New encyclopedia of Texas, volume 2, Part 93

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

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A native Texan, Mr. Smith was born at Elliott, on November 1st, 1889. His father, T. A. Smith, was for many years engaged in farming in Robert- son County, and was one of this county's most esteemed citizens. His mother was Miss Lillie Davis, a member of a pioneer Texas family. His educa- tion was obtained in the public schools of Robertson County.

Mr. Smith was married at Sour Lake, Texas, in 1908, to Miss Jessie B. Haislip, a member of a well known South Texas family. They have one child-Audrey Nell, three years of age. Mr. Smith is a member of the York Rite body of the Masonic fraternity, the I. O. O. F. and M. W. A. Since locating at Sour Lake Mr. Smith has become identi- fied with many of the city's activities, and gives of his time and means to all projects having as their object the progress and advancement of his city. Mr. Smith is popular with the oil fraternity, and although a comparatively young man, he is regarded as one of the best men in his line of endeavor in the South Texas oil fields.

E. HACKEBEIL, for more than a decade has been identified with manufacturing ac- tivities at Beaumont, engaging in high class granite and marble work, and establishing a firm reputation in this line. Mr. Hackebeil is the owner of the Magnolia Granite and Marble Works, one of the best marble and granite works in the city, specializing in the manufacture of fine granite and marble monuments. Mr. Hackebeil has his shop

at 2005 Grand Avenue, and has complete equipment, enabling him to turn out the highest class of work. All machinery is power operated, and is modern. Mr. Hackebeil is himself an expert granite and marble worker, and personally supervises the mak- ing of every piece of work that leaves his shop. He has executed many intricate pieces, calling for the highest skill, and the most careful workmanship. Mr. Hackebeil established his business here in 1911, and since that time his plant has met with a steady growth, building trade through a reputation for high class work, and at the present time his plant is one of the largest, and one of the best, in Beau- mont.

Mr. Hackebeil is a native of the Lone Star State, and was born at LaGrange, the seventeenth of Octo- ber, 1884, the son of August Hackebeil, for many years a farmer and land owner of this section, and Martha Hackebeil. Mr. Hackebeil was educated in the schools of LaGrange, and after leaving school entered the marble business, working with O. E. Stolz, for around a decade. He then left Mr. Stolz and came to Beaumont, establishing the Magnolia Granite and Marble Works.

Mr. Hackebeil was married at LaGrange, in 1909, to Miss Emma Tschiedel, daughter of Frank T. Tschiedel, a farmer and land owner of LaGrange. Mr. and Mrs. Hackebeil have one child, Ethel Lee, and reside at 2005 Grand Avenue. Mr. Hackebeil is a member of the Woodmen of the World.

OHN T. ALFORD, for upwards of a decade and a half has been identified with the de- velopment of the drug business at Beau- mont, and is one of the veteran druggists of this city. Mr. Alford is vice president and man- ager of the San Jacinto Drug Co., Inc .; Mr. C. E. Casey is president, T. W. McDaniel, secretary and treasurer. This drug store was opened in October, 1924, and does a general retail drug business. This is a beautifully arranged store and is in the ground floor of the San Jacinto Life Building. The stock is up-to-date, and shows careful thought in both selection and arrangement, and the fountain and fixtures are of the best material and workmanship. The management of the store reflects the progres- sive business methods of Mr. Alford.

Mr. Alford was born at La Fayette, Alabama, the thirtieth of August, 1884, the son of James W. Alford, a farmer, land owner and planter, who came to Texas in 1890, and Mrs. Jannie Alford. Mr. Alford attended the schools at Overton, Texas, as a boy, later entering the Atlanta College of Phy- sicians and Surgeons, at Atlanta, where he was a student for three years, after which he took post- graduate work at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He first engaged in the drug business at Monroe, Louis- iana, later going to Little Rock, Arkansas, and various other points prior to coming to Beaumont, in 1908. He was with the Caswell-Preston Drug Company for a time, and later with the Keith Drug Company prior to coming to Post Office Drug Store, in which he bought an interest in 1920.

Mr. Alford was married at Beaumont, in 1912, to Miss Walterine Henderson, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. I. S. Henderson, Mr. Henderson being a retired business man and property owner of this city. Mr. and Mrs. Alford reside at 1744 Neches Street. Mr. Alford is a Blue Lodge Mason, and belongs to the Lions Club.

1682

Q7/8

Legg. Yentzer

NEW ENCYCLOPEDIA OF TEXAS

EORGE YENTZEN, for around a decade has taken an active part in the development of Nederland, and during his residence here has built up a commercial bakery which ranks as the largest in Jefferson County, and is one of the most modern plants in the State. Mr. Yentzen is the owner of the Nederland Bakery, which was established here in the early days and which he bought out in March, 1915, at the time of his ar- rival in the city. At that time he operated the bakery, a small plant, alone, gradually expanding as the quality of his bread became known, until now he has one of the largest bakeries in Jefferson County, equipped with the most modern bread bak- ing equipment, and employing a force of eleven operatives. The plant has a baking capacity of ten thousand loaves of bread per day, Mr. Yentzen specializing in this product, and he has built up a trade which extends to Port Arthur, Port Neches and Beaumont, supplying this trade with a fleet of four motor trucks. The product of the Nederland Bakery is regarded as the finest bread baked in this section, and in addition to the trade supplied by truck Mr. Yentzen handles a large shipping business.

George Yentzen was born at Donaldsonville, Louisiana, the sixth of August, 1886, son of the late S. Yentzen, pioneer baker of that city, who for thirty-six years owned a bakery there. Mr. Yentzen was educated in the schools of Donaldson- ville, and was practically raised in his father's bakery. He began making bread before he could reach the bench, using a box to stand on, and at as early an age as eight years was to be found in the shop engaged in this work. He has con- tinued in this business all his life, with the exception of several years during which he played pro- fessional baseball with the Gulf Coast League. In 1909 Mr. Yentzen came to Jefferson County, work- ing in a bakery at Port Arthur. While there he heard that the small shop at Nederland was for sale, and in March, 1915, rode to this city on his bicycle, purchasing the shop, which he has since operated very successfully. Mr. Yentzen is also a director of the First National Bank of Port Neches.

Mr. Yentzen was married at Donaldsonville, Louisiana, the second of June, 1908, to Miss Louis- ette Heriard, a native of that State. They have five children: Norman, Veril, Velma, Mary Ruth, and George, Jr., the family residing at Nederland.

RANK W. BYRNES began his career in the hotel business when a boy fourteen years of age, and has been actively engaged in this line of endeavor since that time. His first work in his chosen line was as vegetable boy at the Metropole Hotel in St. Joseph, Missouri, in 1898, and he remained with this famous hotel, which at that time was the finest in the city, until 1907, and during this period he had held many positions in his line of promotion. He then went with the Marion Hotel at Little Rock, Arkansas, where he remained for a period of ten years, from 1907 to 1917, and served this famous hostelry as Chief Clerk, Cashier and Service Manager. In 1917, he went with J. E. Hutt, contractor for the Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railroad, as superintendent of the commissary of this railroad, and remained in this capacity until 1920. He then became associated with the Huckins Hotel

Company at Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and later was assistant manager of the Huckins Hotel in the Oklahoma capital, and remained in this position until he came to Beaumont as manager of the Hotel Beau- mont, March 1st, 1925. Leaving this position, he has become manager of the Fenway Hall, Cleveland, Ohio.

Mr. Byrnes was born at Atchison, Kansas, on March 17th, 1884, and his education was obtained in the public schools of his native city, which he left at an early age in order to start his business career.

Mr. Byrnes was married at St. Joseph, Missouri, on November 22nd, 1905, to Miss Elizabeth Wethe- roth, a member of a well known family of Missouri. They have one child, Marion. Mr. Byrnes is a mem- ber of the A. F. and A. M. with membership in Little Rock, Arkansas, Blue Lodge, and is a Shriner with membership in India Temple Shrine at Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Mr. Byrnes is well and favorably known to the traveling public throughout the coun- try, and has made a host of friends wherever he has resided.

OHN L. LYONS, for upwards of two de- cades a factor in the lumber industry, since coming to Beaumont a number of years ago has been interested in civic de- velopment, and has contributed to the industrial advancement of the city. Mr. Lyons is president of the Southern Land and Lumber Company, manufac- turers of lumber, and one of the largest firms here engaging in this industry. The business was estab- lished in 1921, and has developed rapidly. The large new plant, one of the best here, is modern in every detail, and represents the highest type of industrial construction. The plant, affording more than thirty- thousand feet capacity, is equipped with dry kilns, and every facility for turning out the highest grade of lumber. Everything for house construction is manufactured in the plant, and a force of sixty operatives are employed. The plant is located on a thirteen and a half acre tract at the corner of Fourth and Cedar Streets. The officers of the Southern Land and Lumber Company are Mr. Lyons, the subject of this sketch, president; and P. E. Ham- mons, vice president and treasurer.

Mr. Lyons also has other business interests at Beaumont, and owns much city residence property here. He has developed and put on the market a residence addition, and is a director of the Beau- mont Sash and Door Company, and vice president of the De Quincey Wholesale Grocery and Grain Company, at De Quincey.

Mr. Lyons was born at Lake Charles, Louisiana, the fourth of July, 1875, son of J. L. Lyons, a timber and logging man of Louisiana, and Martha Perkins Lyons. He was educated in the schools of his native state, later going into the timber business, and in 1907 organizing the Lyons Lumber Company, at Lake Charles, which he operated until 1922. This company owned large mills and thousands of acres of timber and was very active in the lumber busi- ness. Mr. Lyons came to Beaumont, organizing his present company in 1921, and has since been in the lumber business here.

Mr. Lyons was married at Beaumont, in 1911, to Miss Mollie Wilson. They have one child, Minnalee, and reside at 1198 North Street. Mr. Lyons belongs to the Beaumont Club, the Beaumont Country Club, and is an Elk and a Hoo-Hoo.

1685

MEN OF TEXAS

W. BARNGROVER, one of the most hon- ored pioneers of Liberty County, and for a number of years a factor in the life at Daisetta, while growing up with this com- munity and prospering as it has prospered, has taken an important part in developing and culti- vating the lands of the county, as well as directing large ranch activities, and has taken an active interest in developing the oil resources of this section. Nearly half a century has come and gone since Mr. Barngrover came to Liberty County, years that have been filled with progress, and which have seen the county grow from a part of the frontier, to a busy, rich country, in the heart of a great oil and agricultural district, and in this development Mr. Barngrover has always taken a prominent part. Liberty County can boast of no truer, more generous citizen, than this splendid man who has given so largely of his time and means for the development of its resources, and his richly lived life is an in- spiration to all who knew him.

Mr. Barngrover was born at Shelbyville, In- diana, the third of January, 1851, the son of James Barngrover, a farmer and merchant of Indiana. He attended the schools near his home, and after leaving school was a farmer in his native state until 1877. The fifteenth of January of that year, Mr. Barngrover, then a young man of twenty-six, came to Liberty County and worked here until after his marriage. Mrs. Barngrover had some land here, as well as cattle, and after his marriage he de- voted his time and attention to looking after her interests. Mr. Barngrover had in his original herd some nine hundred head of cattle and about seventy- five head of brood mares and stallions. When the discovery of oil attracted the attention of operators to this section the land owned by Mr. Barngrover was drilled on, and oil discovered on two different tracts near Hull, a forty-acre tract and a thirty-one- acre tract. The royalties since 1919 have run from ten thousand to three thousand dollars per month, and the wells are still producing oil in commercial quantities.

Mr. Barngrover takes a great interest in the cattle business and is anxious to see his sons become real cowmen. He has recently bought nineteen hundred head of stock cattle from E. D. Pruitt, and also seventy-five brood mares. To provide range for the cattle he has leased nine thousand acres of land, all fenced and equipped with pens, corrals, wells, etc. He also has a pasture of some three thousand acres just south of Daisetta, and a pasture on the north of town of five thousand acres. His brand,, G. B., has been used since 1882. He has thoroughbred stallions, and also a number of colts and geldings, and has recently furnished the Remount Station with a number of mounts.

Mr. Barngrover was married in December, 1904, to Miss Ida May Barrow, at the old family home of the bride near Hull. Mrs. Barngrover was a mem- ber of a pioneer family of this section, her people having come here prior to the Civil War. Her father died a number of years before her marriage, and she had made her home with her mother, Mrs. Hannah Barrow. Mr. and Mrs. Barngrover have three children, all born on the old family place: George Alfred, Willie Mason and Tinnie Ellen, They attend the Baptist Church, and take a promi- nent part in the social life of their neighborhood.

Mr. Barngrover's home on the road into Daisetta is typical of the old Southern Texas ranch house, and is a comfortable, pleasant home.

Mr. Barngrover also has property interests in Daisetta, including some twelve rent houses and two store buildings, and has a garage and a store building in Hull. On the road into Daisetta he has six rent houses, and for these drilled for water, getting a flow of sixty-six feet, which he piped into the houses. Mr. Barngrover is a member of the Cattle Raisers Association, and is a man whose standing in the community is of the highest. There have been few progressive movements in this sec- tion which have not found him in the ranks, and he has been a leader in all civic improvement and development work.

DWARD ILFREY, a native of Cedar Bayou, and one of the progressive and well known business men of this section, has been for two decades a factor in the commercial life of his community, as a merchant, and has taken an active interest in all development work. Mr. Ilfrey is the proprietor of Ilfrey's Store, a general mercantile establishment, which he established in 1905, and which has since been an integral part of the life of the community. A large and complete stock is carried, and there are few demands in the town that cannot be met by Mr. Ilfrey. His store, on the bank of the bayou, at the ferry, occupies a large building where the stock is conveniently and attractively arranged, and caters to a trade extending beyond the town, and well into the sur- rounding country. Mr. Ilfrey makes an especial effort to build up country trade, and knows not only how to select and arrange merchandise in a way that will appeal to the country buyer, but by his genial personality has formed friendships that have been no small factor in his sucess.

Edward Ilfrey was born at Cedar Bayou, the nineteenth of February, 1869, son of August and Mary D. Ilfrey, who were old settlers here. The elder Mr. Ilfrey was a ship builder and for many years his ship yards and shipping ways were lo- cated here. As a boy Mr. Ilfrey attended the local schools, and began at an early age to work in his brother's general mercantile store here. In 1905 he bought out his brother, and has since operated the store, on the bayou, near the ferry, that has been a part of the life of the community for so many years. Mr. Ilfrey also has farming interests in the county. He is a practical business man, conversant with modern business ways, and has used his influence in the business world for the advancement and prosperity of his community.

Mr. Ilfrey was married at Cedar Bayou in 1892, to Miss Elma Arlow McLean, daughter of W. B. Mc- Lean, a farmer and land owner of Chambers County since the early days, and Milicia McLean, also of a pioneer family. Mr. and Mrs. Ilfrey have made their home in Cedar Bayou and have three children: Ivy Clarence, Ovita and Nina Erette. The family attend the Methodist Church, which they actively support, and take an interest in the social life of their community. Mr. Ilfrey is a Master Mason. He is one of the best known business men in Harris County and has many friends, both among business men and the farmers and ranchers, who appreciate his real worth and value to the community.

1686

G. W. Barngrover

NEW ENCYCLOPEDIA OF TEXAS

LARENCE E. BOOZ, well and favorably known to the oil fraternity, and one of the sterling citizens of Port Arthur, has for many years been identified with the petro- leum industry, from a scientific angle, and is an international authority on oil testing and the qual- ity and purity of petroleum products. Mr. Booz is manager of Charles Martin and Company, which began operations at Port Arthur shortly after the Beaumont field came in, and which has taken a fore- most part in oil testing since that time. Offices are maintained in the Realty Building, where they have a complete laboratory for testing petroleum prod- ucts for purity and quality. The firm has an inter- national reputation, and is the largest of its kind in the world. They guarantee the purity and quality of oil, their inspectors seeing that they pass all legal tests, and buyers all over the world employ the firm to make any required tests on oil coming from this field. They have approximately twenty- five inspectors in the field, under the jurisdiction of the Port Arthur office which controls the branches at Houston, Galveston, Texas City, Sabine, in Texas, and Baton Rouge in New Orleans, in Louisiana. The business was established in the East more than four decades ago, for the purpose of testing quality and quantity of oil in Eastern fields, and has since been extended to include other fields, chiefly those of the coastal district. Other members of the firm in addition to Mr. Booz, the subject of this sketch and manager of the Port Arthur office, are: Ran- dolph Sluter, of New York, and George E. Dryden, of Kerrville, a resident of the Lone Star State for two decades.

Mr. Booz was born in Jersey City, New Jersey, the third of February, 1879, the son of Norman Booz, a native of Pennsylvania, and a railroad man of New Jersey for many years, and Ella (Hansel) Booz, a native of New Jersey. Mr. Booz was edu- cated in the public schools of his native state, and after leaving school began with the Standard Oil Company of New Jersey, going with this corpora- tion at the age of sixteen, in 1895, as office boy. He applied himself with diligence to learning the operation of this great business, and in a short time was making up pay rolls, and filling other positions of responsibility. He remained with the Standard Oil Company until 1905, when he came to Port Ar- thur and went with the Gulf Refining Company, and in 1906, when the firm of Charles Martin and Com- pany was established here, he resigned from the Gulf Company to come with the newly established office, with which he has since been associated. Mr. Booz is familiar with petroleum in all phases, from the time the crude oil is pumped from the wells, into the storage tanks, through all the refining operations, until the product is placed on the mar- ket. He has given many years to the study of the chemical properties of petroleum and its prod- ucts, and to testing operations, and there are few men, if any, who have at their command the expert knowledge of this field that is his. He is well qual- ified to fill the present position of responsibility, and his word in regard to petroleum analysis is taken as final by buyers throughout the world.

Mr. Booz was married in New Jersey, the twenty- second of August, 1900, to Miss Louise Dryden, a sister of George Dryden, also a member of the firm of Charles Martin and Company. Their home, at

2549 Lake Shore Drive, is one of the finest resi- dences of Port Arthur. Mr. and Mrs. Booz have three children, Clarence E. Booz, Jr., in the auto- mobile business at Port Arthur, and in charge of the distribution of Maxwell cars in this section; George Booz, a high school student, and Alfred Nor- man Booz. Mr. Booz is a director of the Chamber of Commerce, and a member of the Rotary Club, and the Elks Club. He is a man of constructive vision, and has used his influence in the petroleum industry to further its development in the coastal fields, and a large measure of the success that this industry has attained is attributed to him. As a citizen he has taken a deep interest in civic advance- ment, and stands firmly on the side of progress, believing in the future of Port Arthur, and actively supporting all development work.

RTHUR F. WOLFORD, one of the younger element of progressive business men who have done much to advance Port Arthur commercially, for around a decade has been a factor in the produce business here, and has at- tained a high reputation for his activities in this line, and his interest in civic affairs. Mr. Wolford is vice president and general manager of the Wol- ford Produce Company, Inc., one of the largest wholesale produce houses in the city, and one hand- ling a large volume of business annually. The Wol- ford Produce Company, Inc., was established in Port Arthur in 1918, and incorporated in June, 1922. The firm handles poultry, eggs and butter, and also imports and roasts coffee, supplying the retail deal- ers of this section with country produce and coffee that is strictly first class. No less important from a civic standpoint, the firm affording as it does a continued market for country produce, has done much to encourage poultry raising in this section. The business occupies a modern building at 248 Procter Street, and has a force of twelve employees. The officers are, Arthur Wolford, Sr., president; Arthur F. Wolford, the subject of this sketch, vice president, and S. J. Wolford, secretary and treasurer.

Arthur F. Wolford was born in St. Mary's Parish, Louisiana, the sixth of July, 1892, the son of Arthur Wolford, a native of that parish, and until his re- tirement in 1922 a prominent lumberman and banker there. He now makes his home at Port Arthur. Mr. Wolford's mother, whose maiden name was Miss Laura Bienvenue, is also a native of Louisiana, but now lives in Port Arthur. Mr. Wolford wa's edu- cated in the public schools of St. Mary's Parish, and after finishing his education there he was in the lumber business with his father for a time. He came to Port Arthur in 1916, and went in the gro- cery business, two years later establishing the pro- duce business which has since grown to be one of primary importance from every standpoint.

Mr. Wolford was married at New Iberia, Lou- isiana, the eighteenth of September, 1913, to Miss Yetta Le Bourgeois, a native of Louisiana. They reside at 1910 Ninth Street, in Port Arthur, and have five children, Arthur F., Jr., Carroll W., Bert, Roy and Laurie. Mr. Wolford is a member of the Civitan Club and the Chamber of Commerce, and is a leader in all work for the advancement of Port Arthur along civic lines. As a business man he has done much to encourage development, and Port Arthur owes much to him for his work in this field.

1689

MEN OF TEXAS

W. KING, well known lumber dealer and business man, has been actively identified with the commercial and civic interests of Beaumont for the past forty years and has witnessed the growth of the city from a struggling village to its present commanding position among the cities of Texas. With many of the important movements that have had their part in the growth and development of Beaumont, Mr. King has been prominently connected.

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New encyclopedia of Texas, volume 2, Part 93

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