New encyclopedia of Texas, volume 2, Part 154

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 154

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Mark Eidelbach was born in Fayette County, Texas, in 1884, the son of A. Eidelbach, a pioneer Texan. Mr. Eidelbach received his education in the schools of Fayette County, and A. and M. College, where he studied engineering 1900 and 1901. He began his business career as an automobile mechanic at Wharton, Texas, in 1903, coming to Houston one

year later. Mr. Eidelbach is now the oldest automo- bile mechanic in Houston, and began in the shops here in the pioneer automobile days. He was with G. W. Harkins for many years, and was later asso- ciated with other of the early automobile men of the city. In 1915 he became associated with J. N. John- son, and in 1919 they established the United Motor Company, a business that has maintained the high- est standards, both in workmanship and service. An automobile repair business headed by two such men as Johnson and Eidelbach is hard to equal.

Mr. Eidelbach was married at Houston, in 1921, to Miss Maxine Ischar, a native of Texas. They reside at 1112 Welch Street, and are active in various social and civic affairs. Mr. Eidelbach is a member of the A. and M. Club, Houston Yacht Club, Cham- ber of Commerce, the Masonic and Elks Lodges. Messrs. Eidelbach and Johnson are known over Texas as two of the most expert automobile engi- neers in the State, and are given credit for having done much for the advancement of the standards in the automotive industry.

EORGE TURNBULL OBERWETTER, for two decades one of Houston's most pro- gressive citizens, is a factor in the automo- bile business here, and has won the high- est esteem of his fellow citizens for his various activities of an industrial or civic nature. Until recently, Mr. Oberwetter operated one of the finest and best equipped garages in Houston. The most of his life has been spent in the automotive industry, operating garages or serving the leading automobile companies. Today he is considered an expert in his field.

Mr. Oberwetter was born at Waco, in 1886, the son of E. R. Oberwetter, a native of the Lone Star State, and Eva Turnbull Oberwetter, also a native Texas, and both of whom now make their home at Houston. Mr. Oberwetter was educated in the pub- lic schools of Waco and Corsicana, and after leaving school, went into a bakery shop and spent four years learning the baker's trade, with the Collins Street Bakery, at Corsicana. He came to Houston in 1906 and went with the Southern Pacific Railroad, in the mechanical department, and was with that line two years. He then went with A. C. Burton, well known to the automotive trade, and was with him for the ensuing two years. In 1910 he went with William M. Rice, and for four years had charge of his cars, during that time making two trips to Europe, and four to the New England states, touring with Mr. Rice. In 1914 Mr. Oberwetter went with the Over- land Houston Company, as superintendent of Serv- ice, and in 1918 left that firm to open his own shop. He began in a small way, making a record for the high standard work in his shop. For a time he was with the Union Motors, Inc. as service director, and then later he went with the Ford Motor Company.

Mr. Oberwetter was married at Houston the thir- tieth of August, 1916, to Miss Ouida Valentin, a na- tive of Houston, and the daughter of A. T. Valentin, for many years a resident of this city. Mr. and Mrs. Oberwetter live at 101 Morris Street, and have two children, Ouida Dorothy, and Marie. Mr. Oberwet- ter has won the highest esteem of the business men of the city, his record being commendable in all lines, and he is regarded as one of the progressive automobile men of Houston.

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OHN MARTIN WERNER, one of Houston's native sons, who has achieved success in the business world here, has for the past several years been allied with the automo- tive industry, and has outlined a program of expan- sion that makes him a real factor in the commercial life here. Mr. Werner engages in a high class automobile painting and trimming business. The firm was established in 1916, in a small way, and with no capital, and operated along successful lines until the beginning of the World War, at which time Mr. Werner temporarily went out of business to serve his country. Returning to Houston the business was resumed, and has met with a remark- able period of growth since that time. The plant, one of the best equipped in Houston, has twelve expert employees, and does only the highest class of paint work, auto top building, upholstery, fender and body building. Mr. Werner has given careful study to every phase of his business and is an authority on this line of automobile work. He supervises all work handled in his shop and no small measure of his success has been due to the high standards he has set for all the work done here. The business occupies a well located, completely equipped, and spacious building on Capitol Avenue, and maintains the offices and work rooms here.

John Martin Werner is a native of Houston, where his birth occurred on the twenty-second of Decem- ber, 1888. His father, T. Werner, and his mother, Bertha Hirsh Werner, were also natives of this city, and both families took a prominent part in the de- velopment of the city. Mr. T. Werner, who has now retired, was for many years a merchant of this city. Mrs. Werner's death occurred in 1905. Mr. Werner attended the public schools of Houston, and later St. Edward's College, of Austin. After leav- ing school he was in the employ of the city of Hous- ton for six years, and during this time proved him- self one of the most efficient men in his office. He inaugurated the plan of sending each man's salary to him each pay day, thus saving the city thousands of dollars annually, as a result of the saving in time heretofore spent in each employe coming to the City Hall for his pay envelope. Leaving the city he went in business for himself, establishing in a small way the business that has developed into the present firm. His capital when he started this venture was just a hundred dollars, eighty-five of which was used in renting a building. Mr. Werner's success was instantaneous, and the business began a period of growth which resulted in the recent re- moval of the business to the fine new quarters on Capitol Avenue.

In October, 1917, Mr. Werner entered the army, and was sent to Camp Travis, San Antonio, with the Eighteenth Division, and with the Nintieth Di- vision, where he held various positions, most of the time acting as Mess Sergeant in charge of feed- ing the new men as they arrived, and in feeding troop trains. He was discharged November 22, 1918, as Sergeant, and returned to Houston, resuming the business he had established previous to his enlist- ment.

Mr. Werner was married at San Antonio, the fif- teenth of November, 1918, to Miss Mozelle McCol- lum, daughter of J. H. McCollum, well known un- dertaker of that city, whose death occurred in 1923. Mr. and Mrs. Werner live at 4411 Mount Vernon

Avenue, and have one child, John Martin, Junior. Mr. Werner has taken an active part in the civic development of his city, and much that he has done in a business way has been of real benefit to the industrial life here. He is progressive, awake to the future of the city, and is building a business that will serve the community through the years to come, as it does today.

EORGE L. HARRIS is well known in the real estate and oil circles of South Texas where, prior to 1922, he devoted his entire time to these two industries, in both of which he was very successful. Mr. Harris is the owner of George L. Harris and Company, dealers in auto tires and accessories, and carry a complete line of auto supplies. The George L. Harris and Company are dealers for the Miller and Cooper tires, and are manufacturers of the IXL battery. This firm also maintains a tire repair department and is one of the largest supply houses in Houston. Mr. Harris came to Houston in 1918 and established his present busi- ness in 1922, which has had a remarkable growth, and now employs six people in the different depart- ments. The George L. Harris and Company are lo- cated at 1100 Main Street, Houston.

Mr. Harris was born in Howell County, Missouri, in 1867. His father, a native of Kentucky, removed to Texas and settled in Grayson County when Mr. Harris was a small boy and died shortly after com- ing to the Lone Star State. His mother was Miss Lucy Willis, a native of Missouri, and she also died after the family had removed to Texas. His educa- tion was obtained in the public schools of Grayson County.

Mr. Harris began his business career in Grayson County in the agricultural business on a large scale, and was successful. In 1891 he removed to Elgin, Kansas, and engaged in the mercantile business and also in the agricultural line there. In 1911, he came back to Texas and located in Brazoria County, where he engaged in the real estate business, and later added the oil industry to his already established real estate business, and was very active in leasing and development work in South Texas. In 1918, Mr. Harris, who had been very successful in his ven- tures in Brazoria County, removed to Houston and continued in the oil business, and although he has the George L. Harris Company, he is still interested in the oil industry, in which field he is known as a careful operator. As an evidence of his faith in the future of Houston, Mr. Harris has purchased the magnificent country home, "Bon Air" of Colonel R. M. Johnson, which is one of the most beautiful of the many country estates in the vicinity of Houston, and consists of twelve and one-half acres of ground, which have been carefully laid out and improved.

Mr. Harris was married at Elgin, Kansas, Decem- ber 12th, 1906, to Miss Mary E. Slaughter, a native of Kansas and a daughter of H. E. Slaughter, for many years a well known citizen of that state. They have two children, Dixie, fifteen years of age, and Mary George, aged nine years. Mr. Harris is a mem- ber of the A. F. and A. M., with membership in the Angleton, Texas, lodge. He is interested in all matters having to do with the civic improvement, ad- vancement and progress of Houston and gives of his time and his means to further any measure for the good of the city or of South Texas.

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NEW ENCYCLOPEDIA OF TEXAS

C. BEARD, vice-president and general manager of the Houston branch of the Beard & Stone Electric Company, although a resident of Houston but a short time has entered actively into the commercial world here, and has established one of the largest automotive electrical houses in the Southwest. The Beard & Stone Electric Company was established at Waco in 1914, and has since maintained a large automo- tive electrical supply house there. In 1922, to meet the trade demands of their rapidly increasing busi- ness in the Houston territory, it was decided to establish a branch here, Mr. Beard coming to Hous- ton in July, 1922, at which time he opened the house on San Jacinto Street, at Lamar Avenue. Some 6600 square feet of floor space is occupied by the Houston establishment and fifty people are em- ployed by the company. A complete line of auto- motive electrical supplies are carried, and all classes of electrical repairs are made by expert electricians in the company shops. The Beard & Stone Electric Company is also distributor for Gabriel Auto Snub- bers, selling this popular snubber over their trade territory, which includes some thirty-five counties in Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi. Six salesmen travel this territory and in addition to the Gabriel Snubbers, carry a complete line of automobile elec- trical supplies. C. A. Stone is president of the Beard & Stone Electric Company, and manager of the Waco house; E. C. Beard is vice-president and manager of the Houston house, and J. R. Davis of Waco is secretary and treasurer.

E. C. Beard was born at Waco, the twenty-third of July, 1892, son of the late W. L. Beard and Mrs. W. L. Beard. Mr. Beard, Sr., a native of Tennessee, came to Texas in 1885, and was a resident of the state until his death. E. C. Beard attended the public schools of Waco, graduating from the Waco High School in 1910. He began in the automobile business at Waco in 1910, and in 1914 entered the automotive electrical business, with Mr. Stone, oper- ating the Waco house until 1922, when he came to Houston to establish the branch here.

Mr. Beard was married at Waco, in January, 1914, to Miss Eula Holder. Mr. and Mrs. Beard have two children, Marguriete and Doris Beard, and reside in Houston at 4515 Woodside Avenue. Mr. Beard is a Mason, and a member of the Royal Arch, both in Waco and is also a member of the Lions Club of Houston. Since coming to Houston to establish his home and business headquarters he has taken a deep interest in the civic accomplishments of the city

OY BAKER, for more than two decades as- sociated with commercial and industrial ac- tivities in the Lone Star State, since com- ing to Houston several years ago, has taken an active part in the business life of Houston. Mr. Baker is probably best known as the proprietor of the De Luxe Filling Station, which he built and opened in May, 1922, operating same until going with the International Harvester Company of Amer- ica in charge of the road machinery, with offices in the Mason Building.

Roy Baker was born in Vernon County, Missouri, the ninth of March, 1877. His father, the late E. E. Baker, was a Presbyterian minister, who followed his son to Texas in 1901. His mother, also deceased,

was prior to her marriage Miss Martha Richmond, a native of Missouri. Mr. Baker attended the pub- lic schools of Vernon County, later attending the Missouri State Normal for two years. He taught school in Missouri until 1902, in which year he came to Williamson County, Texas, remaining there until 1903, when he went to Oldham County, where he was a ranchman for eighteen years. His ranch was located about forty miles from Amarillo, and he was one of the pioneers in that part of the Panhandle, and one of the most successful cowmen of that sec- tion. In June, 1922, he came to Houston as repre- sentative of the J. I. Case Plow Works, and a little later, for the Bowser Pump Company. While acting in the latter capacity he got an insight into the won- derful opportunity offered in the automobile filling station field, which led him to build the De Luxe Filling Station.

Mr. Baker was married at Falls River, Kansas, the twenty-fourth of December, 1905, to Miss Susie Pearl Ivy, a native of Kansas and the daughter of J. H. Ivy, who is a resident of Kansas. Mr. and Mrs. Baker live at 2820 Brazos Street, and have one child, Maurice. Mr. Baker is a Mason, Texhoma Lodge, thirty-second degree Scottish Rite, and a member of India Temple in Oklahoma. He has be- come known as one of the most progressive citizens of Houston, and his activities along commercial lines have had good results.

P. SULLIVAN has for the past twelve years been associated with the Automobile industry of Houston and Harris County, and the establishment at 1423 Fannin Street bearing his name is the popular headquarters for automobile purchasers in the city. Mr. Sullivan is the distributor of the Peerless automobiles for twen- ty-eight counties, and is also the dealer for the Velie car. He is the sole owner of the Sullivan Peerless Company establishment, which occupies a space of 25x75 feet on Fannin Street, used as a sales room, and fifty by one hundred and twenty-five feet on Bell Street for service and storage. He has eleven experienced men in his employ. This business was established in 1912 and has been under the owner- ship and management of Mr. Sullivan ever since, during which time there has been an enormous in- crease in the sales of the cars handled.

A native of Georgia, Mr. Sullivan was born in Atlanta in 1887. His father, J. W. Sullivan, also a Georgian, has been in the hardware business all his life. He came to Houston in 1890 and is now retired from active business pursuits. His mother was Miss L. E. Peden, a member of a well known Georgia family. Mr. Sullivan's education was obtained in the public schools of Houston.

Mr. Sullivan started in the automobile business in 1911 as a representative of the Overland Company, and since that time he has continued in this line. Mr. Sullivan was married in Houston in 1907 to Miss Lytle Grymes, a native of Houston and a member of a pioneer Texas family. They have two children, Cleveland and Harris. Mr. and Mrs. Sullivan reside at 2915 Louisiana Street. Mr. Sullivan is a member of the B. P. O. E. of Houston. He is recognized as one of the most progressive automobile men in the Southwest, and has made a name among business associates for his straight-forward methods and keenness of judgment.

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ELOSS ATCHISON is conceded to be one of the best posted men in Houston on South Texas land values and his long experience in this line coupled with his discriminating judgment has caused the business interests of the city who have come in contact with his work to regard him as an expert in this line. Mr. Atchison has been a resident of Houston since 1907 and during this entire time has been engaged in real estate and land development work and also the de- velopment of prospective oil fields. The company he is connected with has extensive holdings in a number of South Texas counties, a considerable portion of it being in the vicinity of oil develop- ment work that is being watched with a great deal of interest.

Mr. Atchison is the Texas manager for the South Texas Development Company, with offices in the First National Bank Building, a corporation having its headquarters in Albany, New York. Arthur L. Andrews of Albany is president of the company which is financed with Eastern capital and has a permit for the transaction of business in Texas. Mr. Atchison has been connected with the company for sixteen years and during the past three years or more has been in charge of its affairs in Texas.

Included in the holdings of the South Texas De- velopment Company are lands in Harris, Mont- gomery, Grimes, Brazoria, Waller and Matagorda Counties. The company owns no improved lands and has undertaken no development work but has important holdings three miles south of develop- ments at Pierce Junction, where indications are said to be extremely promising, and also near Mustang Mound and Blue Ridge. The company is holding this land for development and is now beginning to receive inquiries from Northern investors con- cerning its holdings.

Mr. Atchison is a native of Newcastle, Indiana, and comes from an old Indiana family which was prominent in that section for many years. His father, H. J. Atchison, removed to Kansas when his son was thirteen years of age.

After attending the public schools of Indiana and Kansas, Mr. Atchison began his business career and was in the banking business at Wellington, Kansas, for five years before making his present connection. For fourteen years he was an accountant for the South Texas Development Company before receiv- ing his promotion to the position of manager.

On November 29th, 1906, Mr. Atchison was mar- ried at Kansas City to Miss Anna Gilmour, who was reared in Missouri. Her parents died during her infancy. Mr. and Mrs. Atchison have one son, Charles, sixteen years of age.

Mr. Atchison is a member of the Knights of Columbus and the Ancient Order of United Work- men, at Wellington, Kansas. He has never regretted removing to Houston and is a firm believer in the city's future growth and prosperity.

OHN C. PENN, SR., well known real estate man, is senior member of the firm of Penn and Penn, real estate dealers of Houston with offices in the Lumberman's Building. John C. Penn, Jr. is the other member of the firm and has been engaged with his father in the general real estate business and development of suburban properties for several years.

Mr. Penn is a strong believer in development of

the Houston Ship channel and believes the city will grow that way. The firm is now handling Pasa- dena Addition and specializing on building lots on this tract. An extensive business is being done in handling downtown business property and through their connections they finance homes for clients.

The first finished addition to the city of Houston, Avondale, was put on by Mr. Penn, who organized the syndicate known as the Greater Houston Im- provement Company, which purchased the tract of thirty acres at a price of four thousand dollars per acre. This section, at that time considered very far out, is now in the heart of the very best resi- dence district of Houston.

Mr. Penn is a native of Texas and was born at San Felipe, the old capital of Texas, in Austin Coun- ty, in October, 1862. His parents were Robert and Sarah (Allen) Penn and during his boyhood he attended private schools at San Felipe and Austin and Georgetown. At the age of fourteen, his fath- er's family moved to Austin to live and his first busi- ness venture was in the grocery business at George- town. In 1886 he entered the real estate business at Georgetown and later added a farm loan depart- ment and handled real estate and farm loans for ten years. Even at that time, Mr. Penn states, he be- lieved Houston would become a great city and he now predicts that by the end of the present decade it will have attained a population of five hundred thousand people.

Mr. Penn was married at Ennis, Texas, to Miss Anna F. White, formerly of Aransas Pass and mem- ber of an old Texas family. They have three chil- dren, John C., Jr., associated with his father in business, and two daughters, Mrs. Milton Schwab and Miss Bessie, a teacher in the schools at Hous- ton. Another son, Robert F., was drowned in the ship channel in March, 1922.

John C. Penn, Jr. was educated in private schools of Houston and at Staunton Military Academy. Dur- ing the World War he served overseas with the American Expeditionary Forces as first lieutenant and engaged in business with his father after receiv- ing his discharge from the army. He is twenty-six years of age and unmarried. His brother, Robert F. Penn, who lost his life in the Houston ship channel, was also an overseas veteran and served as a cap- tian in Company B of the Thirty-sixth Division.

The Penn Realty Firm is spreading the doctrine of "Own your own home" and through its liberal pol- icy toward its clients, has made possible the start toward this desired end for many young couples of Houston who are developing into substantial citi- zens and home owners.

ILLIAM N. BLAKESLEY, farmer and fruit grower, has achieved a degree of success which does not always come to those who spend a life time in tilling the soil. How- ever, during a residence of more than two decades at Pasadena, one of the thriving and prosperous towns located near Houston on the ship channel, Mr. Blakesley has acquired a comfortable fortune in rent houses, farm lands and town property and dur- ing this time has come to be recognized as one of the leaders in civic and commercial activity in this community.

Mr. Blakesley removed to Pasadena in 1901 and during all this time has engaged in farming and

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永鲁学出

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NEW ENCYCLOPEDIA OF TEXAS

fruit growing. He has a great deal of land rented to farmers and fruit growers. He also owns some property near the ship channel.

A native of Wisconsin, Mr. Blakesley was born at Black River Falls on December 19, 1871. He is a son of William A. and Mary J. (Persons) Blakesley and was educated in the public schools of Wisconsin. His father was engaged in the lumber business at Black River Falls for many years.

The early life of Mr. Blakesley was spent in farm- ing and stock raising in Wisconsin and in 1886 he removed to Nebraska where he continued to farm for eight years. Coming to Texas in 1894, he located at Deep Water, where he continued to reside until his removal to Pasadena in 1901.

In 1896 Mr. Blakesley was married at Deep Water to Miss Irma Parks, daughter of C. E. Parks, farmer and dairy man, who died in 1920. Mr. and Mrs. Blakesley are the parents of six children, Ethel, 26; Elson, 24; Myrtle, 20; Ralph, 16; Ruby, 14 and Irma, 12.

Mr. Blakesley is one of the most progressive farmers to be found in South Texas. He has always been a close student of agricultural problems and has done much to improve farming conditions in South Texas. No small portion of his success has come from the fact that he has always held a keen interest in the welfare of his tenants, all of whom appreciate his helpful and loyal co-operation.

In community life Mr. Blakesley has always stood for the things that were elevating and uplifting and has been active in every movement that was for the advancement of the interests of the community as a whole. Possessing a nature that is wholly devoid of selfishness, he has given freely of his time and money to the various civic enterprises that have tended to place Pasadena in the front rank of the fast growing towns of Harris County.

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New encyclopedia of Texas, volume 2, Part 154

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