The encyclopedia of Texas, V.1, Part 69

Author: Davis, Ellis Arthur, ed; Grobe, Edwin H., ed
Publication date: 1922
Publisher: Dallas, Texas Development Bureau
Number of Pages: 1204

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On October 17th, 1878 Mr. Cole married Miss Enina E. Bell. They were the parents of four children; Davella, now Mrs. Carothers; Catherine, now Mrs. M. G. Landrum; Thomas C. and Anson T. Cole, In 1918 Mr. Cole married Mrs. K. V. Wilson and they have their home at 5736 Goliad Ave.

In fraternal orders Mr. Cole is a member of the

I. O. O. F., the Knights of Pythias, the Shriners Hella Temple, and is a Scottish Rite Mason of thirty- second degree. He is also a member of the Cedar Crest Country Club.

Although sixty-five years of age Mr. Cole is still hale and hearty and his business career of over- half a century will continue to render the great ser- vice to the people of Dallas that it has for the past years.

AMES L. GOGGANS attorney at law, Amer- ican Exchange Bank Building, Dallas, as the lawyer and counsellor of Dallas County and the State of Texas in many legal pro- ceedings has established quite a reputation for him- self as a civil lawyer of the best type. Having made a special study of the civil affairs of cities, counties and states he is especially well qualified in that line of legal work, and devotes a large part of his time to its practice. Among his clientele he has represented the City of Highland Park, the County of Dallas, the Federal Mortgage Company and the Pan-American Life Insurance Company.

He now maintains an office at Breckenridge, Texas, under the firm name of Goggans, Bateman & Leaver- ton. This firm represents the First National Bank of that city, Wallace & Brooks Refineries and numer- ous other substantial oil interests.

A son of John C. and Mary Adello (Long) Gog- gans, James L. Goggans was born in Newberry County, South Carolina, the 14th of November, 1879. The eldest of seven children, two of whom were brothers and four sisters, Mr. Goggans was fortu- nate in having the environment of a large family. He received his early education in the South Caro- lina public schools, and then attended the Newberry College, from which he received the degree of Bachelor of Arts in 1898. In 1902 he moved to Texas and the following year attended the law school of the University of Texas, graduating with a Bachelor of Laws degree. In 1903 he came to Dallas and started the practice of his profession, at first alone but later forming a partnership with Hiram F. Lively. This partnership was dissolved at the end of a two year period and Mr. Goggans again resumed his independent practice, which he has continued ever since. In his practice he has tried many difficult cases that involved the construc- tion of constitutional articles and laws and the cases that he won on these points had great influence on the future application of the principles. In Lively, et al., vs. The Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railroad, et al., he was successful in sustaining the construction of the law as he saw it. In 1919 he represented Dallas County in the $6,500,000 road bond issue and was the counsellor for the City of Highland Park in the beginning of its street pave- ment campaigns.

In 1911 Mr. Goggans married Miss Mary Horton. Hopkins, of Marshall, and they have two children, Mary Elizabeth, age nine, and James L. Goggans, Jr., age 6. Their home is at 1819 Bennett Avenue, Dallas. Although Mr. Goggans specializes in the practice of civil issues involving cities, counties and states, he has ever a willing hand to those who need the counsel and advice of a civil lawyer and has often extended his legal services to the needy without compensation. He is a member of the Dallas Bar Association and of the Scottish Rite Bodies and Hella Temple Shrine, also of Dallas.

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OSCAR SMITH, President of the Reserve Securities Co., A Finance, Mortgage, Loan and Trust Co., being merged into a Trust and Savings Bank, and known later as the Reserve Trust and Savings Bank, has been dealing with securities of Texas Companies for the past sixteen years and for the past thirteen years has been doing business in this city.

The Reserve Securities Company of Dallas, was organized in 1919 with a capitalization of $100,- 000.00. Its volume of completed business thus far has amounted to about three million dollars. Profits were large enough to justify the distribution of thirty-one percent (31%) to our people in 1920.

The purpose of organizing the RESERVE SECURITIES COMPANY was to ultimately merge it into a modernly equipped mortgage, trust, and savings bank. In raising the capital from $100,- 000.00 to one million dollars, they are carrying out the original idea by adding the following depart- ments: Bond and Mortgage, Abstract Department, Title Guarantee Department, Mortgage Policy De- partment, Real Estate Department, Trust Depart- ment, Savings Department, Banking by Mail, and Securities Department.

Mr. Smith was born at Rosebud, near Searcy, White County, Arkansas, on the 24th day of Sep- tember, 1882. He was reared by Dr. W. G. Mc- Cuiston, of Paris, Texas, taking him at the age of twelve years. Dr. McCuiston is a physician and druggist of Paris and is well known in that city for his attainment in the medical profession. and is one of the pioneer families of Texas. Mr. Smith was edueated in the public schools of North Texas, and remained on the farm of Dr. McCuiston's until his eighteenth year, at which time he returned to his native state and started in the Hotel business under the management of E. H. Hudson of Lansing, Mich., who conducted the leading Hotel at Ft. Smith, Arkansas.

In 1905 he engaged in the Insurance business in Ft. Smith, Ark. In 1907 he moved to Dallas and be- came associated with the Franklin Life Insurance Company of Springfield, Illinois, as City Manager and remained there until 1909, at which time he formed a connection with James A. Stevenson the originator of the Southland Life Ins. Co., and also its first President.

In 1912 he became a member of the City Sales De- partment of the Dallas Trust and Savings Bank. He resigned this position in 1914 and went into the brokerage business for himself, in which he remained for the next ensuing four years, at the end of which time reorganized the Reserve Securities Co.

June 1, 1905, Mr. Smith was married to Miss Ella Elisabeth Brogan of Fort Smith, Arkansas. Mr. and Mrs. Smith have one daughter Margaret Beatrice, and their home is at 4846 Swiss Avenue, Dallas. He is a member of the Chamber of Com- 'merce and the Dallas Athletic Club. In fraternal orders Mr. Smith is a member of the Knights of Columbus. In religion he is a Catholic and is a member of the Sacred Heart Cathedral of this city. DGAR L. FLIPPEN, president of the Arm- strong Packing Company, Cockrell and Alamo Streets, Dallas, has seen the business of his company grow from one and a half million dollars of sales in 1903, when he became head of the organization, to more than fifteen million dollars in 1919, with an inerease in 1920. The com-

pany was organized in 1891 and is the pioneer pack- ing enterprise of Texas and, with the exception of the plants of Armour and Swift at Fort Worth, is now the largest in the state.

Mr. Flippen became identified with the company as secretary-treasurer in 1900 and eight years later became president and active manager. From an operating capital of $250,000 in 1908 the company has grown until its combined capital and surplus now is one and one-half millions.

Under Mr. Flippen's direction the plant was en- tirely rebuilt in 1912 and now employs 425 . people. During the year 1920 an additional quarter of a mil- lion dollars is being spent in new buildings and equipment.

Mr. Flippen is a native Texan, having been born at Bryan in 1876, and is an ardent believer in the greatness and possibilities of the Lone Star State. He was edueated at Garden City, Long Island, and graduated in 1893. His earliest business activity was in the banking business, his father having been a prominent banker at Bryan and later established the private banking house of Flippen, Adoue and Lobit at Dallas. He is a director of the American Exchange National Bank and of the Planters Cotton Oil Company and Dallas Power and Light Company, a member of the Dallas Country and City Clubs and Chamber of Commerce. He is also vice-president State Fair of Texas, director Dallas Telephone Co., Republic Insurance Co., Great Southern Life Insur- ance Co., Mineral Wells & North Western R. R. Co., Dallas Union Stock Yards Co., Highland Park Water Co .; president Flippen Investment Co (private bank- ers), first vice-president Morris Plan Co., director of Dallas Hotel Co and owner of Adolphus Hotel. He is also president of the Flippen-Prather Realty Com- pany, which developed the beautiful suburban ad- dition of Highland Park, lying just to the north of Dallas.

Mr. Flippen is deeply interested in development of the natural resources of Texas and believes that work along this line is just fairly commencing. He has great faith in the future of Dallas and expects to see it a city of 300,000 inhabitants within a very few years.

Mr. Flippen was married in April , 1900, to Miss Minnie May Armstrong, daughter of the late J. S. Armstrong, founder of the packing company which still bears his name. They have no children.

A man of rare vision and keen business acumen, Mr. Flippen is fast taking his place as one of the foremost and most progressive business men of Texas and the Southwest.

W. COTTON, District Manager for Wilson & Company, Paekers, with offices at 100412 Commerce St., took up the duties of his present position on eoming to Dallas in 1914. The firm of Wilson & Company was estab- lished in 1903 and now maintains branches in prac- tically every state in the Union as well as all civi- lized eountries of the world, with headquarters at Chicago, Illinois. At present Mr. Cotton, as District Manager of the Dallas branch, has under his super- vision 300 employees, keeping 85 salesmen on the road while the business of this particular branch has increased from less than one million dollars the first year to more than twenty millions for the year just passed.

After leaving school Mr. Cotton's first position was that of trucker for Wilson & Company from

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which he steadily worked his way upward, becoming shipping clerk, car router, salesman, bookkeeper and in 1911 he was made Cashier and Credit man, advan- cing from that to Assistant Auditor, then Auditor, being appointed District Manager with headquarters in Dallas in 1914.

Mr. Cotton was born in Birmingham, Alabama in 1879. His father, W. C. Cotton, a planter, died when the son was only three years of age. His early education was gained in the public schools of Mt. Olive, Alabama, while later he worked his way through the Fourth District Agricultural College. In 1900 he was married to Miss Nettie Milton, daugh- ter of A. T. Milton, retired planter of Athens, Tennessee. They have five children, two girls and three boys. all attending the public schools of Dallas. The family reside at 3205 Hall street.

Being a Southerner by birth, Mr. Cotton is proud of the development of Texas and particularly proud of the success of Dallas, his adopted city, as a com- mercial center.

OHN J. SIMMONS, for thirty years a whole- sale grocer in Dallas, retired from that busi- ness in 1918 retaining, however, a line that he has consistently handled all these years, Bagging and Ties, and maintains an office at 208 Scollard building from which he directs the distri- bution of this product throughout Texas, as well as adjoining states, his firm being styled John J. Sim- nions and Company.

Mr. Simmons is a native of Whitfield County, Ga., born April 24th, 1862, and is the eldest son of Rev. Thos. J. Simmons, a native of Tennessee and Carrie King Simmons, a native of Georgia. He received his education in the country schools of Georgia, com- ing to Texas in 1884. His first work was that of a clerk in the town of Pilot Point, Denton County, Texas, at which place he was married in 1886 to Miss Julia Kendall a native of Kentucky, and who died February 28, 1918. Two children survive the union, Seth K. Simmons of New Mexico and Lula Mae Sim- mons residing with her father at 2512 Mckinney Avenue, the home occupied by Mr. Simmons for more than a quarter of a century.

In 1887 when the city of Dallas had some less than 25,000 population ,with but little prestige as a jobbing market, Mr. Simmons became associated as a traveling salesman for the firm Boren & David- son, which firm later became Boren-Stewart Com- pany, with which firm Mr. Simmons continued his connection until 1913, having acquired an interest in the firm and became its secretary, which place he held continuously until disposing of his interests af- ter a connection of twenty-five years. In 1913 Mr. Simmons organized the wholesale grocery firm of Simmons-Newsome Company. Following that or- ganization, Mr. Simmons and his associates acquired a large tract of land in close proximity to the freight depots, and after a large expenditure the tract was developed into an exclusive wholesale dis- trict where a large number of jobbers now conduct their business with facilities unsurpassed for heavy traffic, such as Mr. Simmons had been so long ac- customed to handling.

During all the years mentioned, Mr. Simmons has given much of his time and his money for the fur- therance of those issues political and municipal, in which he believed, and while never seeking public office for himself, has been a marked influence in politics for twenty-five years. He was active in the

organization that is known locally as the Citizens Association. Was the second president of the As- sociation, which organization has been directly res- ponsible for the municipal administration of the af- fairs of Dallas continuously for fourteen years, dur- ing which time he found time from his business af- fairs to serve on the Park Board during which the city obtained the major portion of her parks, includ- ing both Summit and Trinity Play Parks ,upon each of which is located modern play houses, as well as the first two and only colored parks in the city.

During Mr. Simmons residence in Dallas he has been many times honored by the people of his city and state, but he always refused to accept public of- fice, although serving in many capacities without compensation.

Not having yet reached the age of 59, it is a boast of Mr. Simmons that he lived to see six generations of the Simmons family, beginning with his great grandfather, who was a native of Ireland, on down to his grand children, John J. Jr., and Herbert W .. Simmons, residents of New Mexico.

At this time Mr. Simmons is serving his city as as Chairman of the City Plan Commission; he is a member of the Chamber of Commerce, of the City Club, one of the Trustees of the First Methodist Church and also a Director of the City National Bank.

Chief Justice Nelson Phillips in writing him said: "Many tributes that should touch your heart have been paid you in your time, and many more will come in the hereafter, and I would not attempt to say anything that might distinguish my own but I do want to say that more than almost any man I have ever known, you idealize the best that manhood possesses, in a generous heart, unfailing devotion, resolute purpose and untiring service for others. It sometimes happens than an uneven destiny does not yield these qualities the reward to which we always feel they are entitled, because human faility is such that the sense of obligation does not always follow service, but with you it is not so, and knowing you as I do, and the things you cherish most, I am certain you will always count it the achievement of your life that you were able to do these things, and that the only return you were willing to accept was the ap- preciation of your friends, among whom I am proud to number myself."

OHN V. HUGHES, president of Hughes Brothers' Manufacturing Company, has for thirty-five years been closely associated with the leading interests of the city, and has successfully conducted one of the largest candy manufacturing concerns in the entire South. Other officers of this company are H. C. Hughes, a son, who is vice-president, and C. E. Garner, secretary and treasurer.

Hughes Brothers, manufacturers of candy and confectioners, was organized by John V. Hughes in 1885, and occupies five stories and a basement of a building 80 by 120 feet square, at 1401-5 South Ervay street. A full line of assorted candies is manufactured and two hundred and fifty employees are retained at the factory to handle the immense amount of work required to fill orders. The stock of the company is incorporated at $150,000 and the concern sells approximately one million dollars worth of candy a year, their territory extending to all parts of Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Louis- iana.

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Mr. Hughes was born on a Virginia plantation. His father, F. E. Hughes, was a physician who moved to Dallas in 1873. Mr. Hughes attended the Dallas Public schools and Southwestern University at Georgetown, Texas, where he was graduated. Shortly after entering the business world the fac- tory which bears his name was established. The business has continued to grow and expand year by year, and Mr. Hughes now finds it necessary to add a second building. This addition he plans con- structing on the south side of the present structure, and will consist of five stories and a basement, thus doubling the capacity of the plant.

The Hughes home is built on 1500 Hughes Circle, a street named for the Hughes family.

Mr. Hughes takes a keen interest in all civic and municipal affairs and is an active member of the Dallas Chamber of Commerce. It is his prediction that in ten years time Dallas will be the largest city in the country south of Chicago.

NNIS W. CLEM, 813 Southwestern Life Building, Dallas, Texas, is Texas' chief sand and gravel man, as president of the Clem Gravel Company, a pioneer in the work and the largest gravel company. in the state. He leases gravel fields and pits over Texas and pays royalties to the owner. He controls the sand deposits near Denison, Texas, the only sand area of value in the state. He has plants at Trinity Mills, also near Carrolton and at Clem Spur; he works twenty em- ployees and his equipment delivers from 1,300 to 2,000 cars of output in a year but has the capacity that would put out 100 carloads a day. Lack of transportation facilities limits the company to the smaller yield. All kinds of concrete construction call for his products. He supplies regularly a good number of lumber yards and seven large contractors for all the material they use in his line. This pres- ent-day big business was started only ten years ago by Mr. Clem. The company was incorporated for $300,000 in September, 1920.

Arkansas is the native state of Mr. Ciem, he was born at Hot Springs, of that state, on September 21, 1858. His parents were William Clem and Elizabeth (Lloyd) Clem. After his education in Arkansas, the Clem family moved to Texas in 1889 and located at Dallas. Mr. Clem chose for his business career the oil industry; he organized the Clem Oil Company, an oil jobbing concern which later was merged into the Climax Refining Company. He had the Standard Oil Company to fight on every hand continuously but was successful as he was largely instrumental in getting the fine of $2,000,000 placed upon that cor- poration which the state of Texas did impose. He was also called as a witness in every case against the Waters-Pierce Oil Company, the Standard Oil Texas branch that was assessed a fine. In addition to their plants proper, the Clem Gravel Company owns all railroad tracks that lead to their pits.

In 1883, Mr. Clem married Miss Lucy Hawkins, of Arkansas. Their children are H. H. Clem, Winfield, Eugene and Armide, who is now Mrs. J. R. Davidson. The family reside at 5010 Victor, in Munger Place, one of the most beautiful residence sections of Dallas.

Mr. Clem is a Knights of Pythias, a member of the Lyons' Club, Automobile Club, Dallas Athletic Club and the Dallas Chamber of Commerce. For six years he was a member of the Oak Cliff Council. He was

the first man in the state of Texas to ship gravel by cars. He is a pioneer in his business, is a leader in his realm to this day, and is developing another one of the valuable natural resources of Texas.

ESSE D. PADGITT, president of Padgitt Bros. Co., Incorporated, manufacturers and wholesale saddlery dealers, is the head of an establishment which manufactures al- most everything made of leather, including saddles, harness, suit-cases, traveling bags and all kinds of shoe findings. In a comparatively short tinie the firm has passed from a little house to an establish- ment that is wholesale, retail and manufacturing in its scope and is not surpassed in size by any leather factory in the state.

From a little wholesale house on the west side of the square, begun in 1874, this business has steadily grown until it now has a floor space of 106,500 square feet. The wholesale department comprises a large stock of saddlery, harness, automobile tires and tubes and automobile bodies, lights and curtains. Six stories of the main building, 50x200 feet, are devoted exclusively for a stock room. The building has 125 foot front on Commerce Street and a 100 foot front on Jackson. A six-story brick building. 50x80 feet, adjoining used exclusively for a factory. The sixth floor of the factory is used for cutting saddle and harness material and for the dyeing ma- chines; the fifth floor is devoted to saddle making and the fourth to harness making; on the third floor is the boot and shoe upper department; on the second floor collars are cut and sewed and on the first floor they are stuffed and finished, also a two-story build- ing with basement, 75x100, used for leather and shoe findings. Every piece of machinery is thoroughly modern and the latest processes of harness and saddle making are employed. In addition to the 150 local employees from twelve to fourteen traveling salesmen are constantly on the road, covering the territory including Texas and adjoining states. Al- ready a substantial trade has been built up in Cuba and the firm has a Spanish representative there who has three traveling men on the Island. Negotia- tions are now being made to cover Mexico. The Padgitt Bros. Co. is the largest factory of its kind in the United States and does an annual business approximating $2,000,000.

Mr. Padgitt was born in Tennessee in 1851, but at the early age of three he was brought by his parents to Texas and was reared in this state. In 1869 his brother, W. C. Padgitt, established a retail store at Bryan, Texas. In 1872 Mr. J. D. Padgitt began a store in Corsicana and from there he fol- lowed the progress of the railroad northward until in 1874 he reached Dallas and established the fore- runner of the present house. A year later he was followed by his brother who became a partner in the Dallas business where he remained until his death in 1909. Perhaps no other business in the city so clearly epitomizes the growth of Dallas as does the Padgitt Bros. Co.

Mr. J. D. Padgitt, in addition to being president of Padgitt Bros. Co., is a director of the American Exchange National Bank, and of the Murray Co. Although the close application which his business has demanded has not allowed him to enter very largely into public affairs, he has nevertheless at- tracted to himself a host of friends and takes his piace as one of the foremost citizens of Dallas.

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MEN OF TEXAS

TTO LANG, florist. An ancient philosopher said, "If I possessed in this world but two pieces of money, I would take one and buy bread for my body and with the other I would buy flowers that I might have food for my soul." It is that people might have this "food for the soul" that Otto Lang, president of the Lang Floral and Nursery Company, 1214 Main Street, has devoted his entire interests, and the result is that Mr. Lang, from a humble beginning in 1888, has seen his business grow to a $350,000 corporation, employ- ing one hundred clerks to serve the public whose pur- chases keep fourteen auto delivery trucks racing as they operate from three stores, one of which is the largest flower store in the South-all because he has persuaded a city to "Say It With Flowers!" Other members of the firm are H. L. Edwards, vice-presi- dent and J. C. Walvoord, secretary-treasurer.

Mr. Lang came to Dallas in 1895, at the age of twenty, from Cuero, Texas, where he was born Sep- tember 30th, 1875. His parents were Charles and Alwine Nitsche Lang. He was educated in the public school system of our Lone Star State. After a three year stay in the city of Dallas, young Lang decided to go into business for himself and it was then, in 1898, that he established the Lang Floral and Nursery Company. That the youth was eminently correct in thinking a business which cares for the beauty hunger of the race is as much called for as the business which feeds the material man, is well shown in the incorporating figures of his business. In 1910 he incorporated his business at $46,000 and in 1912 at $70,000, and in 1920 at $200,000, and in 1921 at $350,000. His three stores are at 1214 Main, 1627 Elm and 3517 Ross Avenue. Three centers that touch the heart of the city. The company has a nursery at Richmond Hill, and one in West Dallas, just off the Dallas-Fort Worth concrete pike, an- other at Haskell and Mckinney Avenues. On Octo- ber 15th, they purchased the entire holdings of the Green Floral Company, built at a cost of over $500,000 by Col. E. H. R. Green and later purchased by Mr. Seth Miller which included about 200,000 square feet of glass with many houses for employees and about 47 acres of land. They also purchased the entire stock and greenhouse of the Haskell Ave- nue Floral Company of about 50,000 square feet, situated at Haskell and Watt Streets. The store at 3517 Ross Avenue is the largest retail flower store in the South. The Lang Flower and Nursery Com- pany has developed a wire factory in connection with the floral business so as to take care of hanging flowers, trellises, etc. The Seed Plant Division handles everything from every kind of flower seed to every sort of a vegetable seed. Seed onions and potatoes are bought by the car load lots as is also seed corn.

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The encyclopedia of Texas, V.1, Part 69

Author: Davis, Ellis Arthur, ed; Grobe, Edwin H., ed Publication date: 1922 Publisher: Dallas, Texas Development Bureau Number of Pages: 1204

Author: Davis, Ellis Arthur, ed; Grobe, Edwin H., ed
Publication date: 1922
Publisher: Dallas, Texas Development Bureau
Number of Pages: 1204