The encyclopedia of Texas, V.1, Part 93

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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pany. While the head of this organization Mr. Jones participated in the development of what was known as the wonder pool of the world at Burkburnett, personally superintending the drilling of several of this field's largest gushers. He was also very suc- cessful at Ranger and drilled one of the first large gushers near Breckenridge in Stephens County.

After the amalgamation of the Republic with the Eastland Oil & Refining Company, which then be- came known as the Aetna Petroleum Corporation, Mr. Jones continued as vice-president and general manager of the combined properties until February, 1921, when he resigned to again engage in business for himself. The Senoj Petroleum Corporation was granted a charter by the state of Texas on May 7, 1921, and is owned and controlled entirely by Mr. Jones.

A native of Georgia, Mr. Jones was born at Camilla on April 23, 1883. His father, J. A. Jones, Sr., was for many years engaged in the mercantile business at Jackson, Miss., where he still resides although retired from active business. Educated in the public schools of Mississippi, Mr. Jones early in life engaged in business with his father, continuing in this line for ten years when he became a travel- ing salesman. In 1910 he came to Houston where for the following four years he was owner and manager of the Independent Store, a retail dry goods establishment. In 1914 Mr. Jones left this line of activity to engage in the oil business, in which field he has become well known throughout the mid-continent section.

Mr. Jones is a member of the Mid-Continent Oil and Gas Association, the Dallas Chamber of Com- merce and the Lakewood Country Club. He resides at the Jefferson Hotel.

A. GOSSETT, oil operator and real estate dealer, Dallas, is numbered among the younger generation of progressive business men of this city where he has resided thirteen years. Since 1909 he has been engaged in the real estate and oil business. He has operated successfully in the various North Texas fields and to his credit are several large deals that were handled in a manner with judgment that would be a credit to an older and more experienced business executive. More recently he has given his attention to the newer oil fields of Texas and is giving considerable atten- tion to Kaufman and Van Zandt Counties.

Mr. Gossett was born in Kaufman County, Novem- ber 12, 1884, and attended the grade schools at Kauf- man, the Manual Training School at Kansas City, Mo., and then attended the Texas A. & M. College. His father, W. S. Gossett, was a Kaufman county planter. Mr. Gossett came to Dallas in 1909 and en- gaged in the real estate business, handling farm lands and continued in this line until he took up the oil business. He was married to Miss Fern White, a native of Texas, and they have four children, Frances, Rufus, A. J., Tom and Frank. Mrs. Gossett's father, T. F. White, is division superin- tendent of the Texas and Pacific Railroad at Fort Worth, and has been with the company for forty years.

Mr. Gossett is a member of the Dallas Auto Coun- try Club and the Dallas Auto Club, and takes a live interest in all movements tending to promote the welfare of Dallas.

He believes the city will become the great center of the oil industry in the Southwest.

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ENCYCLOPEDIA OF TEXAS

CLINT WOODS, Bob Waggoner Bldg., Wichita Falls, pioneer oil operator of Texas and active in the upbuilding of Wichita Falls. He has brought in four wells in Stephens County and one well in Wichita which yield him a handsome daily output. Electra and Humble Fields besides those just named have had their share in Mr. Wood's development.

Mr. Wood was born in Parker County, Texas. His father, B. F. Wood, came to Texas from Mississippi in 1856. His mother, Fannie Copeland Wood, was a native of Kentucky. As a lad, Parker County schools along with those of Dallas and Weatherford College gave G. Clint Wood his training except what he has since learned in the University of Experience which he values most highly. Mr. Wood's first busi- ness was in Beaumont where, from 1890 to 1901 he was in the Lumber business with the Beaumont Lumber Company. In 1901, he entered the oil busi- ness of that city in which he continued for eight years. In 1909, he went to Houston. The year be- fore he was one of the organizers of the Humble Oil Company. In 1911, he drilled in Electra. In 1919, he built the G. Clint Wood Building of Wichita Falls, a million dollar structure which he sold to Bob Waggoner in 1920. Mr. Wood has also erected several other business structures in Wichita Falls.

On Christmas Day in 1896, Miss Inez Martin of Beaumont, daughter of J. L. Martin, lumberman of that city, became the bride of Mr. Wood. They have four children-Lula, Frank, Preston, and Clint Bailey. The family reside at 1000 Brook Street.

A man so successful as Mr. Wood has social duties to render his community in addition to business interests. He is a director of the Chamber of Com- merce, a thirty-second degree Mason of the Dallas Consistory, a member of the Maskat Temple Shrine, of the Wichita Club and of the Wichita Country Club. He is also a director and vice-president of the Wichita State Bank and Trust Company. He served as chairman of the Board of Exemptions dur- ing war days.

As a builder and an organizer, Mr. Wood is of the first rank. In his section which will continue to call for men of this type for generations yet, and for men of big talent to match the gigantic calls of Wichita Falls, he is really one of Texas' bigger business men.

LBERT H. TARVER, secretary-treasurer and manager of the Tarver Oil Company, vice- president of the Tarver-Bennett Drilling Company, of Shreveport, La., manager of the Tarver & Bashara Oil Producers, of the Tarver Drilling Company and president of the Tarver Ship- building Corporation of Beaumont, Texas, resides at Dallas and has the distinction of paying from a capi- tal of $16,000, dividends of $1,200,000 in one year.

Mr. Tarver was born in Rosebud, Texas, on August 23, 1883. His native city gave him his first edu -. cation and then he entered the Sam Houston Normal of Huntsville, Texas. From his college work he went into the oil business and has grown up with it and in it. His parents, John D. Tarver and Mattie E. (Miller) Tarver, were pioneer Texans and his grand father was treasurer of Falls County. 1902 marks the beginning of Mr. Tarver's career in the oil business which to begin with with was simply as a rough hand and helper in the oil territory. He de- veloped into a driller and in 1907, he went into the .

business for himself. His first association was with the Driller's Oil Company, then he went with E. F. Simms of Houston, and next, in 1907, founded the Tarver Oil Company for himself. It is this company which under Mr. Tarver's Management from a capi- tal of $16,000 paid in one year a dividend of $1,000,- 000.00. He developed the Hardin County tract in the Sour Lake Pool. From his Sour Lake field of eighty acres, he developed thirty wells, sold over $1,500,000.00 worth of oil and then sold the holdings for $1,500,000 to the Gulf Production Company. He is active in Louisiana with twelve producing wells located in Bull Bayo, in the Pine Island Distriet. He is interested in twelve rotaries in this field and holds acreage in all North Texas Fields. On Janu- ary 1, 1919, Mr. Tarver moved his headquarters to Dallas, Texas.

In 1903, Mr. Tarver married Miss Minnie Ora Peeler, deceased since 1918. Ned, Kathleen and Jack are their three children, and they have resi- dence at 2700 Ross Avenue. Mr. Tarver is a Scott- ish Rite Mason, a shriner of El Mina Temple of Gal- veston, and a past master of the Blue Lodge for five years.

Young, energetic and unexcelled as a business man who already has to his credit immense ·inter- ests as the result of his own management, Mr. Tar- ver will be one of the big men in the Texas oil busi- ness for a generation yet to come.

R. LOWRY, independent. oil operator, 1402 Main Street, Dallas, came to Dallas in the latter part of 1918 and engaged actively in the oil business, having formerly been operating in the coastal fields near Houston and in the North Texas fields at Wichita Falls. Mr. Lowry, with associates, is developing their oil lands in the Blue Ridge and Humble fields in South Texas, where they already have production and are also putting down four test wells in Ward County. In the near future he also expects to drill in the Mexia `fields. Mr. Lowry also handles production and royalties and leases and probably owns more oil leases in Texas than any other man, totaling about 190,000 acres in 140 counties.

Mr. Lowry was born at Hinton, West Virginia, July 15, 1879, a son of N. M. Lowry, prominent at- torney and for many years law partner of United States Senator Albert B. Fall of New Mexico. Edu- cated in the public schools of West Virginia and Pennsylvania, Mr. Lowry arranged to matriculate at Washington-Lee University but entered the United States army at the outbreak of. the Spanish-Amer- ican war and went to Cuba with the 4th Virginia Infantry. After returning to the United States he was in the real estate business in Pittsburg, Pa., for two or three years and then came to Austin, con- tinuing in the real estate business until 1911 when he entered the oil business.

On July 10, 1907, he was married at Austin to Miss Alwina Marcus, member of a prominent Travis County family. They have two children, twin boys, Nelson and Louis.

Mr. Lowry is a great booster for Dallas and is a member of the Junior Chamber of Commerce, the Dallas Athletic Club. He has brought many eastern people to Dallas and through his office at 202 Key- stone Building, Pittsburg, has done much to bring attention of eastern capitalists to the possibilities of the Texas oil fields.

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9. le lix Hood

MEN OF TEXAS

RED B. FOSTER, oil operator and head of the well known firm of Fred B. Foster and Company with offices in Fort Worth, Breck- enridge and Los Angeles, came to Fort : rth from Tulsa, Oklahoma, in 1918 and has been : :: vely engaged in oil operations in various fields : North Texas since that time. Van B. Foster is issociated with Mr. Foster in the company, the partnership being formed shortly after Mr. Foster came to Fort Worth.

The organization has some highly valuable hold- ">< and has one well producing 340 barrels daily : Breckenridge and two other wells drilling. Twenty nien are employed and the firm owns acre- sce in Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana. Plans are tring developed for the commencement of drilling perations in Louisiana at an early date.

Mr. Foster was born at Chickasha, Oklahoma, and .. a son of C. S. and Kate L. (Bartell) Foster. He was educated in the public schools and graduated : the Chickasha high school in 1909, later attend- ing the University of Oklahoma. In 1910 he en- raged in the oil business, operating in Oklahoma, Wyoming and Kansas. From long experience in the fields Mr. Foster is thoroughly grounded in every detail of the production end of the oil business and has personally superintended all his drilling operations. In April, 1920, he organized the Louis- :ana-Stephens Company which has one well produc- ing and four more drilling.

Mr. Foster attended the first oficers' training camp at Fort Riley, Kansas, and was commissioned second lieutenant August 15, 1917. On July 23, 1918, he was promoted to first lieutenant and assigned as instructor in infantry tactics in various officers' training camps. He received his discharge in Jan- unry, 1919.

On August 17, 1918, he was married at Tulsa to Miss Hazel Miller, member of a well known Tulsa family. They reside at 1116 South Henderson.

Mr. Foster is a thirty-second degree Mason and a member of Dallas Consistory No. 2, Moslah Temple Shrine and the Temple Club at Fort Worth. He is deeply interested in civic affairs and is a member of the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce and the West Texas Chamber of Commerce. He also is a member of the Ad Men's Club, the Glen Garden Country Club and the Young Men's Christian Asso- ciation.

W ALTER R. STYRON, Fort Worth manager for the Humble Oil and Refining Company, came to Fort Worth from Houston in July, 1919, to accept his present position and has bern actively identified with the oil interests of this xection since that time.

Prior to coming to Fort Worth Mr. Styron was connected with the Federal Land Bank at Houston and resigned his position as examiner of securities in go with the Humble Oil and Refining Company.

A native of Alabama, Mr. Styron was born in Hale County, August 6, 1873, but with his parents, J. A. and Ann Hathaway (Green) Styron, removed to Texas when two years old. His parents settled at Cleburne and for many years his father was one of the best known business men of that section. He was also for some time a brigadier general in the Texas National Guard.

After receiving a good academic education in the public schools and the high school of Cleburne, Mr. Styron attended the Eastman Business College in

New York and in 1894 became one of the organizers of the Dallas Trust and Savings Bank, being made the first secretary of that institution and later hav- ing charge of its real estate department, in which capacity he continued until 1911. From 1911 to 1915 he engaged in the real estate business for himself, being junior member of the firm of Robinson and Styron. In 1915 he went to Houston and assisted in organizing the forces of the Federal Land Bank and became examiner of securities, a position he held until 1919 when he became identified with the Humble Oil and Refining Company and assumed charge of its Fort Worth office.

The Humble is one of the largest producers of crude oil in Texas and today has more than 4,000 barrels daily production in the North and Central West Texas fields, and is doing extensive develop- ment work in the Breckenridge and Rising Star dis- triets, having a total of fifty wells now drilling throughout various sections of West Texas.

On January 1, 1900, Mr. Styron was married at Fort Worth to Miss Antoinette Sawyer, a native of Indiana and daughter of Dr. E. W. Sawyer of Chi- cago. They reside at the Lucerne Apartments.

Mr. Styron is a great booster for Fort Worth and believes it is the logical center for the oil industry in Texas because of its strategic location with ref- erence to the various producing fields. He is a member of the Rivercrest Country Club and the Fort Worth Club. His church affiliation is with Saint Andrews Episcopal Church. A cool, level- headed, yet a progressive business man, Mr. Styron is coming to be regarded as one of the best posted men in the oil business in Texas. Since this sketch was written Mr. Styron was transferred to Houston. P. CLEMENTS, head of W. P. Clements & Co., oil investments and independent ope- rators, also real estate and oil investments, 300 Linz Building, is one of the oldest in- dependent oil operators in Dallas and has been en- gaged actively in the business for the past ten years. He has considerable oil interests and in addition to his oil activities operates a 600-acre farm in Denton county. He has lease holdings in Wichita county and at Ranger, and is developing both properties, confident of success.

Mr. Clements came to Dallas in 1900, and after attending the high school here he entered the fire insurance business. Later he engaged in the oil business with Dallas as headquarters, and in 1908 he went into the Electra field, leasing and drilling, and was interested in several companies operating in that district. He followed development of fields all over the state, owns some production and has recently brought in several wells. He is a native of Kaufman County, Texas, born at Forney, November 16, 1883, and attended the public schools there until he entered the high school at Dallas, where he fin- ished his education. His father, O. B. Clement, was a stock man in North Texas, and in his time was a .large property and land owner.

Mr. Clements was married in 1912 to Miss Cam- mack, daughter of J. C. Cammack, a well known Louisiana plantation owner, and they have two chil- dren, Betty and Billy. He is a member of the Cham- ber of Commerce, the City Club, the Dallas Country Club, the Dallas Auto Club, the Kiwanis Club and Hella Temple Shrine, being a 32d degree Mason, and . a member of the Dallas Commandery.

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ENCYCLOPEDIA OF TEXAS

EMPLE BOYNTON HOFFER, formerly general superintendent of the Humble Oil & Refining Company, Northern Division, today as president of the Fensland Oil Company, W. T. Waggoner Building, directs the activities of one of the most able and successful oil organizations of Fort Worth. An attractive daily production of 2,000 barrels and extensive acreage in the various proven fields are to the credit of Mr. Hoffer and his company. Though Texas has enjoyed a paying oil production for some years, it was not until the bringing in of the fields in the West and Northwest that her annual yield was su tieient to rank her as one of the leading oil territories of Uncle Sam. These new regions, while still in the beginning of their development, are among the noted oil fields of the world and in the heart of such productive territory, men of Mr. Hoffer's type will bring large and increasing credit to the Southwest and the Lone Star State.

Temple Boynton Hoffer was born at Austin, Texas, April 16, 1885. His father, John Hoffer, was a successful merchant in Western Texas for some years. The mother was Fanny (Boynton) Hoffer. The public and high schools of Clarendon, Texas, A. & M. College at College Station, are the allies that combined for the efficient training of Mr. Hof- fer. From the Texas A. & M. he received his B. S. degree in civil engineering. At the age of twenty, just from college, Mr. Hoffer accepted the position of draftsman in the engineering department of the Texas Company, at Beaumont, Texas, later at Dallas and Houston and for four years, 1906-1910, served in the general engineering work. In 1910, he was chosen division engineer for his company at Shreve- port, La., where he was stationed and remained until 1916; then he became associated with the Producers Oil Company, first as division engineer and later as assistant general superintendent with headquarters at Wichita Falls until October, 1917, when he ac- cepted the general managership of the Humble Oil & Refining Company, Dixie Plant, stationed at San Antonio. In 1918.he was transferred to Fort Worth, Texas, as general superintendent of the northern division of the Humble Oil & Refining Company. Shortly afterwards, he assisted in the organization of the Fensland Oil Company and was chosen president.

On October 25, 1910, at Houston, Texas, Miss Anita Owens, daughter of Col. John Owens, of Gal- veston, became the bride of Mr. Hoffer. Mr. Hoffer is not only zealous in business circles but is identi- fied with men in their social life as well; he is a member of the Fort Worth Club, Rivercrest Coun- try Club and Chamber of Commerce. In April, 1921, Mr. Hoffer was elected a member of the mineral executive committee of the Mid-Continent Oil & Gas Association. He is a Mason to the thirty-second degree and a Shriner. His church affiliation is Presbyterian. The Hoffer residence is at 1221 Elizabeth Boulevard, Fort Worth.

B ENJAMIN F. GRAHAM, well known inde- pendent oil operator and president of the Graham Oil and Refining Company, 812-819 W. T. Waggoner Building, came to Fort Worth in the spring of 1919 from California. The Graham Oil and Refining Company was organized January 2, 1920, with the following officers and directors: B. F. Graham, president, Nathan W. Hale, vice-president, Marshall P. Wright, vice-president,

P. B. Rodgers director. The company has an authorized capitalization of ten million dollars and has valuable holdings throughout Texas, Louisiana, Kentucky and Oklahoma. Besides its leases the con- pany owns a considerable amount of acreage in fee. It has not commenced drilling yet but expects to commence active development of its holdings in a short time.

Mr. Graham is a native of Texas and was born in Coryell county October 21, 1860, a son of Dr. O. D. and Martha (Thornton) Graham. His father was a well known physician and minister of the Baptist Church who came to Texas from Alabama in 1848, settling in Coryell county and living there continu- ously until his death.

After attending the public schools of Coryell county Mr. Graham engaged in farming and the mercantile business and then went to New Mexico where he engaged in the contracting business and mercantile lines. He was in business in Arizona for a while and then engaged in mining there and in old Mexico. He then went into California, Canada and British Columbia where he was interested in lumber. In 1908 he started in the oil business, operating in California, Oklahoma and various parts of the Northwest. In 1918 he began devoting his entire attention to his oil interests and has made a splendid success.

Mr. Graham was married to Miss Elizabeth Bollong of Seattle, Washington, member of a well known Seattle family. They have three children, Mrs. A. E. Malberg and Mrs. Dozier of California, and Cecil F. who also resides in California.

Mr. Graham is a Thirty-Second Degree Mason, a member of Medina Temple Shrine and the Oriental Consistory of Chicago and the St. Bernard Com- mandery, Knights Templar.

HERON F. PIERCE, of the Pierce Oil Cor- poration with offices on the nineteenth floor of the W. T. Waggoner Building, came to Fort Worth from New York City in July, 1919. The company has considerable production in various parts of the state. Some drilling is also being done in Oklahoma and Kansas.

The Pierce Oil Corporation is the oldest oil com- pany in the world, antedating even the Standard Oil Company of which it formerly was a part. The com- pany was established by C. Finlay, maternal grand- father of T. F. Pierce, and operated as marketers and refiners until two years ago when they entered the production end of the business. The company has large holdings in Mexico and built the first re- fineries constructed in the Southern Republic.

Mr. Pierce is a son of H. Clay and Minnie (Finlay) Pierce. His father, who has offices at 25 Broad Street, New York City, is one of the best known oil men in the world and is also noted as a railroad man and financier. He took up the oil game in 1870 when the Pennsylvania fields were opened and developed the Pierce Company until it became one of the strongest in the United States.

Young Mr. Pierce was educated at Smith Academy in Saint Louis and then entered Harvard University, graduating with the degree of Bachelor of Arts in 1906. Following the completion of his studies Mr. Pierce took a trip around the world and in 1908 went to work with the Pierce Oil Corporation in New York City, continuing there until his removal to Texas in 1919.

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السيد

MEN OF TEXAS

on January 3, 1920, Mr. Pierce was married in sew York City to Miss Louise Falconer, daughter .! Wm. H. Falconer, prominent real estate man and ajutalist of New York. They reside at the Lucerne j. atments, Fort Worth.

Mr. Pierce is a member of the Racquet and Tennis . .. b. Harvard Club, Rumson Club and Westchester .. untry Club of New York City and the Rivercrest t ountry Club of Fort Worth. He is very deeply ":crested in the civic affairs of Fort Worth and be- oves it has the best future of any city of Texas. He predicts that the commercial and industrial de- w riopment of the city will go forward steadily.

OKE W. HARKRIDER, Touraine Building, Fort Worth, Texas, of the Harkrider & Company, investment bankers, is among the aggressive oil producers of Texas today who are enjoying success to a very attractive degree; he is not a beginner. The Harkrider Oil Company was organized in 1912, under the influence of no "boom" tut as the outcome of good business sense and along this line it has proceeded from the day of its be- xinning. Its holdings are in the North Texas fields - - principally in Burkburnett and Breckenridge ter- ritories. It has a good production in these fields, and also some production in Ranger territory. The company has a substantial production and a number of wells are being drilled in proven fields. In ad- dition to the production business, the company buys and sells leases. Its main office is at Fort Worth, with a branch office at Breckenridge. This gives the holdings of the Harkrider Company in the heart of the richest oil territory of the United States. Texas was far down the line in its output of oil until these fields were brought in and with the develop- ment to date, they have already put the Lone Star State in the fore rank of Uncle Sam's oil producers. But in Mr. Harkrider's opinion Texas development is just beginning. The oil fields of North and West Texas have scarcely been tapped. In the immense development of the future, Mr. Harkrider and asso- ciates will have a prominent part.

Mr. Harkrider is a Scottish Rite Mason with membership in the Julian Field Blue Lodge. He is also a charter member of Moslah Temple Shrine. He is a charter member of the Rotary Club; he has membership in the Glen Garden Country Club and in the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce and West Texas Chamber of Commerce, in which organiza- tions he is an enthusiastic worker. His church af- filiation is Methodist.

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The encyclopedia of Texas, V.1, Part 93

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