New encyclopedia of Texas, volume 2, Part 7

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

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life member of this organization. He was a member of the Elks Lodge of Houston No. 151, the Woodmen of the World and many other of the fraternal, social and business organizations of Houston and other portions of Texas. He was a consistent member of the Baptist Church, this being the religion of his forbears, and to which he clung with the religious tenacity of those members of his family, who were the pioneers in the religious life of Texas. Mr. Hutchison died in Houston, Texas, on October 22, 1924, among his many friends and business associ- ates, who knew him as a man of sterling qualities, loved by those who knew him, intuitively esteemed by all who had the honor of his acquaintance. A gentle, kindly character that appealed to all. A worthy and honored citizen, who was ever ready to contribute his material aid and time toward the up- building of his city and state. Mr. Hutchison was en- dowed with vigorous intellectual powers, lofty ideals of commercial and civic virtue, a personality ener- getic, gracious and commanding in its high sense of honor and probity. His attributes of character had endeared him to a wide host of friends and made his name illustrious in the life of a great community.

AURENCE CARR, member of the firm of Dunn and Carr, stock and bond brokers, 604 Union National Bank Building, Hous- ton, Texas, has since this firm was organ- ized in 1919 devoted his time exclusively to the sale of stocks, bonds and all other securities, and has a large and growing business. Mr. Carr, prior to the organizing of his firm, had a wide experience in the stock and bond business with Neuhaus and Com- pany of Houston. He opened an office for this firm in Dallas in 1912 and was manager of this business until 1914, when he returned to Houston. Associated with Mr. Carr as a partner is Mr. Dewitt Dunn.

A native Texan, Mr. Carr was born in Houston January 7th, 1887. His father, J. O. Carr (deceased since 1921), was born at Charleston, West Virginia, and came to Houston in 1870, and was associated with the Houston and Texas Central Railroad prac- tically all his life, and was paymaster of this rail- road when he retired from active business pursuits in 1910. When twelve years of age, Mr. Carr started his business career in the office of the General Freight Agent of the Houston and Texas Central Railroad where he remained for a number of years. His next line of employment was with James Bute and Company of Houston, after which he entered the oil business at Beaumont. After a few years, he returned to Houston and entered the business office of the Houston Post where he remained for two years, and then went with the Kirby Lumber Com- pany. He traveled for the Big Tree Lumber Com- pany from 1907 to 1917, after which he became as- sociated with the Neuhaus Company.

Mr. Carr was married at Dallas, February 14th, 1914, to Miss Kathleen Moroney, a member of a well known North Texas family and a daughter of W. J. Moroney, a prominent lawyer of Dallas. They have five children: Laurence Carr, Jr., Mary Kath- leen, Dabney, Charlotte and John O. Carr. Mr. and Mrs. Carr reside at 3419 Audubon Place. Mr. Carr is a member of the Knights of Columbus, Houston Club, Houston Country Club, River Oaks Country Club, Chamber of Commerce, the Houston Cotton Exchange, and the Catholic Church.

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MEN OF TEXAS

EORGE O'BRIEN MILLARD. Beaumont has claimed among its citizens many promi- nent and public spirited men, men who through their unselfish interest in the wel- fare of the city have furthered civic and commercial advancement, and of these men none have stood higher in public esteem, or have taken a more promi- nent part in affairs, and particularly in the advance- ment of the public school system of Beaumont, than has George O'Brien Millard, one of the most hon- ored pioneers of this city. Although Mr. Millard occupied a high place in the business world, and was one of those constructive business men who in- fluence commercial progress, it was not for his busi- ness activities that he was most distinguished, but for the years which he unselfishly devoted to the development of the Beaumont public schools. To him is given credit, and without reserve, for the splendid public school system this city can claim today, and it was these schools, rather than the business he had built up, which were his special pride.

George O'Brien Millard was born on the twenty- second of February, 1847, son of Sidney H. Millard, one of the real pioneers of Beaumont, who came here in the thirties, and was one of the four men to lay out the city. Sidney H. Millard was the first county judge of Jefferson County, living near where the present standpipe now stands, and it was here that he reared his son, George O'Brien Millard. The latter attended the schools in Bastrop, but was largely self educated, and at an early age entered the army, at the beginning of the Civil War, fight- ing on the side of the Confederacy throughout the conflict. After the close of the war he was a guard at the Huntsville Penitentiary for a short time, after which he returned to Beaumont, in 1875, and was a clerk in the John C. Craig mercantile store for four years. He then managed the store for Olive and Sternenberg for a while, later going with the Texas Tram and Lumber Company in which he was active for years. He operated the ice plant for a year, later going in business for him- self in the late eighties, engaging in the hardware business for a time. During these years he had ac- cumulated property that was fast increasing in value, and around 1900 he sold his business interests and spent his remaining years looking after his property interests and in his public school work.

Mr. Millard was married at Beaumont, the twenty- second of March, 1877, to Miss Amma Reeves, a native of Mississippi, and the daughter of John C. Reeves, a North Carolinian, who went to Mississippi as a young man and lived there until his death. Mrs. Millard's mother, who before her marriage was Miss Barbaria Shankle, a native of Tennessee, came to Texas after her husband's death, coming to Beaumont in 1872, and made this city her home until her death. Mr. and Mrs. Millard had an ideal home life, and were the parents of three children, Paul Millard of Beaumont, and who married Miss Margaret Allison, a native of Louisiana, and who is a well known insurance man and also manages the Millard estate; Minnie, wife of O. E. Moore of In- dependence, Missouri, and who has two children, Leslie Millard and Theoric Edwin, and Leslie Reeves Millard, who was killed by bandits while in Mexico for an oil company. Mrs. Millard was the constant companion of her husband, taking a deep interest

and pardonable pride in his work for the public schools. Since Mr. Millard's death she has con- tinued to reside in Beaumont, living at 393 Austin Avenue, the family home for many years.

Mr. Millard's death occurred at Beaumont, the twenty-sixth of January, 1909. By a strange fate it was while carrying out some work for the pub- lic schools that he received the injury, to his thumb, which resulted in his death. For years an alderman and a member of the school board, Mr. Millard was constantly alert for the means to advance the

schools. He had guarded the standards of the pub- lic schools with a zealousness that was remarkable and commanding of esteem. Mr. Millard was a steward of the First Methodist Church, and past commander of the Albert Sidney Johnston Camp of Confederate Veterans. His death was a deep loss not only to the public schools but to the city, and his memory will live in the hearts of the peo- ple as long as the city stands as an unselfish, patriotic, truly Christian citizen, who spent his life for the advancement of his city.

H. POWER, president of Murphy & Bolanz Company, Incoporated, and the Power In- vestment Company of Dallas, came to the city with the Murphy & Bolanz Company in 1897. Mr. Power has devoted his entire business career to real estate achievement, investments and loans and as president of the above named concerns has gained wide recognition in these fields. Murphy & Bolanz Company was organized in 1874 and has the distinction of being the oldest real estate firm in the state. The company handles general real estate, fire insurance, loans and rental leases and has been the determining factor in a number of the large real estate deals of this city for the past decade, among which are the Union Terminal, Butler Brothers and the Adolphus Hotel sites. The com- pany also publishes Murphy & Bolanz's official Map of Dallas, which is considered the most accurate map of the city. The Home Lease Department is unique in that it sends out to all subscribers a weekly digest of the real estate conditions of Dallas. This com- pany has laid out and supervised the sale of twenty- seven Dallas additions, 4,200 lots. The present home of the company was purchased by Mr. Power for the company early in 1920 and is located at Commerce and Field streets. There are twenty-three employed in the organization which does over $1,000,000 in business per year. The company has over three thousand clients in and out of Dallas and have on their books for clients $4,500 on Dallas real estate confined mostly to residential loans. It has always been Mr. Power's hobby to assist people in building and owning their own homes.

The Power Investment Company was organized in 1910 by Mr. Power with a capital of $5,000, which was increased to $100,000 in 1915 and gradually has been increased until now it has a paid capital of $500,000. This company is represented exclusively by the Murphy & Bolanz Company. The business of this concern is to develop residential districts and to build houses and dispose of same to people of moderate means. In 1919 it built one hundred and twenty-five houses and in 1920 about one hundred. During the past five years has erected over five hundred.

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NEW ENCYCLOPEDIA OF TEXAS

UDGE BENNETT BRADLEY JOHNSON, county judge of Jefferson County, is one of the best known men in Beaumont, having been a resident of this city and actively identified with its various affairs for seventeen years. Judge Johnson has occupied his present po- sition since January 1, 1922 and has made an en- viable reputation in his skilful handling of the coun- ty's affairs. Efficiency and economy have charac- terized his administration of the office of county judge and he has been accorded the whole hearted support of the business interests of Beaumont and of Jefferson County generally.

As the presiding officer of the Commissioner's Court, Judge Johnson exercises general supervision over the road and drainage construction and main- tenance and other public activities of the county. The issuance of bonds for public improvements also come under the direction of his court and in most cases the expenditure of the bond money is under the direct supervision of the county judge and com- missioners of the county.

In legal matters the only cases tried before Judge Johnson are lunacy charges and the litigation in connection with probate matters.

A native of Texas, Judge Johnson was born at Port Bolivar, Galveston County, on July 29, 1869, a son of Andrew J. and Camilla (Shaw) Johnson. His father was a pioneer citizen of Galveston Coun- ty, coming there in 1867, and was well known there as a farmer, stockman and sheep and cattle raiser. In his youth, Judge Johnson attended the public and high schools in Galveston and later was associated with his father in farming and cattle raising and in the operation of a cotton gin.

When twenty-two years of age he became con- nected with the United States government engineer- ing department and for nine years was employed in the work of building the fortifications and jetties at Galveston harbor. During the last four years of his work he was superintendent of construction. When he left Galveston in 1903, the employes of the gov- ernment in the jetty work presented him with a beautiful gold watch. After this he engaged in the mercantile business at Port Bolivar for seven years before removing to Beaumont in 1908. He still is interested in the lands in Galveston County that were a part of his father's estate.

Judge Johnson came to Beaumont as a building contractor, but after a few years joined the police department as a patrolman. He served four years as assistant chief and two years as chief of police, being connected with the Beaumont police depart- ment altogether for a period of twelve years. He left the department as chief to become county judge of Jefferson County.

In 1891 Judge Johnson was married at Galveston to Miss Delia May Simpton, daughter of George Simpton, well known cattle man of Galveston Coun- ty. Judge and Mrs. Johnson have two daughters; Mrs. Leona Brown and Mrs. Helen Romeo. His grandchildren are Marguerite Brown and O. B., Aud- drey, Elsie and Josephine Romeo. B. B. Brown, the husband of the younger daughter, is a conductor on the T. & N. O. Railroad and Robert Romeo, the husband of the elder daughter, is district manager of the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, lo- cated at Morgan City, Louisiana.

Judge Johnson is a man of fine personality and is

a keen analyst of human nature. Both his public and private life have been as an open book to his constituents and he has won and retained the con- fidence and esteem of his fellow men.

Manifesting at all times a keen and lively inter- est in civic affairs, Judge Johnson is a member of the Knights of Pythias, the Lions Club and Beau- mont Chamber of Commerce. His church affiliation is First Methodist.

AM Z. POWELL, pioneer lumberman and business man, has been a resident of Beau- mont for more than two decades, having come here in 1901 when the city attained worldwide fame by reason of the opening of the famous Spindle Top gusher oil field. Mr. Powell did not engage in the oil business, however, and has never done so, but has devoted almost his entire business career to the lumbering industry. In this he is admittedly a leader and the mill owned by his company is the largest in Beaumont.

Mr. Powell is identified with the Neches Lumber and Building Company, which has its offices and plant at 1500-1600 Pine Street. J. R. Callaghan is president of the company and Mr. Powell is vice president and general manager.

The company was organized in 1907 and is capi- talized at $75,000.00. It does a general lumber business, including wholesale and retail, and manu- factures most of the lumber which it handles. Be- sides the large lumber mill located on the ship channel the Neches Lumber and Building Company has a large cypress shingle mill which has a capacity of over thirty-five thousand shingles daily. The lumber mill has a capacity of fifty thousand board feet daily. About thirty per cent of the lumber handled is cypress and the remainder is made up of pine and gum. A total of 125 men are employed in the various departments.

One department of the company's business is devoted to the financing of homes and splendid service is rendered clients of the company in this department.

Mr. Powell is a native of Missouri and was born at Kansas City on July 22, 1873. He is a son of A. J. and Phoebe (Johnson) Powell, and received his preliminary education at Independence, Mo., where for many years his father was engaged in the lumber business. He attended Woodland Col- lege at Independence and upon coming to Texas in 1901 he located at Beaumont and established a hard-wood saw mill a few miles north of the city. He operated this mill for about three years and then built his present mill, which he has operated since that time.

In 1907 Mr. Powell was married at Beaumont to Miss Carrie Hobner, a native of Baltimore, Mary- land. Their home is at 1737 Orange Street.

Devoting practically his whole life to the lumber business, Mr. Powell is an expert in this line. He knows thoroughly every detail of the manufacture and sale of lumber from the stump to the finished and delivered product. He has a splendid person- ality and is one of the best known lumbermen in Southwest Texas.

Mr. Powell has always taken an active interest in civic affairs and served the city as alderman for two years. He is a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and the Beaumont Club.

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MEN OF TEXAS

ALTER J. CRAWFORD. The career of Wal- ter J. Crawford, for more than a quarter of a century a leader in the political and civic life at Beaumont, and one of the most distinguished attorneys of the Lone Star State, is an essential part of the history of this city, and forms one of the interesting chapters in the story of the upbuilding of this city. Always in the lead in every forward movement, his individual influence served to accomplish a great many things for his city. A man of outstanding personality, and en- dowed with the highest mental qualities, he had that extraordinary courage that enabled him to face the gravest responsibilities, and to impress his life indelibly on his community.

Mr. Crawford was born at Mount Vernon, Frank- lin County, Texas, the twenty-fifth day of Febru- ary, 1873. His father, J. S. Crawford, a pioneer school teacher of this state, built up a large school at Campbell, Hunt County. He later moved with his family to Austin. Mr. Crawford's mother, be- fore her marriage Miss Lou Eddins, was the sis- ter of Judge Walter Eddins, a distinguished lawyer. He finished his high school work at Austin and entered the University of Texas, where he finished the law course in two years, graduating in 1897. Later, in 1904, the B. A. degree was conferred upon him.

Mr. Crawford came to Beaumont just after leav- ing the university, in 1898 and became associated with Judge W. H. Ford, forming the firm of Ford and Crawford, which continued until the former's death, in 1901. Mr. Crawford then became a mem- ber of the firm of Smith, Crawford and Sonfield, which, when Mr. Sonfield left the firm in 1915, be- came Smith and Crawford, an association contin- uing until Mr. Crawford's death. Mr. Crawford was especially prominent in corporation law, his master- ly handling of corporation problems resulting in his being retained by many important firms as counsel. He was also interested in many enter- prises of financial and commercial importance, and was a director of the First National Bank, the Or- ange Petroleum Company, vice president and direc- tor of the Gulf Export and Transportation Com- pany, the Beaumont Hotel Company and the Inter- national Lumber and Export Company. He was chairman of the Chamber of Commerce Committee that made possible, through the sale of the stock, the Beaumont Hotel, and was foremost in many ac- tivities of like character, and during the World War served as chairman of the legal advisory committee.

Mr. Crawford was married at Dallas, in 1901, to Miss Cora Shults, daughter of Martin Shults, a pioneer lumber man of Texas, and who shipped the first load of lumber over the Houston and Texas Central Railroad, and Alexine Smith Shults. Mr. Shults was a close personal friend of General Sam Houston, and one of the prominent men of his day. Mrs. Crawford, in addition to being the constant companion and inspiration of her husband, has been an ideal homemaker and mother to the two children born to them. These children are Alexine and W. J. Jr. The family home is at 1494 Broadway.

Texas Law Review of October, 1924, said, "Judge Crawford held the distinction of being one of most eloquent members of the Texas bar. His fame in this respect was not confined in the courts of the country for his voice was frequently raised in com-

manding eloquence in behalf of some worthy move- ments, his country and for democracy.

Although eminently fitted for any office within the gift of the people of the state of Texas, Judge Crawford was never a candidate, but was frequently in the midst of the fight in behalf of a friend. For two terms he held the party office of chairman of the Democratic Executive Committee of Jefferson County and was frequently a delegate to state and district conventions. From 1906 to 1908 he was a member of the State Democratic Executive Com- mittee.

Mr. Crawford was a steward in the First Meth- odist Church, of which the family were members. He was a Knight Templar, a Shriner and an Elk, and a member of the Woodmen of the World. He was formerly president of the Texas Alumni Asso- ciation, former president of the Neches Club, for- mer exalted ruler of the Elks, a member of the state normal board of regents, a charter member of the Chamber of Commerce, which he served for years as director, and a member of the Kappa Alpha fraternity. He was active in Masonic work and lec- turer in the twenty-eighth degree. He was formerly president of the Rotary Club and served on the board of directors of the Young Men's Christian Associa- tion. He was manager of the campaign of W. P. Hobby at the time of his election as governor, and was prominent in all political events of the day. His death, which occurred at Beaumont the nineteenth of February, 1924, was a deep loss to the city of Beau- mont, and marked the passing of one of the most prominent and constructive citizens of this com- munity.

EM PUTMAN OGDEN-The name of Lem Putman Ogden has many memorials at Beaumont, his native city, wherein he spent many years of his life, and while prospering as the city prospered unselfishly found in his in- creasing fortune an opportunity to aid in those civ- ic movements which are important to the progress of a city, and to take a constructive interest in the development of Beaumont along commercial lines. Mr. Ogden was interested in enterprises of wide scope, and as a large property owner was instru- mental in putting several new additions on the mar- ket, and due to his interest in this field was able to secure many advantages, particularly along the lines of public improvements, for Beaumont.

Lem Putman Ogden was born at Beaumont, Texas, on the banks of the Neches River, in 1845. His father, Frederick Ogden, came here in 1841 and was a lawyer and physician of the early days, being ac- tive in these professions until his death. His mother was prior to her marriage, Miss Mary Wilcox. Lem Putman Ogden attended the schools of Beaumont until after his parents' death, when he was taken back to Kentucky by relatives, finishing school in that state, and later joining the army there. He fought in most of the important battles of the Civil War, receiving a wound in the pit of the stomach that eventually caused his death. At the close of the war he returned to Texas, primarily to look up his brother, Edward, who had remained in this state. He found him in Calhoun County, driving an ox team from Calhoun County to Houston, hauling freight. Together they came to Beaumont to look up and claim property owned here by their father,

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located it and recovered a part of it. They began manufacturing hand made shingles, which they took to Galveston by schooner, where they were sold. Later Lem Putman Ogden, with his brother, Edward, engaged in the mercantile business, establishing one of the large general mercantile stores of Beaumont, which was later sold. Edward Ogden then became Sheriff of Jefferson County, an office he held for sixteen years, during which time his brother, Lem Putman acted as his chief deputy, who also served as county clerk. The latter also began in the real estate business about that time, buying up land in and near Beaumont. He built the first brick build- ing to be erected here, this building now being known as the Ogden Hotel. Mr. Ogden owned the entire block on which the hotel is located, and also another block on Main Street, as well as the land from which the Odgen Addition was developed. He was one of the organizers of the First National Bank of Beaumont, and for many years owned the Dunlap Drug Store. In addition to these proper- ties Mr. Ogden also owned other scattered interests, among them the block whereon is located the Ogden School, a tract which Mrs. Ogden gave to the city.

Mr. Ogden was married at Beaumont, the nine- teenth of January, 1870, to Miss Cynthealia McClure, a native of Mississippi, and the daughter of Andrew McClure, who came to Texas shortly after the Civil War, and Jane Lacy McClure, whose death oc- curred when Mrs. Ogden was an infant. Mr. and Mrs. Ogden were ideal companions throughout their married life, and were the parents of seven chil- dren, three of whom survive, Mittie, wife of George P. Sweatt of Beaumont, and who has one child, Miss Ed Ogden Sweatt, named for her uncle, Edward Ogden; Katie May, wife of Dr. C. A. Cobb, one of the prominent surgeons of Beaumont, and Kittie Mc- Clure, wife of Autry Greer of Beaumont, and who has two children, Cytheal Ogden and Betty Allen Greer.

Mr. Ogden died at Beaumont the ninteenth of June, 1903, and with his going the city lost one of its finest citizens, and a man who had been most active in every progressive line of civic endeavor.

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New encyclopedia of Texas, volume 2, Part 7

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