New encyclopedia of Texas, volume 2, Part 85

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

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London, England, a fellow of the Chemical Society of London, American Society for Testing Materials, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. He has written various scientific ar- ticles covering his studies and has been prevailed upon to lecture at the A. & M. College and the Rice Institute. Mr. Detwiler resides at 2016 Brazos Street. He is popular in the business and social cir- cles of Houston, where he has made a host of friends since coming to this city and is considered a leader in his chosen profession.

ILMER H. GEMMER has been a resident of Houston, Texas, since 1909 and is well known in the business circles of South Texas. Mr. Gemmer is a partner in the firm of Gemmer and Tanner, dealers in sand and gravel, and is the manager of the Houston office of this firm. Associated with him as a partner is Mr. J. O. Tanner, who is manager of the plant at Columbus, Texas. This large sand and gravel com- pany was established in 1920, and while the plant is located at Columbus, the Houston office is main- tained for the sale and distribution of its products and has since its organization been under the man- agement of Mr. Gemmer. The plant has a capacity of forty-five cars per day and employs an average of one hundred men. The greater portion of the out- put of sand and gravel is sold in the Houston district and in this portion of the state, where they do a large business. The offices of Gemmer and Tanner are located at 802 First National Bank Building. Prior to engaging in his present business, Mr. Gem- mer was for a period of eleven years engaged in engineering and contracting in this city. Before coming to Houston, he was for a period of fifteen years engaged in civil engineering in Indiana, where he did a great deal of construction work in various portions of that state.

A native of Indiana, Mr. Gemmer was born at Wil- liamsport, Warren County, on February 7th, 1871. His father, Philip Gemmer, was a native of Germany, and brought to the United States by his parents when a child. He was engaged in the lumber busi- ness during his entire business life, in the state of Indiana. Mr. Gemmer's early education was ob- tained in the public schools of Williamsport, Indiana, after which he attended college at La Fayette, In- diana, and graduated from Purdue University in the class of 1894 with the B. C. E. degree.

Mr. Gemmer was married at Williamsport, In- diana, on June 26th, 1895, to Miss Lota Biggs, also a native of Indiana and a member of a well known family of that state. They have four children, Kath- leen, a graduate of Rice Institute; Philip, who was educated at Rice Institute and was an aviator dur- ing the World War and is now associated with his father in business; Carolyn, now the wife of Ray T. Roberts, of Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Ralph, who is a student of the Rice Institute. Mr. and Mrs. Gem- mer reside at 710 Francis Avenue. Mr. Gemmer is a member of the A. F. and A. M. with membership in Houston Lodge, No. 1189. He is also a member of the Houston Engineer's Club, the Rotary Club and the Salesmanship Club and various other civic organ- izations of the city. Mr. Gemmer is optomistic as to the future of Houston and South Texas and be- lieves that this portion of the state is entering on an era of great business prosperity in all lines.

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MEN OF TEXAS

S. McGARRY, pioneer oil man of South Texas, and one of the best known men op- erating in the fields adjacent to Houston, is superintendent of the Southern Division of the Republic Production Company, one of the largest independent Companies operating in this part of the State. Offices of the Company are maintained on the fourteenth floor of the Carter Building.

The Republic Production Company was organ- ized in 1917 and is one of the best known producing companies in the State. Its operations are confined almost wholly to exploration work and producing oil for the market.

The Southern Division of the Republic Production Company under the jurisdiction of Mr. McGarry, in- cludes Wortham, Richland, the Powell and the Coast- al fields of Southern Texas. The Company does its own drilling in this division and has from three to eight rigs in operation all the time with a total personnel in the entire department of close to three hundred employees.

Mr. McGarry is a native of Ohio and was born in Monroe County on January 26th, 1889, a son of J. B. and Mary (Crum) McGarry, both natives of Ohio. Mr. McGarry attended the public schools at Antioch, Ohio, and spent some time in his early life on his father's farm. He began in the oil business in 1908 and has attained to his present position by reason of hard and persevering work and an un- relenting determination to succeed.

It was in the Humble field with the Producers Oil Company that Mr. McGarry received his first oil experience from 1908 to 1913. He went to work for the Producers as a field man, doing any and everything he was called upon to do in order to learn the business from the ground up. He re- mained with the Producers Company until June, 1913, when he worked for various contractors in Vinton, Louisiana; Orange and Sour Lake, until 1915. He then went with the Farmers Petroleum Company, which later became the Republic Produc- tion Company, as helper on a drilling rig. His un- tiring efforts won for him one promotion after another until, on January 1st, 1919, he was made field superintendent, and on January 1st, 1922, pro- moted to division Superintendent, the position he still holds.

On August 15, 1909, Mr. McGarry was married at Antioch, Ohio, to Miss Ethel Truex, daughter of an old Ohio family. They have four children, Lo- raine, Emerson, Yvonne and Marilyn.

Mr. McGarry is a thorough-going oil man, a tire- less worker, and spends a great deal of his time in the field where he keeps in closest touch with the company's operations at all times. He is very popular among his employees and with the oil fraternity at large.

A tool that is attaining a great measure of popu- larity and which is already in use by twelve of the larger companies, was patented by Mr. McGarry and placed on the market a little more than three years ago through the Oil City Brass Works at Beau- mont. It is known as the "McGarry combination casing head" and is used in pulling tubing. It has already demonstrated its worth and practicability and is being adopted by other companies.

Mr. McGarry is a man of pleasing personality and possesses the qualifications of a real business

executive. He is actively interested in everything pertaining to the oil industry and finds time also to lend his assistance to various movements of a civic character in the City of Houston. He is a member of the Church of Christ, Houston Heights, and devotes his spare time to church and charitable work.

J. McNELLIE, pioneer oil man of South- ern Texas, has, for nearly a quarter of a century, been identified with the oil indus- try of the Lone Star State. He has been a well-known factor in the oil fraternity, having been engaged in that industry all of his life. Mr. McNellie is Superintendent of the Production De- partment of the Marland Oil Company, with offices located in the Cotton Exchange Building, and has been with this firm since July 22, 1924. Prior to be- coming associated with the Marland Oil Company, Mr. McNellie was for over a score of years identi- fied with the Higgins Oil and Fuel Company, and worked through all the departments of that com- pany up to the position of Superintendent and Vice- President. He left the Higgins Oil and Fuel Com- pany in 1924 to accept the position as Superintend- ent of the Production Department of the Marland Company.

Mr. McNellie was a native of Pennsylvania, born in the shadow of the oil derricks at Petroleum Cen- ter, February 14th, 1878, son of Owen and Anna (Wallace) McNellie, both of whom had come from Ireland and settled in Pennsylvania in the early days. His father was a farmer and oil producer, lo- cated in the vicinity of the original Pennsylvania oil fields. Mr. McNellie was reared in the atmosphere of oil production. After receiving his education in the public schools of Petroleum Center he entered the oil business, oil having been discovered on his father's farm. He later engaged in the oil industry in West Virginia. He came to Texas in 1902. He worked in every department of the oil production business, so his knowledge of the oil game is based upon a long period of actual experience.

On April 4th, 1904, Mr. McNellie was married at Shreveport, Louisiana, to Miss Lucy Caudle, a native of Texas, who was born and reared at Mount Vernon, in Franklin County. Mr. and Mrs. McNellie are the parents of four daughters, Mildred, Viola, Eve- lyn and Lucile. Mr. McNellie is a member of the Houston Country Club, and devotes much of his spare time to golf when the opportunity affords. He is an oil man of the old school and is thoroughly familiar with the South Texas oil development from the Spindle Top days up to the present time.

A. HAUTIER, coming to Houston in 1910, has made history in the development of prospective oil territory. Instead of adher- ing to the old-time expensive methods of locating a structure or dome by using a heavy rotary drilling outfit, Mr. Hautier took advantage of the idea of finding and defining dome formations by using portable gasoline equipment.

This method is not only much cheaper than the old one, but it takes less time. Its reliability, of course, is made possible only in connection with ex- pert paleontological examination and reports on the results of the drilling.

Mr. Hautier has successfully demonstrated the value of this method by definitely determining an

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uplift in the Espenan Dome territory on Greens Bayou, in Harris County, about eleven miles north- east of Houston, midway between the Humble and the Goose Creek oil fields. Surface indications, such as sulphur, rock and selenite outcrops, inflammable gas, oil seeps and asphalt deposits have interested geologists in this territory for several years.

Mr. Hautier owns and controls around 5500 acres on and surrounding Espenan Dome. Several of the major companies have acquired desirable acreage in the territory. Having located the structure or uplift, Mr. Hautier will further develop the prospect until it becomes an oil producer.

Mr. Hautier is also interested in other Gulf Coast fields, holding valuable acreage both in lease and fee. He owns and controls much desirable Houston City and Harris County real estate.

Born in Ohio in 1875, he was married in 1904 to Miss Jessie Gilliam, a daughter of Judge G. T. Gil- liam, a prominent citizen and politician of Illinois.

Mrs. Hautier is associated with Mr. Hautier in business, the style of the firm being J. A. and J. G. Hautier, with offices at 827 First National Bank Building. She handles the detail work of the busi- ness and the paleontological work, not only for their own firm, but for other companies as well.

Mr. and Mrs. Hautier are both actively interested in the civic and commercial development of Houston. They reside at 1111 Colquitt Avenue in Montrose.

L. DOBBINS, pioneer oil man and for many years engaged in this industry, is division manager of the Atlantic Oil Production company and treasurer and manager of the Gulf Coast Oil Corporation, a subsidiary of the At- lantic Oil Producing Company. The companies of which Mr. Dobbins is executive are engaged in oil producing and crude oil purchasing activities. Mr. Dobbin came to Houston in 1904 and since that time has been active in the oil and business circles of this city, where his office is located at 514 West Building.

A native Texan, Mr. Dobbins was born at Eagle Lake, Colorado County, March 18th, 1884. His father, R. B. Dobbins (deceased) was for many years engaged in the furniture business at Eagle Lake; he was a member of a pioneer Texas family, his parents having removed to Texas several years prior to the Civil War. His mother was Miss Florrie A. Kuyken- dall, a native Texan and a member of a well known, pioneer family. His education was obtained in the public and high schools of Eagle Lake, Texas, where he graduated from the latter, afterwards finishing a business training education in Galveston and Houston.

When about fourteen years of age, Mr. Dobbins began working during vacation periods in the oil business with the Waters-Pierce Oil Corporation and since that time has become familiar with the various branches of this industry-marketing, sales and more recently in the producing end of the busi- ness, and since becoming associated with the pres- ent companies, he has spent a great deal of his time in the field, looking after the interest of the com- panies he represents. From 1898 to 1907 Mr. Dob- bin was employed by the Waters-Pierce Oil Company and gained experience in practically every depart- ment of the oil business, including office, field and sales work. This experience fitted him for the ex- ecutive position he now holds. From 1907 to 1917, he was in business for himself in Houston and vicin-

ity, and during a portion of this time he was iden- tified with the rice industry. From 1917 to date he has been associated with the present companies.

Mr. Dobbins was married in Houston June 23rd, 1910, to Miss Katherine Cummings, a native of Lavaca County and a daughter of Dave M. Cum- mings, who served in the Civil War and is now a resident of Houston. Mr. and Mrs. Dobbins reside at 209 Stratford Avenue. In fraternal, social and technical organizations, Mr. Dobbins is a member of the Masonic fraternity, the Houston Club, the Amer- ican Petroleum Institute and the Mid Continent Oil and Gas Association. Mr. Dobbins is popular with and has the co-operation of his men and is consid- ered one of the best oil men and executives in the coastal fields. He is optimistic as to the future of Houston and believes that it will become the oil cen- ter and the leading city of the Southwest.

J. MALONE, although a comparatively re- cent addition to the business fraternity of Houston, where he is treasurer of the York Engineering and Supply Company, has made many friends for the company he represents, with a resultant increase in their business. The York Engineering and Supply Company are manufactur- ers of ice machines, with factory in York, Pennsyl- vania, in addition to the plant in Houston, where tanks are built and fabricated pipe for ice and re- frigerating plants are made. The Houston factory was established in 1907 for Southern business, and it also has distributing plants at New Orleans, Dal- las and San Antonio, where large stocks are kept on hand at all times. The York Engineering and Supply Company is the largest manufacturing com- pany of its kind in the South, and makes upward of 60 per cent of all ice machines made and sold in the United States. The territory covered by the Hous- ton factory includes Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico and the south one-half of Oklahoma and Arkansas. The Houston factory, with office at 2201 Texas Avenue, occupies two-thirds of a city block where they have a two-story, brick building, modern in every particular and with a floor space of forty thousand square feet. Seventy people are employed at this factory. Other officers of the York Engineering and Supply Company are W. E. Becker, president; A. C. Edwards, vice president, and C. L. Morgan, secretary.

A native of Nebraska, Mr. Malone was born at Hastings in 1882. His father, Frank M. Malone, was well known in the business circles of Hastings. His mother was Miss Maria West, a member of a well known Nebraska family. His education was obtained in the public and high schools of St. Louis, graduating from the latter school in 1900. After leaving school, Mr. Malone immediately entered the employ of the Missouri Pacific Railroad, where he remained for a period of sixteen years. He became associated with the York Engineering and Supply Company in 1916 and came to Texas and to Hous- ton as treasurer of the company's factory here in 1919.

Mr. Malone was married in St. Louis in 1906 to Miss Bessie May Phillips. They have one daughter, Elizabeth Jane, thirteen years of age. Mr. and Mrs. Malone reside at 2612 Chenevert Street. Mr. Malone is a member of the Houston Rotary Club. He is in- terested in all agencies working for the greater de- velopment, progress and advancement of Houston.

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MEN OF TEXAS

R EX G. HAMAKER, well known engineer, has been engaged in development work in the various Texas fields wherein the Humble Oil & Refining Company operates, for the past several years. Mr. Hamaker is chief engineer for the Humble Oil and Refining Company, and has charge of the engineering department, which han- dles construction of sales stations, oil field camps, warehouses, dams, docks, earthen oil storage and other building operations, as well as supervising all mapping and surveying of land owned or leased by the company. As supervisor of these activities, he has under his direction a resident engineer in each district where large operations are going on, and all matters pertaining to surveys, construction work, and other engineering problems are referred to him. Mr. Hamaker is well versed in the oil pro- duction business from both a practical and technical standpoint, and has for years specialized in natural gas and petroleum work and as an engineer has been associated with this work throughout his career.

Rex G. Hamaker was born in Santa Ana, Califor- nia, the sixth of November, 1892, son of H. L. and Alcenia (Paul) Hamaker of Los Angeles. Mr. Ha- maker began his education in the public schools near his home, and graduated from the high school in Los Angeles. He then attended Stanford University, where he graduated as a civil engineer in the class of 1916. Mr. Hamaker then went with the Standard Oil Company of California, where he spent three years in the engineering department, demonstrating an aptitude for his work and an enthusiasm that has marked his subsequent career. In 1919 Mr. Hamaker came to Ranger, Texas, as district engineer of the Humble Oil and Refining Company, where he re- mained one year, and in 1920 he was transferred to Houston as chief engineer, which position he still holds.

Mr. Hamaker was married in Los Angeles, in 1917, to Miss Mary R. Fall, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. L. M. Fall. Mr. and Mrs. Hamaker have their attrac- tive home at 1007 California Avenue, Houston. Mr. Hamaker is a Scottish Rite Mason, member of Ara- bia Temple Shrine, a member of the Y. M. C. A., the Houston Engineers Club, and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. Since coming to Texas, Mr. Hamaker has taken an active part in the oil development in the Southwest, and at the time this sketch goes to press is chairman of the engineering sub-committee on standardization of derricks and standard rigs, of the American Petroleum Institute. He has made an extensive acquaintance among the oil men in the Southwest fields.

ERRELL D. JOINER, for half a decade a factor in the mercantile business of Hous- ton, entered the real estate field in 1924. He handles property in all sections of the city, specializing in South End residential property. His office is located in the Keystone Building.

Terrell D. Joiner was born at Fort Worth, Texas, the sixth of August, 1887. His father, J. B. Joiner, a native of Mississippi, came to Fort Worth in the early eighties, and later went to Sherman, still later going to Cleburne, and to Goose Creek, where he died early in 1924. His mother, whose maiden name was Miss Mackie Smith, was also a native of Mis- sissippi, now lives with her son. Mr. Joiner received his rudimentary education in the public schools of

Cleburne, later attending Baylor University, at Waco, after which he took a business course. He began his business career as Deputy in the County Clerk's Office at Cleburne, where he remained for two years. He then spent two years in the ac- counting department of the Santa Fe Railroad, at Cleburne, and seven years with the E. L. Wilson Hardware Company of that city. He came to Hous- ton with the R. S. Sterling interests, and held dif- ferent positions with Mr. Sterling, with the R. S. Sterling Investment Company, and R. S. Sterling and Company. He was Secretary and Treasurer of the Goose Creek Realty Company and the Goose Creek Light and Power Company and other corpo- rations, until 1918, when he left the Sterling inter- ests and established, with his father, the Joiner Mer- cantile Company of Goose Creek, which he managed until establishing the Community Store in Houston.

Mr. Joiner was married at Sherman, Texas, the third of November, 1909, to Miss Aubrey Dean, a native of Wills Point, Texas, and the daughter of H. L. Dean. Mrs. Joiner's death occurred the eighth of August, 1923. There are two children, Aubrey Jane and Nedean. Mr. Joiner and the children make their home at 1520 Colquitt Avenue. Mr. Joiner is a Mason, a member of Holland Lodge No. 1, and of both the York and Scottish Rite bodies. He is a member of the University Club, the Kiwanis Club, the Houston Country Club and the Houston Cham- ber of Commerce. Mr. Joiner takes an active in- terest in civic progress and is keenly awake to the future offered at Houston to the earnest young business man. He has many friends in this city and in Goose Creek who regard him as a progres- sive, wide awake man, whose future in the commer- cial world is assured.

HARLES WIGGINS, whose home and busi- ness headquarters have been located at Houston for some years, has been active in commercial affairs and has, through his commendable efforts in the oil field supply busi- ness, won the esteem of his fellow citizens. Mr. Wig- and Company, Inc., dealers in oil field machinery and gins is president and manager of Charles Wiggins supplies. The warehouses of the company are lo- cated at 1620 Moffitt, where is found every facility for deliveries, thus assuring oil men quick service. Mr. Wiggins supplies both new and used rotary tools of all kinds, casing pipe, tubing, pumps and everything that is used in the drilling and complet- ing of an oil well. His stock is good and complete and operators in the gulf coast fields have found that he has many facilities which will assure them real service at all times. He thoroughly understands the peculiar needs of the oil operator, and it is his endeavor to make his firm a dependable source of supply for the operators in his territory. Mr. Wig- gins entered the supply business in 1917, and since that time has built up an extensive patronage and attained the reputation of a man who not only understands the demands of the oil field supply business, but is willing to go out of his way to serve his customers.

Charles Wiggins was born at Corsicana, Texas, the thirteenth of June, 1887, son of William and Mary Wiggins. His father, now retired, was one of the builders of the Cotton Belt Railroad, and was for many years a factor in the development of Cor-

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NEW ENCYCLOPEDIA OF TEXAS

sicana. Mr. Wiggins attended the public schools of his native city, graduating from the high school there, after which he went with an oil field supply company in that city. Eight years with various firms in this line of business followed, both in Cor- sicana and other fields. He then spent one year as a driller in Louisiana, after which he came to Hous- ton. Mr. Wiggins began in a small way, giving per- sonal attention to each phase of the operation of his business, and through his consistent efforts to give the operator a real service, he has built up a large following.

Mr. Wiggins was married at Jennings, Louisiana, in 1907, to Miss Alma Pollock, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Pollock, of Caldwell and Corsicana. Mr. Pollock is a well known land owner and plant- er. Mr. and Mrs. Wiggins reside at 1420 Missouri Avenue, and have two children, Louise and Edith. Mr. Wiggins has made many friends in Houston, and in the fields, who regard him as a competent and thorough going supply man, and predict for him a future in this business.

E. DELCUZE has had a wide experience in the executive department of the Gulf Cob- panies and holds a responsible position with that organization. Mr. Delcuze is assistant to the vice president of the Gulf Companies and many of the most important details of the com- pany's business come under his supervision. He became associated with the Gulf Company at Beau- mont in 1906 in the accounting department, and in June, 1908, Mr. Delcuze was made chief clerk of the accounting department, which position he held until January 1st, 1914. On this date he was made auditor of the Gulf Companies and remained in this capacity until January 1st, 1921, when he was pro- moted to the position of assistant to the vice presi- dent of the Gulf Companies. The duties of Mr. Delcuze was varied and he handles many details, and he is also assistant secretary of the Gulf Companies, which he has been since January 1st, 1914. Mr. Del- cuze is considered an expert in his work, and is an ardent worker in the interest of the company which he represents.

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New encyclopedia of Texas, volume 2, Part 85

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