New encyclopedia of Texas, volume 2, Part 86

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 86

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. Delcuze was born in Franklin, Louisiana, Oc- tober 5th, 1884. His father, W. F. Delcuze (de- ceased since 1908) was well known in the railroad circles of Louisiana and Mississippi. Mr. W. F. Delcuze was a descendant of an old French Huge- not family. His mother was Miss Elena Patenotte, a native of France. His education was obtained in the public schools of Bay Saint Louis, Mississippi, and under the tutelage of private instructors.

Mr. Delcuze started his business career with the Louisville and Nashville railroad at Bay Saint Louis as assistant to the agent, where he remained for several years, when he came to Beaumont, Texas, in 1906 and entered the service of the Gulf Com- panies, with whom he has since remained, coming to Houston in 1916. Mr. Delcuze was married in Beaumont on July 22nd, 1908, to Miss Ada Shef- field, a native of Beaumont and a daughter of E. E. Sheffield, well known in the business circles of Beaumont, where for many years he has been en- gaged in the real estate business. Mr. and Mrs. Delcuze reside at 1432 West Alabama Street, where he owns one of the beautiful residences in Mont- rose. Mr. Delcuze is a member of the following

organizations: the Masonic fraternity, being a Knight Templar, .. nd the Arabia Temple Shrine, River Oaks Country Club, Glenbrook Country Club, Houston Club, the Lumbermen's Club and the St. Paul Methodist Church. Mr. Delcuze is well known among oil men in the coastal fields and in Mexico, where he frequently goes on business for the Gulf Companies.

RTHUR C. STIMSON, engineer and owner of the Stimson Engineering Company, al- though one of the younger members of the profession in Houston, has had a share in the engineering activities of the city. Mr. Stimson inherited his desire for engineering and his construc- tive gifts, as he is the fourth generation to engage in this work. His father, A. E. Stimson, was prob- ably one of the best boundary men in Texas-cer- tainly in the gulf coast-very few important land suits were tried prior to 1919 in Harris County that he was not the star witness of one of the contest- ants. The son, having such a reputation to live up to is following in his footsteps in so far as to specialize in land legality and so far has done himself credit, never having as yet been on the losing side of a court dispute. He also does map making, engineer- ing and oil field work. Most of his work is in South Texas, and he is also a duly appointed state sur- veyor. Mr. Stimson was chief engineer for the Kirby Petroleum Company during its first months of organization.

Mr. Stimson was born at Chico, Arkansas, Feb- ruary 8th, 1892, where his father, A. E. Stimson was engaged in building portions of the Mississippi River Levee. His early education was obtained in the public and high schools of Houston, where he has resided since he was one year old. He later attended the A. and M. College for a period of two years, studying engineering. After leaving college, Mr. Stimson immediately began work in his present pro- fession in Houston, and has so continued, his busi- ness growing with the city. Mr. Stimson, in April, 1917, joined the 90th Division of the United States Army at Camp Travis and was later assigned to the intelligence department as divisional observer in the 90th Division. Mr. Stimson went overseas with the 90th Division and remained there as divisional observer until the St. Mihiel offensive where he was put in charge of the scouts and snipers of General Allen's Staff, reporting the enemy's movements di- rectly into the chief of intelligence. Immediately after which engagement he was confined in the American Hospital in France from which he returned to America and was discharged in 1919.

An outstanding feature of Mr. Stimson's work is the making of a large Harris County map. It meas- ures eleven feet by eight feet and was compiled mostly from data of his father's and his own actual field work in that county. The map is very thorough in detail, giving distances on all land grants, their conflicts and excesses, as recognized by his office. The County of Harris purchased the original but Mr. Stimson retained the rights to sell prints from it. The map was three years in the making.

Mr. Stimson was married in Houston in 1920, to Miss Irene Gawley, a native of the Lone Star State. They have two children, Arthur Earl, three years of age, and Eleanor Ann, aged one year. Mr. and Mrs. Stimson reside at 2716 Beauchamp Avenue.

1629

MEN OF TEXAS

HARLES H. LANE, of Houston, Texas, is one of the pioneers of the oil industry in this state, having been engaged in this field of activity since 1903. He is asso- ciated with Mr. John Hamman in the oil business at this time, and is a representative of the South- western Oil Company, one of Mr. Hamman's com- panies. He is also president of The Thrift Corpo- ration, a company engaged in salvaging oil well pipe. As a boy Mr. Lane went to work in a law office, and was employed by several law firms, until 1903, when he began work for the Waters Pierce Oil Company, and after a few years became associated with the Producers Oil Company, and remained with this company for a period of eleven years. During this period he was advanced many times, and when he left the Producers Oil Company, he was in the position of assistant secretary. For two years of the eleven-year period along with his other work he was also employed by the Sharp- Hughes Tool Company, and was with it at the very beginning, serving as its first manager. He then went with the E. F. Sims Oil Company, and remained with this company for five years as sec- retary of that large company, and resigned his position with them in order to engage in business for himself. It has been Mr. Lane's good fortune to have been associated with many of the most important figures in the oil industry, from whom he gained a thorough schooling in this intricate business.

A native Texan, Mr. Lane was born at Galveston on March 22nd, 1886. His father, Byron W. Lane, (deceased) was a native of Connecticut, and after coming to Texas was for many years engaged in railroad work, the greater portion of this time he was an engineer for the Galveston, Harrisburg and Houston Railroad. His education was obtained in the public schools of Galveston and Houston.

Mr. Lane was married at Houston on September 26th, 1909, to Miss Anita Schneider, a native Hous- tonian and a member of one of the pioneer families of this city. They have two children (twins)- Charlotte and Charline. Mr. and Mrs. Lane reside at 4802 Travis Street. Mr. Lane is a member of the A. F. and A. M., with membership in Holland Lodge No. 1 of Houston, is a Knight Templar of Ruthven Commandery and a member of Arabia Temple Shrine. Since coming to Houston Mr. Lane has identified himself with the business life of the city, and is a director of the Gulf Publishing Com- pany, publishers of The Oil Weekly. He is a great booster for Texas, and a strong believer in the de- velopment of its wonderful natural resources.

ARVIN V. BURDETTE came to Houston less than a decade ago and since that time has been active in commercial circles, hav- ing charge of the distribution of the Pitts- burg water heater in the Gulf Coast territory. The Pittsburg Water Heater Company of Texas was es- tablished in 1912 and Mr. Burdette has been in charge of the main office at Houston since 1916. The company handles sales and distribution for the Pittsburg water heater throughout the Gulf Coast district, and has been instrumental in the installa- tion of over eight thousand of these popular heaters in Houston alone. The firm also distributes Roper gas stoves and ranges, Wolff gas steam heaters for

heating, in addition to the regular Pittsburg heat- ers, a hot water heater manufactured in every size, from the smallest cottage water heater to the largest heaters for hotels and apartment houses. They carry a large stock at all times and a complete line of parts, employing three expert hot water heater men and two salesmen. Mr. Burdette has done much to popularize this heater and has organized sales campaigns with the result that there are more Pitts- burg heaters in use in this territory than any other heater. He is progressive in his management of this business and is constantly improving methods of operation, always with a view to increasing the already heavy demand for this heater, and facili- tating the efficient operation of his plant. He is well located at 611 San Jacinto Street where he has attractively arranged show rooms, repair and parts department and stock rooms.

Mr. Burdette was born at Alvarado, Texas, in 1890, son of A. G. and Isabella Frances Kelly Bur- dette, his father a well known merchant of Alvarado. Mr. Burdette was educated in the public schools at Hillsboro and graduated from the high school there, after which he was employed in the cotton business in Hillsboro from 1909 until 1913. In 1913 he went to Dallas in the Dallas Cotton Exchange, from then until 1916 when he came to Houston as manager of the Pittsburg Water Heater Company.

Mr. Burdette was married at Hillsboro, in 1913, to Miss Julia Elizabeth Sessions, daughter of Dr. E. L. Sessions, well known Hillsboro physician, and Anna Elizabeth Sessions. Dr. and Mrs. Sessions are among the oldest residents of the town. Mr. and Mrs. Burdette have two children, Marvin V., Jr., and Edwin Sessions Burdette. They live at 1316 West Alabama Avenue, in one of the prettiest residence sections of the city. Mr. Burdette is a member of the Houston Builders Exchange, the Civi- tan Club and the Elks.

ALTER BUCHTLER has devoted his en- tire business life to the cotton industry and as manager of the Houston Waste and Fibre Mills has had much to do with the building up of this firm's business to that of the largest plant of its kind in South Texas. The Hous- ton Waste and Fibre Mills was established in 1917 and Mr. Buchtler came to Houston as manager in 1918, and he visits the Houston trade territory each month. The Houston Waste and Fibre Mills have forty thousand square feet of floor space and employ an average of twenty people during the en- tire year. They have two large waste machines and one shredder machine and sell and ship their pro- ducts to all portions of the United States, Mexico and Cuba. Mr. Mike H. Thomas, of Dallas, one of the biggest business men and Masons of Texas, is president of the Houston Waste and Fibre Mills, whose plant is located at Pine and Allen Streets.

A native of Germany, Mr. Buchtler was born on December 26th, 1889 and his education was obtained in the schools of his native land. Mr. Buchtler came to America and to Galveston, when twenty-one years of age and his parents remained in Germany. Mr. Buchtler started his business career in Texas in the cotton waste business where he was connected with the firm of Max Schubert at Galveston and remained with this firm from 1910 to 1913, when he went with the Phoenix Waste Mills of Galveston

1630

Chas. N. Lque

Tuy Barron

NEW ENCYCLOPEDIA OF TEXAS

as manager, where he remained for a period of five years. In 1918, Mr. Buchtler came to Houston to become manager of the Houston Waste and Fibre Mills, and this firm has had a wonderful growth in their business since Mr. Buchtler assumed the man- agement of the plant and has built up a splendid business in all portions of the country where the product of these mills can be used.

Mr. Buchtler was married in Galveston February 3rd, 1915, to Miss Nina Robinson and they have two children, Marjorie and Harold. Mr. and Mrs. Bucht- ler reside at 2402 Waugh Drive. Mr. Buchtler is regarded as one of the best men in his line in the South Texas and as a manager and manufacturer he stands at the head of both, and is popular in the business and social circles of Houston. Mr. Buchtler is a recognized authority on all matters pertaining to cotton waste and its manufacture, having spent his lifetime in this business and devoting to it much thought and intensive study.

UY CARROLL, for many years associated with the building up of one of the major oil companies in the Lone Star State, is one of the outstanding men in the petroleum in- dustry, and is well known for his many activities incident to the development of this industry. Mr. Carroll is Assistant Treasurer of the Texas Com- pany, a position he has held since 1903, and as the holder of that office has charge of all collections and disbursings of funds of the Texas Company. Mr. Carroll has been with the Texas Company since its organization, with the exception of the first month, having come with the company at Beaumont in 1902 as bookkeeper, which position he held until 1903, when he became Assistant Treasurer. At the time he was appointed to this office the duties involved were light compared to what they are today, and he has watched the company grow, until it is now one of the major oil companies of the world. His asso- ciation with the Texas Company forms a vital part of the history of this organization, and Mr. Carroll takes a justifiable pride in the part he has taken in the development of the company. Mr. Carroll re- ceived his training under J. S. Cullinan, one of the founders of the Texas Company.

Guy Carroll was born at Corsicana, Texas, the thirty-first of October, 1881. His father, the late J. D. Carroll, was for a quarter of a century engaged in the lumber business at Corsicana, with J. E. Whitselle, under the firm name of J. E. Whitselle and Company. He later engaged in drilling oil wells in the South Texas fields, and was very successful in this work, having drilled some of the best pro- ducers in the fields along the coast. His death oc- curred in May, 1922. Mr. Carroll's mother, whose maiden name was Miss Gertrude Foote, was a mem- ber of a well known family of Louisiana, but had lived in Corsicana many years prior to her death, in November, 1922. A son, Earnest, the brother of the subject of this sketch, is also with the Texas Company, coming with the organization at the time it was started in 1902, and is now Assistant to the First Vice-President, T. J. Donoghue. Guy Carroll was educated in the public schools of Corsicana, and as a very young man began work for the Gas and Electric Company of Corsicana. After one year with that company he went with the old Corsicana Refining Company, in 1900, and remained with that firm until June 1902, when he went to Beaumont, go-

ing with the Texas Company.

Mr. Carroll was married at Beaumont the twen- tieth of December, 1905, to Miss Verna Vaughn, a native of that city. Mr. and Mrs. Carroll reside at 1120 Colquitt Avenue, and are the parents of three children, Guy Vernon, Sybil and Ira M. Carroll. Mr. Carroll knows most of the pioneer operators in the coastal fields, and, while he has always been inter- ested in the development company from an execu- tive standpoint, is conversant with the entire field of oil operation, and has many friends among the oil men of the State.

ASPER M. DE GEORGE, genial pro- prietor of the De George Hotel, has for the past twenty-five years been associated with the history of Houston, where he has been identified with the hotel business, the real estate business and other activities of importance. In 1914 Mr. De George, with his father, M. De George, opened the De George Hotel, one of the finest of Houston's hotel buildings. This hotel, located at 1418 Preston Avenue, was built by Mr. De George and occupies a modern six-story fire-proof building, fifty-five by one hundred and twenty-five feet square. The De George Hotel has all outside rooms and is complete with convention hall, sample rooms and elevator system. A modern heating plant pro- vides adequate comfort for winter guests, and elec- tric fans keep the building pleasant during the sum- mer. Twenty-five employees give careful attention to the maintenance of service, and there is also op- erated in the building a cafe, a barber shop and a tailor shop.

After leaving school Mr. De George went with his father in the real estate business, and up until 1914 engaged extensively in Houston real estate operations, buying and improving city property and handling investments. Mr. De George, with his father, has been instrumental in improving much property at Houston, and is still active in this work, at present planning a number of buildings that will make Houston a greater city.

Gasper M. De George is a native of Houston, hav- ing been born in this city the sixth of February, 1888. His father, M. De George, is a native of Italy, and came to the United States in 1870, the period im- mediately following his arrival having been spent at New Orleans, where he was employed on a sugar plantation. In 1882 after more than a decade in New Orleans, Mr. De George came to Houston, and went in the real estate business, investing his sav- ings in Houston property. He has since accumulated a fortune in this business, investing and re-investing his money in city property. Gasper M. De George's mother, before her marriage, was Miss Ursola. Mr. De George was educated in the schools at Houston, attending at various times Barnett's College, Busi- ness College and St. Edwards College.

Mr. De George was married at Fort Worth, in September, 1921, to Miss Josephine Pinto, a native of that city. They made their home at the De George Hotel, and have two children, a son, Michael, and a daughter, Ursula. Mr. De George takes an active interest in civic progress, giving his services freely to forward any community plan. He is on the Board of Governors of the Hotel Greeters Asso- ciation, and is a member of the Houston Hotel Asso- ciation and the Texas Hotel Keepers Association. He is a Knight of Columbus and an Elk.

1633

MEN OF TEXAS

LFRED M. JOHNSON has for more than a quarter of a century been closely associated with the oil industry in Texas and is prob- ably better known to the oil fraternity than any man in his line in the state. Mr. Johnson is vice president and manager at Houston of the Petroleum Iron Works of Pennsylvania and his wide and varied experience which began when he was eighteen years of age, has proved a valuable asset to him as an executive. The Petroleum Iron Works handle out of the Houston office all steel storage tanks of all capacities and refinery equipment; everything in steel plate. The factories of this company are lo- cated at Sharon, Pennsylvania, and Kansas City, Kansas, and sell F. O. B. or erected, and erect more tanks than any concern engaged in this business. They have from three hundred to one thousand men from the Houston office in the field who do nothing but erect steel tanks and refinery equipment. This company is the oldest in the business of erecting steel tanks in the country, and numbered among their great volume of work in Texas oil fields, may be mentioned practically all of the Texas Company tanks in this section, and the greater part of the tanks for the Humble Oil and Refining Company, having built all the tanks for the latter company from Ranger to Texas City. For the Texas Company tanks station from Tulsa, Oklahoma, to Port Arthur, Texas, also tanks at Dallas, Port Neches and Port Arthur, also the Texas Company refineries. They erected the tank farms for the Galena Signal Oil Company of Texas, and their refinery on the ship channel. They are doing a great deal of work in Arkansas and have erected more than two-thirds of the steel storage tanks in the Smackover district, now are doing 2,000,000 barrels of storage work for the Texas Company at Port Arthur and Port Neches. They are also engaged in doing some extensive work for the Gulf Refining Company. The Petroleum Iron Works of Pennsylvania have been conceded the best work in the plate line of any company engaged in this business. They sell tank cars and also lease them from the Houston office, and sell all kinds of containers that are used by the various oil indus- tries. The offices of the Petroleum Iron Works are located at 1110-1111-1112 Second National Bank Building, where Mr. Johnson has a splendid organ- ization to carry out the work of this company, whicli is growing rapidly. The following is a good example of the service rendered by Mr. Johnson's company. On October 15th, 1923, an order was received from the Humble Pipe Line Company for ten complete 55,000 barrel tanks to be used in the Powell field. On October 17, 1923, 5 p. m., thirty-eight cars were loaded and shipped from Sharon, Pennsylvania. This solid train arrived in Corsicana October 22, at 11 a. m. Oil men say this is a record for shipment of this kind. It is more remarkable because four tanks had to be made, and because there was a wreck in which five cars were damaged. The main part of the train went on and the material in the five damaged cars was transferred to other cars, and with a spe- cial engine caught the main train at Ohio City.

A native Texan, Mr. Johnson was born at Clifton, Bosque County, January 28th, 1880. His father, O. J. Johnson (deceased since October, 1897) came to Texas when a boy fifteen years of age with his parents, who first settled in Henderson County but

after a short time removed to Bosque County, where he was for many years engaged in farming and stock raising. His mother (deceased since January, 1923) was Miss Johanna O. Wold. Both parents were born in Norway. His education was obtained in the public schools of Bosque County and at Clifton. Mr. Johnson worked on the farm as a boy, there being twelve children in the family and each had duties to perform.

Mr. Johnson began his business career on Sep- tember 28th, 1898, with the Petroleum Iron Works at Corsicana, Texas, where he learned the business and was promoted from one position to another. He also learned to do the plate work, erecting in the oil fields and many other things in connection with this line of work, and during this time he spent a num- ber of years in the rough work incident to tank erecting, which meant driving of rivets, etc. In 1901 he was promoted to the position of assistant foreman at Spindle Top, and continued in this posi- tion until 1904, when he became foreman and re- mained in this capacity until 1909, and during this period the greater part of his time was spent in Port Arthur. In 1909 Mr. Johnson was made fore- man of the Port Arthur district, and remained in this position until 1915 when he became superin- tendent of the Southwestern division of the Petro- leum Iron Works of Pennsylvania. He continued in the position of superintendent of this division until 1919, when he became vice president, in charge of sales and in charge of erection, etc. of the South- western territory of the different units of the Petro- leum Iron Works. The office of this firm was moved from Port Arthur to Houston in 1916, and the of- fice maintained in Corsicana was moved to Beau- mont in 1901.

Mr. Johnson has been twice married and his two wives were sisters, residing in Baldwin, Wisconsin. His first marriage was on February 12th, 1905, to Miss Sarah C. Hanson (deceased) and the second marriage was on January 28th, 1911, to Miss Bertha Eliza Hanson. Mr. Johnson is the father of five children: Christy O., student at Southwestern Uni- versity; Alfred M., Jr., student at the Allen Acad- emy; Burt H .; Arnold B., and Genevieve. The first two children were of the first marriage, and the latter three of the last marriage. Mr. and Mrs. Johnson reside at 615 Kipling Street. Mr. Johnson is a member of the Mid-Continent Oil and Gas Asso- ciation, the Houston Club, B. P. O. E., and is one of the first members of this organization at Port Arthur. He has been a member of the I. O. O. F. for twenty-one years and has always been active in this organization. Mr. Johnson has become interested in many of the commercial and industrial projects in the state, and is vice president and director of the Pennsylvania Ship Building Company at Beau- mant, which is engaged in the repairing of ships and have also a marine railroad there. Mr. Johnson has worked his way up in his chosen field, and is con- sidered the leader in his line, and is probably better known to the oil fraternity than any man in the state. Mr. Johnson worked in the oil fields in the old days at Corsicana and Spindle Top with many of the leaders in the oil industry of today and is pop . ular with all classes in the oil fields and in the busi- ness and social circles of the state.

1634

anyahuson.

PmCranberry

NEW ENCYCLOPEDIA OF TEXAS

RENTISS M. GRANBERRY, veteran oil operator, and for many years identified with various enterprises at Houston, has been closely associated with the develop- ment of the oil resources of the Lone Star State. Mr. Granberry's first experience in the oil business was as a contractor. He drilled his first well at Harrisburg, Texas. His next experience was at Sour Lake, after which he went to Burns Bluff, above Beaumont, and drilled there without success, after which hent went to Spindletop, where he got his first producing well, flowing 22,000 barrels per day. This was followed by a course of extensive drilling all around the Coastal fields. He always drilled by contract, but usually had an interest in the well he drilled and the operators of the State began to watch his drilling operations with much interest. He drilled the first oil producing well at Humble. At that time being associated with Mr. Staiti and operating under the firm name of Granberry and Staiti. He was then Superintendent of the Texas

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

New encyclopedia of Texas, volume 2, Part 86

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