New encyclopedia of Texas, volume 2, Part 21

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 21

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).

Mr. Norton was born at Calvert, Texas, the eigh- teenth of August, 1885, son of C. M. Norton, a native of Tennessee, who came to Texas in the early seventies, and Ada Court Norton, a native of Ken- tucky. Mr. Norton was educated in the public schools of his native city and gained his first ex- perience in the merchant tailoring business there. He was for a number of years on the road, for a well known Chicago firm, covering Texas, Okla- homa and Indian Territory. In 1909 he came to Houston, establishing his present business.

Mr. Norton was married at Houston, in 1910, to Miss Mabel Emery. They have two children, Natalie and Court, Jr. The family make their home at 1320 Missouri Avenue. Mr. Norton is a member of the Houston Club, the Lumberman's Club, the Houston Country Club, the Rotary Club, and the B. P. O. E. He is also a Mason, a member of Holland Lodge No. 1, Galveston Consistory No. 1, and Arabia Temple Shrine.

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R AYMOND C. STONE, one of the younger business men of Houston and Galveston, has been a factor for a number of years in the shipping world, and is recognized as an authority on shipping problems. Mr. Stone is Presi- dent of the Stone Forwarding Company, one of the leading shipping companies of the Texas ports, acting as ocean freight brokers and specializing in handling all details for exporters and importers. This company was organized by Mr. Stone the first of September, 1919, since which time it has met with a phenomenal growth. The principal business of the Stone Forwarding Company is in handling grain and cotton shipments, acting as shipping agents for various grain and cotton exporting firms as well as for firms handling other commodities, and making shipments to various European ports. They secure ocean freight for cotton shippers to complete a cargo to any desired destination, and also keep behind shipments from origination to des- tination. One of their greatest services to ship- pers is in the time saved, resulting in a consequent reduction of interest, this saving running from two to ten days on shipments. The Stone Forwarding Company also acts as grain shippers' agents, and carry records of individual stocks carried in ele- vators by shippers. When a steamer calls at the Ports of Houston and Galveston they are enabled to promptly supervise the loading of various grades of grain in storage, thus avoiding delays. The company has its own men at the docks and railroad yards, employing a force of around eighteen men, another factor in facilitating shipments without de- lay. Offices of the firm are maintained in Gal- veston, Dallas and Houston.

Raymond C. Stone is a native of Chicago, where he was born the twenty-fourth of February, 1891. After completing his elementary and high school education, Mr. Stone spent one year in the Uni- versity of Oklahoma, after which he entered upon his practical business career. He has engaged in the ocean freight brokerage business throughout his career, and was with the J. H. W. Steel Company for ten years, during that time having charge of many different offices for that company, and learn- ing the business from the ground up. Mr. Stone first came to Galveston for that company, and was later sent to San Francisco, where he was in charge of the office of the J. H. W. Steel Com- pany at that point when called to service by the war department early in the World War. Mr. Stone served as captain in Army Transport service from the twenty-second of October, 1917, until the eleventh of December, 1918, and was general super- intendent of Army Transport service, in charge of all water transportation for the expeditionary forces to and from England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. He was cited by General John J. Pershing for exceptionally meritorious and conspicuous serv- ice at London, England, and commended by General W. W. Attebury. After returning to the United States from England at the close of the war, Mr. Stone spent a short time as manager of the J. H. W. Steel Company at New York, after which he came to Galveston to establish his present busi- ness, and on November 1st, 1925, he opened his pres- ent offices in Houston.

Mr. Stone was married in Mineral Wells, Texas, the twenty-third of December, 1914, to Miss Lila

O'Neal, a member of a Texas family. He is a mem- ber of Tucker Lodge No. 297, A. F. and A. M., and a past director of the Rotary Club of Galveston, the Galveston Country Club, the Aziola Club, a member of the Artillery Club of Galveston, and the Houston Club, and Traffic Club of Houston. At the time of his removal to Houston he was President of the Galveston Chamber of Commerce, and of the Ocean Freight Brokers' Association of Galveston. He is one of the organizers of the National Fire Insurance Company of Galveston.

L. MILLER, who has recently established his home and business headquarters at Houston, is a factor in manufacturing activ- ities. Mr. Miller is Manufacturing Manager of the Houston factory branch of the National Bis- cuit Company, established in this city in 1900. At that time a small building was occupied, but rapid growth soon necessitated a larger factory and in 1910 the business was moved into the new five-story factory, built by the company, and covering a half block at Chenevert and Magnolia Streets. Mr. Mil- ler took charge of the factory in 1921, and since that time the business has made rapid progress, now employing almost three hundred operatives in the manufacturing departments. The National Biscuit Company is one of the largest manufacturers of crackers, cakes, wafers and package goods of this class in the State, putting on the market a line of goods that has won national recognition.

Mr. Miller has been identified with this company since leaving school, first at Columbia, South Caro- lina, as a clerk. It was not long, however, before the company sent him to various branches, and for two months he was at Macon, Georgia, then at Rome, Georgia, for a year, followed by a year at Meridian, Mississippi, and a year at Atlanta. He was then sent to the general office in New York City, remain- ing there three months, after which he was made traveling auditor, with headquarters at Albany, N. Y. In 1919 he was sent to Houston as Office Mana- ger and in September, 1921, was made Manufactur- ing Manager, the position he now holds.

Mr. Miller was born in South Carolina, the fifth of November, 1893, son of L. T. Miller, a native of that State, and now living at Hartsville, South Caro- lina, and Susie Wilson Miller, also a South Caro- linan. He was educated in the public schools of his native State, going with the National Biscuit Com- pany after finishing his education.

Mr. Miller was married at Rome, Georgia, the twenty-first of March, 1914, to Miss Gladys Camp, a native of that city. Mr. and Mrs. Miller make their home in Houston, at 1620 Hawthorne Street, and have one son, H. L. Miller, Junior.

ERBERT S. L'HOMMEDIEU, who has recently come to Houston, is well known in shipping circles as one of the expert traffic men of the state, and has attained an envi- able position in his chosen field. Mr. L'Hommedieu is manager of the traffic department of Collin and Conover, freight forwarders, with offices in the Cot- ton Exchange Building. The firm handles a gen- eral steamship freight forwarding business, and acts as forwarding agent for many large companies.

Mr. L'Hommedieu was born at Cincinnati, Ohio, the nineteenth of March, 1880. His father, Louis L'Hommedieu, was a railroad man his entire life,

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and the L'Hommedieu family, from the first days of the railroad, have been railroad men, and have been represented in all branches of the railroad business, from the president's office to the more humble capacities. Mr. L'Hommedieu was educated in the public schools of Cincinnati, and after finish- ing there entered Gambrel College, where he attend- ed some years. Just before the close of the Spanish- American War he joined the army, spending two years with the forces at Cuba and other places. After leaving the army he went to New York City and went into the stock and bond house of Henry L. Dartz, remaining there a short time, when he went with the New York Central Railroad, with which he was identified for four years. He then came to Beaumont with the Southern Pacific Railroad, in the transportation department, and after ten years in that office was employed by the Beaumont Cham- ber of Commerce, in the transportation department. Four years later he moved to Orange, and was with the Chamber of Commerce there for four years, until 1918, when he engaged in the forwarding business for himself, organizing the Texas Shipping and Forwarding Company, in 1921, which he served as president until coming to Houston, in January, 1925.

Mr. L'Hommedieu was married at Houston, the seventh of September, 1910, to Miss Zoe Ganchan, a native of Texas. They reside in Houston, at 4444 Travis Street, and have one child, Constance. Mr. L'Hommedieu is a member of the Rotary, Beaumont and Neches Clubs, at Beaumont. Since coming to Houston he has taken an active interest in the work being done by the various civic organizations, and occupies a place of leadership among the younger business men of Houston.

HARLES EIKEL, President of the Southern Stevedoring and Contracting Company of Houston, came to this city several years ago to enter this business, and is well known in shipping circles as one of the most ver- satile men in this field. The Southern Stevedoring and Contracting Company was established in 1922, by Mr. Eikel, since which time he has been active in its management, building up the business along progressive lines and through giving super service to his many patrons in Houston and Galveston. Mr. Eikel's company loads and unloads ships by con- tract, employing a large crew of efficient work- men, and all special equipment to facilitate this work. He has contracts with Wilkens and Biehl, steamship agents, The Texas Transport and Termi- nal Company and others, handling over fifty per cent of the tonnage in the Houston Harbor. Offices are maintained in the Cotton Exchange Building. O. R. Seagraves is secretary and treasurer of the company, and like Mr. Eikel, has had a wide ex- perience in the stevedoring and contracting business.

Charles Eikel was born at New Braunfels, Texas, on the twelfth day of January, 1880, son of Albert Eikel and Augusta (Faust) Eikel, both native Tex- ans, and well known residents of New Braunfels. Mr. Eikel obtained his education in the schools of Texas and after leaving school was with the South- ern Pacific Steamship Company for many years in Mexico and Galveston. He came to Houston in 1922, and has since been president of the Southern Stevedoring and Contracting Company.

Mr. Eikel was married at Laredo, Texas, the seventh of June, 1905, to Miss Marie Drake, daugh- ter of Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Drake. Mr. and Mrs. Eikel reside at 3919 Mount Vernon Avenue, and have one child, Mary Augusta. Mr. Eikel is a mem- ber of the Houston Club, the River Oaks Country Club, the Houston Chamber of Commerce, the Hous- ton Cotton Exchange, the Episcopal Church and is a Scottish Rite Mason.

MARKLEY CROSSWELL has for a decade been manager of the Houston Business of Alex Sprunt & Son, Inc., Cotton Dealers, and during this period he has played an important part in bringing his firm to a position of prominence in the cotton industry of the South- west. Mr. Crosswell is also President of the Ship Channel Compress Company, Inc., the cotton firm of Alex Sprunt and Son, Inc., with headquarters at Wilmington, North Carolina, are large exporters of cotton and do a large domestic business. They ship- ped from Houston in 1923 more than 150,000 bales of cotton to England, Germany, Italy, France, Spain, Belgium and to Scandinavian countries. Alex Sprunt and Son, Inc., own the Ship Channel Compress Com- pany, Inc., which has a storage capacity of 75,000 bales, and have two high density Webb presses with 800 feet of wharfage, they are able to load cotton direct to steamers. There are approximately 250 people under the supervision of the Houston branch and their business has increased steadily since the opening of their office in this city.

Mr. Crosswell was born in Greenville, South Caro- lina, June 1, 1886, but went with his parents to North Carolina when three years of age. His father, W. J. Crosswell, was for a period covering forty- four years superintendent of the Atlantic Division of the Southern Express Company, with headquar- ters at Wilmington. His education was obtained in the public and high schools of Wilmington, North Carolina, and later he attended Davidson College. He began his business career in the banking busi- ness, but remained in this line of endeavor for only one year, when he entered the employ of Alex Sprunt and Son, Inc. He later went to Germany for one year, and from there came to Houston August, 1911, as Assistant Manager of Alex Sprunt and Son, Inc., and in 1913 was made Manager of the Houston of- fice, where he has since remained.

Mr. Crosswell was married at Temple, Texas, April 23, 1913, to Miss Anna Downs, a daughter of F. F. Downs, President of the First National Bank of Temple, Texas, and member of an old and promi- nent Texas family. They have four children, all of whom were born in Texas, Sarah Anne, H. M., Jr., Fla Downs and James Earle. Mr. and Mrs. Cross- well reside at 3910 Yoakum Boulevard. In fraternal and social organizations Mr. Crosswell is a member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon, the University Club, Houston Country Club and the Houston Club. Mr. Crosswell is a staunch and consistent member of the First Presbyterian Church, and has been a Deacon since 1921. He has since coming to Houston been active in the Houston Cotton Exchange, of which organization he is President. He is also prominently associated with all civic clubs of the city, and gives his time and means to all projects having as their object the improvement and advancement of Hous- ton.

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AVID RICE, senior member of the firm of Rice and Reynaud, cotton weigh- ers, is a native Houstonian, where he has been engaged in the cotton weighing business for more than forty years. The duty of a public cotton weigher, who are all appointed by the Governor of the State, is to get as near a cor- rect and fair weight as possible, and he acts as a balancing medium between the buyer and seller of cotton. Cotton weights are subject to great varia- tion on account of the qualities of cotton for ab- sorbing moisture when exposed, and the amount of as a public weigher in 1882, and, after a time left this business, but for only a short while, when he returned and has since been continuously engaged exposure it has had in the weather. Mr. Rice began in this line of endeavor. He is a member of a pio- neer family, and one of the city's most enterprising and progressive citizens. The office of Rice and Reynaud is located at 412 Cotton Exchange Build- ing.

Mr. Rice was born January 18th, 1863. His father, F. A. Rice (decased since 1901) was one of the early settlers of Texas, coming to this State from Spring- field, Massachusetts, in 1850. He was a pioneer merchant and planter of the Brazos River Valley. Later, he was, for many years, treasurer of the Houston and Texas Central Railroad, and, still later, was engaged in the banking business in Houston, and was one of the original Trustees of the Rice In- stitute. His mother was Miss Charlotte M. Bald- win, a daughter of Horace Baldwin, who was Mayor of Houston during the days of the Republic, and was a brother-in-law of A. C. Allen, one of the founders of Houston. Her paternal ancestors were the founders of Baldwinsville, New York. Mr. Rice's family is of old Revolutionary stock, sprung from the sturdy Scotch-Irish and English pioneers of Co- lonial days in America. Mr. Rice's brothers, H. B., J. S., B. B. and W. M., are prominent business men of Houston. His education was obtained in the private schools of Houston. Mr. Rice owns interests in various financial and business institutions of Houston, but his personal interest has always been in the cotton weighing business. He is one of the organizers of the Southern Drug Company, is now a director in this company, and is interested in the insurance business through his son, Brown Rice, of the firm of Rice and Belk Insurance Company.

Mr. Rice was married in Houston to Miss Mattie L. Botts, a member of a pioneer Houston family, and a daughter of Col. W. B. Botts (deceased) who was a member of the well-known law firm of Baker, Botts, Parker and Garwood. They have seven chil- dren-five boys and two girls. Brown B. Rice, of the firm of Rice and Belk Insurance Company, is a son, and Mrs. W. S. Farish is a daughter. Mr. Rice has seen Houston grow from a village of 1500 population to the busy, thriving city of today, and expects to see Houston become the greatest city in the South. Mr. Rice, although more than sixty years of age, is hale and hearty, which he attrib- utes to having lived an out-door life, and is much interested in the success achieved by his sons and daughters, who are among the leaders in the so- cial and business life of the younger generation of Houston. In the midst of his private work, Mr. Rice finds opportunity to give his time and assistance to many improvements of a public nature.

S. JARETT, whose home and business headquarters are at Houston, is a factor in the commercial life and is well known as a wholesale merchant. The Pincus- Jarett Dry Goods Company, Incorporated, of which Mr. Jarett is vice president, treasurer and manager, was established in 1907. At that time the business was located in a small building on Congress Avenue and began operations in a small way. The business met with a rapid success, trade conditions demand- ing expansion, and in 1910, three years after its organization, the Pincus-Jarett Dry Goods Company moved to their present location, a fine four-story building, fifty by one hundred feet, located at 213 Milam Street. The Pincus-Jarett Company does a wholesale business exclusively, selling dry goods and notions, and keeps seven men on the road. They carry the well known lines of goods and oper- ate the business on the most progressive lines, building and developing trade through their repu- tation for reliability and square dealing with their customers. The Pincus-Jarett Dry Goods Company has a force of from thirty-five to forty employees in the store at Houston. The officers of the com- pany are: Louis Jarett, of New York City, presi- dent; R. S. Jarett, the subject of this sketch, vice president, treasurer, and M. D. Cohn, secretary.

Mr. Jarett was born in New York City, in 1886, and began his business career as a boy in that city. In 1902 he came to Houston and when his uncle, Louis Jarett, organized the Pincus-Jarett Dry Goods Company, in 1907, he came with the firm, and has since been with the buisness.

OHN W. DEHNERT, manager of the Hous- ton office and associate of the firm of C. D. Hill & Company, one of the leading firms of architects in Texas, is firmly established at Houston as an architect of wide experience and success in his profession. Mr. Dehnert came to Houston in 1921 and has since made his influence felt in the work done by this firm here. The C. D. Hill Company are general architects and architec- tural engineers, handling work all over the state, with around two million dollars worth of construc- tion under way at Houston, and plans being drawn for much additional work. They have their of- fices in the Kress Building and maintain a force of assistant architects and draftsmen. The firm is building the First Baptist Church, an edifice which, when completed, will represent a million dollar in- vestment. The C. D. Hill Company maintain offices in Dallas and handle much work in that section, de- signing and superintending the construction of many large buildings there. The officers of the Company are C. D. Hill, D. F. Coburn, H. D. Smith and J. W. Dehnert.

Mr. Dehnert was born in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1890, son of Frederick William and Emelie (Bursie) Dehnert, the father a well known merchant and baker there. Mr. Dehnert was educated in the pub- lic schools of St. Louis and after graduating from high school entered Washington University at St. Louis, for the four year course in architecture, grad- uating in 1913 with the degree of Bachelor of Science. He immediately began architectural work in St. Louis, contining in that city until 1917, when he entered the army, enlisting in August. He was sent to the officers training camp at Fort Sheri- dan, Illinois, where he spent three months, then

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going overseas, spending three months at the French Artillery School at Saumur, France, after which he was assigned to the 121st Field Artillery of the Thir- ty-second Division, and was on the front in active service until November 11th, 1918. He was then with the Army of Occupation in Germany until March, 1919, after which he attended the School of Architecture, near Paris, France, for three months, returning to St. Louis in July of 1919. After a month at home he came to Dallas, remaining there two years with C. D. Hill & Company before com- ing to Houston.

Mr. Dehnert was married at Uniontown, Alabama, in 1922 to Miss Mattilee Underwood, daughter of a landowner and planter of that state.

Mr. Dehnert is a member of the Houston En- gineers Club and the Texas Chapter of the Amer- ican Institute of Architects. He is a Theta-Xi and fraternally is a Scottish Rite Mason and member of Arabia Temple Shrine.

LIVER BRYAN STERLING, for twenty years one of the most influential citizens of Dayton, where his constructive interest in the development of the town resulted in an era of building and progress on a scale large enough to rank him. as one of the builders of the Dayton of today, has recently come to Houston to reside. In April, 1925, he established the Sterbaco Battery Electrical Service at 1719 Main Street, and is sole owner of the new business. The concern carries a complete line of U. S. L. Automobile bat- teries and radio batteries, as well as electrical equip- ment, oil, gas, Ajax tires and tire accessories, and in fact, a general line of automobile accessories of all kinds. The plant is housed in an especially constructed building for this kind of enterprise, and is modern in every detail. Courteous and efficient service is the watchword, and competent employees are on hand to take care of practically every auto- mobile need of the public.

Mr. Sterling went to Dayton, Texas, in 1904, go- ing there from Galveston, and at that time began the construction of residences and business property, continued during the many years he spent in the city, until he had accumulated rental property here to the extent of over one hundred thousand dollars. He is also the owner of the Dayton Theater, a mod- ern show house, with a seating capacity of six hun- dred people, and is one of the Directors of the Day- ton Mercantile Company, of which his brother, J. B. Sterling, is President and Manager. Mr. Sterling was also for many years one of the leading rice growers of this section, annually planting a large acreage to this crop, and also building canals to irrigate the rice lands of this section. He was one of the builders of the Moores-Bluff Canal, one of the largest irrigation projects here, and was other- wise active in the rice industry. Mr. Sterling as- sisted in every way in the development of Dayton, encouraging the establishment of enterprises of im- portance, and is regarded, and justly, as the real builder of this city.

Oliver Bryan Sterling was born in Liberty County, Texas, the thirteenth of August, 1866, one of the twelve children of Captain Benjamin Franklin Ster- ling and Mary Jane Bryan Sterling. Captain Ster- ling was born in Mississippi, in 1831, coming to Texas, where he located in Liberty County, as a young man. At the outbreak of the Civil War he

recruited a company in Liberty County, the first to be organized here, and of which Captain King Bry- an, an uncle of his wife's, was Captain. Captain Sterling did not go with this company, remaining to recruit a second company, of which he was Cap- tain, and which served in Walls, Texas. At the close of the war Captain Sterling left Liberty County, coming to Chambers County, where he became one of the leaders of that section. He was an intimate friend of Sam Houston and other men of his day who have played an important part in Texas history. Captain Sterling remained in Chambers County until several years prior to his death, removing to Houston, where his death occurred in 1917. Mrs. Sterling, a native of Texas, and a member of one of the most prominent families of the State, was of Scotch-Irish descent, her American ancestors being among the early settlers of Virginia. A member of the family, Luke Bryan, served with distinction in the Battle of San Jacinto. The twelve children of Captain and Mrs. Sterling include Oliver Bryan, the subject of this sketch; R. S., Ex-Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Humble Oil Company, and interested in many other important activities; F. P., Vice-President of the Humble Oil and Refining Com- pany; A. A., President of the American Building and Loan Association; J. B., President of the Dayton Mercantile Company; Miss Florence, Ex-Secretary of the Humble Oil and Refining Company, and one of the most prominent women of Texas; J. L., promi- nent business man of Galveston; Mrs. Cora Barrow, Mrs. S. E. Barrow and Mrs. G. L. H. Koehler. The deceased children are: B. G. and S. H. Sterling.

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New encyclopedia of Texas, volume 2, Part 21

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