New encyclopedia of Texas, volume 2, Part 143

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

USA > Texas > New encyclopedia of Texas, volume 2 > Part 143

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

HOMAS H. BALL, better known as Tom Ball, has for many years been active in the banking business at Huntsville, and is one of the most progressive leaders of public Mr. Ball is now serving as mayor of Hunts- ville, to which office he was elected in April, 1924, affairs. and his administration has been marked by a definite advancement in public improvements. Mr. Ball di- rects the affairs of the municipality with a char- acteristic energy, and under his direction all depart- ments of the city government have been thoroughly systematized. In the last years, 1924 and 1925, the city has put down about forty blocks of paving. Mr. Ball is also assistant cashier of the Huntsville State Bank, with capital and surplus of seventy-five thousand dollars, and is active in the direction of this institution. Mr. Ball is a nephew of Col. Thomas H. Ball, for whom he was named. Col. Ball, for many years a factor in the development of Hunts- ville, and the first mayor of Huntsville, moved to Houston in 1901, and has been for many years regarded as one of the foremost attorneys of Texas. He has also been active in public affairs, and was instrumental in securing the ship channel for Houston.

Thomas H. Ball was born at Huntsville, Texas, the tenth of May, 1887, the son of L. E. Ball and Irene (Rountree) Ball. L. E. Ball, a brother of Col. Thomas H. Ball, came to Texas as a boy from his native state of Maryland and was county clerk

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of Walker County for twenty years before his death. Mrs. Ball, who still makes Huntsville her home, is a native of Walker County, her parents having come here in the early fifties. Thomas H. Ball, Jr., was educated in the public schools of Huntsville and as a young man began in the banking business, spending eight years with the First National Bank of Huntsville, after which he came with the Hunts- ville State Bank, in 1917, as assistant cashier, and has since been with this institution.

Mr. Ball was married at Huntsville, the sixth of September, 1911, to Miss Willie May, a native of Nacogdoches, Texas. They have three children- Helen May and Katherine Ball and Thomas H. Ball, III. Mr. Ball is a Mason, Forest Blue Lodge, San Jacinto and Trinity Lodges, Knight Templar, and a member of Arabia Temple Shrine at Houston, a Knight of Pythias, a Woodman of the World, and belongs to the Huntsville Rotary Club. He has been for years a leader in every progressive activ- ity, like his uncle having a natural talent for leader- ship, and is one of the best liked citizens of Hunts- ville.

W. MILLER, well known lumberman of Texas, has recently come to Huntsville, where he is taking a leading part in indus- trial affairs. Mr. Miller is vice president and manager of the Huntsville Cotton Oil Company, having bought stock in this enterprise and taken over its management the first of May, 1924. The Huntsville Cotton Oil Company was established in 1902, at that time being a forty thousand dollar corporation. In 1919 the capital was increased to one hundred thousand dollars, and the plant in its present state of development represents an invest- ment of more than three hundred thousand dollars, in lands, buildings and machinery. The cotton oil mill has a capacity of forty tons per day, and in addition to the operation of the mill an ice plant, with a daily capacity of fifteen tons, and a light and power plant, supplying electric light and power to Huntsville, and also a pumping station, pumping water for the city of Huntsville, is operated by the company. A force of forty employees is maintained, and the plants occupy an industrial site of fourteen acres of ground. Officers in addition to Mr. Miller, the vice president and manager, are: T. C. Gibbs, president; Sam Mckinney, secretary, and Gabe Smither, treasurer.

R. W. Miller was born in Cass County, Texas, the second of June, 1875, the son of T. H. and Jane (Bush) Miller. The father, a native of Alabama, came to Texas after serving through the Civil War, and was a farmer in Cass County for years, then living at Gilmer, Texas, until his death. Mrs. Miller, a native of Kentucky, came to Texas with her par- ents shortly after the close of the Civil War. Mr. Miller attended the schools of Cass County, and as a young man began work in the saw mills of that county, later going to Upshur County, and still later to San Jacinto and Walker Counties, where he con- tinued in this line. In Walker County he spent thirteen years at Elmina as manager of the Walker County Lumber Company, directing the operation of one of the largest saw mills in the state. The first of May, 1924, Mr. Miller came to Huntsville to take over the management of the Huntsville Cotton Oil Company, in which he had an interest, and has

been active here since that time. Mr. Miller is also vice president of the New Waverly State Bank, at New Waverly, and is a director of the Trout Creek Lumber Company at Kirbyville, Texas; also vice president of the Ford-Jarvis Lumber Company of Houston.

R. M. Miller was married at Gilmer, Texas, the twenty-eighth of December, 1902, to Miss Ida Chandler, a native of Upshur County. They have six children, Irene, Thomas Ford, Josephine, R. W. Jr., Dorothy Louise and Marjorie. Mr. Miller is a Blue Lodge Mason, Commandery and Chapter at Huntsville, and a member of Arabia Temple Shrine at Houston, and belongs to the Huntsville Rotary Club.

EMUEL PINKNEY WOLFE, one of the re- cent recruits to the business world at Hous- ton, has been active in the warehouse busi- ness since coming here. Mr. Wolfe is super- intendent of the warehouse of the Wolfe Warehouse Company, an organization of which M. H. Wolfe, of Dallas, is president. The warehouse of the Wolfe Company, located at the International and Great Northern switch, near Hill Street, was built in 1912 and is modern in every respect. A floor space of six hundred and six by one hundred and sixty feet provides storage capacity for a large volume of cot- ton, and a force of from fifteen to fifty operatives is employed. The warehouse has been operated under the direction of the Houston Compress Company for some time past, with offices at 709 Cotton Exchange Building. Mr. Wolfe came to Houston in 1918, and has been superintendent of the warehouse since that time.

Lemuel Pinkney Wolfe was born near Wolfe City, Texas, the seventeenth of October, 1863, the son of Lemuel Pinkney Wolfe and Penelope Katherine (Jack- son) Wolfe, pioneers of that section. A brother, M. H. Wolfe, is engaged in the cotton business at Dallas and is one of the foremost cotton men of the South. Lemuel Pinkney Wolfe attended the pub- lic schools of Ladonia, Texas, and after finishing school began with the Pacific Express Company, re- maining with the company twenty-one years, first at Wolfe City and later at Sulphur Springs. He then went to Dallas and spent two years with the Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railroad as traveling freight agent. He then went with the International and Great Northern Railroad as traveling freight agent, remaining with that road five years, after which he came to Houston, in 1918, as superinten- dent of the warehouse of the Wolfe Warehouse Company.

Mr. Wolfe was married at Paris, Texas, to Miss Elizabeth Stinson, a native of Tennessee. They reside in Houston, at 4804 San Jacinto Street, and have four children, Lottie, wife of J. H. Hutton, a cotton man of Houston, and who has four chil- dren, L. G. Wolfe, who married Miss Annie Mae Smith and has two children; Fay, wife of M. Z. Bu- ford, of Terrell, and who has two children, and J. Paul Wolfe. Mr. Wolfe belongs to the Presby- terian Church and is a Knight of Pythias. He is regarded as one of the most progressive business men at Houston and has attained a favorable posi- tion in the business world at Houston since coming here.

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COTT FRED BENSON, owner of the Benson Floral Company of Alvin, Texas, has been a resident here for a period of thirty years, where he specializes in the raising and ship- ping of the fragrant cape jessamine. Mr. Benson established the Benson Floral Company in 1896 and has the unique distinction of being the largest grower and shipper of cape jessamines in the world. He has a highly developed farm at Alvin, ten acres of which is planted to cape jessamines and he controls the output of about forty acres more. His father was the creator of the cape jessamine business at Alvin, and was the first man to ship these fragrant flowers and sell same in a commer- cial way. He was for many years associated with the express company at Alvin, and he began the cape jessamine shipments by sending them to agents of the express company at other points, on consignment, and from this small beginning came the large business from Alvin of today, which is the largest cape jessamine shipping point in the world. During a normal season ten million cape jessamine buds are grown and sold here, being shipped to all parts of the United States and Canada. Mr. Benson has had a wide and varied business career, and is yet a young man. He worked at various kinds of business, and served as county treasurer from 1912 to 1916 of Brazoria County. During the years 1912 to 1916 he was engaged in the produce business and in and in August of 1917, he enlisted in the World War, and was assigned to the Supply Train of the Rainbow Division. He sailed with his division for France in October, 1917, and while there was commissioned a first lieutenant, and Mr. Benson was a participant in five of the noted battles of the World War-among these being the Meuse, Argonne and Champaign. He returned to America in September, 1919, and was discharged during the same month, when he immediately re- turned to Alvin and to his large business interests.

Mr. Benson was born at Denver, Colorado, on November 14th, 1887. His father, Carneal W. Ben- son, was for more than forty years associated with the express companies, and came to Alvin for his health, which he regained, and some years ago retired from active business pursuits, but still re- sides here where he is regarded as one of the city's leading citizens. His mother was Miss Maud Vosburgh, a member of a prominent Western family. His education was obtained in the public and high schools of Alvin. Mr. Benson is a member of the A. F. and A. M. and has attained to the 32nd degree in the Scottish Rite body of this order and is a member of Arabia Temple Shrine of Houston. Mr. Benson is one of the leaders in the business cir- cles of Alvin. He was elected postmaster under the administration of President Harding on April 15, 1922, an office he has filled to the entire satisfac- tion of the community. He has a host of friends, and by close attention to the details of his business has met with a complete success, and has achieved distinction in his chosen line of endeavor.

IRAM MOORE came to Alvin, Texas, twen- ty-five years ago, where he owns and oper- ates the Alvin Dairy and Stock Farm, one of the largest and best equipped dairies in or near Alvin. Mr. Moore owns in fee four hundred acres of fine land contiguous to Alvin and has be-

tween five hundred acres and six hundred acres of land under lease. He has a herd of two hundred and twenty-five head of cattle, and those of his cattle which are not registered animals are very high grade stock. All bulls are registered animals and many of his brood cows are also registered, making his herd one of the finest in South Texas. Mr. Moore uses all improved methods about his dairy, and uses both machine and hand methods in the milking of his cows, and these animals are given the most careful attention and treated with the utmost kindness, and he will not employ a man who will not be kind to his cattle. All milk from the Alvin Dairy and Stock Farm is shipped to Houston and Galveston, and a ready market is found for this product. Mr. Moore is also engaged in truck farm- ing in connection with his dairying business, rais- ing cucumbers, cantaloupes and beans, principally. Prior to coming here he thought the vicinity of Alvin the logical place for a large dairy, and since locating here has been very successful in this business.

A native Texan, Mr. Moore was born in Ellis County, February 8th, 1878. His father, J. A. Moore, was engaged in farming, dairying and cat- tle raising in Ellis County, and was known as one of the most successful men engaged in this busi- ness. His mother was Miss Maggie D. Stanley, a member of a well known Texas family. His educa- tion was obtained in the public and high schools of various places in the Lone Star State.

Mr. Moore was married at Alvin, Texas, in 1906, to Miss Clara Belle Pate, a daughter of Rev. W. L. Pate, a well known Methodist minister of Texas. They have six children: Warren Neal,, Hazel Belle, Annie Ruth, Joe Hiram, John William and Sarah Margaret. Mr. Moore is a member of the A. F. and A. M. and of the Methodist Church. He is optimistic as to the future of the dairying interests of South Texas and believes that the people are just now awakening to the importance of raising better milk and beef cattle. He believes that the day of the common herd is passed and all farmers are mak- ing an effort to grade their cattle higher and practically all bulls are now of the high grade or registered class.

ARRY R. DECKER, whose activities in the oil industry have been centered in Houston for a number of years, is a dealer in oil well specialties, most of which he has him- self patented. Mr. Decker's main contribution to the oil industry is the H. R. Decker method of drill- ing wells. Mr. Decker is a pioneer in the art of ro- tary well drilling, and for the past sixteen years has been licensing the use of a mud-casing building method used in conjunction with the Decker blowout preventer, upon which he owned the basic patents and exclusive rights. Mr. Decker first got his idea less than two decades ago, and had it patented in 1906. He has for some years past had his head- quarters at Houston. He does business under the name of the "Decker Specialty Company," with headquarters at 1118-20 N. San Jacinto.

Mr. Decker was born at Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, on the 17th day of August, 1866. His father, H. A. Decker, was a captain, and boated oil down Oil Creek, Pennsylvania, from Petroleum Center to Oil City. Mr. Decker attended school at Franklyn and Bradford, Pennsylvania. As a young man he be-

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came a broker on the Bradford Oil Exchange, and spent seven years as a member of the Oil Exchange. He obtained some land in Oklahoma under the Or- ganic Land Act thirty-two years ago, but Mr. Hitchcock would not approve his charter, although during the same period a lease was granted other interests on the Osage County, and he had all the Helton field tied up. He came to Texas six days after the Spindle Top strike, and obtained a lease on all of the land from the Southern Pacific bridge for seven miles down the river, a tract of some thirty-seven hundred acres, which proved to be dry territory; then he drilled in the Spindle Top field, using one of the first standard rigs there, and dur- ing the course of his operations drilled two ten- thousand barrel gushers. Later he went to Humble and capped a wild gas well, and introduced his blow- out preventer, and then began to introduce and manufacture his improved devices for drilling rigs.

Mr. Decker's many devices have all been designed to modernize deep well drilling, and it is his belief and his ambition to develop machinery that will drill a well 10,000 feet deep at the cost of what is now required to drill a well half that depth. He has many basic patents for devices improving rotary drill appurtenances, and his contributions to the oil industry are considered very valuable.

NTONIO CAMPDERA has been the man- ager of the firm of Esteve Bros. and Com- pany, cotton merchants and exporters, of Galveston, Texas, since this firm opened their office here in 1919. The home office of this well known firm is located at New Orleans, which was established more than thirty years ago. Under the management of Mr. Campdera, this firm's busi- ness has grown to be among the largest at Galves- ton, and is growing each year. Their office is lo- cated at 2128 Avenue B. Prior to coming to Galves- ton, Mr. Campdera was for several years associated with the present firm at New Orleans and Savannah, Georgia. When Esteve Bros. decided to open an office in this city, he was selected for the position and has successfully piloted the business of the firm through this period. Mr. Campdera is regarded as one of the leading young cotton men of the country, and is well known in the financial and cotton cir- cles of the entire South.

A native of Spain, Mr. Campdera was born at Barcelona on May 4th, 1898. His education was ob- tained in the various schools of his native country, and is a graduate of the University of Spain, from which institution he received the B. A. degree. He studied and prepared himself for the medical pro- fession, for two years prior to coming to America. During the period of the World War, he attended the American Military School at Savannah, and after learning the English language, started to work for the firm of Esteve Bros. where he has since re- mained. Mr. Campdera has an innate love for the cotton business, and believes that there is a won- derful future for a young man in this country, who learns this great industry, including its various branches, and remains with it.

Mr. Campdera says that Galveston is an ideal residence city, as well as one of the best business places in the country. He takes an active part in the business and social life of the Island City, and is a member and worker in the Galveston Chamber of

Commerce and is a member of the Aziola Club. He is a consistent member of the Catholic Church. Since coming to America, Mr. Campdera has devoted his time to the study of cotton in all its branches, be- ginning with the cultivation, gathering, ginning and marketing. This knowledge has given him an added advantage in successfully conducting his business, and has proved a valuable asset to his company. His close application has made him an authority, and although a very young man, is so considered by his associates and those who have business dealings with him.

ILLIAM C. TURNBOW has been an active operator and organizer in the South Texas and Gulf Coast oil fields since 1901, and by industry and application of his expe- rience gained, has successfully developed numerous paying leases. Mr. Turnbow has had a very suc- cessful and spectacular career in the oil business, and has operated in practically all the South Texas and Gulf Coast fields, with most of his activities at Goose Creek, where two rigs operated with up- ward of six hundred barrels production. Mr. Turn- bow organized the Turnbow Oil Corporation in 1919 and built a large refinery. He sold this in 1922 and formed the partnership with Mr. Blakely and this firm became well known operators at Goose Creek.

Mr. Turnbow at one time had one hundred pro- ducing wells and in 1916 organized the Gulf Coast Oil Corporation and operated in the Gulf Coast fields, and produced five million barrels of oil in Goose Creek from a twenty-acre lease, which is a record for any field in the world. Mr. Turnbow sold his interest in 1918 and received for this stock eighty- seven for one. He came to Houston from Batson, Texas, in 1912 and has well appointed offices on the second floor of the Turnbow Building.

Mr. Turnbow was born in Shreveport, Louisiana, April 24, 1879. His father, J. C. Turnbow (de- ceased) was well known in the business circles of Shreveport, where for many years he was engaged in the mercantile business and was also occupied in farming. His mother was Miss Louise Matthews, a native of Louisiana, and a member of a well known family of that State. Mr. Turnbow was educated in the public and high schools of Louisiana and Texas, graduating from the high school of Pearsall, Texas, in the class of 1901. He came to Texas with his parents when ten years of age and lived for a period of ten years following the family's removal to Texas, on a ranch and was practically raised in the cattle business. In 1901 he went to the Spindle Top oil field and has been continuously in the oil business since that time. He spent two years at Spindle Top and Sour Lake, Texas, learning the business, and in 1903 he entered the oil business proper at Batson, where he acquired a one-half in- terest in two rigs and started in the well drilling business.

Mr. Turnbow was married in Beaumont in 1904 to Miss Julia Ruth Springer, a daughter of John Springer (deceased) of Marlin, and a member of a pioneer Texas family. They have one daughter, Julia Ruth. In fraternal, social and commercial or- ganizations Mr. Turnbow is a member of the B. P. O. E., I. O. O. F., Houston Country Club and the Mid-Continent Oil and Gas Association. He is a staunch and consistent member of

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ALTER H. SMITH of Houston, Texas, is regarded as one of the leading men of the detective business, having for more than eighteen years been engaged in this pro- fession-eleven years of this period being in Hous- ton. Mr. Smith owns and operates the Walter H. Smith Detective Agency which offers its services in detective work in all its principal branches-civil and criminal, making confidential investigations for banks, trust companies, corporations, merchants and individuals. By day and by night this agency is ready to serve the public, in matters of small per- sonal investigation or work that requires weeks or months of service. This agency was established here during the early part of 1923 by Mr. Smith, but he came to Houston in 1915 and had up to that time been associated with another agency. Beginning with two men, The Walter H. Smith Detective Agency has within a period of three years found it necessary to increase the staff to eighteen experi- enced men. The major portion of the business of this company is confined to Houston, but it has a cor- respondent in all the principal cities of the country. A feature of The Walter H. Smith Detective Agency is the protection it offers to merchants through its Del-Check system, which has been copyrighted by Mr. Smith. The system was invented to prevent carelessness on the part of delivery men and ship- ping clerks, and to eliminate opportunities for dis- honesty. The offices of The Walter H. Smith De- tective Agency are located at 605 Bankers Mortgage Building.

A native of Indiana, Mr. Smith was born at In- dianapolis on October 9th, 1882. His father, George F. Smith, a native of New York State, was well known in the business circles of New York State and of Indiana. His mother, Mrs. Emelia (Schmid) Smith, was a native of Columbus, Ohio, and a mem- ber of a well known family of that city. His educa- tion was obtained in the schools of Indiana. His business career started in the railroad service with the Big Four in their transportation department, where he remained for about ten years. He then went to New Orleans where he was associated with the American Can Company, later going with the New Orleans Terminal Company. Leaving this com- pany, he associated himself with the Old Southern Express Company, and while an employee of this company, Mr. Smith was robbed and then and there he became associated with a national detective agency. His first experience in this profession was with the well known Pinkerton's National Detective Agency, and he held every position while associated with that company from operative to general super- intendent during the thirteen years that he was in the service of that company. While with the Pin- kerton Agency, Mr. Smith was stationed at New Or- leans, Atlanta, Dallas and Houston.

Mr. Smith was married at Kentwood, Louisiana, on October 8th, 1912, to Miss Nina E. Smith, a daughter of Richard H. Smith (deceased), who was a native of Mississippi, as was also her mother, Mrs. Mittie (Turnbow) Smith. They have two daugh- ters: Dorothy, eleven years of age, and Janet, aged nine years. Mr. and Mrs. Smith reside at 5301 Crawford Boulevard. Mr. Smith is one of the board of directors of the Kiwanis Club, a director of the Association of Retail Credit Men, a member of the Houston Chamber of Commerce, the Better Business

Bureau, and the Episcopal Church. Mr. Smith is active in all matters having to do with the civic im- provement of Houston and gives liberally of his time and means to further any project for the better- ment and advancement of his city, in which he has an abiding faith as to its future growth and great- ness.

UDGE CAMPBELL R. OVERSTREET came to Texas and Houston in 1911 and before his election to the office of Justice of the Peace, Precinct No. 1, Court No. 2, he was for many years business manager of the Houston Carpenters' Union, and his achievements as an ex- ecutive of this organization are without a parallel in union circles. Judge Overstreet was elected to the office of justice of the peace in the autumn of 1922 and entered office on January 1st, 1923, where he has made a fine record and the citizens of Houston are satisfied and pleased with his ad- ministration. Judge Overstreet is a man of real law and justice, as well as a public service man, and has made many friends since entering office, and it is the opinion of the Houston citizenship, that many men like Judge Overstreet are needed in public office, not only in Houston, but through- out the State and country.

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New encyclopedia of Texas, volume 2, Part 143

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