The encyclopedia of Texas, V.2, Part 24

Author: Davis, Ellis Arthur, ed; Grobe, Edwin H., ed
Publication date: 1922
Publisher: Dallas, Texas Development Bureau
Number of Pages: 1328

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For eight years Mr. Reid was with the Gilsonite Construction Company of St. Louis, and worked for them during vacations while going to school and after leaving college. In 1900 he went to Dallas, Texas, for the Gilsonite Construction Company and worked on the Busch Building, the Adolphus Hotel, the Adolphus Hotel Annex, the Kempner Compress plant at Galveston, the Galveston Ice and Cold Storage plant, the Crystal Palace at Galveston and the Milam Street bridge at Houston. August 28, 1917, he was sent to Call Field as executive man- ager during the erection of the field by the Gilsonite Construction Company, November 1, 1918, he went into business in Wichita Falls under the firm name of Reid & Costley. He severed entire connection with the Gilsonite Construction Company, January 1, 1919.

Mr. Reid was born in St. Louis, Mo., August 4, 1889. His parents were G. C. and Irene Tally Reid. His father and his grandfather were both construc- tion men. He attended the public and high schools of St. Louis and attended the Rolla School of Mines, at Rolla, Mo.

He was married at Chester, Ill., January 16, 1916, to Miss Nellie Choisser, and they have one daughter, Katherine Reid.

Mr. Reid is a Mason, an Elk, a director in the Rotary Club and a member of the business council of the Chamber of Commerce, secretary of the Con- tractors' Association and director of the Wichita Falls Building and Loan Association.

ILLIAM A. OBENCHAIN, engineer with the Healey Construction Company, first came to Dallas in 1910, but did not locate here permanently at that time. His company makes a specialty of road construction, road and general contracting, and has handled some big jobs in road work in Delta County, Smith County, Texas; Harrison County, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Arkan-

sas; also built the Dallas-Fort Worth highway. Prior to joining the Healey Company Mr. Obenchain wa- with the Eastern Texas Traction Company from 1912 to 1914 as chief engineer; the Fred A. Jones Company in 1911; division engineer for the Stic .. Highway Commission of Kentucky, 1914 to 1917. and division engineer for the Highway Commission of Texas in 1918.

Mr. Obenchain served during the war in the Field Artillery, U. S. A., being commissioned captain at Ft. Benjamin Harrison, Ind., and assigned to the 326th Field Artillery. Later he was commissioned major with the 327th Field Artillery, 84th Division, and sent to Camp Zachary Taylor at Louisville, Ky.

He was transferred in France to the 351st Field Artillery with the 92nd Division. He was a member of the A. E. F. reaching English soil at Liverpool in September, 1918, and during his sojourn across the sea he was stationed in France, and at Camp De Souge. Later he joined the 351st F. H. at Pont- a-Mousson. He returned to the United States in March, 1919, and was discharged.

Mr. Obenchain is a native of Bowling Green, Ky., the date of his birth being September 21, 1888. His parents were W. A. and Lida (Calvert) Obenchain. and his father was a major in the engineers corps in the Confederate army, and also president of Ogden College. He attended school at Bowling Green, Ogden College and the University of Ken- tucky at Lexington, and belongs to the Kappa Alpha fraternity.

He takes a great interest in all matters pertain- ing to his profession, keeping up with every phase of it, and to further his knowledge along this line he maintains membership in the Technical Club of Dallas, the American Society of Civil Engineers, the Dallas Chapter of the American Association of Civil Engineers, being president of the chapter. He is also a member of the University Club, the Dallas Athletic Club and the Auto Club.

ALTER B. IRWIN, of the Natkin Engi- neering Company, heating and ventilating equipment, 1006 Dallas County State Bank Building, operates a flourishing business that has experienced material growth since its es- tablishment in the city. Mr. Irwin is co-partner of the concern with Benjamin Natkin, who manages the Kansas City office, and resides there. A branch office is also maintained at Omaha.

Mr. Irwin has been located in Dallas since Jan- uary, 1919, and in this time has installed heating and ventilating machinery in most of the com- mercial and municipal buildings in the city. He handles every kind of heating apparatus and his equipments have brought about the greatest satis- faction wherever they have been used.

Born in Chicago on November 8, 1883, Mr. Irwin was the son of William T. and Carrie B. Wagen- seller Irwin of that city. He was educated in the Chicago public schools, and took a course in com- mercial engineering. For a number of years after finishing his schooling, he was employed in the con- struction end of the business for a Kansas City construction company. About 1910 he resigned his position with this firm to accept a place with the Natkin Engineering Company. He was first made traveling salesman, and covered Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas, learning the busi- ness from this standpoint. So successful was his work in the field that it became evident that as a

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". mber of the firm he would prove invaluable. He was admitted into the company and took over the Dallas branch office.

Mr. Irwin was married in 1906 to Miss Gertrude Toss. They have one daughter, Helen. The Irwins nake their home at 3419 Dartmouth Avenue.

He is a Shriner and a thirty-second degree Scot- :. sh Rite Mason.

E. BACHMAN, owner and manager of the Argonne Hotel, Indiana at Tenth Street, Wichita Falls, is host at the heart of a city to the thousands of visitors that come through business or pleasure to Wichita Falls every year. A spacious and attractive lobby on the first Hoor, eighty commodious rooms, twenty-five of which are equipped with individual bath suites and twelve with connecting baths, telephone service to every guest, ten employees to supply every want of the visitor together with the cordiality that char- acterizes the management, are some of the features that make the Argonne Hotel popular. To the hotel men and their establishments are committed the responsibility of the first impressions of their city and, it is said, first impressions are the most lasting. No one is better aware of this fact than the Argonne and it is one of the most active institu- tions in promoting the influence of Wichita Falls.

Mr. Bachman is in his home town, he was born at Wichita Falls in 1893. His father was H. J. Bachman, a native of Pennsylvania, who moved to Bell County, Texas, at the age of twenty and then in 1885, at the age of twenty-five, located in Wichita Falls where he has resided since, until his death in 1916; the mother was Tillie (Priebe) Bachman. After completing the school system of his home city, Mr. Bachman took a business course at Fort Worth, Texas, and then began his business career, in the real estate office of his father. In 1916 he was given charge of the office and later took over the insurance division, and upon the death of the father, July 29, 1916, he took over the entire busi- ness. Until late in 1918, he was administrator for his father's property, and then he entered the oil business as a drilling contractor until January, 1919. At that time the building of the hotel was started, he superintended this activity and was then engaged as manager. Twenty-five more rooms have just recently been added to the main building, giving a total of 100 rooms.

In November, 1916, at Nashville, Tenn., Miss Mary Carter became the bride of Mr. Bachman. Her father is George W. Carter, a leading broker in Nashville. The family have residence at 2904 Tenth Street.

Mr. Bachman is a member of the Business Council of the Chamber of Commerce of his city. He is active in its civic interests and is doing an im- portant work in his activity in its behalf.

R. MONTGOMERY, for many years Fire Commissioner and associated with the Police service, of Ft. Worth, is well known and esteemed for his record of public ser- vice in his city. During the twenty years of. his public career, through combination of both native ability and experience, he ranks today as an efficient public officer.

O. R. Montgomery was born in Hamilton County, Texas, on February 24, 1872. Ilis father. J. F. Montgomery, is a Farmer who came from Georgia in 1871. His mother is Mollie (Read) Montgomery,

who was born in Rusk County, Texas, and now resides in Grayson County. The public school sys- tem of the Lone Star State provided all the book education of this Texan. From school he went to the farm, both while a boy and after attaining man- hood. Here he developed the physique that is his en- dowment today, and the virtues of honest toil and stickability which has characterized his long public career with reliability and perseverance. After leaving his boyhood home, he began farming for him- self in Ellis County. In 1901, he came to Ft. Worth as a resident citizen and began work in the Police Department, of North Ft. Worth in which capacity he served until 1905 when he was elected City Marshall for North Ft. Worth. In 1907, he was re- elected to this position which continued until North Ft. Worth was taken into the City of Ft. Worth when he became Assistant Chief of Police for Ft. Worth. In 1913, he was appointed Chief of Police and in this office continued until he chose to become County Detective in connection with the County Attorney's office, in April, 1915. In 1917, he was again chosen Chief of Police and served from April until October when he was elected to fill out the unexpired term of Commissioner Parsley, deceased. In 1919, he was re-elected. He intends to retire from the service at the expiration of his present term, but the city of Ft. Worth no doubt will continue to draft his service in some department for the public wel- fare as she has done in the past. He has made a life study of municipal life and problems and ranks with the leaders of today in efficiency in solving municipal problems. Merely his residence in any city is a wealth and strengthening of its life because of his ripe knowledge and experience. He is a member of the Board of both the City and the County Hospital.

In 1894, in Ellis County, Texas, Mr. Montgomery and Miss Rizpah Hudson, a native of Alabama, were united in marriage. They have three children- W. Roy, and the twins James Ralph and Ruth who is now Mrs. G. T. Eioson of Ft. Worth. The Mont- gomery residence is at 704 West Sixteenth Street, North Ft. Worth.

For his long record of public service, for his ef- ficiency, skill and mastery of many civic problems, O. R. Montgomery is a chief citizen in Ft. Worth where he is held in highest esteem by hosts of friends and admirers.

R. PORTER, ex-chief of police of the city of Fort Worth, in nineteeen years of public service has risen in esteem from a select company of friends upon his coming to Fort Worth in 1898 to a place of trust and honor where he is known and highly regarded by the popu- lace of a city. His first public service began in 1902 as patrol driver, then for over seven years he did service in uniform and for the following seven years served with the detective department; in 1915-1916 he operated as private detective; in 1917 he was made assistant chief of police of Fort Worth. There were 115 men in his department, many with records that are thrilling in their experiences and are noted for their faithful efficiency. Among these are Tom Jackson, chief of the detective department, a peace o Icer for eighteen years, and Henry Lee, assistant chief of police, a perce officer for the past six years.

R. R. Porter was born March 5, 1871, in Tarrant County. His father, H. H. Porter, came to Texas in the early sixties from Tennessee and located at

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Benbrook in Tarrant County. Accordingly the Ben- brook schools provided the education of R. R. Porter, who, being orphaned in youth, was reared by his grandfather, Mike Williams, on a farm near Benbrook. Upon entering into young manhood, Mr. Porter chose city activity to rural life and from 1895 until 1898 was active in Fort Worth as a dray- man. In 1898 he became deputy sheriff for Sterling P. Clark; he was field man for one year, court deputy a year and jailer the third year. It was then in 1902 that he entered the employ of the city and for a few months was patrol driver, policeman for seven and a half years, detective for the next seven, assistant chief of police from April, 1917, until October, 1917, when he became chief of the police for the city of Fort Worth. In 1921, after the open- ing of the Texas Hotel, he became house detective there.

Mr. Porter has two daughters, one by each of his two marriages, both of which mothers are de- ceased: Alma C., age twenty of the first union, and Mollie Rufe, age seven years by the second wife This girl baby has international recognition which began with her adoption as Mascot by the Chief of Police Association for the State of Texas when she was only twenty-eight days old, and then the official Mascot of the International Chief of Police Associa- tion of the United States. She also has another "first" record to her credit, having opened her own bank account with the First National Bank of For; Worth when she was twenty-eight days old, the most youthful depositor that financial institution has ever had.

Mr. Porter is a member of both the Elk and the Moose organizations. He is congenial as a friend and has a host who hold him in highest esteem. He is master of many phases of municipal life and has rendered with his training and knowledge, a worthy service to his city.

R. THOMAS, Fourth and B Avenue, Burk- burnett, as vice-president and general manager of the W. E. Thomas Lumber Com- pany of which W. E. Thomas of Rockyford. Col., is president, is the forefront of those supply- ing the entire oil fields of west and northwest Texas with their lumber supplies. Mr. Thomas is also president of the Burkburnett Chamber of Commerce, which makes him the chief spokesman for his city and the champion whose responsibility it most is to see that Burkburnett's actual development comes up to and keeps pace with its possibilities, Mr. Thomas is equal to both jobs, for no man more thoroughly believes in his city and part of the state and can lead it out better, and as a lumberman he is born and bred to the business. His father, the founder of the organization, has built up an inter-state lumber busi- ness in which his son, A. R. Thomas, has had a large part. The main office is at Kansas City, 416 Re- liance Bldg. There are ten branch yards-four in Missouri, three in Oklahoma, and three in Texas. The Texas yards are at Burkburnett, Vernon and Holliday. Seven office employees are retained at Burkburnett besides many laborers. Every class of building material is supplied by this progressive lumberman to any part of the oil fields.

Mr. Thomas was born at Bogard, Mo., Decemher 1892. His parents are W. E. and Mary A. (Walker) Thomas, He is the founder of the large Thomas lumber business of today. After completing the lower public schools of his native state, Mr. Thomas

attended the University of Missouri from which t .. graduated with the degree of LL. B. in 1913. How. ever, young Thomas was destined for the lum' ... business in which his forebears have been leader :: he began the lumber business in his father's offer .. and remained there until January 1919 except for the few months of military service. In May, 191 .. he enlisted as a private in the artillery; within : short time, however, he was commissioned a second lieutenant at Camp Zachary Taylor. He was dis. charged on January 1, 1919.

In 1914, at Hannibal, Mo., Mr. Thomas married Miss Lydia Foreman, a native of Missouri, educat- ed at Randolph Macon College of Virginia. They have one son, William E.

Mr. Thomas is a member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity and was District President of this organization for eight years. He is very active as a Burkburnett Booster and President of the Chamber of Commerce. His church affiliation is Baptist.

Youthful, energetic, educated and with unusual business ability, A. R. Thomas in the coming genera- tion will double the already gigantic interests of the W. E. Thomas Lumber Co. He is of the first magni- tude already as a lumberman in his territory.

AMUEL BENNET SPENCE as Secretary of the Chamber of Commerce of Burkburnett is spokesman in a large way through his activity and publicity for one of the most thriving secondary cities in the Lone Star State. The Northwest is big; big in its business, big in its natural resources, and big in its supply of men of vision. Villages of yesterday are cities of a score thousands population with a dozen of first class hotels today. This growth, though rapid, is perma- nent for it is founded on the natural resources of the territory and the future promises to be even more attractive for the development of this section is only in the beginning. The Chamber of Com- merce of Burkburnett was organized on November 23rd, 1920, but has already passed from its initial enrollment of 325 members to approximately 500. In January, 1921, Mr. Spence was admitted to the Bar of Justice of the State of Texas and in this realm he will be a leader because of his energy, ap- plication and natural ability that have already made him a success in dealing with men and the public.

Mr. Spence is a native of Georgia; he was born at Camilla of that state, on March 26, 1898. His father, W. N. Spence, deceased, was a lawyer of ability of his state; his mother is Annie Rogers Curry Spence, a native of Virginia. The public school system of his native state started the educa- tion of Mr. Spence which was completed in Mercer University of his state. Mercer University is well- known to the Southland as one of its older institu- tions of higher learning. Upon graduating, Mr. Spencer entered the employ of the Georgia Railway Company with which he was affiliated through 1919 and 1920. In October of 1920, he came to Burk- burnett at the call of the Chamber of Commerce and after a thorough review of the claims of the Lone Star State and the city calling him, he accepted the position of secretary of the new organization. From that date he has been one of the most progressive younger business men of Texas.

Mr. Spence is a "bachelor;" he was a prominent leader in the Alpha Tau Omega at his college and now is responsible in a large way for the progressive work of his city. He is familiar not only with its

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commercial life but its civic and social activities as well and thoroughly believes in the future of Burk- burnett.

R OBERT D. LANEY is mayor of Burkburnett, a city which has sprung up like magic amidst a wilderness of oil derricks, from a sleepy country village only a few years back; but this same Burkburnett today is one of the most widely known citics of Texas; its streets arc jammed with traffic, there are a dozen hotels instead of the one village inn, and the city has a Chamber of Commerce with the highest paid secretary in the United States. Mr. Laney is also part owner and manager of the Burkburnett Star. a newspaper pub- lished weckly with 2,500 circulation and working six employees.

Robert D. Laney is a native of Texas where he was born in the eastern part of the state in 1876. His father, W. N. Laney, was formerly a Texas merchant but now resides in Mississippi. As the family moved to the Blue Grass State while Robert D. was a boy, the school system of Louisville, Ky., gave Mr. Laney his education. He attended and completed the courses of the best business colleges of that metropolis also, and then for a business career began work with the Southwestern Telephone and Telegraph Company with whom he continued a good number of years. He then began work with light and water plants in which service he has be- come acquainted with most of Texas; in September of 1918 he took over the Burkburnett Star, began his career as a journalist and newspaper man and from that date and in that beginning he has become the foremost citizen and spokesman of one of Texas' livest smaller cities. He was elected mayor in August, 1919, but declined the position; at another second election he was elected in spite of his refusal and then accepted; in April, 1920, he was re-elected for another two years.

At Alvarado, Texas, in July, 1909, Mr. Laney and Miss Nannie Carson were married; Robert, Jr., is their son and the family reside at 404 Fourth Street, Burkburnett.

As one of the most efficient champions of his city's claims, interested in every civic and social welfare interest as well as in her commercial life, Mr. Laney as journalist and mayor of one of the leading cities of northwestern Texas, is a leader in a vast territory which will profit largely by the stamp of his influence.

LARENCE E. McDANNALD, Mayor of Elec- tra, Texas, secretary and treasurer of the Electra Hardware Co., busy at writing a history of his city, is a leader among men of big business of his city, and prominent in affairs in civic development. Associated with him in an official capacity is A. T. MeDannald, a brother, who is president of the Electra Hardware Company. The Hardware business is a large industry and especially in Mr. MeDannald's territory of oil fields. He handles everything that goes usually with his line and then in addition oil well supplies. His plant is spacious and attractive, twenty-five fect by one- hundred-fifty and he has five employees. A stock valued at $40,000.00 is carried at all times. The firm was organized in 1910.

Mr. McDannald was born in Missouri, at the town of Martinsburg, on January 17. 1881. His parents were J. T. McDannald and Jessie (Cockrell) MeDan- nald. Martinsburg, Mo., gave the youth his education

together with the work in Drake University, of Des Moines, from which Mr. McDannald graduated with the Class of 1901. That year he chose to link his destiny with the Lone Star State and according came to Texas, locating at Wichita Falls. For one year he worked with a mercantile establishment. In 1902, he came to lowa Park where for four years he worked on a stock ranch. In 1906, he entered the service of the First National Bank where he re- mained for one year and in 1907 he began business with the Farmers' Lumber Co. with whom he con- tinued for three years. In 1910, he came to Electra where he took part in the organization of the firm which he helps direct today.

In 1907, at Austin, Texas, Miss Bessie Hoop be- came the bride of Mr. MeDannald. She is a native of Waxahachie, Texas. They have two children-J. Tom and Virginia. The family reside at 1500 Wichita Street.

Mr. McDannald is a Knight Templar and a Shriner. He is a member of the Electra Chamber of Commerce and in 1918 he was appointed Mayor on the resignation of J. L. Parker. In 1919, he was elected to the Mayorality, to succeed himself. He is a Deacon in the First Christian Church. Energetic and talented, Mr. McDannald is already successful to an attractive degree.

B. MARLOW, 511 Eighth Street, Wichita Falls, formerly mayor of that city in the years 1918-1919 when all Texas first began to look toward and to visit that city, as partner in the real estate firm of Marlow Brothers, has, perhaps, as strong a hold on the combined in- terests of business property, residence property and oil property of his city and section as has any other man. As a resident citizen of Wichita Falls for the last thirty-six years, which years have been years of leadership and progressiveness, Mr. Marlow has acquired considerable and valuable holdings in his city and district. Other members of the firm are R. E. Marlow, his brother, and J. W. Marlow, his son. Real estate of every type-business, oil or residence-is handled and oil leases as well.

Mr. Marlow is a native Texan; he was born in Grayson County in 1873. His father, P. M. Marlow, was a native of Missouri who moved to Texas in 1846, a farmer and ranchman now deceased. His mother was Carrie Whittaker Marlow, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Whittaker who were both early settlers in Texas. The public schools of the Lone Star State gave J. B. Marlow their best and then he began ranch life which he followed for ten years; in 1885 he moved into the city of Wichita Falls and from that date he has been identified with the city. Farms, city property and oil leases, the latter in both Texas and Oklahoma, have claimed his at- tention.

In 1898, at Wichita Falls, Mr. Marlow married Miss Sophia Mataska, a Texan; they have two children, Miss Laura Marlow and J. W. Marlow, of his father's firm. The family residence is at 3500 Tenth Street.

Mr. Marlow is a Scottish Rite Mason to the thirty- second degree, and a Shriner in the Maskat Temple. He is also identified with the Elks of his city.

Wichita Falls has experienced a growth in the last few years unprecedented not only in itself but hardly equaled by other cities; the future is one of the best for any Texas metropolis.

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The encyclopedia of Texas, V.2, Part 24

Author: Davis, Ellis Arthur, ed; Grobe, Edwin H., ed Publication date: 1922 Publisher: Dallas, Texas Development Bureau Number of Pages: 1328

Author: Davis, Ellis Arthur, ed; Grobe, Edwin H., ed
Publication date: 1922
Publisher: Dallas, Texas Development Bureau
Number of Pages: 1328