New encyclopedia of Texas, volume 2, Part 141

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

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Mr. May was born in Lavaca County on June 12th, 1875, before the town of Yoakum was built, but on the site where it was located and named after the late B. F. Yoakum, one of the best known railroad men of his time in Texas, and the executive head of the San Antonio and Aransas Pass Railway. Mr. May's grandfather, John J. May, was one of the early pioneers of Texas, obtained a grant of land from the Spanish government and the town of Yoakum is built on this original grant from the Spanish government. His father, A. May, a native Texan, was born here in 1849, where throughout his life he was engaged in the cattle business. Mr. May's education was obtained in the public and high schools of Yoakum.

Mr. May was married at Manor, Texas, on August 6th, 1907, to Miss Edna Crouch, a native Texan and a daughter of Judge O. L. Crouch of Cuero, De Witt County, well known in the legal and business cir- cles of Southwest Texas. They have two children, M. A. May, who at the age of fifteen years, meas- ured six feet and two inches in height and was ad- mitted at that age to the citizen's training camp, and Dorothy, at home with parents. Mr. May is a member of the B. P. O. E., the Retail Merchant's Association, Rotary Club and many other of the city's business organizations. He takes a keen in- terest in the civic affairs of Yoakum and is a leader in any project for the betterment and advancement of this city. He is optimistic as to the future of Yoakum and Lavaca County, believing that this portion of the state is entering on an era of great prosperity in all lines, to which he gives his time and means in a liberal manner toward its upbuild- ing and growth.

M. BASS, pioneer in the mercantile busi- ness in Texas, came to Cuero several years ago, and has since been engaged in mer- chandising here. Mr. Bass is a member of the firm of Bass Brothers Company, a firm dating back to the earliest days of Cuero's history, when the business was established in 1873, by John

Graves. The building now occupied by the firm, carrying the date of 1873, has been continuously oc- cupied since that time, although the business has grown and prospered, and various changes have been made in the original building. In the years during which he operated the business Mr. Graves estab- lished traditions of achievement, and a tradition of giving one hundred cents worth of merchandise for every dollar spent. When Mr. Bass bought the store, in partnership with his brother, R. L. Bass, this tradition, as well as the store, was transferred to the new owners, and how successfully they have lived up to this tradition is best judged by the con- tinued growth and prosperity of the business. Bass Brothers Company established a dry goods store at Yoakum in 1913, which they have continued to operate, R. L. Bass being in active charge of the store there. In 1919 they bought the business of J. A. Graves & Sons, and J. M. Bass, the subject of this sketch, has since been manager of this Cuero store. A complete line of dry goods, clothing, shoes, hats, ladies' ready-to-wear, millinery, rugs, carpets, and like merchandise is carried, and a large retail business is done annually. A force of sixteen employees, with an additional force employed for rush seasons, are in the store, and the best mer- chandise, with the newest styles and lowest prices, are featured by the firm.

J. M. Bass was born in Georgia, in 1871, son of a merchant of that state. He attended the public schools and in 1887 came to Texas with his brother. He went with the Perkins Dry Goods Company, and for twenty-one years was with that company, in various Texas towns, and for twelve years of the time was in charge of a store at Athens for this firm. In 1913 Mr. Bass, with his brother, opened the Yoakum store, six years later buying out the busi- ness of J. A. Graves & Sons, and has since continued to operate these stores.

Mr. Bass was married at Dublin, Texas, in 1892, to Miss Pearl Hall, whose death occurred in 1922. Mrs. Bass was the daughter of Dr. J. W. Hall, Texas physician. One child, Miss Tennie Mae Bass, was born to the union. Mr. Bass makes Cuero his home and belongs to the Cuero Chamber of Com- merce, the Kiwanis Club, the Retail Merchants As- sociation, and is a Mason, Blue Lodge, Chapter at Cuero, Commandery at Yoakum, and is a member of the Shrine at San Antonio. He is active in civic work, and takes a deep pride in the accomplishments of Cuero as one of the fastest growing cities of this section.

D. GLASS, JR., although numbered among the younger members of the business fra- ternity of Yoakum, Texas, he has had a wide business career, withal a successful one. As secretary, treasurer and manager of the Home Mutual Benefit Association, he has had an important part in shaping the destinies of this organ- ization. The Home Mutual Benefit Association was organized in February, 1924, with headquarters in Yoakum and is strictly a mutual insurance com- pany, organized under the revised statutes of In- surance and Banking Commission of Texas. The in- surance of this company is written through agents, which are located in various portions of the state. which are located in various portions of the state. The agency force is composed of six experienced people. Mr. Glass gained his experience in the insurance

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business at Marlin, Texas, where he was associated with the First Home Benefit Association of Mar- lin, and later with the United Fidelity Company at Dallas. Other officers of the Home Mutual Benefit Association are: Dr. Harry Brown, president, and E. J. Bucek and J. J. Jaresh, vice presidents, all of whom are well known in the business and financial circles of this portion of Texas. The board of di- rectors is composed of the officers of the com- pany, and D. B. Cain, also prominently identified with the business life of Yoakum and Lavaca County.

A native Texan, Mr. Glass was born at Marlin on December 4th, 1897. His father, F. D. Glass, a native of Mississippi, was a pioneer real estate dealer and farmer of Falls County. His mother, Mrs. Georgia (Phillips) Glass, also from Mississippi, came to Texas when quite young. Both of Mr. Glass' grandfathers came to Texas from Mississippi and settled near Marlin, where he, along with the other members of the younger generations were reared. His early education was obtained in the public and high schools of Marlin, after which he at- tended Rice Institute of Houston for one year, and Baylor University at Waco for one term. After leaving school, Mr. Glass became associated with a bank at Slidell, Texas, where he remained for three years. He then went to Wichita Falls during the oil boom days of that North Texas City, was also connected with the Slidell Bank there for some time. He left the employ of the bank in order to engage in the insurance business, in which industry he has earned a creditable record, and has succeeded in building up a large volume of business for the com- pany of which he is an official.

Mr. Glass takes an active interest in the business and social organizations of Yoakum, where he is regarded as one of the leading young business men. He is affiliated with various clubs and insurance organizations, and is a member of the Methodist Church. Since engaging in the insurance business in 1920, he has been a factor in the insurance circles of Texas, where he has become well known as one of the most progressive young men in this field of activity of the Lone Star State.

P. SMITH, manager of Stahl Brothers Cold Storage Company at Gonzales, has been active in the establishment of this modern cold storage plant, and is building up one of the largest cold storage and produce houses in this section. Stahl Brothers Cold Storage plant was established at Gonzales the first of November, 1923, at which time a modern two-story brick and rein- forced concrete building, one hundred and ten feet by one hundred and sixty-five feet, was occupied. This building provides the company with one of the most modern cold storage plants in the Gonzales territory. The first floor is devoted to cold storage rooms and dressing rooms, the main storage vault being one hundred and four by sixty-eight feet, with a twelve foot ceiling, with a smaller vault, fifteen by thirty-four feet. The plant is one of the largest turkey dressing plants in the South, during the sea- son dressing some ten thousand birds per day. Feeding stations for chickens are also operated, with thirty-two battery stations feeding live chick- ens. These chickens are shipped out in carload lots, and the company is also one of the largest shippers of eggs in this territory, shipping to eastern mar- kets. In addition to this large poultry business, the

plant also has facilities for public storage and fur- nishes this service to local butchers and farmers.

J. P. Smith was born at Gonzales the sixteenth of November, 1897, son of W. A. Smith, connected with the Texas Farm Bureau Cotton Association at Gon- zales. Mr. Smith attended the Gonzales public schools and later the San Marcos Baptist Academy for two years. His first business experience was in income tax and bookkeeping work, and he spent four years at Seguin thus engaged. In 1923, when the Stahl Brothers Cold Storage plant was opened at Gonzales, he came here to take charge of the work, and it is largely due to his efforts that the plant has enjoyed so successful a period of operation.

Mr. Smith was married, at Seguin, in 1917, to Miss Madeline Lindemann. Mr. Smith is a Knight of Pythias, and the Gonzales Chamber of Commerce, and is a leader among the younger business men of the city.

ARROLL A. LEWIS, one of the active real estate developers of Houston, is well known in the business circles of Houston, and since coming to this city has taken an active part in civic and commercial affairs. Mr. Lewis has also taken an active part in the develop- ment of the oil fields in the Gulf Coast territory, and is one of the best informed men in the city on matters regarding production in this section. Mr. Lewis became interested in the possibilities of the oil fields here in 1916, at which time he removed to Houston, from Dallas, and has since been associated with companies of recognized standing in the oil business. Until recently he was president of the Baker Oil Company, a position he held for two years, during which time the company dealt ex- tensively in acreage in the Spindle Top field. Mr. Lewis has also been active in the building indus- try, and has built a number of houses in Houston and helped materially in making this city a city of real homes.

Carroll A. Lewis is a native of the Lone Star State, and had for his birthplace the town of Eden, in Concho County, where his parents had resided for many years. He was born the eighteenth day of April, 1888, the son of C. A. Lewis, pioneer farmer of Texas, and now a resident of San Angelo. His mother, before her marriage, Miss Jane Dodson, was also a native Texan. Mr. Lewis was educated in the schools of his native state, graduating from the high school at San Angelo in 1905. He then entered the First National Bank of that city, remaining with that institution for four years, after which he en- gaged in the printing business there for three years. He went to Dallas in 1913 and spent three years with the Security National Bank there at which time he removed to Houston, following for a short time his profession as an accountant. During the World War, Mr. Lewis served for one year and a half in the supply department.

Mr. Lewis was married at Houston, the twentieth of February, 1918, to Miss Gladys Brown, a native of Houston, and the daughter of S. A. Brown, a native of Boston, and for many years in the paper business at Houston. Mr. and Mrs. Lewis make their home at 4503 Roseland Avenue, and attend the Presbyterian Church. Mr. Lewis is a member of the Glenbrook Country Club, and fraternally is a thirty- second degree Scottish Rite Mason, and a member of Arabia Temple Shrine.

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OE MONTAG of Victoria, Texas, has for more than two decades been associated with the business interests of Victoria County, where he is widely known as a merchant, poultry and produce dealer. In 1904, Mr. Montag established a general merchandising store here, which he maintains, carrying a full and complete line of all desirable merchandise. He continued in the general merchandising business alone until 1910 when he started in to ship dressed turkeys to the Eastern markets, his first shipment consisting of one barrel. His business in this line increased each season, until in 1923 he shipped 232,000 pounds of dressed turkeys during the season, besides local shipments during the year of 22,000 head of turkeys, mostly from Goliad County which were brought in by trucks. In order to familiarize himself with the dressing and shipping of fowls to market, he brought a man from Winfield, Kansas, to teach him the business. When he started this business, he had never seen a turkey killed or picked. The prices change very much each season. When he first started in the turkey business, buying the live birds from the farmers, the price asked and paid was $1.50 per pair. In 1922 the prices averaged 28c per pound, but in 1923 the prices ranged around 18c per pound. For many years Mr. Montag shipped to the New York and Chicago markets but now ships mostly to the Houston, Texas, market, which is bet- ter than the Eastern markets for this commodity. He also ships an average of one carload of chickens each week from Victoria, and his egg shipments go to Houston also. The infertile eggs bring 5c per dozen more than the fertile product, in fact Mr. Montag is unable to obtain enough infertile eggs to supply his demand. He ships about ten carloads of eggs each year now. The first shipment of chick- ens to market in 1905, sold for 5c per pound, in 1923 chickens sold for 25c per pound. Mr. Montag is also a large shipper of pecans and during 1924 he shipped twenty cars of these nuts.

Mr. Montag has become the largest poultry and produce dealer in this portion of Texas, having built up his business from nothing. He says that the merchants do not have to extend credit to the small farmers who raise poultry, but do have to carry the one-crop farmer, which fact in itself is enough to encourage diversification among the farmers. Conditions govern the poultry market largely, making it necessary to change markets for this commodity. In the first years in which Mr. Montag was engaged in business, the dressed poultry was shipped to the East, and the live to New Or- leans, but the live chickens now all go to the Hous- ton market.

A native Texan, Mr. Montag was born at Cameron on May 7th, 1877. His father died just a short time before his birth and his mother died when he was eighteen months old. He was brought to Victoria by relatives and grew to manhood here where he worked at almost everything, in order to be self- supporting. His educational advantages were meager, and the best education he obtained was in the rough but serviceable school of life by contact with men and things. His first mercantile experience was with August Muller at Victoria, with whom he was associated for a period of twelve years, and during this period he worked in every branch of the business, mastered it and then started in for himself.

Mr. Montag was married at Victoria, Texas, in November, 1901, to Miss H. L. Pippert, a native Texan and a daughter of John Pippert, who belongs to a pioneer family here. They have two children, Woodrow Wilson and Leslie Raymond. Mr. Mon- tag is a member of the Local, State and National Retail Merchant's Associations, the State and Na- tional Poultry Associations, and many of the busi- ness organizations of Victoria. Mr. Montag, a leader in his field of activity, is doing a big work toward developing the small farm resources of Victoria County, lending his every aid toward the upbuilding of every enterprise of merit in Victoria and Victoria County, where he is regarded as one of the most progressive citizens.

A. GRIFFING, Houston merchant, is well known in grocery circles and is the proprie- tor of the Griffing Grocery at 2131 Yale. Since locating there several years ago, by fair dealing and courteous attention to his pa- trons he has built a good business and is ever mak- ing new friends and customers.

Mr. Griffing was born in Mississippi, near Port Gibson, the seventh of September, 1871, son of A. W. Griffing of Missouri, and a merchant and farmer all his life. Mr. Griffing was educated in the schools of Connecticut, and after finishing his literary work, took a course in bookkeeping, commercial law, and other business branches. He was in the mercantile business as clerk in various places, for a number of years, and was at Summit, Mississippi, for six years, and at Bastrope, Louisiana, for several years, coming to Texas in 1912. He went in the mercantile business at Danberry, engaging in that business for seven years, under the firm name of Griffing and McBride. He came to Houston in 1919, and was in business on Houston Avenue until 1921, when he began the development of Bay Shore Park. He contributed much to the building of this pleasure resort, which has given South Texas a new playground. He opened his present store soon after giving up the active management of Bay Shore Park.

Mr. Griffing was married at San Antonio, Texas, the twelfth of December, 1900, to Miss Clara Mc- Bride, a Mississippi girl. Mr. and Mrs. Griffing make their home at 206 West 27th, Houston. They have three children, Irleene, Clyte and Eugene. Mr. Griffing is a member of the Salesmanship Club, and takes an active interest in the progress of his city.

A. McGEE, geologist and mining engineer of Yoakum, Texas, is a pioneer in the oil and mining industries of the country, hav- ing at different times and in various por- tions of the world been engaged in every branch of these activities. Mr. McGee came to Lavaca County for the purpose of working out the geological forma- tions in this county for the company which is drill- ing the test well here. He has great faith in the formation of Lavaca and adjoining counties as be- ing producers of oil, and has backed this faith by obtaining more than six thousand acres of leases here. Mr. McGee's geological deductions have great- ly encouraged all the owners in fee of land and also those interested in development work.

Mr. McGee started his work along geological lines in Nevada with Prof. R. D. Jackson of the Nevada School of Mines, during student vacations. He was

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engaged in work at the Old Bull Frog Mine in Nevada for a period of eleven months, and more than a year was engaged in other portions of the state of Nevada. He then went to Tombstone, Ari- zona, where he did active work in the reduction plant at that point. After this mine was shut down he went to Globe, Arizona, where he did work for the Old Dominion Mine, after which he went to Black Warrior Creek, Arizona. He remained in va- rious portions of Arizona for almost three years, after which he removed to Pennsylvania, and be- gan to do oil work, with headquarters at Pittsburgh. His work during the first week in which he was engaged in the oil industry was confined to tool dressing, and later he went to work with the rig builders and still later did work at the refinery plant. After eighteen months in Pennsylvania he returned to Arizona to the Bisby Mine and after remaining eight months there he went to Cannanea, Mexico, and engaged in the mining business again, remaining in the republic for a period of eleven months. He then came back to the States and lo- cated at Topeka, Kansas, where he engaged in con- tracting of drilling oil wells, after which he went to Oklahoma and drilled three wells by contract at Marietta, and continued in that business in Okla- homa for several years, where he was successful in his contracting. Mr. McGee has made four trips to Alaska, and has been engaged in gold mining in that country; the first of these trips was made in 1897. After this trip he returned and prospected for gold in Idaho, later engaging in mining and the brokerage business at Tucson, Arizona, and it was while he was engaged in this line of activ- ity that he handled much timber out of Mexico and began work on oil propositions in that country, but without much success as the people there were not much interested. He returned to Gallup, New Mex- ico, and for eight months was active in the coal mining industry there. He then went again to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where he organized a drilling company, and later went to Tampico, Mex- ico, field, where he drilled a large gas well. He then went to Rio Janiero, South America, where he pulled 70,000 feet of casing for the Chilean Cop- per Company, which this company had exhausted every effort to secure. He later returned to Vera Cruz, Mexico, and engaged in mining there and near Monterey, and later traveled throughout Mex- ico and into Columbia. He later returned to the Tampico oil field, where he engaged in contracting, later in the operating end of the oil industry and remained in this oil field for a period of nine years. He then located at El Paso, Texas, where he traded in mining properties of all kinds, later went into Canada and came back to Texas in 1919 and re- moved his family to Plainview, where he remained until the Rogers well came in in Mexico, where he remained for eighteen months, during the boom days there. During this period he was engaged in the capacity of appraisal engineer. He has been in practically every Texas oil field since then, doing petroleum work, trading, etc. Mr. McGee has the distinction of having been the discoverer of oil in several fields, among which is the Wyoming field in 1916. He drilled this well, found oil and sold out there. Mr. McGee worked with the eminent English oil geologist, Sir Bolivar Redwood, in compiling the oil geology of Texas, this survey of the state being made for the British government.

A native Texan, Mr. McGee was born in Hill County on December 11th, 1868. His father, J. McGee, a native of Louisiana, was brought to Texas by his parents in 1851, when he was three years of age. J. McGee lived in the Lone Star State through- out his entire life, where he was engaged in farm- ing and ranching up to the time of his death, in March, 1922. His mother, Mrs. Lina McGee, also a native Texan, was born in Walker County, and is now a resident of Scurry, Texas. His grand- parents were members of prominent families of the South. His early education was obtained in the public schools, after which he studied mining en- gineering at the Nevada School of Mines, to which institution he was sent by John J. Mackay. In 1890 he took a metallurgical course at London, England, and was engaged in work of this kind at Berlin, Germany, from 1894 to 1896.

Mr. McGee was married at Colorado City, Texas, on February 17th, 1906, to Miss Lilly Charlotte Turner, a member of a pioneer Texas family. They have two children, Adeline and Josephine. Mr. Mc- Gee's home is at Plainview, Texas, but on account of the character of his work he is away from home the greater portion of the time. Mr. McGee is a member of the I. O. O. F., the Knights of Pythias, the Metallurgical Association of England, in which organization he is a life member.

EORGE D. COOK, well known in the build- ing and contracting circles of Houston, where he was engaged in the general con- tracting and constructing of homes, apart- ments, business houses, stores and warehouses, was the largest builder of grandstands and stadiums in South Texas.

A native Texan, Mr. Cook was born in Dallas on February 27th, 1884. His father, John D. Cook (deceased since 1922), was for forty years engaged in the building and contracting business in Dallas. His mother was, before her marriage, Miss Artie McGeorge, a member of a well known Missouri family. His education was obtained in the public and high schools of Dallas, and after leaving school, Mr. Cook entered the contracting and building busi- ness, where he remained for about twelve years. He then purchased the Southern Floor Sweep Com- pany of Dallas, which he operated for a few years, and then went to Galveston where he remained for about three years, and during this time was en- gaged in supplying fresh water to ships and for drinking purposes. He then came to Houston where he engaged in building and contracting, in which he was active at the time of his death. Mr. Cook was associated with the contracting and building business all his life, even when engaged in other lines of endeavor.

Mr. Cook was married in Dallas in 1906 to Miss Susie G. Woods, a member of a prominent Texas family. They had two daughters, Evelyn Gertrude and Loma Frances. In fraternal organizations Mr. Cook was a member of the following: Modern Woodmen, I. O. O. F., Knights of Pythias and the Dokies.

With the passing of Mr. Cook on July 20th, 1924, Houston and South Texas lost a sterling citizen, a thorough, competent, sincere builder, and a man who was ever willing to assist in every way possi- ble in the progress and advancement of the city of his adoption.

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New encyclopedia of Texas, volume 2, Part 141

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