New encyclopedia of Texas, volume 2, Part 134

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

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George Herder, Sr., a native Texan, was born in Fayette County, the sixteenth of February, 1863, the son of George Herder, a native of Germany, who came to the United States at sixteen, in 1834, and was a veteran of the Battle of San Jacinto, and Minna Wolters Herder, also of Germany, who came with her parents to the United States as a child, in 1835, landing in New York and then coming to Texas, where, as a child of twelve years, she was with the women ahead of the Mexican Army, at the time of the Battle of San Jacinto. Mr. Herder spent his boyhood on a Texas farm, attending schools when the unsettled conditions of the pioneer days per- mitted. When he was nineteen years old, he came to Weimar, where he clerked for a year and a half, and then went in the mercantile business for himself, op- erating a general mercantile store there for thirty years, the Herder Mercantile Company, now man- aged by his son, George Herder, Jr. Mr. Herder came to Eagle Lake in 1914, and has since been one of the leading men here, both in business and civic activities.

Mr. Herder was married at Weimar, Texas, in 1885, to Miss Mary Heffner. They have three chil- dren, two daughters, Mrs. R. L. Williams of Bay City and Mrs. L. D. Allen of Eagle Lake, and a son, George Herder, Jr., of Weimar. Mr. and Mrs. Her- der reside at Eagle Lake. Although Mr. Herder has never had political aspirations, he has served as a member of the Thirty-second and Thirty-third Legis- lature, impressing his influence on much of the legislation enacted by these legislatures. He is a member of the Rice Millers Association, and is a Ma- son, belonging to the Masonic lodge at Weimar.

Mr. Herder is also active in the cattle business, ranging around two thousand head of cattle in Har- ris and Live Oak counties. Since coming to Eagle Lake he has entered heartily into all organized work for the advancement of the community, and few men have done more to encourage growth and develop- ment.

1957

MEN OF TEXAS

G. MILLER, of Columbus, Texas, has had an experience in the banking business which has extended over a period of more than fifteen years, and his positions have in- creased from the minor ones to those of organizer and executive. Mr. Miller has been active vice presi- dent of the First State Bank of Columbus since 1915, and has had much to do with the success of this institution, which has

deposits amounting to $500,000.00. The First State Bank of Columbus was organized in 1913, as the outgrowth of the private banking firm of R. E. Stafford and Company. Mr. Miller, in addition to his banking interests, is one of the leading cotton buyers of this part of Texas, buying two-thirds of the crop here. He does this largely to protect the market for the farmers who bring their cotton here. He also has cattle and ranch interests. After leaving school, Mr. Miller began his career in the business world in the bank- ing business, and in 1915, bought into the First State Bank of Columbus and became vice president active- ly in charge. During 1923, this bank constructed their own building, which is of hollow tile, concrete and brick, two stories in height, with concrete rein- forced floors and roof. This modern building is thirty-two feet by eighty-six feet in size, steam- heated and burglar-proof vault. The second floor of this building is used for office purposes. The equipment of this bank is modern and ornate to a degree. Mr. Miller's first banking experience was obtained at Weimar, Texas, after which he went to Humble and became associated with the Humble State Bank. Later he organized the Brookshire State Bank at Brookshire, Waller County, Texas, which was one of the strongest banks of that county.

A native Texan, Mr. Miller was born on a ranch in Colorado County on January 18th, 1891. His father, Fred G. Miller (deceased since 1913), was born in Colorado County also, where he lived all his life and was a prominent ranch and cattle man. His grandfather, Fritz Miller, came here from Ger- many about 1844, and during the Civil War hauled cotton to Brownsville for export to Germany. His mother is still living on the old Miller homestead in this county. His early education was obtained in the public schools of Colorado County, after which he attended Tyler Commercial College, at Tyler, Texas.

Mr. Miller was married at Columbus on Decem- ber 8th, 1919, to Miss Lavinie Hester, a member of an old Virginia family. Her father, John E. Hester, after coming to Texas, was engaged in cattle rais- ing and farming. He was constable at Columbus for twenty-three years. Mr. Miller is a member of the Texas Bankers' Association and the American Bank- ers' Association. He is a director in the Columbus Light Company and is treasurer of the City Ice and Cold Storage Company, and secretary of the Colum- bus Gravel Company, also director of Garwood State Bank, and is active in all matters pertaining to the betterment of his town and community. He says that Colorado County is in need of diversified farming, and that more people should be producing all they need to eat in this county, where everything can be grown. The farming here is largely confined to cotton and corn. He is optimistic as to the future of Columbus, and as an example of the progress and advancement of this county and city, the bank deposits of the two local banks were $250,000.00 in

1915 and in 1923 the deposits were $800,000.00, which is considered a remarkable increase. Mr. Miller is one of the progressive citizens who have shown their faith in their town by their investments here, which have proved perhaps more successful than money invested elsewhere, and, besides, it is Mr. Miller's idea to keep Columbus money in Columbus.

E. VALENTA, merchant, banker, ginner, farmer and cattle man of Sweet Home, Texas, has been identified with every move- ment for the upbuilding of this little Lavaca County city. He has been connected with every worth-while enterprise and is regarded as one of Sweet Home's and Lavaca County's most progressive citizens. Mr. Valenta is the owner of Valenta Bros. mercantile establishment, which was started here in 1901 by Mr. Valenta and his brother, with less than $100.00 capital. His brother, L. W. Valenta, died in 1904, and he purchased his brother's interest, being the sole owner since that time. The Valenta Bros. is a general store, carrying a full and com- plete line of dry goods, groceries, hardware, drugs, farm implements, auto casings, oil (wholesale) and many other commodities. Mr. Valenta also has a pri- vate bank, which he established in 1913, this institu- tion having more than $100,000.00 in deposits. He is the president of the Farmer's Gin and Mill Company, buys cotton and all cotton products. The greater portion of the cotton purchased by Mr. Valenta is shipped to Houston. Mr. Valenta owns the new building which houses all of these departments, this building occupying almost an entire block of ground. Mr. Valenta buys cattle throughout the year. He owns one of the finest herds of registered shorthom cattle in this portion of the state, which numbers thirty-five head. He usually keeps on hand about one hundred and fifty head of ordinary trading cat- tle. Mr. Valenta is also engaged in farming, having a splendid farm in this county of thirteen hundred acres, which is cultivated by Bohemian tenant farm- ers. These farmers are self-supporting and have good credit in the county for anything they need.

A native Texan, Mr. Valenta was born in Fayette County, on July 24th, 1879, but was brought to La- vaca County by his parents when eighteen months old. His father, Leopold Valenta, came from Europe in 1865, is a prominent farmer of Colorado County and is active, although past eighty years of age. His mother, Mrs. Mary Valenta, came to America from Europe when quite young. She died at Sweet Home, Lavaca County, in 1918. Mr. Valenta's education was obtained in the public schools of Lavaca County.

Mr. Valenta was married, at Koerth, Lavaca Coun- ty, Texas, in 1900, to Miss Verona Hermes, a native Texan and a member of a well known family. They have seven children-E. L. Valenta, who is employed in the operation and management of his father's bank; he is a Knight of Columbus of the fourth de- gree; A. A. Valenta, who works in all departments of the store and bank; he is a third degree Knight of Columbus, Estella, Dorothy, Elizabeth, Leopold and Eugene. Mr. Valenta is a member of the Knights of Columbus and has attained to the fourth degree in this organization. He is also a member of the Bankers' Association, Ginners' Association, the Bo- hemian Order of Spjst, the Retail Merchants' Asso- ciation of Hallettsville, of which he is a director, and many other of the fraternal and business organ- izations of Sweet Home and Lavaca County. Mr.

1958

C. W. Jait

NEW ENCYCLOPEDIA OF TEXAS

Valenta has done much in the way of development work in Lavaca County, and in so doing has aided many farmers in growing their crops and in pro- viding a market for their cotton and other farm products. He is a worthy and honored citizen, a man of vision, far-seeing yet conservative, ever ready to help his community by the contribution of his ma- terial aid and time.

W. TAIT, although one of the younger mem- bers of the business fraternity of Columbus, Texas, he has through close application to the details of his business met with success in his chosen fields of activity. Mr. Tait is engaged in ranching, farming and is the manager of the busi- ness affairs of the Tait estate, which responsible position he assumed on the death of his father in 1921. He has about one thousand head of cattle, the greater part of which are cows which he keeps for breeding purposes, and consist of grade Herefords which have been bred up from common cows. Mr. Tait makes a practice of selling his stock when young, keeping the females, and selling the male calves to butchers and others. The Tait estate owns 6800 acres of land in fee, which is devoted to timber and grass for grazing the cattle, with about three hundred acres in black land which is suitable for farming. He has twelve hundred acres which is planted to cotton and corn, and cultivated by ten- ants, which number sixteen and are divided between white families and negroes. Mr. Tait is regarded as one of the leading young business men of Colo- rado County, and deserves much credit for the man- ner in which he has handled the Tait estate. He left school in order to take charge of this business, which was entangled, and in the course of two years he had it all straightened out and the ranch, farm and other interests all on a paying basis.

A native Texan, Mr. Tait was born at Columbus, on October 9th, 1899. He father, William Tait, was born on the ranch, which has always been the home- stead of the family. He was well known as a cat- tleman and farmer. William Tait died in Houston, on October 25th. 1921. Mr. Tait's grandfather, Charles W. Tait, came to Texas from Alabama in 1836, and was among the very early pioneer set- tlers of the Lone Star State. The land which is now the property of the Tait family was an original grant from Mexico to Charles W. Tait, who served with distinction in the Civil War as a surgeon in the Confederate navy, having the degrees of M. D. and C. E., which in those days were very rare. He was a large slave owner and cattle man prior to the Civil War, and the subject of this sketch is the third gen- eration of Taits to engage in the cattle business. Mr. Tait's mother was Miss Mathilda Auerbach, whose forbears came from Germany. She is now residing in Columbus. His education was obtained in the public schools of Colorado County, after which he became a student of the A. and M. College, leav- ing this institution before graduation in order to take charge of his father's business. Mr. Tait has two brothers and one sister-Albert, at school in San Antonio; Sam, attending school in Columbus, and Mrs. Hattie Duncan, who resides at Columbus.

Mr. Tait is a member of the Knights of Colum- bus and has attained to the third degree in this or- ganization, in which he takes an active interest. Mr. Tait is a believer in improving the cattle herds of Texas and also in improving the methods of farm-

ing. He thinks that the state needs more good farmers to develop the vast lands which are lying idle, and with little labor could be made to be very productive. Mr. Tait is progressive in his ideas along all lines, and assists in every way possible toward the advancement of the South Texas coun- try.

B. GARY, for many years a resident of Wharton County, where he is one of the most sustantial farmers, is well informed as to modern and progressive farming methods and is operating his large plantation in a business-like way. Mr. Gary is manager of the S. T. Taylor Estate, one of the largest plantations in Wharton County, and is the heir to this estate. The estate was founded by S. T. Taylor, who came to Texas before the Civil War, from Columbia County, Georgia, and settled in Colorado County. After the war, around 1866, Mr. Taylor came to Wharton County, and with his brother began farming in this section, gradually acquiring land until he owned some twelve thousand acres, and three thousand head of cattle. In 1902 the estate was divided by the brothers, S. T. Taylor taking charge of his interest at that time until his death, in 1924. The estate at present consists of thirty-two hundred acres in cultivation devoted to the growing of cotton, pota- oes, corn and truck products, this tract being fertile, highly developed farming land. In addition there are several thousand acres of pasture land and woodland, where a small herd of around three hun- dred head is now kept, although formerly a much larger herd was pastured on this land. An additional nine hundred acres is rented for money rent, and is handled by the lessee. Located on the plantation is the large, southern style house, the home of Mr. Gary and his family, and tenant houses, corrals, repair shops, power plant to supply light and like buildings, the placing having all necessary and mod- ern improvements. Twenty white tenant families and twenty-five negro tenant families are on the place, and in addition around eighteen day-hands are employed. Mr. Gary has the active management of the estate in his hands and is keeping the plantation up to an unusually high standard.

J. B. Gary was born at Don Tol, Texas, the twen- ty-third of November, 1887, the son of Dr. J. M. Gary and Ada Taylor Gary. His father, who practiced medicine at Galveston, was killed at Groveton, Texas. Mr. Gary's grandfather was S. T. Taylor, the founder of the estate of which he is now manager, and his grandmother was Annie Eliza (Dickson) Taylor, a native of Georgia. Mr. Gary was a student at Bing- ham Military Academy at Ashville, North Carolina, from 1911 until 1913, later taking a commercial course. After leaving school he came to Wharton going to work with his grandfather and learning through practical experience the management of the plantation.

Mr. Gary was married at Shiner, Lavaca County, Texas, in October, 1922, to Miss Mildred Fry, a member of a Texas family. Mr. and Mrs. Gary make their home on the plantation and have one child, Ada Hughes Gary. Mr. Gary is an excellent example of the modern and progressive farmer who is willing to give to this industry the study and time required to make farming a real success, and is giv- ing special attention to diversified farming.

1961

MEN OF TEXAS

ILLIAM MANER STAFFORD, a native Texan, and a farmer of long and varied ex- perience, has for many years been a resi- dent of Wharton, and is one of the most substantial planters of this section. Mr. Stafford owns a large plantation, comprising some four thou- sand acres, situated in Wharton County, near Whar- ton. Of this, thirty-five hundred acres is in culti- vation, the principal crops raised being Irish pota- toes, corn, cotton and figs, Mr. Stafford being one of the first in this section to take an interest in fig growing, having at present thirty acres of pro- ducing figs, and a larger acreage planted to this fruit and now developing. In addition to the plan- tation in Wharton County, Mr. Stafford also has sixteen hundred acres of land in Matagorda County. He has upward of seventy-five tenant families, in- cluding white, Mexican and negro tenants, on his place. Mr. Stafford has around fifteen hundred acres of land in timber in Wharton County.

William Maner Stafford was born in Brazoria County, the twenty-fourth of August, 1878, the son of Mr. and Mrs. J. S. Stafford, and a grandson of Judge Stafford, circuit judge of Harris County. His father, J. S. Stafford, was born in Houston, and was later a resident of Galveston, where he was public weigher for some years, his death occurring in 1886. His mother, whose people were among the real pioneers of Texas, coming to the state in 1836, is still living. Mr. Stafford came to Wharton County as a boy of ten years of age, his uncle, Tom Brooks, rearing him. He has spent his life largely in the out-of-doors, and after finishing his education at Southwestern University, which he entered after graduating from high school, has been actively en- gaged in farming and in the cattle business.

Mr. Stafford was married at Wharton, Texas, the eighteenth of June, 1903, to Miss Julia Harrison, a member of an old Texas family. They reside at Wharton, and have four children, Girard H., William Maner, Jr., Albert H. and Nannie Brooks Stafford. Mr. Stafford is a Mason, belonging to the lodge at Wharton, and belongs to the Cattle Raiser's Asso- ciation. A man of executive ability, he has develop- ed one of the finest and largest plantations in Whar- ton County, and is known in this section as one of the best versed men here on agricultural questions.

EORGE HEARD NORTHINGTON, whose name figures prominently among the pio- neers of Wharton County, has for almost half a century been active in the culti- vation of the lands of this section, and its develop- ment industrially, and is one of the leading mer- chants, ginners, lumbermen, cattlemen and farmers here. Mr. Northington permanently settled at Egypt, some ten miles from Wharton and in Wharton Coun- ty, 1878, making his first crop here at that time. His home is on the quarter league of land that his grandfather bought in 1830 from John C. Clark, who received the grant from the Mexican govern- ment. Since that time Mr. Northington has bought and sold much land in this section, developing most of his land from raw timberlands, and has been ac- tive in developing Wharton County. This county, while settled early, was held largely by large plan- tation owners, and consequently sparsely settled, on this account getting the Santa Fe railroad in 1900, and some ten or fifteen years prior to 1900 a branch of the G. H. and S. A. came to Wharton. Mr.

Northington is one of the largest land owners in Wharton County, around forty families being on his interests. The balance of the land is in wood- land and pasturage. Mr. Northington has had cattle interests for some forty-five years, now having a herd of around six hundred head of high grade cattle, including thirty registered Hereford bulls, and several hundred head of other cattle. In 1881 Mr. Northington entered the mercantile business establishing a general store at Egypt, the firm at that time being Duncan and Northington. In 1910 G. C. Duncan, Mr. Northington's partner since the establishment of the store, died, a year later the business changing and becoming known as the G. H. Northington General Merchandise store. Mr. Northington also owns a cold storage and ice plant at Egypt, packing his own beef, and has a large cotton gin on his place. Mr. Northington also has a store at Glen Flora, the Northington Merchantile Company, of which he is sole owner, an establish- ment carrying a stock of around ninety thousand dollars. Mr. Northington also operates a lumber yard there, owning several buildings, and owns busi- ness property and residence property at Wharton. He also owns the opera house property and store building in connection at Wharton, and has bus- iness and residence property at Eagle Lake. Mr. Northington was connected with several banks in this county for a number of years.

George Heard Northington was born at Egypt, in Wharton County in 1854, the son of Mentor North- ington and Elizabeth Heard Northington. Mentor Northington, a native of Kentucky, came to Texas as a child, hauling provisions for General Green's army at San Jacinto, as a boy of thirteen years of age. He got his headright in Jones County, later coming to Egypt, and still later moving to Chapel Hill where he lived many years. Mrs. Northington was the daughter of Captain William J. E. Heard, who came to Texas from Alabama with a colony in 1830, first settling in Jackson County, and later coming to Wharton County. He commanded Com- pany F, Burleson's regiment, at San Jacinto, and in 1840 served in the campaign against the Indians on the upper Colorado River with Colonel John H. Moore. Captain Heard was later appointed chief justice of Wharton County, after the Civil War removing to Chapel Hill where his death occurred in August, 1874.

George Heard Northington spent his boyhood at Chapel Hill attending the old Soule University, operated by the Methodist Conference, and now lo- cated at Georgetown. In 1873 he entered Randolph- Macon College at Ashland, Virginia, spending one year there. He then returned to Chapel Hill, mak- ing his home there until after his marriage, when he came to Egypt, beginning the devlopement of his interests in this section.

Mr. Northington was married at Chapel Hill in 1875, to Miss J. V. Simmons, whose family came here shortly after the Civil War from Alabama. Mr. and Mrs. Northington reside at Egypt, and have four children, Mentor Northington, George Heard Northington, Jr., W. A. Northington and Sarah Frances Northington. Mr. Northington has been one of the leaders in the development of this section, and continues to take the lead in every activity started for the further advancement of Wharton County.

1962

Hm Stafford

NEW ENCYCLOPEDIA OF TEXAS

0. TANNER, of Columbus, Texas, began his business career at the age of nineteen years, and since that time has been a po- tent factor in the business life of South Texas. Mr. Tanner is a partner in the firm of Gemmer and Tanner, sand and gravel dealers, and is manager of the Columbus office and gravel pit of this firm. Associated with Mr. Tanner as a part- ner is Mr. W. H. Gemmer, who is in charge of sales and office manager of the firm, with offices located in the First National Bank Building in Houston, This firm was established in 1920, at Alleyton, Colo- rado County, where they had a lease which they worked until removing to Columbus in May, 1923, and have two hundred acres of gravel, thirty feet deep, which runs into water, with little stripping work to do. The material obtained here runs 75 per cent rock. During March, 1924, 1193 carloads were taken out of the Gemmer and Tanner gravel pit, to be used for concrete road work and ballast, however, a very small per cent of this is ballast ma- terial. Houston is the principal market for this firm's products, but much of the sand output goes to the Southwest, and during 1924 most of the sand was shipped to Harlingen. More than one hundred people are employed in the operation of the Gemmer and Tanner business. This firm owns two pits, with complete equipment, which consists of one steam shovel, two drag lines, one hydraulic dredge with 85 by 70 feet boom for wash gravel, machine shops, their own locomotives, six cars, and a foundry where all machinery is made, only purchasing the iron. They also own eight miles of railroad, which was constructed to connect at Glidden. Mr. Tanner has had much experience in the gravel business, and built the first wash plant ever built in Texas, in 1910, for the Colorado Gravel Company, at Fay- etteville. In 1912, he became associated with the W. C. McClelland Gravel Company at Columbus and installed their hydraulic dredge. In 1913, this com- pany sold their plant and equipment to Horton and Horton, and Mr. Tanner became associated with this firm, where he remained until he engaged in busi- ness for himself. Mr. Gemmer had also been asso- ciated with the firm of Horton and Horton, before the partnership of Gemmer and Tanner was formed. Mr. Tanner started his business career in the oil fields, and later went with the Donovan estate, at Eagle Lake, where he was in charge of pumping, mechanical work, etc., and this business is now known as the Lakeside Irrigation Company, which is one of the largest and best irrigation plants in Texas.

A native Texan, Mr. Tanner was born at Colum- bus on July 26th, 1879, and a strange coincidence is that he was born on the exact place where he is now obtaining his gravel supply. His father came to Texas from Virginia in 1852, and purchased much land in Colorado County, and this gravel pit is located on a portion of that land. Mr. Tanner's early education was obtained in the public schools of Colorado County, after which he became a student of the A. and M. College, and remained at this institution for three years, but was forced, on account of bad health, to leave before graduation.

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New encyclopedia of Texas, volume 2, Part 134

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