New encyclopedia of Texas, volume 2, Part 152

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

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Scottish Rite Temple, Municipal Hospital, Federal Land Bank Annex and Black Brothers Furniture Company Building.

Mr. Marini is a splendid type of business man and a thorough and consistent booster for Houston. He is interested in any movement that is for the betterment and development of his adopted city and is active in many of the civic affairs of Houston.

EYER RAUCH several years ago came to Houston and established his home and busi- ness headquarters, and has since become a factor in the jobbing world, and, as the distributor of oil field supplies, has contributed to the development of this industry. Mr. Rauch owns the Texas Pipe and Supply Company, one of the most progressively operated businesses in the field of oil well supplies. His trade territory covers the entire Gulf Coast district and Louisiana, and he has, since coming to Houston, done a record busi- ness each year. The Texas Pipe and Supply Com- pany occupies a modern warehouse, which Mr. Rauch owns, at 1706 to 1720 Maury Street, in the heart of the jobbing district. This property, covering an entire city block, has railroad frontage, and storage capacity for the extensive stock, numbering around one hundred thousand items, which is on hand at all times. Mr. Rauch sells oil well equipment, mostly used, rotary rigs only, no cable tools, and a large line of used casing and pipe, as well as pumps and everything that is used in drilling and completing a well.

Mr. Rauch began handling oil field supplies at Humble, selling used material only, and in a small way. He was successful from the first, going out of his way to supply the needs of the oil field worker promptly and without delay. After several years of operation at Humble, during which time his business developed rapidly, and he became well and favorably known in the various fields, Mr. Rauch moved his business to Houston, a city of- fering greater possibilities for development, and better opportunities to give his customers service.

Meyer Rauch was born in Austria, in 1886, the son of Max and Caroline Rauch, natives of that country. His father was in the dry goods business for more than four decades, at Galveston, where he acquired a fortune, and in which city he has continued to make his home since his retirement from active business. Mr. Rauch attended school in Austria prior to the coming of the family to the United States, later finishing his education in the schools of this country. He spent several years in New York City, as a machinist, in the shops of the Southern Pacific Railroad. He then came to Humble, going in the oil field supply business, in which he has since engaged.

Mr. Rauch was married at Tyler, Texas, in 1912, to Miss Cecilia Greenburg, daughter of Sam and Jennie Greenburg, the father a Rabbi at Tyler. Mr. and Mrs. Rauch have made their home in Houston, at 1910 McGowen Avenue, since Mr. Rauch moved his business here. They have two children, Isadore and Evylin. Mr. Rauch is a member of the Pur- chasing Agents Club, and fraternally is a Knight of Pythias. He is held in high esteem by his fel- low citizens for his progressive and high business standards, and takes an active interest in civic affairs.

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MEN OF TEXAS

OHN FARMER, for sixty-three years a resi- dent of Harris County, where he has held several important county offices, and has always been regarded as one of the county's foremost citizens, is now retired from active business pursuits and resides at 2415 Clark Street, Hous- ton. From 1890 to 1894, Mr. Farmer served as county commissioner of Harris County, when he was appointed, then elected, to the office of county treasurer where he served, with satisfaction to the citizens of the county until 1906. While retired from business, Mr. Farmer looks after his large interests, which consist of a very valuable tract of timber land, located about sixteen miles from Hous- ton with eight hundred and twenty acres in the tract and a number of residence lots in the city.

Mr. Farmer was born in Southern Illinois, Feb- ruary 21st, 1842. His father, Jackson Farmer, was a well known farmer of Illinois. His mother was Miss Melcena McCracken, a member of a well known Illinois family. His education was obtained in the schools of Illinois, which consisted at that time mostly of private institutions. After coming to Har- ris County, Mr. Farmer was for about ten years en- gaged in the lumber and logging business, after which he entered farming and stock raising, and con- tinued in this work for almost a quarter of a cen- tury. In 1894, he sold all of his live stock but re- tained the land, which is mostly timber land in Har- ris County. Mr. Farmer served in the Civil War from 1861 to 1865, and for about one year he was under General Forrest. Mr. Farmer was a lieutenant in the Civil War, and during the World War assisted in many ways.

Mr. Farmer has been twice married. His first marriage was in Harris County in 1868 to Miss Olivia Blaylock, who died the following year. In 1879, he was again married and his second wife was Miss Lucy McDonald. There are five children: Rob- ert Jackson Farmer, by the first wife, and Mrs. Har- riett Hammett, Mrs. Bessie M. McClellan, Mrs. Lucy G. McDaniel and Mrs. Katie E. Patton by his second wife. In fraternal organizations, Mr. Farmer is a member of the Masonic Order and the Woodmen of the World, in which organization he is a honor member. He is a staunch and consistent member of the Baptist Church. Since coming to Harris Coun- ty, sixty-three years ago, Mr. Farmer has noted all the changes that have been made. Houston was a small village on the banks of Buffalo Bayou, and Texas was a pioneer state to which men from the older states flocked in search of fortune and adven- ture. The whole country was an open cattle range, and the broad prairies stretched for hundreds of miles. Mr. Farmer, with hundreds of other pioneers, even after the reconstruction days following the Civil War, had an abiding faith in the Lone Star State and that faith has never been shaken, not to say near destroyed, for the state is an empire and the city of Houston is a great metropolis, with even greater things in the way of progress yet to come. Genial, companionable, unselfish, kind, Mr. Farmer's life has been delicately interwoven into the fabric of the good fellowship of Houston, where he is loved and esteemed by the entire citizenship. His mature experience, wise counsel, sterling qualities of char- acter and high ideals have always been an inspira- tion to his children and his friends.

ONSTANTINE JANKE, for a decade and a half a factor in musical instrument man- ufacturing activities at Houston, is one of the real few experts in the manufacture and repair of musical instruments in the Lone Star State, and his reputation in this field has made him a figure of more than local prominence. Mr. Janke is proprietor of the Southern Piano and Organ Company, a business he established in Houston around 1908. Mr. Janke repairs and rebuilds pianos and organs of all types, including pipe organs, church organs, and other instruments, and his business is one of the largest of its kind in Texas. He also manufactures special musical instruments, and has himself designed a number of instruments unusual in quality, and of exceptional attractiveness. Mr. Janke is a real artist in this field, and handles work that comes to him from all over the state and ad- joining territory. His business is located at Wash- ington and Yale Avenues, where he has installed the special equipment necessary to turn out the highest type of work, and has every facility for all kinds of musical instrument repair and manu- facturing work.

Constantine Janke was born in Germany in 1856, son of one of the well known musicians and artists of that country. As a young man he spent two years in the United States, at New Orleans, but returned to his native country, and married Miss Matilda Kost, the mother of Constantine Janke. Both parents died in their native country. As a boy Mr. Janke attended the schools of Germany, living the usual life of the German schoolboy until he entered the piano factory of Kapps & Son, in Germany, where he learned the musical instrument manufacturing business under this well known crea- tor of fine pianos. When he was twenty-one years of age he came to New York, and after one year in the Steinway factory there came to Texas and Galveston, for his health. In a small way he began in the piano and organ manufacturing business, and with advancing years the business grew until it represented an investment of one hundred thousand dollars. Then came the Galveston storm, and Mr. Janke lost his wife, and the business into the build- ing of which he had put so many years. Broken in spirit, and with his fortune swept away, he came to Houston and began again, in a small way, to rebuild his business. Several years later he organ- ized the Southern Piano and Organ Company, which he has since operated, and which is a large and prosperous business. Mr. Janke is regarded as one of the greatest authorities on the manufacture of pianos and organs in the state, and is a real in- ventor in this field. He has designed many instru- ments, which if manufactured in commercial quan- tities, and placed on the market, would make him a great fortune, and bring him fame that would be nation wide.

Mr. Janke was married the first time at Gal- veston, in 1884, to Miss Matilda Kleinecke, a native of Germany, who was brought to Houston as a small child. She was lost during the Galveston storm of 1900. By this marriage there is one child surviving, Albert Janke, who is married, and has one son, Albert Janke, Jr. Mr. Janke was married the second time at Houston, in 1905, to Miss Eliz- abeth Steiger, four children, Elizabeth, Paul, asso- ciated with his father in business; Edwin, and Al-

2072

John Farmer

Theo Drey ling

NEW ENCYCLOPEDIA OF TEXAS

fred, having been born to the couple. Mr. Janke is a man of quiet and retiring habits, and is a true artist in his field. His musical instruments have a quality that is suggestive of Steinway, and which is peculiarly Mr. Janke's own. In the entire field of the manufacture of musical instruments, Mr. Janke is an authority, and his opinion is valued by musicians and music instrument dealers of the city, as coming from one qualified to speak the final word.

HEODORE DREYLING, former business man and well known contractor, has been closely identified with the commercial in- terests of Houston for nearly half a cen- tury, having come to this city in 1880. For twenty- nine years, covering the period from 1885 until 1914, he was in the grocery business and established a widespread reputation for fair dealing and a con- sistent desire to afford his patrons the best of serv- ice and the highest quality of foods. During the years he engaged in the grocery business Mr. Drey- ling catered to the best trade and numbered among his customers many of the leading families of Hous- ton. He recalls with vivid interest many of the ex- periences of his early days in the retail grocery business and how he struggled to obtain a foothold among the commercial interests of a new and strange land.

Mr. Dreyling is a native of Germany and was born in the Fatherland in 1856. He is a son of Joseph and Katherine Dreyling, both members of well known families in Germany. He was given a liberal education in the best public and private schools of his native land, and, coming to America in 1880, was far better equipped for his new duties in a strange land than the average immigrant.

Upon landing in America Mr. Dreyling came di- rectly to Houston, which has been his home con- stantly since that time. Five years after reaching here he engaged in the grocery business and also had a large contracting and building business to which he gave most of his time and effort. Many of the earlier buildings in Houston were erected under his supervision and his ability as a financier brought about the construction of numerous build- ings, whose construction was in a sense made pos- sible by his faith in the city and belief in its certain future growth and prosperity.

For two years Mr. Dreyling served as County Commissioner of Harris County and had charge of a great deal of important public work during his tenure of office. He also served the city of Hous- ton for some years as Secretary of the City Demo- cratic Executive Committee.

In 1883 Mr. Dreyling was married at Houston to Miss Emma Dreyling, a daughter of Gustave and Trecia (Freeman) Dreyling, pioneer residents of the city, who came to Houston in 1856. They have their home at 1402 Pease Avenue and are the par- ents of four children, Mrs. Theresia Duffy, Mrs. Rosa Maladenka, Theodore and Albert.

In addition to looking after his extensive business interests, and, in later years the management of a number of pieces of valuable property, Mr. Dreyling has always found time to enter actively into the social and civic life of the city of Houston. He is a member of the Houston Sangerbund Club and is Treasurer of the Sharks Benevolent Club and Secre- tary of Washington Cemetery. He is a splendid

type of public spirited citizen and a man possessed of unbounded faith in the future greatness of his adopted city.

EO. J. ROBISCHUNG is a prominent heat- ing, plumbing and ventilating contractor of Houston. He is the sole proprietor of the establishment bearing his name, located at 1609 Congress Avenue, where he is engaged in the contracting business for heating, plumbing and Ventilating equipment, for all classes of buildings.

Mr. Robischung has installed this class of mechani- cal equipment in varied types of buildings, such as many of the representative office buildings and banks, hospitals and schools, churches and theatres, industrial buildings, factory buildings and power plants, apartment buildings and hotels, and hundreds of residences, some of which are the finest in Hous- ton.

Geo. J. Robischung was the contractor for either the plumbing, heating or ventilating, and, in many instances, the contractor for these three combined branches in the Beatty Building, Southern Pacific office building, the Keystone Building, the First National Bank, the Second National Bank, and the South Texas Commercial National Bank. He has also installed the mechanical equipment in the St. Joseph's Infirmary, the Isis Theatre, Queen Theatre, the Oriental Textile Mills, the National Biscuit Com- pany, the Bender Hotel and the Sam Houston Hotel, the First Methodist Church, the Young Women's Christian Association Building, and the Catholic Women's Club Building, and also the Senior High School, numerous smaller schools, the Houston Art Museum, and the Yetive Apartments.

The magnitude of his business necessitates car- rying a large stock of material and employing sev- eral experienced men. Only the latest and most ef- ficient time and labor saving devices are used on his installations.

Mr. Robischung was born in Kalamazoo, Michigan, in 1872. His parents, Joseph Robischung, and Mag- gie Robischung, were well-known citizens of Kala- mazoo. Mr. Robischung's education was obtained in the Kalamazoo public and high schools. He en- tered the plumbing and heating business in Michi- gan as an apprentice, where he learned his trade thoroughly. He came to Texas and to Houston in 1900 and established his present business in 1902, which has grown steadily from the beginning.

He was married in 1908 to Miss Daisy Pierce, a member of a pioneer Harris County family. Mr. and Mrs. Robischung reside at 1602 Stuart Avenue.

He is active in the business life of the City, serv- ing on the City Board to Regulate Plumbing ordi- nances and also on the examination board for Mas-

ter Plumbers. In fraternal and social organiza- tions Mr. Robischung holds membership in the B. P. O. E., the Houston Turnverein, the Kiwanis Club, and is chairman of the membership committee of the Southern zone for the Heating and Piping Con- tractors Association, a national organization. He has been closely connected with the commercial interests of the city for many years and expects Houston to continue its steady, consistent growth, and considers the future of this city to be of unlim- ited possibilities in business, buildings, and popu- lation, and, above all, as the future inland port by reason of the developments of Houston's great wa- terway to the sea.

2075

MEN OF TEXAS

OHN CHARLES WILSON, president of the City Bakery Company, Inc., at Houston, has been a resident of this city for nearly thirty years, and in addition to his business con- nections here has been active in civic affairs. The City Bakery Company was established in 1920, at which time Mr. Wilson opened up a bakery in the City Market, this plant now being known as No. 1. In 1924 the business was incorporated and a plant opened at 2806 Main Street, this plant being No. 3, Plant No. 2 is located at Galveston, and was opened a short time before the Main Street plant in Hous- ton was put in operation. All three plants operated by the City Bakery Company are equipped with the most modern machinery and the highest standards are maintained, all bakery products being known and favored for their quality. Officers of the City Bakery Company, Inc., in addition to Mr. Wilson, are B. A. Platt, vice president, and E. C. Chinn, sec- retary and treasurer.

John Charles Wilson was born in Iowa, on the first of August, 1864. Mr. Wilson attended the schools of Kansas, his education, however, has been largely obtained in the school of experience, that college which has graduated so many of our success- ful men. He came to Houston in 1897 and engaged in railroad work for a time, later becoming a sales- man, and still later establishing a grocery store which he operated until going into the bakery busi- ness.

Mr. Wilson was married at Red Bluff, California, in March, 1892, to Miss Sula Cooper, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. G. W. Cooper, the father a native of Tennessee, the mother of Arkansas. Mr. and Mrs. Wilson reside in Houston at 308 Payne Street, and have one son, George E. Wilson, well known in business circles, who is active in his father's com- pany. Mr. Wilson has always taken an active part in civic affairs, serving as alderman in 1904 and 1905, and was one of the men who helped change the form of civic government to the commission plan. He is a kindly and genial type of gentleman, beloved by all who know him, and one who finds pleasure in giving aid to young men who are getting a start in business.

E. DETERING for four decades has taken an active part in the development of Hous- ton, being one of the first to foresee in this city, through the advantages offered by the ship channel, a southwestern metropolis and from the first days of his identification with the life of this community, working toward that end. In 1895, after a merchandising experience in the city cover- ing a period of fourteen years, Mr. Detering saw the economic need of a broom manufactory and es- tablished a small factory for the manufacture of brooms in connection with the grocery store he was operating. This factory made a prosperous show- ing and constant expansions were necessary, the present Houston Broom Factory, which is the out- growth of the factory of 1895, establishing a record in industrial history. Mr. Detering is sole owner of the Houston Broom Factory, an enterprise which is housed in a modern factory building at 3028 Wash- ington Avenue. Fifty dozen brooms per day, re- quiring the employment of eight operatives, is the output of the factory, which is the largest of its kind in the city.

Mr. Detering was born in Germany the twenty- first of May, 1862, son of Herman and Lina Deter- ing, his father a furniture manufacturer and maker of wood work for house construction. Mr. Detering attended the schools of his native country. He came to America in 1881, coming direct to Houston, which has since been his home. He went to work shortly after arriving in the city for the old firm of Henke and Pillot, working for them until 1888, at which time he went in business for himself. He established at 3028 Washington Avenue, on the property he still occupies, a grocery store, which he operated until 1913, at which time he sold his grocery interests but not the property. In 1895 he started the broom fac- tory in connection with the grocery store and still continues its operation.

As early as 1885 when Mr. Detering saw for the first time the ship channel when going by boat to a celebration at the San Jacinto battle grounds, he conceived the idea that this water way was going to be the determining factor in the progress and development of the city. Backing this theory, he purchased property along the channel whenever he could save the money to make these investments and has so continued to buy from time to time and is still in the market for ship channel property. He now owns one plot consisting of one hundred and sixty acres, with hundreds of feet in smaller tracts, front- ing on the channel and running north to the railroad. Much of this property, especially the earlier pur- chases, has increased many times over the original value. He, true to his belief in the growth of the city, also made other real estate purchases, buying up outlying tracts of land, then at some distance from the city but which in the course of logical de- velopment became valuable residence property. These instances, resulting from his firm belief in the city's future, are indicative of the character of the man.

Mr. Detering was married at Houston, in 1898, to Miss Lina Stuer, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Mathias Stuer, who came to Houston in the forties and were prominent landowners and farmers. Mr. and Mrs. Detering have a family of five children, Alma, Elsie, Herman, Carl and Lenore. They have for many years made their home at 1417 McGowan Street. Mr. Detering is an honorary member of the Hous- ton Turnverein. He, with his family, attends the Evangelical Lutheran Church, which he actively sup- ports. Mr. Detering is one of the most honored and esteemed residents of Houston, holding a place of highest integrity in the business world. His part in the general prosperity of his community has been no small one and he has throughout his residence here been active in all movements directed toward civic development.

LLEN B. CLARK, Jr., Houston Texas, after leaving college in 1911, engaged in the in- surance business and has been active in the various branches of this industry since that time. Mr. Clark is the owner of the Allan B. Clark, Jr., Inc. Agency and is the district agent for the Southern States Life Insurance Company, with offices at 801 Keystone Building. In looking over the southern states for a suitable location, Mr. Clark selected the south half of Texas as the most fertile field for his agency, with Houston as headquarters. He established the Houston office on October 1st,

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Jewilson

NEW ENCYCLOPEDIA OF TEXAS

1923, and is doing a large volume of business. Mr. Clark began his career in the insurance business with the Mutual Life, Inc., of New York, and later was made agency supervisor of this company at Nashville, Tennessee. After a few years he was made supervisor of the New York City office and after a time there returned to Nashville, where he remained until coming to Texas and to Houston in 1923.

Mr. Clark was born at Nashville, Tennessee on July 5th, 1892. His father, Allan Battle Clark, also a native of Tennessee, was throughout his life en- gaged in the newspaper publishing business in his native state and is now the publisher of the Nash- ville Banner and is well known, not only in the news- paper circles of Tennessee, but in the business and financial circles as well. His mother was Miss Mary Baird Finch, a member of a prominent family of Kentucky. Both his parents are living now in Ten- nessee, where they are numbered among the state's most highly esteemed citizens. His early education was obtained in the public schools of Nashville, after which he entered a preparatory school, the Spring- field Preparatory College of Nashville, and later attended the Vanderbilt University, where he spe- cialized in engineering and accounting and on ac- count of splitting his studies did not receive his degree from that institution.

Mr. Clark was married at Indianapolis, Indiana, on April 29th, 1914, to Miss Winnifred Daugherty, a native of Indianapolis and a member of a prominent family of that city. They have three children, Win- nifred Martha, Marilyn Battle and Betty Jean. Mr. Clark is a member of the college fraternity, Phi Kappa Psi, the Houston Club, the Salesmanship Club of Houston and of the Life Underwriters Associa- tion, in all of which he takes an active interest. Although a comparatively recent addition to the in- surance and business circles of Houston, Mr. Clark has made a host of friends here.

H. JONES, executive head of the Jones Construction Company, has for a decade been an active figure in the development and vast building activities of Houston. The Jones Construction Company are engaged in the building of homes and business property; they also buy the lots for same, finance all deals and look after the construction. These homes are then sold on the easy payment plan; 10% of the pur- chase price paid down and 1% per month on the balance, making approximately twelve years until the whole amount is paid on the property purchased; thereby making it easy for people of moderate means to own their own homes. This company pays cash for all materials, buy in large quantities, build close and take a small profit. In 1922 and 1923 the Jones Construction Company built approx- imately 100 houses, none of which cost less than $4,000.00. They build mostly in Montrose district through preference. The Jones Construction Com- pany is owned by the family-F. H. Jones, father; H. S. Jones, son, and E. H. Jones, a daughter, and they have aided greatly in the development of Houston and its additions.

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New encyclopedia of Texas, volume 2, Part 152

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