New encyclopedia of Texas, volume 2, Part 160

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

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Mr. Browne was married at Houston, Texas, on September 13th, 1871, to Miss Mary Jane Bergin of New Orleans, Louisiana. Mrs. Browne was the daughter of Michael and Jane (Crabb) Bergin, the father a native of Ireland and the mother a native of England. Mr. and Mrs. Browne are the parents of twelve children: Jno. M., of the Browne Commis- sion Company; Thomas W., City Assessor and Col-

lector; Frank B., engineer on the Southern Pacific Railroad; Mary Elizabeth, now Mrs. M. E. Lyons; Winifred Gertrude, Jane, now Mrs. Chas. Glass; Margaret, now Mrs. Margaret Richter; Nessie, now Mrs. Jas. J. Garvey, and Catherine, now Mrs. A. H. Rickert, all of Houston. Three sons are deceased. The family home is at 3311 Lyons Avenue. Mr. Browne is a member of the Catholic Church and belongs to the Knights of Columbus Lodge.

C. HUFF is a pioneer in the lumber circles of Houston, where he has been engaged in the lumber business since 1894. Mr. Huff is President of the C. R. Cummings Lumber Company, and was one of the organizers of this company in 1903. He personally came with the company at that time as Secretary and Treasurer and in 1917 became President and principal owner. The C. R. Cummings Lumber Company carry a large and complete line of retail lumber and building supplies of all kinds, supplying everything used in the construction of a house except electrical supplies and plumbing. They also finance people in building homes. For many years Mr. Huff operated in the lumber industry in Beaumont and Galveston, Texas, but discontinued these plants in 1915.

Mr. Huff was born in Indiana, near Plymouth, Marshall County, February 7, 1862. His father, J. C. Huff, was engaged in the lumber business in both Indiana and Arkansas, and was a leader in this industry in the latter State. His mother was Miss Mary Ellen Fox, a member of a well known Indiana family. His education was obtained in the public and high schools of Logansport, Indiana. Mr. Huff was born and reared in an atmosphere of the lumber industry and in 1880, when eighteen years of age, he entered this business with his father, and looked after the walnut timber that was taken to his mill in Arkansas. He continued in this business until his father's death in 1885, when he engaged in the steamboat business on the Arkansas River and re- mained in this line of work until 1889. C. R. Cum- mings and Jesse N. Cummings, at that time were engaged in the sawmill and export business in Arkansas and he became associated with them in this branch of the lumber business in 1889, and in 1894 came to Houston with these people. He was first engaged as a bookkeeper, and remained in that capacity until Cummings Bros. Company was re- organized in 1898, and he became Secretary of the company at that time. He remained in the position of Secretary until 1903, when the C. R. Cummings Lumber Company was organized and then served as Secretary of both lumber companies until the C. R. Cummings Export Company discontinued business in 1916.

Mr. Huff resides at the Bristol Hotel and he now devotes his entire time to the C. R. Cummings Lum- ber Company. He has two daughters, Mrs. R. M. Diehl, whose husband, R. M. Diehl, is a well known contractor of Fort Smith, Arkansas, and Mrs. Ben F. Hendrix, whose husband, Ben F. Hendrix, is a traveling salesman, with headquarters at Fort Smith, Arkansas. Mr. Huff holds membership in the Hous- ton Chamber of Commerce, the Lumberman's Club and the Houston Country Club. Mr. Huff is well liked by all classes of people in Houston, and he is held in high esteem by his many friends and ac- quaintances.

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M. HOLLAND, Attorney-at-Law, of Hous- ton, Texas, began the practice of law in this city in 1892 and continued his practice here until 1901, when he removed to Matagorda County, Texas. In 1918, he returned to Houston and again established his office here and practiced alone until his son received his degree from college and joined him in the practice of law here, and the name of the firm became Holland and Holland. The firm, which was formed in 1922, is composed of W. M. Holland and William M. Holland, with offices on the fourth floor of the Zindler Building, and are en- gaged in a general practice of Civil and Criminal Law. Mr. Holland was admitted to the bar of his native State (Kentucky) in 1888, but did not begin the practice of law there; instead he taught school for one year, and then came to Childress, Texas, where he began the practice of law. Later he was elected to the office of County Attorney of Childress County and served in this capacity for two terms, when he removed to Houston. After removing to this city, in 1892, Mr. Holland formed a partnership with W. G. Love under the firm name of Holland and Love, and continued in this partnership until his removal to Matagorda County in 1901. During the seventeen years spent in Matagorda County, Mr. Holland had several partnerships in the practice of law and at all times enjoyed a large practice. He has the distinction of being the first Mayor of Bay City, Texas, and much of the improvements in this prosperous little city today owe their beginning to the efforts of Mr. Holland. Mr. Holland has always taken an active interest in politics and has been the recipient of many positions of honor and trust at the hands of his fellow citizens. He served as a member of the 25th Legislature from Harris County in 1897, and fathered many bills for the good of the people while serving as a member of this body. In 1905, he was elected to the State Senate from Mata- gorda County, where he served the people with dis- tinction and satisfaction to the extent that he was urged to again become a member of the first law- making body of the Lone Star State, but he refused all entreaties in order to again resume his private practice. In 1912, he was elected to the office of District Attorney of the 23rd District, and was re- elected to this important office, which he continued to hold until 1918, when he resigned in order to re- turn to Houston and again practice law in this city. Another office of importance held by Mr. Holland was that of Assistant District Attorney under E. T. Branch.

A native of Kentucky, Mr. Holland was born at Birmingham, on January 27, 1862. His father, W. C. Holland (deceased), also a native of Kentucky, was engaged in farming in that State, where he was a widely known citizen. His mother (also de- ceased), was Miss Prenissie Dees, a member of a prominent Kentucky family. His education was ob- tained in the public schools of his native State and after leaving school and starting to work, he studied law in the law offices of well known lawyers of Benton, Kentucky, and continued his studies along this line until he was admitted to the bar.

Mr. Holland was married in Houston in 1897 to Miss Mussetta Sweeny, a native of Brazos County, Texas, where she was reared and was a daughter of John Sweeny, who was a large land owner of that portion of the State. Mr. Sweeny's large land

holdings dated back to their transfer to him from the Mexican Government and as time passed became quite valuable. They have three children, Cather- ine, William M. Holland, Jr., who is a graduate of the Bay City High School and also of the Univer- sity of Texas, having graduated from the last named institution in the class of 1922 with the L. L. B. de- gree and immediately joined his father in his law practice; and Mussetta, at home with parents. Mr. and Mrs. Holland reside at 816 West Alabama Street. Mr. Holland is a member of the A. F. and A. M., with membership in Gray Lodge No. 329, of Hous- ton, and has attained to the 32nd degree in the Scot- tish Rite body of this order and is a Shriner of Arabia Temple. He is also a member of the Wood- men of the World and the Knights of Pythias, and has been a member of the latter organization for thirty-five years. He is a staunch and consistent member of the Methodist Church and has been af- filiated with this denomination throughout his en- tire life, and is active in the work of this church. A scholar, gentleman, learned judge and conscien- tial in the affairs of his adopted city. His example tious counsellor, Mr. Holland has been very influen- has been one of pride to the younger professional men of the Houston bar.

ILTON P. IVEY, Manager of the Houston Branch for the Southern Surety Company of Des Moines, Iowa, is well known in insur- ance circles in Texas, and is numbered among the progressive business men of the younger generation here. He started his business career in the railroad service in Houston and Galveston, be- inf so employed from 1903 to 1913. He left the railroad service to begin his career in the insurance field at Galveston and went with the American In- demnity Company as Manager of the bond depart- ment. He remained in this position for three years, when he went to New Orleans for the New Amster- dam Casualty Company of New York, as Manager of the bond department, his territory extending over five States. He remained with this company for two years, when he returned to Houston in August, 1919, as Manager of the American Indemnity Com- pany. In May, 1921, he became General Agent of the Southern Surety Company, and later Agency Director and Assistant State Manager, holding this position until April 1, 1924, when the branch office was opened.

A native Texan, Mr. Ivey was born at Hempstead on March 4, 1889. His father, Elijah B. Ivey, a native of North Carolina, came to Texas with his parents as a child and was reared near Hempstead. He continued to farm in Waller County until his death, and was one of the highly esteemed citizens of that county. His mother, Mrs. Mary Elizabeth (Kewley) Ivey was a native of Iowa, and she also was brought to Texas as a child, and was reared and educated in this State. She is now a resident of Houston. His early education was obtained in the public and high schools of Houston, after which he attended Massey Business College.

Mr. Ivey was married at Beaumont, Texas, on July 19, 1912, to Lelia Elizabeth Flynne, a native of Brenham, Texas, and a member of a prominent Washington County family. Mr. and Mrs. Ivey re- side at 3807 Travis Street. Mr. Ivey is a member of the A. F. and A. M., is a Knight Templar, is a member of Arabia Temple and Shrine Patrol. He

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also holds membership in the Glen Brook Country and the Optimist's Clubs. He takes an active in- terest in all matters having to do with the civic improvement of Houston, and believes that this city will soon become the Metropolis of the Southwest. Although Mr. Ivey is a comparatively recent addition to the insurance circles of Houston and South Texas, he has entered into the spirit of his undertaking, and has had much to do with the success of the Southern Surety Company in this part of the State.

HE FEDERAL LAND BANK, of Houston, was organized the twenty-sixth of March, 1917, under Federal Charter, and as a part of the Federal Land Bank System. The Federal Land Bank System is the outgrowth of the Federal Farm Loan Act, approved July 17, 1916, and comprises a system of twelve banks, operating under the supervision of the Farnham Board at Washington, D. C. The system provides that each bank shall have an initial capital of at least seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars, and that the banks shall act as agencies through which credit is granted to co-operative farm and land associations whose members are land owners or prospective pur- chasers of land. These loans are made on an ade- quate value basis, the funds being obtained from paid in capital and bond issues secured by mort- gages. They run not less than five, nor more than forty years and are gradually amortized by equal semi-annual payments which include a part of the principal as well as the interest.

These banks were established to meet the need of the farmer for long time credit, and since the bank at Houston was organized the advtanges of this system have been demonstrated in a practical manner, the bank having been a factor in the de- velopment of the agricultural resources of the Lone Star State.

The Federal Land Bank of Houston is capitalized at $5,900,000 and since its establishment has made loans to farmers in excess of $130,000,000. The total assets of the bank are over $120,000,000. The bank has made loans to over 45,000 farmers. The building occupied by the institution, located at the corner of Rusk and Caroline Strets, was purchased by the bank six and one-half years ago. The abstracts of title on file in connection with loans cost $2,000,000. The bank employs over fifty people and has thirty ap- praisers. The officers are M. H. Gossett, President; R. D. Johnson, Treasurer, and John V. Van De Mark, Secretary. These, with S. A. Lindsey, F. E. Chur- chill, Rowan Mills and J. M. Neely, compose the board of seven under whose direction the bank is operated.

M. H. Gossett, President of the Federal Land Bank, is a native of the Lone Star State. He was born in Cherokee County, the third of February, 1859, son of J. P. Gossett, of South Carolina, and Sally Manuel Gossett, of Mississippi. Mr. Gossett was educated in the public schools of Henderson County, and after leaving school studied law at Athens, Texas, where he was admitted to the bar in November, 1880.

Shortly after being admitted to the bar Mr. Gos- sett opened his law office at Athens, where he tried his first case, and where he continued to practice for the ensuing seven years. He was elected County Attorney of Henderson County during this time. He then removed to Kaufman County, continuing to fol-

low this vocation, and serving two terms in the State Legislature from this county during the nine- teen years of his residence there. Leaving Kauf- man County, Mr. Gossett went to Dallas, where he spent eleven years, continuing his practice as an at- torney, and becoming known as one of the foremost of the State. While in Dallas he was a member of the firm of Smith and Gossett. When the Federal Land Bank of Houston was organized Mr. Gossett was elected to the Presidency and has since made that city his home.

Mr. Gossett has a family of four children, a daugh- ter, wife of Dr. William M. Anderson, of Dallas; a son, Garry Gossett, of Dallas, and two daughters, Katherine, wife of L. W. Kinnear, of Detroit, and Sarah, wife of L. E. Bruce, of Houston. Mr. Gos- sett makes his home at the Rice Hotel. He also be- longs to the Houston Club, and is an active worker in the Chamber of Commerce. He attends the Meth- odist Church. He is a Mason, Commandery and Shrine.

R. Douglas Johnson, Treasurer of the Federal Land Bank of Houston, was born at Corsicana, Tex- as, the second of March, 1884, son of E. Wiley John- son, a merchant and banker, who came to that city in 1866, from Tennessee, and Frances L. McMillan Johnson, a native of the Lone Star State. Mr. John- son began his education in the ublic schools of his native city, and graduating from high school went to the University of Texas, and later to Eastman Business College, at Poughkeepsie, N. Y. Return- ing to Corsicana he went in the mercantile business, in which he engaged from 1906 to 1914. He then organized the Corsicana Trust Company, doing a farm loan and banking business, in which work he was engaged when appointed on the Directorate of the Federal Land Bank, succeeding Governor Hobby. He was appointed Treasurer in July, 1919. Mr. Johnson was married at Corsicana the twenty-fourth of November, 1904, to Miss Carrie Bess McConnico, of that city. They have three children, Katherine, Dorothy and Elva. Mr. and Mrs. Johnson make their home in Houston, at 4595 Caroline Blvd. They attend the Presbyterian Church. Mr. Johnson be- longs to the University Club, Kappa Alpha frater- nity, the Rotary Club, and fraternally is a Woodman of the World, a Mason and a Shriner.

John V. Van De Mark, Secretary of the Federal Land Bank of Houston, was born at Clyde, Kansas, the fifth of January, 1884, son of Charles W. Van De Mark, a lawyer and banker of that city, and Addie Stevens Van De Mark. Mr. Van De Mark was educated in the public schools of his native city, later attending Washburn College, from which in- stitution he received the A. B. degree in 1906. The same year he came to Houston, where he went into the business of real estate and mortgage invest- ments. He was President of the Homestead Com- pany and Secretary of the Glen Park Company. In March, 1921, Mr. Van De Mark became Secretary and Director of the Federal Land Bank of Houston.

Mr. Van De Mark was married on August 15, 1923, to Miss McEy B. Scott, of Columbus, Georgia. He is a member of the University Club and the Phi Delta Theta Fraternity. He was Treasurer of the Repub- lican State Executive Committee for six years. He is an executor of the estate of H. F. MacGregor, a well known Texan. Mr. Van De Mark makes his home at 4608 Caroline Street, and attends the Pres- byterian Church.

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NDERWOOD NAZRO. One of the outstand- ing men of the Petroleum Industry today is Underwood Nazro, of Houston. He is vice-president of the Gulf Production Com- pany, Gulf Pipe Line Company, Gulf Refining Com- pany of Louisiana, and the Mexican Gulf Oil Com- pany. As active official in these various companies he plays an important part in the development and progress of these companies in the Southwest.

Mr. Nazro was born in Kentucky, and served his apprenticeship in the oil business in West Virginia. He came to Spindletop in the early days of this field, where he became a successful independent operator. He was one of the organizers of the Unity Oil Company, which had considerable production at Spindletop. For many years he has been with the Gulf Company, and is recognized as one of the best informed oil men and executives in the South- west.

He is a member of various civic and social organ- izations, and is married and has two children.

HIL STILLMAN, for upwards of twenty years actively identified with banking af- fairs at Houston, is one of the founders of the Seaport National Bank at Houston, Texas, and has held an executive position in this strong financial institutions since its organization. Mr. Stillman is Active Vice-President of the Seaport National Bank, established in September, 1924, as a new institution, with a capitalization of $250,000 and a paid-in surplus of $25,000. The Seaport Na- tional Bank occupies a most modern and up-to-date banking house at the corner of Main and Prairie Avenue, and had, as its officers and directors, a group of active business men and financiers of Houston, whose sterling integrity inspires confi- dence in the institution with which they are af- filiated. The officers of the Seaport National Bank are: W. S. Myers, chairman of the board, and president, and the founder of Myers-Spalti Mfg. Company, the largest furniture manufacturers in the Southwest; Phil Stillman, subject of this sketch, Active Vice-President; S. J. Westheimer, Vice Presi- dent, retired capitalist; E. T. Reinhart, prominent merchandise broker, Vice President; W. H. Hogue, Vice-President; W. E. Fain, owner of the Texas Warehouses of Houston, Texas, Vice-President, and W. A. Smith, cashier, who, for the past twenty-five years has been actively identified in banking cir- cles and well known as a former national bank ex- aminer of this district. The directory, in addition to the above mentioned, includes Allen Hannay, lawyer; Jonas Levy, retired; B. W. Warren, of the Warren Company; W. O. Wood, of Jno. R. Young and Company; and Jake Alexander, of the Alexan- der Grocery Company, of La Grange, Texas, and Alfred Alexander of F. Fontanills Cotton Exports.

Mr. Phil Stillman was born in Brooklyn, N. Y., on the twenty-second of September, 1891, son of B. Stillman, of New York City. He was educated in the public schools of Brooklyn, N. Y., coming to Houston as a boy, in 1905. After one year with different firms, Mr. Stillman went to the Houston National Exchange Bank as errand boy, and, dur- ing the following eighteen years, was promoted through each department of the bank, learning through practical experience each detail of the bank- ing business. In 1915 Mr. Stillman attended the

night law school of Judge Townes in Houston, Texas, and, after a two-year night course, was admitted to the Texas Bar in 1916, spending one year in the practice of law, after which he resumed his banking career with the Houston National Bank as Assistant Cashier, remaining with that institution until the twelfth of September, 1924, when he resigned to organize the Seaport National Bank of Houston, of which he is Active Vice-President.

Mr. Stillman was married on the sixteenth of No- vember, 1913, to Miss Anna Burger, of Galveston, Texas. Mr. and Mrs. Stillman reside at 1650 Rich- mond Avenue, and have two children, Sybilla Ray Stillman, and Mildred Joyce Stillman.

B. HINES, one of the best known insurance men of Texas, and an expert in questions concerning adjustments, has made his head- quarers at Houston for a number of years, making adjustments for the various insurance com- panies doing business in the Southwest. Mr. Hines is Assistant General Manager, and Manager of the Houston Division of the Southwestern Adjustment Company, a firm established in 1920 for the purpose of making adjustments for insurance companies, and now looking after this work for most of the companies of the United States. The Southwestern Adjustment Company, with offices in Houston, San Antonio, Brownwood, Waco, Dallas and Wichita Falls, Texas, in New Orleans, Louisiana, in Little Rock, Arkansas, and in Tulsa and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, is the largest adjustment company in Texas, and has handled a very large volume of busi- ness since its establishment. The Houston office, of which Mr. Hines is Manager, has offices in the Chronicle Building.

J. B. Hines was born at Talahassa, Florida, the twenty-third of August, 1873, the son of J. T. Hines, a native of Georgia, who later went to Florida, still later, in 1881, coming to Texas, and has resided at Bryan for many years, and is now engaged in the transfer business, after many years spent in the railroad business. His mother was before her mar- riage, Miss Willie Bizzell, and is a native of Florida. J. B. Hines attended the public schools of Bryan, later taking a commercial course at Poughkeepsie, New York, attending Eastman College. He then re- turned to Bryan, beginning as bookkeeper for a local firm in 1890. In 1909 he entered the insurance busi- ness with Trezevant and Cochran, General Agents, of Dallas, as Special Agent working out of the Dal- las office. Mr. Hines remained with this company from 1909 until 1916, when he came to Houston and with C. L. Tarlton opened an adjustment office here, as Tarlton and Hines. He operated this company until 1918, when he engaged in business alone, as J. B. Hines, and two years later established the ad- justment company with which he has since been associated in an executive capacity.

Mr. Hines was married at Marlin, Texas, in Feb- ruary, 1899, to Miss Johnye Martin. Mr. and Mrs. Hines have one daughter, Bess, wife of Leo C. Tynan, of San Antonio, where he is engaged in the mercan- tile brokerage business, and who have one child, Leo C. Tynan, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Hines reside at 710 Kipling Avenue, in Houston. Mr. Hines is a Knight of Pythias and has many friends, both at Houston and over the State, who regard him as one of the leaders in the insurance business.

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AMES R. REID, JR., during his six years in Houston, has been connected with the shipping business, and has become one of the leading factors in his chosen work. Mr. Reid is local manager for John I. Hay, Foreign Freight Broker and Forwarding Agent, of New Orleans, La., with offices in the Cotton Exchange Building.

Mr. Reid started in the shipping and brokerage business at an early age, going with the Southern Express Company at Atlanta, Georgia, and being connected with this concern also in Birmingham, Alabama, and Columbia, South Carolina offices. Rounding out his business experience with a di- versity of occupations, such as being affiliated with the Quick Results Advertising Company of Augusta, Georgia, as president, and with Alabama Power Company of Birmingham, Alabama, then with Ar- thur Tuft, Construction Engineer, of Atlanta, Geor- gia, and the Sloan and Company of Chattanooga, Tennessee-the last two, building materials and con- struction companies-he settled upon the shipping and brokerage business as the work he liked best.

Mr. Reid enlisted with Troop L, Second Squadron, Georgia Cavalry, otherwise known as the Govern- or's Horse Guards, and was discharged at El Paso, Texas, on the 22nd of March, 1917. After leaving the army he became connected with the E. P. and S. W. Railway, in their shipping department, and then became manager of the claim department of the Momsen-Dunnegan-Ryan Company, wholesale hardware jobbers at El Paso. During the World War Mr. Reid went into service in the Quarter- master's Machine Shop Repair Unit, at Fort Bliss, Texas. He was trasferred to the Officer's Training School at Camp Pike, and was there during the remainder of the war, and was discharged at Camp Bowie on the 4th of February, 1919, returning to his position with the Momsen-Dunnegan-Ryan Company. In 1920, Mr. Reid went to Mexico for the Moctezuma Copper Company, which is located at Nacozari, in the state of Sonora, Mexico, and is a subsidiary of Phelps-Dodge Corporation of New York City.

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New encyclopedia of Texas, volume 2, Part 160

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