New encyclopedia of Texas, volume 2, Part 130

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

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Joel Hudgins attended the country school estab-

lished by the Hudgins family at Hungerford, later entering Texas A. and M. College, where he at- tended during 1899, 1900, and 1901. After leaving college Mr. Hudgins returned to Wharton County and became active in the cattle business, and was also engaged in extensive farming operations, rais- ing rice, cotton and corn. He served as tax assessor of Wharton County from 1918 until 1924, and has been otherwise active in civic work.

Mr. Hudgins was married at Wharton, Texas, the seventeenth of September, 1905, to Miss Bessie Bor- der, daughter of Sidney Border, who lived in Ohio about six years and as a boy ran away from home and came to Texas. After becoming of age he joined the ranks of the confederate army in Ken- tucky. Mr. Border is of English descent, his father coming to the United States from Lincolnshire, England. Mrs. Hudgins' mother, Mrs. Border, was prior to her marriage, Miss Annie Newton Williams of New Iberia, Louisiana, a direct descendant of Roger Q. Williams of Virginia. Mr. and Mrs. Hud- gins had four children, Joel Border Hudgins, whose death occurred at the age of four years; Julia Williams Hudgins, Sue Border Hudgins and Mary Claire Hudgins. The family reside at Wharton. Mr. Hudgins is a Mason, Wharton No. 621, Scottish Rite, eighteenth degree at Houston, thirty-second degree at Galveston, and a member of Arabia Temple Shrine at Houston, and the Texas Cattle Raisers As- sociation. Mr. Hudgins is a thoroughly public spirit- ed, patriotic citizen, and few men have done more for the advancement of Wharton County than has he.

0. HOLCOMB, for some years past asso- ciated with the development of large fig in- terests near League City, is a fig grower and horticulturist whose years of experience have qualified him to speak authoritatively on the subject, and has taken a vital part in the advance- ment of this industry. Mr. Holcomb is superintend- ent of the farm and preserving plant of the Gulf Coast Orchards Company, coming here in 1920 to take charge, at which time the orchards were a practically undeveloped resource. Under his direc- tion they have been developed into one of the finest fig orchards in the State, with about one thousand acres of figs, bearing in commercial quantities. A preserving plant, utilizing the product of the farm, has been installed at League City, with a capacity of eighteen hundred bushels of figs daily. The output of the plant is being marketed profitably, and the demand growing daily. The fig farm is located four miles from League City, on a fine shelled road. All improvements are modern and complete, and include fine buildings for machinery, store houses, mess and bunk houses for employees, a blacksmith shop, ma- chine shop and carpenter shop, and a modern bun- galow for Mr. Holcomb and his family. All work is done by Fordson tractors, and with the exception of three teams of mules, kept for odd work, the entire cultivation of the farm is done with these sturdy tractors. There are on the average around twenty to twenty-five employees on the farm, and during the packing and preserving season this num- ber is increased to one hundred and twenty or more.

Mr. Holcomb was born in Bastrop County, Texas, the twenty-first of August, 1886, the son of J. F. Holcomb, a native of Georgia, who came to Texas before the Civil War, and Mary Hankey Holcomb,

1928

NEW ENCYCLOPEDIA OF TEXAS

a native of Texas. He was educated in the public schools of Texas, gaining his nursery experience through practical work. He began with the W. A. Stockwell Nursery Company, at Aline, Texas, in 1908, and later spent two years in the lumber busi- ness and five years with C. E. Schaff, president of the Katy railroad, after which he went with the Southern Orchards, spending five years with that concern, and then came with the Gulf Coast Orchard Company.

Mr. Holcomb was married at Houston, the first of April, 1910, to Miss C. A. Jones, a native of Iowa. They make their home at the fig farm, in an at- tractive bungalow built according to Mr. Holcomb's plans, and have one child, Stella. Mr. Holcomb is in complete charge of the fig farm, which is in it- self a complete village, and his work in the fig in- dustry has attracted the attention of fig growers throughout this district, who come here to study his methods, and seek his advice. Mr. Holcomb has done much to advance the fig as a commercial crop, and considers the industry still in its infancy, with the market as yet practically undeveloped.

A. ROUSH for around a decade has been identified with industrial activities at Pear- land, and is one of the dominating figures in the food manufacturing industry. Mr. Roush is superintendent of the factory of the South- land Products Company, one of the largest packing plants in this part of the State. Since its estab- lishment this company has concentrated its atten- tion on placing on the market one superior product, a highly standardized fig preserve, and has utilized profitably a large part of the fig crop in this sec- tion. The factory itself is immaculate, and the most rigid sanitary conditions exist throughout every de- partment. Mr. Roush is an expert in handling a plant of this kind, and has had exclusive charge of the factory since coming here in 1916. He has been a prime factor in the rapid growth of the company, and in the widespread popularity of the product. When working full capacity the plant furnishes em- ployment to around a hundred and fifty operatives, and is one of the large industrial units in this ter- ritory. The plant has a daily preserving capacity of around five hundred bushels of figs, one of the principal small fruit crops of this section. The plant puts out their product under three different brand names-Imperial, being the whole fig, peeled; Seawall, being the whole fig, unpeeled, and Mag- nolia, being the crushed fig. The entire manage- ment of the plant devolves on Mr. Roush, and he gives careful attention to each detail of the busi- ness. R. D. McDonald is president of the Southern Products Company.

C. A. Roush was born at Mimborn, Iowa, the seventeenth of March, 1887, son of Francis Marion Roush, a contractor and bridge builder, and Eliza Jane Roush. He was educated in the public schools of Nebraska, and is a high school graduate. After leaving school he spent two years in the drug busi- ness, then came to Texas in 1908, going first to Aldine, and later to Houston, where he engaged in structural iron work construction. He remained in Houston until 1913, when he went with the Southern Products Company, coming to Pearland in 1916 to take charge of the plant here.

Mr. Roush was married at St. Louis, Missouri, in 1913, to Miss Frances Louise Holbien. Mr. and Mrs.

Roush make their home in Pearland the year round and have a fine home near the plant. They have two children, Allen Edwin and Mildred Louise. Fra- ternally Mr. Roush is an Odd Fellow. Mr. Roush has been a factor in community development, and during the years of his residence in Pearland has done much for the advancement of the city. Par- ticularly along the lines of industrial development, and in matters touching on employment has he been active, and the city owes much to him for his work in this direction. He is thoroughly familiar with factory operation, and is well known in food manu- facturing circles as an expert in this field.

OBERT BUSCH is one of the real pioneers of Harris County, and while growing up with the community and prospering as it has prospered, has taken an important part in developing and cultivating the lands of the county, and has, throughout a busy life been asso- ciated with farming activities. Mr. Busch owns one of the best and most carefully cultivated farms in Harris County, near Cedar Bayou, his home place consisting of two hundred acres, and in addition has other farming lands in various parts of the county. Mr. Busch, who has always lived within a few miles of Goose Creek, has watched this sec- tion of the country develop from the days when deer, bear, wild turkey, and other wild game ranged here, until it is now the center of a busy and prosperous life, and in this development has taken his part. His farm adjoins the Humble Oil and Refining Company's refinery at Baytown, on one side, and the farm of his brother, Edward Busch, on the other. Mr. Busch, although now in his eightieth year, takes an active interest in his farm and personally super- vises its cultivation, and his farm, under this super- vision, is one of the best cultivated and most profit- able in this section.

Robert Busch was born near Goose Creek, the twenty-sixth of October, 1843, son of Frank and Mariah Busch, who came from Germany in the early days and settled here where the elder Mr. Busch was a farmer and cattle raiser until his death. Living in a time when education and schools were not common, Mr. Busch received but little schooling, and the eldest child in the family, he early became his father's assistant on the farm. In those days farm- ing was not as easily started as it is today, for there must first be the cutting of timbers, and the long, arduous work of getting the soil in a tillable condi- tion. As a boy and in early manhood, Mr. Busch endured many of the hardships of the pioneer days, but realizing that success could only be won through hard work, he persevered, and has in his latter years had the pleasure of seeing the farm lands, acquired at the cost of his own labor, become not only among the most valuable in this section, but the best cultivated and the most productive.

Mr. Busch was married more than half a century ago, near Goose Creek, to Miss Jennie Galaway, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Galaway, who came to Texas from Georgia. Mr. and Mrs. Busch are still living on the place where they began their married life, and are among the most honored and respect- ed pioneers of this community. Of a family of five children, only one, Max Busch, survives. Mr. Busch has many friends here, and one of his greatest pleas- ures is recalling the days when Harris County was in the making.

1929

MEN OF TEXAS

ANIEL WILLIAM JOSEPH RYAN. In the history of water transportation in the gulf district, the name of Captain Daniel William Joseph Ryan stands out as one of the ster- ling sea captains and engineers who gave years of devoted service in this field. Capt. Ryan was prom- inent as a sea captain, and known in many waters, being licensed on all seas as captain and engineer. He served this calling gallantly, and made friends wherever he went. He took an active part in all water transportation along the coast, and was inter- ested in many phases of this business, and in secur- ing for Houston all the advantages of harbor facil- ities. Captain Ryan first went to sea in 1903, shortly after he left school, sailing on various ves- sels until 1912, when be came to Port Arthur. In that year he went in the water transportation bus- iness for himself, and for a number of years his headquarters were at Port Arthur. He came to Houston in 1919, and bought the Buffalo Bayou Company, Incorporated, one of the largest of its kind, and engaged extensively in the water trans- portation business, and in towing on the ship chan- nel. He also handled a sand and shell business on a large scale, selling this product in quantity lots, for road building and construction work. Cap- tain Ryan had a number of large tugs and tow boats, and also sand and shell boats, and handled a large volume of freighting. Captain Ryan was active in this work until his death, and was one of the best known men in the business.

Daniel William Joseph Ryan was born in Lake Charles, Louisiana, son of Martin Ryan, a native of Ireland, who came to Aemrica as a young man, bringing with him his young wife. They settled first is Maine, later removing to Tennessee, where Mr. Ryan had a large plantation, and after the war came to Louisiana, which was his home until his death. Captain Ryan attended the public schools of Mississippi as a boy, and after finishing his educa- tion went to sea, in 1903, his career thereafter hav- ing been given. The Ryan family were a prominent and prosperous family in Louisiana.

Captain Ryan was married the twenty-fourth of February, 1919, to Miss Martha Hazel Rogers, a native of Lake Charles, at New Orleans. Her father, Walter Rogers, a native of Indiana, came to Lake Charles from his native state, making that city his home for thirty-five years, where he was a con- tractor and builder. He came to Houston in 1919, and resides here. Her mother, before her marriage Miss Nettie Inman, was a native of Nebraska. The Rogers and Inman families were of the Quaker faith.

Captain and Mrs. Ryan came to Houston in 1919, and thereafter made their home in this city, where they were prominent in both social and civic activ- ities. Mrs. Ryan has always enjoyed many friend- ships, and when in Houston resides at 3304 Milam Street.

Captain Ryan was that genial type of manhood who makes friends wherever he goes. He gave to his calling the best that was in him, and went whole-heartedly into any undertaking. His sin- cerity of purpose, his belief in his fellowmen, and his ability to carry any undertaking to an ultimate and successful conclusion, are tributes to his char- acter that significantly marked his career. His philosophy was that of the Golden Rule, and with

a native ability he combined fidelity and conscien- tious responsibility and accountability to himself and his associates. He was an integral part of the successful operation of a water transportation sys- tem, and his death was not only a distinct loss to his particular line of endeavor, but to the entire gulf coast district.

G. GRIFFIN, one of the recent recruits to the business world at Houston, has since coming to this city been a factor in mer- cantile activities, and is known as one of the progressive druggists here. In November, 1922, Mr. Griffin and associates bought the Radford Drug Store, established more than thirty years ago, and has since been president and general manager of this firm, changing the name to Griffin-Lueders Drug Company, Incorporated. This store is one of the best in the city, occupying a modern store at 319 Main Street, with thirty by seventy feet of floor space. The fixtures are of finest mahogany, and the stock complete in every way. The pre- scription department is in charge of a registered pharmacist, and every precaution is taken to insure absolute accuracy. A feature of the store is the fine fountain, seating thirty-two, and operated in keeping with highest accepted standards. The new store opened in the Keystone Building, surpasses any efforts in the art of drug store design made heretofore by this enterprising firm. The interior arrangements are unique, practically all of the fix- tures being designed specially by Mr. Griffin. Every space is utilized efficiently. An air of refinement pervades the whole atmosphere. The window ar- rangements are carefully carried out. The pre- scription department is equipped with every modern appliance for efficient service, and is in charge of Mr. J. H. Thibodeaux, who is reputed to be one of the best prescriptionists in the South.

Mr. Griffin is a business man, who keeps in touch with modern merchandising methods, and who by his personality impresses his influence on the life of his city. Since taking over the old Radford store, now the Griffin-Lueders Drug Store, the bus- iness has been almost doubled.

Mr. Griffin was born at Blossom, Texas, the sixteenth of February, 1896, son of Henry Griffin, a native of Missouri, who has spent many years in Texas, and Laura Womack Griffin, also a native of Mississippi. He was educated in the public schools of his native city, and after finishing his education went to Louisville, Kentucky, where he was a drug clerk. Later he went to Indianapolis, Indiana, also as a drug clerk, and still later, in 1920, came to Houston with the A. E. Kiesling Drug Com- pany, and later with the Liggett Drug Company. In November, 1922, with his associates, he bought out the Radford Drug Store, and has since been in business for himself. Mr. Griffin was in the U. S. Navy during the world war, enlisting in the Medical Department at Houston. He was located at various naval centers and was assigned as chief pharmacist's mate on the U. S. S. North Pacific. He made eight trips across the Atlantic.

Mr. Griffin was married at Houston, the thirtieth of September, in 1822, to Miss Ruth Marie Streeter, a native of the Lone Star State. They make their home at 610 Francis Street. Mr. Griffith is a Mason, in Temple Lodge, No. 1, and is also a member of the Salesmanship Club.

1930

DI Pyan,

NEW ENCYCLOPEDIA OF TEXAS

B. BUTLER, who has for many years made his home at League City, is a factor in the cattle industry in Southeast Texas, and has taken an important part in the devel- opment of this industry along the highest lines, and has also been active in the civic advancement of his community. Mr. Butler owns a well improved five hundred-acre ranch, about five miles from League City, and adjoining the Gulf Coast, and also has a fig plantation in this section. Both places are equipped with modern improvements, the ranch buildings being much better than those usually to be found on ranches in this section. Mr. Butler runs his herd on the home place, and on the range adjoining. He is interested in Brahma cattle only, and began a number of years ago to dispose of all other stock, retaining only Brahma stock. He has several fine Brahma bulls, and is increasing his herd in anticipation of a renewed interest in the cattle business, and a stabilizing of the market that will stimulate production. The cattle business, par- ticularly the cattle busines in the coast region, has been passing through the most critical period of its history, and there has been a tendency on the part of the cattlemen to dispose of their holdings. Mr. Butler, however, has met the situation with confidence, and has considered the condition a tem- porary one only, building for the future and has one of the finest herds of Brahma cattle in this section. He has for many years given special study to this breed, making as the objective of a trip to India an opportunity to study the Brahma in its native habitat.

Mr. Butler was born at League City, the 31st of January, 1888, the son of George W. Butler, for many years one of the most prominent cattlemen of this section, and Mary M. (Baker) Butler, a native of Houston, and now residing at League City. George W. Butler was born in Louisiana, in 1845, coming to this section at the age of ten years old, and when he was about twenty-one years old going with Allen Coward in the cattle business. He was later given a half interest in the business and there- after took an important part in the cattle industry in this section. His death occurred in April, 1921, at which time his son, the subject of this sketch, assumed charge of the estate. Allen Coward was one of the pioneer cattlemen of the Lone Star State, and in the early thirties began the development of the business that Mr. Butler now holds. M. B. Butler was educated in the public schools at San Antonio, later attending Allen Academy for three years, and further preparing himself for his busi- ness career through a course at Massey's Business College. He spent some time in a bank subsequent to finishing his education, and then a year in oper- ating a lumber yard at League City, but neither of these enterprises appealed to him, and he returned to the business in which he had been reared, the cattle business. At the time of his father's death, in 1921, he took charge of the estate, as one of the trustees, and has had active management of the cattle interests of the elder Mr. Butler. He has also extensive interests of his own, and is a factor in the development of the Brahma strain in this section.

Mr. Butler was married at Houston, the seventh of February, 1908, to Miss Ceole Gird, a member of ,Kansas family. They have three children.

Gladstone, Henry and Mary Nell, and make their home in League City, but spend much time on the ranch. Mr. Butler is a Mason, belonging to the League City Blue Lodge, Consistory and Eighteenth degree at Galveston. He is an Eastern Star, as is also Mrs. Butler. Mr. Butler has taken a deep interest in the development of League City, a city with which his family has been associated for around half a century, and has done much to build up the community. He has spent many years of his career as a cattleman in promoting the interests of Brahma cattle, and in urging cattlemen of this section to make this the standard strain. He finds these cattle admirably adapted to conditions of this section, and his own herds are practically limited to this breed.

OHN F. STANDLEY a few years ago be- came identified with the City of Hunts- ville, and since coming here has been one of the most enterprising men in the cot- ton ginning business. Mr. Standley is a member of the firm of the Huntsville Gin and Wharf Company, a partnership, with J. G. Ashford and Lampkin Brothers as the other members of the firm, but not active in its management. The Huntsville Gin and Wharf Company was established in 1919, with gin capacity of sixty bales of cotton per day, and is ginning upwards of three thousand bales of cot- ton during the cotton season at the present time, employing a force of around ten operatives during the time of the plant's activity. The company has storage capacity, maintaining adequate wharves to store cotton ginned in the plant, and all equipment is modern and first class. Under the management of Mr. Standley, the plant has met with a gratifying success, and is doing a rapidly increasing business annually.

John F. Standley was born in Polk County, Texas, the twenty-fifth of April, 1869, the son of J. J. Standley and Sophrona Chambers Standley. J. J. Standley, a native of Alabama, came to Texas as a boy of ten years old, and was for years a stock- man with interests in Trinity and Polk counties, but is now retired and makes his home at Huntsville. Mrs. Standley, a native of Mississippi, came to Texas as a young girl. John F. Standley was educated in the schools of Trinity County, and at the age of nineteen years began work in logging camps and lumber mills in Polk County, remaining there until 1896. He then went in the cotton ginning business, in Trinity County, where he was in this business twenty-two years. He then went to Angelina County, and after operating a cotton gin there for one year came to Huntsville, establishing his pres- ent business.

Mr. Standley was married in Trinity County, the twenty-fourth of July, 1889, to Miss Jeannette Black- shear, a native of that county. They have six chil- dren: A. Delbert Standley, a cotton man of Hunts- ville; Oscar Standley, a cotton man of Madison County, Texas; Wert Standley, a cotton man of Madison County, Archie Standley, also in the cot- ton business in Madison County; J. Bryan Standley, in the grain business at Huntsville, and also active in the cotton business, and Blanch, wife of H. S. Day, a cotton man of Shelby County, Texas. Mr. Standley is a Knight of Pythias and a Dokey, and is one of the most prominent and highly regarded business men of Huntsville.

1933

MEN OF TEXAS

E. BAILEY has been associated with the J. C. Penney department store at Yoakum, Texas, since its establishment here in August, 1922. In recognition of his effi- ciency, Mr. Bailey was in April, 1924, made man- ager of this store and has held this responsible position since that time. The J. C. Penney estab- lishment is a department store which would do credit to towns of much larger size than Yoakum. Selling to the retail trade only, it carries a full and com- plete stock of merchandise, every department being filled with the newest ideas in its particular line. During a portion of the year only five people are employed at the J. C. Penney store, but this number is increased to fifteen during the fall months. Ex- cept for the time spent in the World War, Mr. Bailey has been engaged in the various branches of the mercantile business all his life. His first experience was in a general store in West Kansas, where he remained for almost two years, before entering the army. He enlisted on December 14th, 1917, and was assigned to the Aero Squadron at San Antonio, Texas. He later was transferred to Virginia and then went overseas to England, where he remained until the signing of the Armistice, when he returned to America and was discharged on December 14th, 1918. He then went to Jerome, Arizona, where he entered the employ of the Penney Company in Feb- ruary, 1919. He remained with this company until he came to Texas and to Yoakum, in August, 1922.

A native of Kansas, Mr. Bailey was born at Madi- son in 1895. His parents removed to Missouri when Mr. Bailey was seven years of age, and he grew to manhood in that state. His father, L. E. Bailey, was engaged in farming in Missouri and was well known and highly esteemed by the people who knew him. His education was obtained in the public and high schools of various towns of Missouri.

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New encyclopedia of Texas, volume 2, Part 130

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