New encyclopedia of Texas, volume 2, Part 26

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

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Ed. R. Coffey was born in Denton County, on the twenty-fifth of November, 1876, son of George D. Coffey and Nannie (Clarkson) Coffey, both of

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whom were natives of Kentucky, who came to Texas during pioneer days and resided in Denton County many years. Mr. Coffey attended the schools of Colorado and Arizona, but, as was the case with many of the children of pioneer days, his educa- tion was largely gleaned from the school of experi- ence. As a young man he belonged to the National Guards of Arizona, in which state he resided until 1897, when he came to Houston. Here Mr. Cof- fey spent several years in the hardware business and was also with the old Texas Postal Telegraph Company prior to 1907, when he became identified with Woodmen of the World Association work.

Mr. Coffey was married at Houston the eigh- teenth of February, 1918, to Mayde Bauguss, daughter of Profesor Bauguss, well known edu- cator. Mr. and Mrs. Coffey reside at 5407 Chene- vert Street. Mr. Coffey is a Mason, thirty-second degree, Scottish Rite and Shrine, and belongs to the Woodmen of the World, the Woodmen Circle, the Macabees, the Tall Cedars, the A. I. U. and Eastern Star and the T. P. A. and is a member of the Episcopal Church.

L. NOBLE, JR., has for the past several years been identified with oil activities at Houston, and although a young man, his name has come to have a special signifi- cance in this industry. Mr. Noble is secretary and treasurer of the Houston Production Company, and since taking this position in May, 1922, he has built up the business materially, and given his most care- ful attention to the operations of this company. The Houston Production Company concentrates its attention on Hull field, where they produce around eleven hundred barrels a day. Mr. Noble was pre- viously associated with the Link Oil Corporation, going with this firm in October, 1920, and at the time of his retirement, to become secretary and treasurer for the Houston Production Company, he was superintendent for the Link Corporation, look- ing after all the interests, including drilling.

Mr. Noble was born at Dallas, Texas, the elev- enth of January, 1895, son of G. L. Noble, of that city. He graduated from the Houston High School in 1913, the following year attending the University of Texas, and later Cornell, from which he grad- uated in 1920 with the degree M. E. The period from May, 1917, until April, 1919, was spent in military service, with the One Hundred and Fifth Machine Gun Battalion, of the Twenty-seventh Di- vision, in which he enlisted as a private, coming out a lieutenant. Mr. Noble saw active service overseas, spending one year in France and Belgium. He was at the front from June the fourteenth until November the eleventh, 1918, at which time he par- ticipated in the fighting at Ypres and Cambrais, and also with the British army that broke the Hindenburg line, from September the twenty-seventh until October the fifteenth, 1918. In this last named conflict Mr. Noble saw many of his comrades killed or wounded, yet he came through without a scratch. After his discharge he returned to Cornell and fin- ished his work there, taking his M. E. degree, in 1920, after which he came to Houston and began his business career in the oil business.

Mr. Noble was married at Houston the seventh of March, 1923, to Miss Geraldine Dore, a native of Cleveland, Ohio, but a resident of Houston for thir- teen years, and daughter of James H. Dore, of the

Houston Car Wheel Company, of Houston. Mr. and Mrs. Noble make their home at 1530 Sul Ross Ave- nue. In religious belief they support the Presby- terian faith and are members of the First Presby- terian Church of Houston. Mr. Noble is a member of the Houston Country Club, the University Club, the Cornell Club of Houston, and the Kappa Alpha fraternity of the University of Texas. He takes an active interest in civic development and has allied himself with all movements directed toward this end.

RED T. SMITH, general manager of the Haverty Furniture Company, Inc., is well- known in furniture circles of Houston, where, by close application to the business, he rose from the ranks to his present position. Mr. Smith came to Houston in 1906, with the Haverty Furniture Company, Inc., in a minor position and now has complete charge of this large establish- ment, and is the second largest stockholder in the Company. The Haverty Furniture Company was established in Houston thirty years ago, and was incorporated under the present name January 1st, 1922. This firm, located at 711 Fannin Street, sell to the retail trade only, and carry a full and complete stock of all kinds of furniture and house furnishings, from a price within the reach of all to the most expensive Period furniture. The Hav- erty Furniture Company, Inc., occupy six floors each fifty by one hundred and twenty-five feet; also a large warehouse, located at 109 Baker Street, of four floors, each sixty-five by one hundred and twenty-five feet. This firm employ fifty-five ex- perienced people in the various departments, and in the different classes of work in their large es- tablishment. Other officers of the Haverty Furni- ture Company, Inc., are: J. J. Haverty, president; Clarence Haverty, vice-president and treasurer, and J. R. Haverty, secretary.

Mr. Smith was born at Dalton, Georgia, in 1887. His father, L. T. Smith, moved to the Indian Ter- ritory in the early 80's and spent the remainder of his life there, where he was continuously en- gaged in the mercantile business. Mr. Smith's education was obtained in the public schools of the Indian Territory, and Montague, Texas.

Mr. Smith came to Houston in 1906 and began work for the Haverty Furniture Company as a col- lector. Later, he was advanced to the position of shipping clerk; then to salesman, and still later to the place of credit man for the company. In appreciation for the attention to the details of the business given by Mr. Smith, he was, in 1915, made general manager of the Haverty Furniture Com- pany, Inc. Mr. Smith was married in Beaumont, in 1906, to Miss Clara Bell Clark, a native Texan, who was reared and educated at Montague. Mr. and Mrs. Smith reside at 4406 Travis Street. Mr. Smith is a member of the A. F. and A. M., with membership in Holland Lodge No. 1 of Houston, and is a member of the Scottish Rite body of that Order to the 32nd Degree, and a Shriner of Arabia Temple. Mr. Smith has the deepest inter- est in the man who aspires to better his condition, and is at all times ready and willing to render helpful service to his fellow man. This charac- teristic has been a dominant factor in the success achieved by this young man, who is still in the morning of life.

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MEN OF TEXAS

ENERAL JAMES CALVIN FOSTER, gen- eral of the Texas division of the United Confederate Veterans, has been a factor in the progress of Texas for a period of over two score years. General Foster is widely known throughout the State of Texas as a distinguished member of that rapidly diminishing body of patriots who fought in defense of their native land more than three score years ago, and although approaching that allotted ripe old age of four score years, he is still one of the most active and agile of the remain- ing group. He takes an active interest in every patriotic movement to do honor to, and to perpetuate the memory of the Confederate heroes.

General Foster was born at Spartanburg, South Carolina, July 24th, 1847. His parents, Washington and Elizabeth Foster, natives of South Carolina, were well known planters who were prominent in the church organization and social life at Spartanburg. General Foster was educated in the schools of South Carolina and Wofford College. When the Civil War began, he was but a boy of fourteen, but as soon as he was old enough to shoulder a musket he en- listed in the army in Company A, First South Caro- lina Battalion, and did his bit with honor and dis- tinction. His division did service in North and South Carolina. The last battle his company fought in was at Bentonville, South Carolina.

General Foster's first business experience was with the D. E. Converse Manufacturing Company of Spartanburg, South Carolina, and later decided he would come West. He moved to Arkansas, where he taught school and later went into the mercantile business at Shiloh, Arkansas. He traveled as a salesman for a house in Little Rock. Still later he came to Texas as a traveling salesman for a St. Louis firm. In 1907, General Foster first came to Houston, and he has made this city his home since that date.

For the past decade General Foster has been re- tired from business activities, but has remained very active in the United Confederate Veterans organi- zation in Texas. His heart is in his work and he at- tends all the conventions, both State and National. At the Fort Worth convention in 1924, General Fos- ter was elected general of the Texas division with the rank of major general, and in 1925 at the con- vention at Abilene was re-elected.

General Foster was married October 1st, 1873, at West Point, Arkansas, to Annie Buchanan Foster, the daughter of Andrew Park and Sibella Johnson Foster, both natives of South Carolina. Mrs. Fos- ter has always been very active in patriotic move- ments, and is president of the Jefferson Davis Chap- ter, United Daughters of the Confederacy. Mr. and Mrs. Foster were the parents of five children, Clar- ence Milton, deceased, three children who died in infancy, and one living daughter, Alice Ethel, who is now Mrs. J. T. Miller. His granddaughter, Guen- evere Miller, a student at Rice Institute, was given the signal honor as representative of the South as sponsor of honor at the United Confederate Veter- ans at Dallas in 1925, and was again appointed by General Freeman for the same honor at the Bir- mingham reunion in 1926.

General Foster and family are members of the Methodist Church. General Foster had charge of the drive in Houston for the sale of Stone Mountain Memorial souvenirs, and was successful in making

Houston one of the first cities of the South to con- tribute their quota.

UDGE EDWIN WINFREE, for the past half a century an honored resident of Tex- as, and for about six years superintendent of the Texas Confederate Home, at Austin, has been indefatigable in his work in behalf of the Confederate Veterans. Judge Winfree, himself a Confederate Veteran, was appointed to the position of superintendent of the Confederate Home on the fifteenth of February, 1920, by the State Board of Control, to fill the vacancy created by the resigna- tion of Dr. J. C. Loggins. That this choice was a wise one was demonstrated by the capable and ef- ficient way in which he dispatched the duties of this office and administered the affairs of the home.

The Texas Confederate Home was established in 1889, when the John B. Hood Camp, U. V. C., ac- quired from the state a charter for the purpose of organizing and supporting a home for Confederate veterans, a work in which they were aided by the Albert Sidney Johnston Chapter, Daughters of the Confederacy. In 1891 the state made an appropria- tion for the work and several cottages were built, additional appropriations being made in 1895, and the home being added to at that time. Later a hos- pital was erected, which has since been converted into a barracks and supplanted by a new hospital building, built at a cost of twenty thousand dol- lars and equipped to care for a hundred patients. The present capacity of the Confederate Home is an average of three hundred and seventy-five, al- though four hundred can be accommodated, and a maintenance fund of ninety thousand dollars is now appropriated annually. In recent years hospital facilities have been taxed, as practically all con- federate veterans applying, for admission are al- most helpless and require constant attention, both day and night. In this work of providing com- forts for these heroes in their old age, Judge Win- free is particularly interested, and urges that what- ever is to be done, be done now, as in a few brief years there will not be any more Confederate sol- diers left.

Judge Edwin Winfree was born in Chesterfield County, Virginia, the ninth of April, 1844, the son of Thomas Edwin and Elizabeth Marrion (Taylor) Winfree, the father a tobacconist, farmer, and land owner of Virginia. Judge Winfree attended the public schools of Virginia and also attended school at Manchester, Virginia, and at the age of seventeen years enlisted in the Confederate army, under Gen- eral Robert E. Lee, in Virginia, and was a member of the Twenty-second Virginia Battalion of Infantry with Major Frank Smith, Company C., Captain John W. Drewrys of "Drewrys Bluff" fame. Judge Win- free, with this company, was in the siege around Richmond, manning the heavy guns on the south side of the James River, and known as the South Side Artillery. Judge Winfree with his battalion, was in the fighting up until General Lee's surrender, which occurred on Judge Winfree's twenty-first birthday. Judge Winfree, was regarded by his comrades as a brave, fearless and faithful soldier, and his name appears on the original rolls handed to General Lee from the battle field at Appomattox Court House for such service. Following the war Judge Winfree came to Texas, in 1873, locating at

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Crockett, in Houston County. Here he organized a bank, of which he was cashier for many years, and also engaged in the mercantile business. He also studied law and was admitted to the bar and in 1896 elected county judge, which office he held until 1914. He then went with the Louisiana & Texas Lumber Company, with which organization he remained four years, when he was again elected county judge, resigning this office six years later due to his advancing years. In 1919 he was sent to the State Legislature, serving until his appoint- ment as superintendent of the Texas Confederate Home at Austin, resigning from this position Sep- tember 1st, 1925.

Judge Winfree was married at Crockett, Texas, in 1874, to Miss Willie Matlock, who is now de- ceased. To this union were born four daughters: Mrs. Mary Baker, Mrs. Helen Cone, Mrs. Adele Crawford and Mrs. Willie Powell. Judge Winfree was married for the second time to Mrs. Alice Bay, and to this union were born three children: Joseph Edwin Winfree, Houston attorney; Daniel Marrion Winfree, and Mark King Winfree (deceased). Judge and Mrs. Winfree reside in Park Place. Mrs. Alice Bay Winfree had one son by a former marriage, Calvin Bay. Judge Winfree is a Mason, York Rite, and has been a member of the Masonic lodge for more than fifty years. Judge Winfree's service in behalf of the Confederate soldiers of Texas has been faithful in the extreme, and he holds a recent cer- tificate from the House Regent of the Confederate Memorial Association, at Richmond, Virginia, cer- tifying that his name has been written on the honor roll in high esteem of his faithful services for the Confederate cause.

AMES W. RICH, independent oil operator, and for a number of years a factor in pe. troleum circles in Houston, has been active- ly interested in the development of the pe- troleum and other mineral resources of this section, and is considered one of the best informed men here in such matters, both from a practical standpoint and from a scientific angle. For several years he has done exploration work in the Gulf Coast sec- tion of the State. This pioneering he carries on per- sistently and systematically and his efforts should be rewarded with success. With his associates he owns a twelve thousand acre lease near Wharton, in Wharton County, which is being developed by use of tortion balance, seismograph and test drillings. Since coming to Texas he has made many friends, is well known in the oil fraternity and has gained the confidence and respect of all with whom he has had dealings.

James W. Rich was born at Mount Vernon, New York, the nineteenth of January, 1866. His boy- hood was spent in New York and in Philadelphia, where he attended the public schools, preparing for the University of Pennsylvania, but later deciding in favor of practical experience in the business world. He went to New York, where he gained his first business experience in the real estate and auc- tioneering business and was active in the develop- ment of city properties, engaging in this line from 1889 until 1896. At that time he became interested in mining operations and spent the years from 1896 until 1920 in the mica mines in New Hampshire. In 1920 he came to Texas to gain practical experi- ence along geological lines in mining, and this ex-

perience, combined with his first experience in deep well drilling in the Texas oil fields, suggested his present development program, a program which is being watched with interest.

Mr. Rich was married at New York, the thirteenth of September, 1887, to Miss Esther A. Rogers, a member of a New York family. Mr. and Mrs. Rich reside in Houston at 1204 West Drew Avenue, and have two daughters-Mrs. E. B. Boss of Cliftondale, Massachusetts, and Eleanor M. Rich, at home. Mr. Rich maintains business headquarters in the Bank- ers Mortgage Building, and also at Wharton. He is a member of the Commercial League at Angleton, and is a life member of Hiawatha Masonic Lodge No. 434 of Mount Vernon, New York.

OHN HABLIZEL, for a quarter of a cen- tury identified with industrial activities at Houston, is well known as the founder of the Texas Table Company, one of the larg- est table manufacturing enterprises in the state. Mr. Hablizel established this company at Houston in 1898, the oldest plant of its kind in the city, at that time beginning in a small way, and constantly expanding as trade conditions warranted.

The Texas Table Company manufactures kitchen tables, kitchen safes, kitchen cabinets, made in both hard and soft woods, and supplies an extensive trade territory, including the entire state of Texas and a part of Louisiana. The business, in its present state of expansion, covers the city blocks at 2900 Maury Street, where the plant is located. The fac- tory is housed in a modern, well-planned building, affording about eighty thousand square feet of floor space, with adequate equipment to meet the growing demands of the business. The Texas Table Com- pany owns its own property, which has been added to from time to time as conditions of the business justified expansion. Associated with Mr. Hablizel in the business are his five sons, Fred, Ernest, Henry, Julius and William.

Mr. Hablizel is a veteran in the wood turners' trade, spending almost two decades in the business at New Orleans prior to coming to Houston. For thirteen years after coming to Houston he was with the August Bering Company, now the Bering Manufacturing Company, leaving this firm to estab- lish his own business.

Mr. Hablizel was born at Algiers, Louisiana, the fifth of May, 1854, son of John and Mary Hablizel, his father a native of Switzerland, and the mother of Germany. The elder Mr. Hablizel was for many years a ship carpenter at New Orleans, and as a boy Mr. Hablizel first began to take an interest in the wood turning trade. He was educated in New Or- leans, attending both public and private schools, and after leaving school began his career.

Mr. Hablizel was married at New Orleans, in 1880, to Miss Caroline Muller, daughter of Jacob Muller, veteran wood worker, and Margaret Muller, well known business woman. Mr. and Mrs. Hablizel have made Houston their home for almost forty years, living at 1508 East Alabama Avenue. They have reared a family of eight children, three daugh- ters, Mrs. Tillie Casey, Mrs. Emma Swenke, and Miss Bertha Hablizel, and five sons, Fred, Ernest, Henry, Julius and William, all of whom are active in the Texas Table Comany. Mr. Hablizel has been a member of the Sons of Hermann for more than two decades.

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C. McVEA, for a quarter of a century iden- tified with engineering activities of wide scope, has, during the past several years, as City Engineer of the City of Houston, been a factor in determining the future growth of this city. This position, one of the most difficult engineering positions in the state, and one offer- ing many problems to be worked out, has been filled with distinction by Mr. McVea, and he has brought to bear in the direction of municipal engineering af- fairs the characteristic energy that has significant- ly marked his career. This branch of the city gov- ernment handles many of the big problems of the municipality and covers street paving, water sup- ply, drainage, sanitary sewers, park development and bridge construction, and in addition to these matters, the engineer also has other problems to work out, such as developing the facilities of the Houston Ship Channel, and the handling of the development of the Municipal Belt Railway. In solving these problems, upon which much of the future progress of the municipality must depend, Mr. McVea has demonstrated his engineering and executive ability and his devotion to the best interests of his com- munity. Mr. McVea has in his department one hun- dred and fifty employees, and has under his direc- tion all the designing and supervising of all public improvements. He is thoroughly familiar with the peculiar needs of the city, incident to climatic and drainage conditions prevailing here, and gives his special attention to such matters. He also recog- nizes that, due to Houston's size, wealth and pecu- liar climatic and soil conditions, that there is a great demand for paving, and uses his influence to secure educational campaigns and definite meth- ods whereby the city may finance this work in an adequate manner. Under his administration the Engineering Department has shown a substantial increase, in some items practically one hundred per cent, and Mr. McVea has won the esteem of the entire city, as well as of his superiors in the mu- nicipal government.

J. C. McVea was born at Waelder, Texas, the third of April, 1876, son of William McVea, a cattleman, who came to Texas in 1850, and Jane Crane McVea, a native of the Lone Star State. Mr. McVea began his education in the public schools of Waelder, and after finishing there entered Moulton Institute for a course prior to entering the University of Texas, where he finished in 1897, with the degree of C. E. The following year was spent with the United States Geological Survey, and after leaving this service Mr. McVea went to Flatonia, Texas, in 1898. Here he built, owned and operated the electric light plant for four years, after which he went with the Southern Pacific Railway, in an important position, and was later resident engineer for the H. E. and W. T. Railroad and the Houston and Shreveport Rail- road. In 1913 Mr. McVea became identified with the engineering department of the City of Houston, and in 1919, was made City Engineer, a position he has since held.

Mr. McVea was married at Flatonia, Texas, in 1904, to Miss Mary Faires, daughter of C. H. and Sarah Faires. Mr. Faires was a prominent stock- man and farmer of Flatonia, whose father came to Texas in 1832 as a colonist under Stephen F. Aus- tin. Mrs. McVea was reared and educated there. Mr. and Mrs. McVea have made their home in Hous-

ton since their marriage, and live at 1318 Kipling Avenue. They attend the South Main Baptist Church, which they actively support. Mr. McVea is a member of the Houston Engineers Club, the Salesmanship Club, and the City Club. He is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers and the American Society for Municipal Improve- ments. In engineering circles Mr. McVea is re- garded as especially well equipped to fill the posi- tion of City Engineer, his many special qualifica- tions for his office resulting most beneficially for the public good. He keeps in touch with all devel- opments in the engineering world, and is a deep student of those matters pertaining especially to municipal development, and has made many friends who wish him the success he is so justly entitled to.

VERNON MILLER has spent the greater part of his life in Houston, having come here in 1903, when he was eight years of age. He is now engaged in the construc- tion and contracting business, with offices at 617 Union National Bank Building. Although starting in business in 1921 Mr. Miller's business has already become firmly established and he now has work under way and in prospect for 1924 that is expected to aggregate more than a quarter of a million dol- lars.

He is especially well equipped for general con- tracting work and maintains a force about fifty men and has a full complement of building machinery and equipment. Among important work for which he has appeared as general contractor is included the Bankers Mortgage Building, Hoblitzelle Build- ing, Crockett Street Bridge and the North Main Street tunnel. In addition to this a large amount of out of town work has been done under his super- vision.

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New encyclopedia of Texas, volume 2, Part 26

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