen's opportunities for securing an education in Germany were limited and he came to the United States when a mere boy and the liberal education which he received later in life was entirely through self help. He worked very hard for others and in 1900 opened a store for himself, which was known as the Columbia Dry Goods Store, with very little capital, but with the aid of his wife, energy and pluck, made a success. He continued this store until 1920 when he sold out the Columbia Dry Goods Store, which during the period of twenty years in which he had operated this establishment, had made it one of the leading department stores of the city. After disposing of this store, Mr. Cohen and his wife trav- eled all over the world in the three years that elapsed before they again returned to Houston to remain, believing that this is the best place to live. In a short time after returning here, the de- sire to again enter business became so strong that in June, 1923, with his wife and Louis Leon, his nephew, he opened the Smart Shop, Inc., which has succeeded beyond his expectations. Mr. Cohen was married in Houston, August 15th, 1897, to Miss Annie Solomon, who has been his only partner in busi- ness throughout his business career and has been active in all his dealings, and is deserving for a great portion of the credit of Mr. Cohen's success. She is now vice president of the new establishment, where she is active. Mr. and Mrs. Cohen reside at the corner of Webster and Caroline Streets.

Mr. Cohen has shown his faith in the future of Houston in the vast amount he has invested in real estate here, which now amounts to more than $250,- 000.00, and he has put all of his life's savings in Houston property, which he believes is the safest and best proposition to be found. He has sold much property and as Houston real estate has continued to advance, he, like others, has made triple the amount of the original investments. He does not care to sell the large holdings he has here at the present time. Mr. Cohen is a member of the B. P.

O. E. and takes an active interest in this organiza- tion. He never loses an opportunity to speak a good word for Houston and says that he did not appre- ciate the South Texas metropolis as much as he should until he had traveled all over the world and compared other places with this city.

IDNEY H. HUSTON, oil operator and one S of the pioneers of the oil industry in Texas and Western Oklahoma, has had a wide and varied business career. Mr. Huston began his career in the oil business in 1895, with one of the big companies of Pennsylvania, and was at Beau- mont in the Spindle Top days, and was active in the various oil fields of Texas prior to 1916. Dur- ing this year, he entered the drilling end of the business and operating where he has become widely known as a successful and economical driller, and has done much work for the large oil companies operating in the state. Mr. Huston has perfected some improvements to drilling operations, and has patents on various oil field appliances.

A native of Houston, Mr. Huston was born June 24th, 1872. His father, J. A. Huston, a native of Mississippi, came to Texas in 1867, was a Civil War veteran, and during his lifetime spent in Houston, he was associated with the firm of W. D. Cleveland and Sons, and was well known throughout the state. His mother was Miss Elizabeth Fuqua, a member of a pioneer Texas family. His education was obtained in the public schools of Houston, and before he was twenty years of age he had entered the business world, and for a period of two years he was with the Cushman Machine Shops, handling the business end of this firm. He then went with the Houston National Exchange Bank, where he remained for two years and then became associated with W. D. Cleve- land and Sons, and remained with this well known firm for one year. He then entered the real estate business in San Antonio, which he conducted with a general loan business for a period of three years. In Palestine, Texas, for two years he was manager of a large dry goods establishment, after which he went to Pennsylvania and was in the employ of the Mellen Pipe Line Company of Pittsburg, but re- mained there less than a year, when he returned to Texas and has since remained in the Lone Star State. Mr. Huston has been successful in the oil business and has various valuable oil lands, leases and royal- ties. For several years he has been active in obtain- ing a true history of the origin of the name of Huston or Houston, and General Felix Huston was his grandfather, and many of his near relatives were participants in the Mexican War, the Civil War and in the memorable Battle of San Jacinto. Mr. Huston plans a reunion of Hustons and Houstons in the near future, where much of the forgotten history of these families may again be brought to light and pre- pared in a form that will be interesting to not only the people of these names, but to all Texans.

Mr. Huston was married at Palestine, Texas, in 1896, to Miss Louise Oder, a native of Palestine, where she was a member of a pioneer Anderson County family. Mr. and Mrs. Huston reside at 4318 Rose Street. He is a member of the Sons of Texas Republic and the Sons of Confederate Veterans. In addition to his varied business interests, Mr. Huston writes for papers on political matters and also his- torical biblical matters, and his contributions are in demand.

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ILLIAM FRANCIS BEERS, veteran marine insurance man of Galveston and Texas, whose half century of activity in this field has qualified him to speak authoritatively on marine insurance, has exerted a constructive influ- ence in affairs at Galveston, and has been particu- larly active in its development as a shipping center. Mr. Beers is senior member of the firm of Beers, Kenison and Company, which was established at Galveston in 1879, and has been in continuous opera- tion since that time, contributing a real service to the shippers in this section, and building up a large general insurance business. Beers, Kenison and Company occupy the entire first floor of the Steele Building, located at the corner of Twenty-first and Strand, and is one of the finest insurance offices in Galveston. While the company gives special at- tention to marine insurance, all classes of policies are written, with the exception of life insurance, and they represent a number of the strong companies of the country. For many years W. F. Beers has served as the Lloyd's agent at Galveston, handling all insurance for this exchange, of which some four hundred underwriters are members. His company acts as correspondent for the Board of Underwrit- ers of New York City, which also has a large mem- bership among underwriters and represent a great many foreign countries for settlement of losses. As by far the larger share of all marine insurance han- dled at Galveston is transacted through these two associations, the marine insurance business handled by Beers, Kenison & Co. is naturally extensive, and the company ranks as one of the most important in the marine field along the coast. Mr. Beers, asso- ciated as he has been with the insurance business, and more particularly the marine insurance business, for a period of more than fifty years, has acquired an unusual fund of information along this line, and is prepared to offer his patrons and shippers here a service that is unsurpassed. He enjoys the distinc- tion of being not only the oldest insurance man in Texas, in point of service, but also the best posted man in the state on matters pertaining to marine in- surance, the types of policies represented, and there is probably no class of insurance presenting greater diversity of forms of policies, the risks assumed, marine losses and their classification, rates and other items coming under marine insurance.

William F. Beers was born at New Orleans, Lou- isiana, the sixth of November, 1852. His father, Jonothan Sturges Beers, a resident of New Orleans for many years, was also a factor in the marine insurance business, and was made secretary of the Union Marine and Fire Insurance Company, incor- porated in 1854, and died in 1871. William Francis Beers' mother, who before her marriage was Miss Mary Elizabeth Isley, was a native of New Or- leans. William Francis Beers was educated in the schools of Galveston, coming to this city in 1858, at the age of six years, attending private schools here. In 1869 Mr. Beers went in the office of the Union Marine and Fire Insurance Company, remaining with the company until its liquidation in 1879. He then established the firm of Dyer, Beers and Ken- ison, which operated for around three or four years; after the death of Mr. Dyer the company became known as Beers and Kenison, and a few years later as Beers, Kenison and Company, under which name it has since continued. For fifteen years he served

as secretary of the Citizens Loan Company, whose capital grew to $550,000.

Mr. Beers was married at New York City in 1880 to Miss Iola Barns, daughter of Thomas Barns, well known newspaper man of Texas, and for many years associated with the Galveston News. The Beers residence is located at 803 Fifteenth Street. Mr. Beers has one son, William F. Beers, Jr. He is a member of the Aziola Club, the Galveston Country Club, the Cotton Exchange and fraternally is a Ma -- son. In addition to his prominence in marine in- surance circles, and the leadership he has held in this field for so many years, Mr. Beers has also been active in all work for the upbuilding of Galveston, and has for years given his support to all civic and welfare measures which have been planned for the betterment of Galveston, and its advancement as a business center.

RED M. BURTON, widely known insurance man of Texas, has for about a quarter of a century been identified with insurance circles at Galveston, and is regarded as an insurance expert whose years of experience and study qualify him to speak with authority on insur- ance matters. Mr. Burton is a member of the firm of Fred M. Burton and Company, a business established in 1915, and which has since been recognized as one of the leading insurance companies of Galveston. Fred M. Burton and Company write all kinds of in- surance, with the exception of life insurance, and represent a number of the leading companies in Galveston, including the Aetna Insurance Company of Hartford, Connecticut, the Alliance Insurance Company of Philadelphia, Penn., the British and Foreign Marine Insurance Company, Ltd., of Liver- pool, England, the Commercial Union Assurance Company, Ltd., of London, England, the Common- wealth Insurance Company of New York, the Globe Indemnity Company of Newark, New Jersey, the Home Insurance Company of New York, the Liver- pool and London Globe Insurance Company, Ltd., of Liverpool, the Northern Assurance Company, Ltd., of London, the Phoenix Assurance Company, Ltd., of

London, the Providence Washington Insurance Company of Providence, Rhode Island, and the Royal Insurance Company, Ltd., of Liverpool. The volume of business handled by Fred M. Burton and Company is extensive. Offices are maintained in the Steele Building, and efficient people are em- ployed. Associated with Mr. Burton is D. S. Mont- gomery, the well known insurance man. Fred M. Burton and Company are members of the Galveston Insurance Board, the oldest in Texas, and the only local agents' board in the state employing a skilled inspector and surveyor.

Fred M. Burton was born at Liverpool, England, the eighth of August, 1876, the son of Miles Kirk Burton, general manager and secretary of the Mer- sey Dock and Harbor Board, of Liverpool, and Jes- sie Burton. Mr. Burton was educated in the schools of England, attending Liverpool College, and re- ceived a fine musical education, acquired in England and Germany. In 1895 he went from Liverpool to Germany, remaining there for five years, during which time he established a large importing busi- ness. At the expiration of that time he came to America, coming to Galveston in April, 1900. The next eight or nine years he engaged in the cotton

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and cottonseed exporting business. In 1915 he es- tablished his present firm. The company handles a large volume of marine insurance and foreign ex- change, and buys and sells foreign acceptances.

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New encyclopedia of Texas, volume 2, Part 109

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