New encyclopedia of Texas, volume 2, Part 123

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

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Dr. Rich was born in Mississippi the fifteenth of October, 1864, the son of M. H. Rich, a planter of that State. As a boy he ran away from home, and at an early age came to Texas, buying a small mercantile store, which he operated very success- fully. Dr. Rich also bought and sold cotton seed at a time when it had been considered waste, creat- ing his market, and made money on the venture. About this time he decided to enter Moulton Insti- tute in Lavaca County, although he was at that time a grown man, and round out his education. After finishing there he was persuaded by his friend, Dr. Coon Davidson, to study medicine, and went to Louisville, where he entered the Louisville Medical College, from which institution he grad- uated in 1891. He also studied at Tulane. As an undergraduate Dr. Rich practiced medicine on cer- tificate, practicing in Wharton and El Campo, Texas, and in 1889 came to Fort Bend County. Dr. Rich had his first hundred acres of land given him by his father-in-law, himself acquiring the rest of his holdings in Fort Bend and Brazoria Counties.

Dr. Rich was married at Foster, Texas, the fif- teenth of October, 1891, to Miss Mary Davis, daughter of Ashley Davis and Roxie (Hollerman) Davis. Mr. Davis, a cattleman and land owner of

Texas, came here in 1838 with his father, who a few days later was called out to fight Indians and was killed in a skirmish, leaving to Mr. Davis the obligation to care for the family. He grew up amid pioneer conditions, remaining in Texas until the outbreak of the Civil War, when he enlisted in the Confederate Army, fighting throughout the conflict, after which he returned to Texas and took up his interests here. Mr. Davis was an excellent business man, possessed with a pioneering determi- nation that made for success, and at his death was a rich man. Mrs. Davis now makes her home with Dr. and Mrs. Rich. Dr. and Mrs. Rich have three children: Ashley Davis Rich, of Corpus Christi; Marshall Rich, on the ranch in Fort Bend County, and Mrs. Lucile Bridwell, whose husband is engaged in the drug business at Richmond. Dr. Rich is a Mason, at Richmond, Morton No. 72, Texas Con- sistory No. 1, at Galveston, and a member of El Mina Temple Shrine at Galveston.

C. HUNKEN, one of the leading farmers of Fort Bend County, and one of the large land owners of this section, has been closely associated with agricultural development here for upwards of a half century. Mr. Hunken owns some two thousand acres of land in Fort Bend County, one thousand of which is Brazos River bottom land, all of which is in cultivation, and one thousand of which is pasturage. Mr. Hunken em- ploys colored tenant families to operate his farm, some thirty families living on the place. Mr. Hun- ken came to Fort Bend County in 1872, having come to Texas one year earlier, and began by renting a farm, several years later buying land interests here, which he has since added to until his hold- ings total around two thousand acres. Mr. Hunken also operated a store at Foster for many years, the first store building blowing down during the storm of 1900, and was rebuilt in 1901. Mr. Hunken also operated a gin for some years, and is one of the directors of the Richmond Cotton Company, one of the leading enterprises at Richmond. Since 1901 he has been gradually relieving himself of his responsibilities in the business world, and now gives his time to the management of his farming interests.

J. C. Hunken was born in Germany in 1852, at- tending school in that country. In 1869 he came to New York, and after several years there came to Texas, in 1871, one year later coming to Fort Bend County, where he began his farming interests. Mr. Hunken is that type of man best fitted for pioneer life, and beginning on a rented farm, was determined to achieve success. Saving his money he soon was able to invest in land. His first land was raw, undeveloped acreage, and his first step was to clear the timber and put it in cultivation, the results he has achieved being through unmit- igated effort and a pioneering determination to succeed.

Mr. Hunken makes his home on his farm, at Foster, around seven miles from Richmond, and few men in this section have more friends, or are held more highly in public esteem than he. A practical farmer, he has found it possible to encourage agri- cultural development to a great extent, and has at all times taken a deep interest in the development of Fort Bend County and the welfare of its citizens.

1887

MEN OF TEXAS

B. MCCRARY, well known throughout Tex- as as manager of the Joel McCrary estate, one of the leading breeders of Holstein cat- tle in the State, and as an authority on this breed, has been a resident of Fort Bend County throughout his lifetime. His well equipped ranch and farm, located near Richmond, is one of the best equipped farms of the county. Mr. Mccrary is part owner and manager of Oakwood Farms, the home of Oakwood Holstein-Friesians, and an estate consisting of almost two thousand acres, a large por- tion of which extends into the Brazos Valley. The Brazos Valley is one of the most fertile spots in the world and the portion embraced by Oakwood Farms has been of inestimable value in the proper feeding of the fine stock thereon. There is every convenience and beauty in every arrangement of Oakwood Farms: There is a cotton gin, grist mill, blacksmith shop, general store, and numerous dwell- ing houses and barns. In addition to a large herd of Holstein-Friesian cattle, there are numerous pure- bred Poland-China hogs. The owners of Oakwood Farms have bred Holstein-Friesian cattle continu- ously since 1894, and are believed to be the oldest continuous breeders of Holstein-Friesians in the State. The owners enjoy a high rating with Dun's and Bradstreet's Commercial Agencies, and are favorably known over a wide expanse of territory, their responsibility being in excess of one hundred thousand dollars.

The Oakwood Farms herd consists of Oakwood Practically Pure Holstein-Friesians (unregistered), and Oakwood Pure-bred Holstein-Friesians (regis- tered). Which of the foregoing breeds the buyer should select depends upon the use he expects to make of them. When the object is to lay the foun- dation of a new herd with the object in view of selling breeding stock, or when it is desired to add new blood to an established registered herd, Oak- wood Pure-bred Holstein-Friesians are unqualifiedly advised. For the person who desires to improve or add to a herd of unregistered Holsteins, or to breed up a herd of some other breed, for the person in- terested solely in milk and butter production; for the person who desires to breed Holsteins under range conditions, without special care, Oakwood Farms Practically Pure Holstein-Friesians are recommend- ed. Work on the Oakwood Farms is carried on un- der the supervision of Mr. McCrary, who employs twenty-five tenant families, around ninety-five per cent of the work being done by these negro tenants, while the remaining five per cent is done by day labor. Mr. McCrary supplies a portion of the Hol- stein milk used in the city of Houston, and also sells cows and bulls to cattlemen throughout the State. In addition to Oakwood Farms he owns a half in- terest in a well equipped dairy farm at Alvin, fur- nishing cows, while R. O. Surface furnishes the plant, labor and like items, the dairy being operated on a fifty-fifty basis.

H. B. Mccrary was born in Fort Bend County, the eighteenth of March, 1887, the son of Joel Mc- Crary and Alice Brookshire Mccrary. Joel Mc- Crary, a native of Tennessee, came to Texas in 1866, and at one time owned the place now be- longing to the Winston estate, later selling that place and buying the present place, Oakwood Farms, which he established in 1887. Mrs. McCrary was the daughter of I. J. Brookshire, a pioneer Texan,

and living, until his death, near Brookshire, Texas. As a boy H. B. McCrary attended the school on the Oakwood Farms estate, later going to school at Rosenberg, and still later taking a commercial course at Massey's Business College at Houston. After finishing school he returned to Oakwood Farms, at the age of seventeen years taking charge of the general store on the estate, and managing part of the farm. Since the death of his brother, Joel McCrary, Jr., in 1921, he has been sole man- ager of the estate.

Mr. McCrary makes his home at Oakwood Farms, and is a member of the Holstein-Friesian Associa- tion of America. He is a Mason, as were his father and brother, belonging to the Blue Lodge at Rich- mond, Texas, Morton, No. 72. Mr. Mccrary is es- sentially a business man, directing the management of Oakwood Farms in a way that has been no small factor in the success of the Farms, and is also a director and stockholder of the Fort Bend National Bank at Richmond. Few men have done more to introduce Holstein-Friesian cattle than he, or have done more to win general recognition of the superiority of this breed.

R. J. C. JOHNSON, pioneer physician and surgeon of Richmond, whose success and prestige in the medical profession has been in proportion to his years of practice, has for three decades devoted his talents to the service of humanity along lines that best promote the development of his life's vocation. Dr. Johnson practices general medicine, with all that term im- plies, and throughout his long practice has been faithful to his responsibilities as the custodian of his patients' welfare. He has an invaluable faculty of diagnosis, and is a man of high intellectual attainments and splendid discrimination, and ac- customed as he is to responsibilities, he approaches the most difficult cases with confidence, and has achieved splendid results as a physician. Dr. John- son is the type of physician, who, seeing in general medicine an opportunity for service unequalled in specialization, has established a practice along broad and general lines, and while equipped to limit his work to fields in which he is especially adept, has continued to fill the more vital place of a general practitioner.

Dr. Johnson, while best known as a physician, has for many years taken an active interest in progressive farming, and since 1893 has had farm- ing interests in Fort Bend County. He has now under cultivation around five hundred and fifty acres of farm land, cultivated by tenant farmers, employing both Polanders and negroes. A tract of one hundred and sixty acres, situated near Rich- mond, is cultivated under his personal supervision, and in this modern and well cared for farm he finds relaxation from the cares and medical worries inci- dent to his large practice.

Dr. Johnson was born at Woodville, in Tyler County, Texas, on the first day of May, 1863, the son of Dr. S. B. Johnson, pioneer physician of Tyler County, and one of the medical "Old Guard" of that section. Dr. S. B. Johnson was a native of Con- necticut. Dr. J. C. Johnson, the subject of this sketch, attended the public schools of East Texas, and after his graduation entered Southeast Texas College, attending there during the terms of 1878 and 1879. He then entered Vanderbilt University

1888

AB Me Gary

F. Tidwell

NEW ENCYCLOPEDIA OF TEXAS

where he did special work, after which he went to New Orleans, entering Tulane University, where he took his medical degree in 1884. This was fol- lowed by post-graduate work at Polyclinic Hos- pital at Chicago, and an interneship at Charity Hos- pital, this latter while still a student. Later, in 1890, Dr. Johnson did special work at the Charity Hospital. Dr. Johnson began his medical practice as an undergraduate, at Cold Springs, Texas, in 1882, and after seven years at that point went to Tarkington Prairie, in Liberty County, where he remained three years. In 1892 he came to Richmond and has since made this city his home, establishing a large practice here.

Dr. Johnson was married at Coldsprings, Texas, the sixth of October, 1886, to Miss Carrie McMicken, the daughter of Levi McMicken, a pioneer of Polk County, and county clerk of that county for many years prior to the establishment of San Jacinto County. Dr. and Mrs. Johnson have eight children: Captain L. S. Johnson, M. C., A. S., U. S. A; Mrs. J. A. Wessendorf, of Richmond; J. C. Johnson, Jr., of Atlanta; Miss Irma Lou Johnson, a teacher in the high school of Beaumont; Miss Libby Johnson, a teacher in the health department at Honolulu; Mrs. J. H. Turner, wife of Dr. J. H. Turner, of Houston, and Misses Annie Clara and Ivy Lois Johnson, of Richmond. Dr. Johnson is president of the Fort Bend County Medical Society, and a mem- ber of the American Medical Association, Southern Medical Association, the Texas Medical Association and the Railroad Surgeons Association, and is local surgeon for the G. H. & S. A. and the G. C. & S. F. Railroads.

F. TIDWELL, veteran oil man, and well known in the coastal oil fields, has been at Richmond for several years past, and as field superintendent for the Gulf Company has taken an active part in the development of this field. Mr. Tidwell came to Richmond in 1921, at the time the Gulf Company began operations here, to take charge of development work, and has since directed the program of this company in Richmond. He is considered by oil men to be one of the most competent production men in the coastal fields, and is handling development work for the Gulf Company in a careful and systematic manner. He has brought in a number of producing wells, and has under his direction around fifty operatives, who are engaged in active work developing the Gulf Company inter- ests here.

F. F. Tidwell is a native of Tennessee, where he was born in October, 1886, the son of D. F. Tidwell, a farmer of that State. He obtained his education in the public schools of his native State, and spent his time on the farm until going to the oil fields to accept his first position. In 1906 Mr. Tidwell came to Texas where he began at Saratoga as a roughneck for the Santa Fe Company. Later he went to Sour Lake, with the Yount-Lee Company, as a roughneck, and while at that place gained his first drilling experience. From Sour Lake he went to Goose Creek, with the Gulf Company, a year later going to Mississippi where he was connected with the Preston Oil Company for a time.

In August, 1921, he returned to Texas, going with the Gulf Company at Pierce Junction, and a short time later was transferred to Big Creek, as field super- intendent for the Gulf Company there.

Mr. Tidwell was married at Sour Lake, Texas, in 1917, to Miss Willie Davis, a member of a Texas family. They have two children, Arthur Frederick Tidwell and Helen Holmes Tidwell, and reside on the Gulf Company lease at Big Creek, seven miles from Richmond. Mr. Tidwell is a Mason, Blue Lodge, at Cedar Bayou, No. 321, Chapter at Dayton, No. 284. He is well known throughout the coastal territory as one of the most expert production men in this section, and is regarded by the oil fraternity as one of the coming men in this industry.

IDNEY W. DAVIS, who has spent many years in the agricultural and stock raising industries in Fort Bend County, for the past several years has been developing ex- tensive land interests near Richmond, and is one of the most substantial farmers and cattlemen of this section. Mr. Davis began the development of a tract of land about a mile out from Richmond in 1919, and since this time has built up a fine ranch, with barns, corrals, silos, and like modern improve- ments, and has a herd of fine Holstein cattle, con- sisting of thirty-four registered and high-grade animals. Mr. Davis sells milk, cream and butter, and is creating a good market for his dairy prod- ucts at Houston. He became interested in Holstein cattle around 1917, after extensive reading and studying of the breed, and says if northern herds, which must be sheltered from the weather the greater part of the year, can be made a paying proposition, that they can certainly do well when all climatic conditions are favorable, and when they can forage on oats, wheat, alfalfa, and like food- stuffs the year round. Mr. Davis has around one hundred and sixty acres of land, raising all his feed and some twenty acres of cotton.

Sidney W. Davis was born in Fort Bend County, the thirty-first of March, 1886, the son of Davis, and Emma Dorst Davis. Mrs. Davis is a granddaughter of A. Dorst, who came down the Mississippi River on the boat, Rights of Man, and settled at Damon, on a Mexican land grant, which he later traded off. Sidney W. Davis attended the public schools of Wharton County, later entering Austin College, at Sherman, and further equipping himself for his practical career through a commer- cial course at Massey's Business College, at Hous- ton. After school he began ranching in Wharton County, after several years selling his interests there and going to Colorado. In December, 1912, he returned to Fort Bend County and worked with Dyer Moore for a time, and with F. I. Booth for two years. He then went to Kendleton, where he farmed up until 1919, when he came to Richmond and began the development of his place here. At that time the land was a raw thicket, the few years that have passed since that time seeing the present extensive improvements, including a modern home, completed.

Mr. Davis was married at Richmond, the nine- teenth of November, 1918, to Miss Lizzie Wessen- dorf, daughter of T. B. Wessendorf, business man of Houston and Richmond, and mayor of Richmond for many years. Mr. and Mrs. Davis make their home on the ranch, and have three children, An- tonette, Virginia and Sidney W. Davis, Jr. Mr. Davis is a member of the National and State Hol- stein Breeders Association, and is president of the Texas Farm Bureau for Fort Bend County.

1891

MEN OF TEXAS

S. ADAMS, a successful merchant of many years' experience in Fort Bend County, came to Houston in 1922 and in November of that year opened the "Cherryhurst" grocery store at 1334-6-8 Westheimer Avenue; one of the best residence sections of the city. A modern building, fifty feet by forty feet, with all modern conveniences and sanitary in every particular, was constructed by Mr. Adams especially for this bus- iness, which is one of the finest department stores in Houston, having a full and complete staple and fancy grocery department, a fruit and vegetable department, a first class meat market and a bakery, all in the one store.

Mr. Adams, however, sold out his entire interest in the Cherryhurst Grocery Store in October, 1923, partly on account of ill health and also to enable him to devote most of his time for the present to his extensive farming interests.

Mr. Adams was born in Pickens County, Ala- bama, July 18th, 1873. His father, Sanford Adams, (deceased since 1896) a native of Alabama also, came to Fort Bend County, Texas, in 1894. His mother (deceased since 1906), was Miss Nancy Seymour, a member of a prominent Alabama fam- ily. Mr. Adams' education was obtained in the public schools of Alabama, and after coming to Texas with his father in 1894, he worked on their farm in Fort Bend County, and later entered the mercantile business at Richmond, Texas, where he remained for several years and was successful. He later sold his business at Richmond and opened a store a few miles north of Richmond and contin- ued in business at this point for a period of eight years, under the name of J. S. Adams General Store. In 1922 he disposed of all his interests in Fort Bend County except his farms and came to Houston and opened this store, where he met with success. Mr. Adams is engaged in cotton farming mostly on his fine farming land in Fort Bend County, and has other business interests here.

Mr. Adams was married at Richmond, Texas, on April 29th, 1903, to Miss Ida Voss, a native of Richmond and a member of a well known Fort Bend County family. In fraternal organizations Mr. Adams holds membership in the B. P. O. E. and the W. O. W. He is enthusiastic as to the future of Houston and believes that this city will soon become the metropolis of the entire southwest.

S YDNEY MYERS is well-known in the busi- ness circles of Texas, and, prior to engag- ing in business in Houston, was for twen- ty-five years a leading merchant of Mar- quez, Texas. Mr. Myers came to Houston eigh- teen years ago and established the Sydney Myers Produce Company, dealers in wholesale produce, of which he is president. Since this company start- ed in business their sales have increased to won- derful proportions and now the Sidney Myers Pro- duce Company is one of the leading wholesale pro- duce houses of the city, and their list of satisfied customers reaches almost every town and hamlet of South Texas, besides doing a large volume of business in Houston. Their office and store is lo- cated at 909 Commerce Street.

Mr. Myers was born at Osyka, Mississippi, May 26th, 1863. His father, Lewis Myers, was a well- known business man of Mississippi and came to

Texas about thirty years ago. His mother was Miss Mary Hart, a member of a prominent Missis- sippi family. His education was obtained in the public schools of his native State. Mr. Myers came to Texas when sixteen years of age, and settled at Marquez for the reason that he had a brother-in- law who had preceded him to the Lone Star State, and had entered business at Marquez. Mr. Myers remained in this Central Texas town and entered the general mercantile business there, where he continued in this line of endeavor for a quarter of a century and prospered. Eighteen years ago he came to the South Texas Metropolis and entered the wholesale produce business and has met with success here, and has been active in the business since coming here.

Mr. Myers was married in New Orleans in 1895 to Miss Pauline Lichtenstein, a native of the Cres- cent City and a member of a prominent Louisiana family. Mrs. Myers died in 1904. He has two daughters-Myrtle, now the wife of Dr. H. R. Levy, of Dallas, and Fay, the wife of Bernard Joseph, of Fort Worth. Mr. Myers spends all the time pos- sible away from his business with his daughters. The Myers home is located at 902 Marshall Street, at the corner of Roger Street. Since coming to Houston, Mr. Myers has become interested in many of the city's financial and industrial institutions and is vice president of J. Weingarten, Inc. He is a member of the Houston Chamber of Commerce, and takes an active interest in this organization. He is also a member of the Masonic fraternity and has attained to the 32nd degree in the Scottish Rite Body of this Order, and is a Shriner of Karem Temple. His church affiliation is with the Jewish faith, and he is a member of the Beth Israel Con- gregation. Mr. Myers has always been interested in all educational movements of Texas, and is promi- nently identified with all movements tending to pro- mote the growth and importance of Houston, and has an abiding faith in the future of his city. Mr. Myers is quiet and unpretentious in his manners, and in his personality are mixed the gallantry and chivalry of the South. Genial, companionable, un- selfish, kind, Mr. Myers' life has been delicately interwoven into the fabric of the good fellowship of Houston, where he is loved and respected by the entire citizenship.

M. DEAS came to Houston in January, 1922, and opened the branch house here for Libby, McNeil and Libby, of which he has been manager since that time, and has built up a wonderful business for his firm in this territory. Prior to coming to Houston, Mr. Deas was for eight years manager of the branch house of this firm at Atlanta, Georgia, where he estab- lished a record business. The well known firm of Libby, McNeil and Libby was established in Chicago in 1868 and their products have become household words in every portion of the United States. Their home office is still maintained in Chicago where they have one of the largest plants for the canning and bottling of food-stuffs in the world, which includes milk, meats, vegetables, pickles, soups, condiments of all kinds and various foods. This firm has branch houses all over the world, with twenty-two distributors in foreign countries, with about three hundred branches under these distributors. They have thirty-five distribu-

1892

I.S. adamund

J.J. whitley ,

NEW ENCYCLOPEDIA OF TEXAS

tors in the United States, one of which is located at Fort Worth, Texas, where they have a mammoth plant for the canning of meat of various kinds. The Houston branch of Libby, McNeil and Libby, located at 1213 North Main Street, occupies a beau- tiful brick building, one hundred and fifty feet by fifty feet in size, with salesrooms and warehouses, and sell to wholesale jobbers only. All of this firm's business of South Texas is handled through the Houston office, where ten or twelve people are employed at all times. The officers of the Libby, McNeil and Libby are E. G. McDougall, president; F. C. Carr, vice president and H. Wil- liams, secretary and treasurer.

Mr. Deas was born at Lumber City, Georgia. His father, R. C. Deas (deceased), also a native of Georgia, was an extensive stock raiser of his native State, where he lived during the whole of his life. His mother was Miss Mary McCloud, a member of a prominent Georgia family. His edu- cation was obtained in the public schools of his native State. He started to work at the age of fourteen years, and was employed at various occu- pations, and later went with Heinz of "52 Varie- ties fame" and remained with this firm for a period of six years, traveling in Georgia. He later sold candies for two years and then became asso- ciated with Libby, McNeil and Libby, and traveled for this firm out of Atlanta for eight years, and when it was decided to open a branch house in Houston, the firm looked for a strong personality, and Mr. Deas was selected for the position and he has since remained here where he has succeeded in building up a large business for his firm in South Texas.

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New encyclopedia of Texas, volume 2, Part 123

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