USA > Texas > The encyclopedia of Texas, V.2 > Part 27
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He is now serving as President of the Retail Druggist's Association of Dallas.
OHN C. MCFARLAND, owner of McFar- land's Drug Store, 5538 Columbia Avenue, came to Dallas in 1900 from Allen County, Kentucky, and in February, 1913, estab- lished his present business at the corner of Columbia Avenue and Beacon Street. He carries a general line of drugs and druggists' sundries, soda waters, candies and cigars, and enjoys a large and profit- able business.
Ile has always been in the drug business and is thoroughly familiar with all its details, knows the character of service that should be rendered to a community by a drug store and endeavors to render such a service. His stock of drugs and chemicals are of the highest quality and the greatest of care is exercised in the compounding of physicians' pre- scriptions.
Mr. McFarland was born in Allen County, Ken- tucky, and coming to Dallas when a boy, received his education in the Dallas high schools. He was married in Dallas to Miss Nettie Richardson, and they have two fine boys, John C., Jr., and Warden Richardson, and the family home is at 5307 Colum- bia Avenue. He belongs to no secret societies or clubs, but is a member of the Gaston Avenue Baptist Church and takes a deep interest in the work of that organization.
In the twenty years he has spent in Dallas Mr. McFarland has seen the city grow from a small city to a busy, thriving metropolis, and it has been his pleasure to co-operate in all movements tending
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ENCYCLOPEDIA OF TEXAS
to encourage the commercial, social and religious growth of the city. He is among that type of young business men in Dallas who take a pride in boosting their city and its institutions, and he expresses the conviction that the city will become the great med- ical center of the Southwest as well as the largest and most important city south of St. Louis.
ULIANN A. BOBO, general manager of the Bobo-Heflin Company, investment bankers, City National Bank Building, came to Wichita Falls from Austin, Texas, in Jan- uary, 1919, opening an office for the purpose of handling the purchase and sale of Liberty Bonds. The movement was very successful and the opera- tions of the firm have been extended so as to handle stocks and bonds and other government securities and now does a general investment banking busi- ness. Various classes of high grade investment se- curities are handled, but the firm does not deal in oil stocks or other issues of a more or less specula- tive character. E. R. Bobo is secretary-treasurer of the organization, which is a co-partnership. The firm also maintains offices in Austin.
Mr. Bobo is a native of Mississippi and was born at Van Vleet, January 8, 1888. He is a son of E. S. Bobo, well known resident of Mississippi for many years. After coming to Texas in his early boyhood, Mr. Bobo studied in the public schools of Williamson and Bell counties and later attended the University of Texas at Austin.
On July 16, 1908, Mr. Bobo was married at Killeen, Texas, to Miss Ruby White, whose father was a pioneer citizen of Texas and a prominent figure in the early history of that section of the state. They have two children, J. Orville and Ruby Edna Bobo. The family resides at 1212 Polk Street.
For three years Mr. Bobo was engaged in the insurance business at Killeen and later at Austin he conducted an insurance agency from 1914 until his removal to Wichita Falls in 1919. He is an expert insurance man and familiar with all phases of investment banking as well. He is a director of the Texas Investment Syndicate.
Mr. Bobo is a progressive and energetic business man and keenly interested in civic affairs. He is a thirty-second degree Mason and a member of the Maskat Shrine, he also is a member of the Benevo- lent and Protective Order of Elks, Wichita Club, the Wichita Falls Golf and Country Club, University Club and the Wichita Falls Chamber of Commerce.
C. ADAMS, an active partner in the Adams Drug Company, a popular retail drug store in one of the best locations in the rapidly progressing city of Burkburnett, at 315 Main Street, with his spacious and attractively in- viting establishment and with a working corp of nine assistants. is one of the largest and most popu- lar drug men of his district. The Adams Drug Com- pany was established in January of 1920. occupies a plant that is fifty feet by seventy-five feet in floor space, and is one of the most popular places in Burk- burnett. Besides a general line of drugs and drug sundries carried by this establishment, they are headquarters for the Columbia Phonograph and Eastman Kodaks and enjoy an extensive patronage in every line of their business. They are leaders. R. M. Gilchrist is the partner and both Mr. Gilchrist and Mr. Adams are active in business.
J. C. Adams was born in the city of Fort Worth, Texas, in 1895. His father, J. A. Adams, a native
of Alabama, is now retired and his mother, Isa B. (Scott) Adams, was also a native of Alabama. A: his parents yielded to the call of the Lone Star State in pioneer days, they have a life career inter- woven with Texas life through many years. Fort Worth gave young Adams his education in her secondary school system, graduating from the Fort Worth high school. For six years he was affiliated with the Coulson Drug Store in Fort Worth and for four years more with other drug establishments of the same city. In June of 1919, he came to Burk- burnett to enter the employ of Mr. M. C. Anderson and was with him until January, 1920, when he established his own business of today.
On January 13, 1918, Mr. Adams and Miss Lucile Chamblee of Grapevine, Texas, a native of South Carolina, were united in marriage at Fort Worth. They now have residence at 606 East Fourth Street. Mr. Adams is a Mason, identified with the lodge at Burkburnett, is a good mixer with his fellow men and has many friends. That he has chosen well in selecting Burkburnett as his permanent location is already evidenced by the fact that his establishment has grown to be one of the largest businesses of its kind in his section, is headquarters for a host of folk, and is the exclusive representative for several lines of life's best comforts.
ADE W. HOLSONBAKE, owner and man- ager of the Eagle Pharmacy at 315 Collett Avenue, is one of the best known druggists in Dallas and has been a resident of the city for thirteen years, coming here in 1909 from Farm- ersville, in Collin County. From a small beginning the Eagle Pharmacy has grown until it is now a thoroughly modern drug store, carrying a complete line of drugs, toilet articles, candies, cigars and tobaccos and also has an up-to-date sanitary soda fountain.
After coming to Dallas in 1909 Mr. Holsonbake worked for two and a half years for the Texas Drug Company, wholesale dealers, before opening the Eagle Pharmacy. He is a thoroughly competent pharmacist and understands every detail of the drug business. Before coming to Dallas he was in busi- ness at Farmersville under the firm name of Holson- bake and Sons for ten years.
Mr. Ilolsonbake is a native of Texas and was born on April 1, 1880, at Farmersville where he resided until removing to Dallas. He is a son of W. W. and Elizabeth (Howell) Holsonbake, pioneer Texans and among the earliest settlers of Collin County. His father formerly owned the land on which the town of Farmersville is situated.
After completing his preliminary education in the public schools of Farmersville, Mr. Holsonbake graduated at Henry College at Campbell, Texas, and then took a two years' course at Baylor Uni- versity in the department of pharmacy. He also attended Metropolitan Business College at Dallas.
Mr. Holsonbake was married in Dallas to Miss Pink Womack, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W. O. Womack, of Sulphur Springs. Mr. Womack has for many years been prominent in business and banking circles of Sulphur Springs. Mr. and Mrs. Holson- bake have three children, Wade, Womack and Hal Marvin.
Mr. Holsonbake is a member of the Woodmen of the World and the Independent Order of Odd Fel- lows.
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Julian a. Bobo
W. A. Reiter
MEN OF TEXAS
A. REITER, Geologist, of the firm Foster & Reiter, Consulting Geologists with ex- ecutive offices in the Magnolia Building, Dallas, is known throughout the Mid-Cont- inent oil fields as a leader in his profession. Prob- ably more credit is due him that to any other man for the discovery of the wonder oil field of Mexia. Al- though it was not until after the boom there had subsided that the proper credit was given him. How- ever, the truth has come out and the leading citizens and operators of Mexia point to him as the man who had confidence in Mexia as a potential oil field, after others to whom a great deal of credit has been given, had left this territory.
A brief history of the blocking of the leases in Mexia and few of the early events in the develop- ment of this section, adds an interesting chapter to the discovery and development of oil in Texas. Mr. Reiter first went to Mexia on April 1st, 1919, having received telegraphic orders from Julius Fohs, having been employed prior to that time by the Humphreys- Fohs interests. He was instructed to try and locate structures aside from those controlled by the Mexia Gas Company. He had personally decided that it would not be good business to overlook the leases already owned by the Mexia Gas Company and fol- lowing the instructions he located the Currie field. He was satisfied that the deeper sand had either gas or oil. He therefore secured a two weeks option from the Mexia Gas Company on their one thousand acres. Acting in association with Senator Harrold and for the Homa-Okla interests, Mr. Reiter then arranged with Blake Smith, a prominent citizen of Mexia to help them block additional leases. Henry Bell of Waco and Louis Gutman were also identified in these transactions but later Mr. Gutman and Sen- ator Harrold dropped out. Mr. Gutman wired Fohs that the Mexia deal was off and Fohs went to Pal- estine and dropped the matter. The Fohs Tulsa office wired Mr. Reiter to leave Mexia. However, Mr. Reiter having much confidence in Mexia refused to do so and on his own responsibility and on his own account, together with Henry Bell, and Earl Sneed secured thirty-six hundred acres of leases, which with the one thousand acres of the Mexia Gas Company were first offered to the Homa-Okla Com- pany, but for business reasons were not taken.
Earl Sneed, who was an attorney for the Fohs interests, but without authority to act for them, per- sonally obtained money on his note to finance this deal, as he had implicit faith in the judgement of Mr. Reiter. Mr. Fohs against the advice of all the Fohs Agents, took up the note of Mr. Sneed. Then Mr. Reiter and Mr. Sneed arranged with John Shep- pard to drill the well for twenty-five hundred acres. Later Mr. Sheppard sold one half of his interests to Humphreys on May 20th, 1920, and October 11, 1920, sold the balance of his holdings. The division of the leases between the Mexia Gas Company and Mu. Reiter shows that the latter made the location of the Rogers discovery well. In April, 1919, Mr. Reiter worked out and located the structure at Curry, Na- varro County, which is becoming a prolific producer.
The location of the Meador well was the location he picked out when he first went over that area.
Mr. Reiter is a native of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, born September 21st, 1886, son of William T. Reiter and Carrie L. (Putman) Reiter. William T. Reiter was a prominent citizen and well known in the Ma- sonic Fraternity of Pittsburg, having served many years as Secretary of the Pittsburg Commandary. Chapter and Blue Lodge. W. A. Reiter's Grand- father, Conrad Reiter was an early pioneer of Oil City, Pennsylvania. Through his grandmother, Car- rie L. Putman, a member of an old New England family, Mr. Reiter is a direct descendent of the Put- mans. Mr. Reiter received his education in the public schools of Pennsylvania and Kentucky and in the high school of Kentucky. His college training was received in the University of Kentucky where he earned his way. His geological training was receiv- ed in the school of experience in the field. After leaving college and at the age of twenty-one, he taught school for one year in West Kentucky. For seven years from 1909 to 1916 Mr. Reiter was identi- fied in United States Geological Survey work in the various sections of the United States. On April 7th, 1916 he went with the Fohs interests with whom he was associated.
He came to Dallas and established offices here, February 15th, 1922. He and his firm are probably the most active in this section of the Mid-Continent fields in their profession. He is President of the Reiter Oil Corporation and Director of the Loutex Corporation. His interests include valuable oil hold- ings in the oil fields in this section of the United States.
In Mexia, April 19th, 1922, Mr. Reiter was united in marriage with Miss Lucile Denning, daughter of J. F. Denning, a well known Architect and Contrac- tor and a pioneer of Mexia. Mr. Denning is well known in his profession in Central and North Texas, having erected many of the fine structures in this section, among which is a beautiful hotel in Green- ville.
Mr. Reiter is a Mason, a member of Fredonia, Kentucky Blue Lodge, Chapter of Princeton, Ken- tucky, Council at Marion, Kentucky, Commandary at Mexia and the Shrine at Waco. He is a member of the Chamber of Commerce and Lions Club at Mexia, while he also holds a membership in the American Institute of Mining Engineering and the American Association of Petroleum Geologists.
Mr. Reiter is called upon to write articles and to give interviews for the leading Oil & Gas Journal Publications in the United States. Texas is indeed indebted to its pioneers in every field of activity. The oil development in this state in the last few years has brought to the surface great wealth and a proper measure of credit should be given to those pioneering Geologists as well as the operators who follow them in the development of the great oil fields of Texas.
The name of W. A. Reiter will be honorably record- ed in the history of this State as having greatly contributed to the oil development of Texas and the Mid-Continent Oil Fields.
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ENCYCLOPEDIA OF TEXAS
M. BELCHER, well known insurance man, junior member of the firm of Lowry, Finch and Belcher, general insurance agents, Bob Waggoner Building, came to Wichita Falls in January, 1919, as manager of the casualty de- partment for Anderson and Patterson and when the business of this concern was taken over by its present owners in January, 1920, became a mem- ber of the firm. Other members of the organization are H. F. Lowry and J. M. Finch, both experienced and capable insurance men, and the triumvirate constitutes one of the strongest insurance organi- zations in North and West Texas, representing a number of old, established companies and handling all lines of insurance, including fire, casualty, fidelity and kindred lines. The agency was established in 1883 by C. W. Bean and Nat Henderson, being later taken over by C. D. Anderson and H. B. Patterson and acquired by the present firm in January, 1920.
Mr. Belcher is a native of Oklahoma and was born at Afton in 1891, a son of Rev. A. M. and Julia (Koontz) Belcher. His father is a well known min- ister and is now pastor of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Waggoner, Oklahoma. After attending the public schools Mr. Belcher entered the insurance business in Dallas in 1912 with S. M. Hilligoss and after one year became identified with the Mike Murphy Agency. He then went with the Fidelity and Deposit Company of Maryland as assistant dis- trict manager and in 1916 was promoted to the posi- tion of manager of the casualty department at New Orleans. He remained there for a year and returned to Texas as special agent for the United States Fidelity and Guaranty Company, remaining in this position until January 1, 1919, when he came to Wichita Falls as manager of the casualty depart- ment for Anderson and Patterson and in 1920 be- coming a member of the firm which took over the agency.
In 1914 Mr. Belcher was married in Dallas to Miss Elizabeth Shiels, daughter of Thomas Shiels, a well known Dallas citizen. They have two sons, Elbert M., Jr., five years of age, and Robert, one year of age.
Mr. Belcher is a thirty-second degree Mason and Knights Teniplar, Chief Rabaan of Maskat Temple, and is a member of the Wichita Club, Wichita Golf and Country Club and Kiwanis Club. He is actively interested in civic affairs and is a member of the parks and playgrounds committee of the Chamber of Commerce.
OIIN R. HANCOCK, head of the John R. Hancock & Co., 305-306 Deere Building, is a man of large and extensive experience in the insurance field, having entered the business in 1894, when he assisted in organizing the Farmers Mutual Fire Insurance Company in Guil- ford County, North Carolina.
He is a native of Grant County, Indiana, born at Fairmount, March 25, 1869. His father, C. II. Hancock, was a farmer and a native of North Caro- lina, in which state he was well known. His mother was Miss Cynthia A. Lassiter.
Mr. Hancock received his education in the public schools of North Carolina and at Guilford College, six miles west of Greensboro, where he was awarded a medal for oratory. He taught in the public schools of that state for seven years, starting at the age of 18 years, and being the youngest teacher in the county in which he taught.
After his first experience in organizing the Farm. ers Mutual Fire Insurance Company, Mr. Hancook helped to organize several other mutual compan !! and in 1900 he came to Texas, establishing an agency at Austin and later organized the Austin Fire Insur- ance Company, of which company he was treasur ..- for several years. In 1907 he moved to Dallas and established himself in the insurance business in thi- city, and at the present time his company is Dallas county agents for the National Ben Franklin Fir .. Insurance Company, Superior Fire Insurance Com- pany, United American Fire Insurance Company an ! local agents for Royal Exchange Assurance Com- pany, Columbia National Fire Insurance Company of Detroit, Lloyds Plate Glass Insurance Company and reinsurance facilities in fire insurance. Local agents of the Hancock Company in Dallas are J. D. Aldredge & Co., J. W. Lindsley & Co., J. Elmer Turner, Smith Co., and Felton & Morgan, and the business of the company is increasing very fast.
Mr. Hancock was married December 19, 1902, to Miss Nannie Murphy of Kentucky, whose father, Wm. Murphy, was a prominent hotel man in Louis- ville, having operated the Gault House. Through her mother Mrs. Hancock is a descendent of Zachary Taylor. The family home is located at 3130 Lemon Avenue.
Mr. Hancock is a member of the Knights of Pythias, Odd Fellows and a member of the First Methodist Church at Dallas, Texas.
He believes in Texas and in Dallas. Rich lands, oil, interurban railways, good roads and unparalleled resources will, he declares, make Texas the greatest state in the Union.
February 15, 1920, Mr. Hancock entered the real estate business, associating with him Joe M. Han- cock.
ARLE H. DAVIS, loan manager for the John Hancock Mutual Life Insurance Com- pany of this city, at 203 Gaston building, has been working in that capacity for a year and six months. His policies and ideas are bringing gratifying results. For five years he has been chief clerk under Mr. W. C. White, and upon the death of the latter in 1920 he was made man- ager. Mr. Davis was connected with the company in other ways for seven years previous to his be- coming chief clerk, and so his twelve years of asso- ciation and experience with the work enables him to carry it forward in a way satisfactory to all con- cerned.
The John Hancock Mutual Life Insurance Com- pany was established in Dallas in 1894. It was at that time that Mr. W. C. White came to the city to begin the work. Some five years after he became manager of the loan department. . This department handles farm loans.
The John Hancock Mutual Life Insurance Com- pany was established in Boston, Mass., 62 years ago. Boston being the home office. Branch offices are in most every state, and Dallas is branch office for Texas.
Mr. Davis was born in Ellis County, Texas, in 1888. His father is J. N. Davis, he was a farmer in Ellis county at that time but is now a stock farmer in Albany, Texas. Mr. Davis obtained his education in the schools of Albany.
In 1911 he was married to Miss Louise Ford in Dallas. At present they are residing at 5725 Pros- pect Avenue, Belmont.
576
Telbach'S. Belcher
MEN OF TEXAS
MORGAN DUKE, Jr., state manager of the Brotherhood of American Yeomen, 806 Sumpter Building, is at the head of the most extensive organization of its kind in the United States. This is a fraternal organization, or lodge, with insurance benefits and is unique in that it admits both men and women on equal rights. There are 300,000 members in the United States, and since its establishment the society has dis- bursed $28,000,000.
The Texas division, under Mr. Duke, leads the country in the production of new business. In 1919 the volume of business for this state amounted to $9,342,500, and 1920 will probably go well over that. There are three hundred representatives in the state, and 21,500 members. The organization has been operating in Texas for 21 years and during that time has paid into the state as benefits $1,100,000.
Mr. Duke was born in Tyler, Texas, on March 17, 1891. His father, A. Morgan Duke, Sr., was also in the fraternal insurance business for many, many years, being vice-president of the Fraternal Broth- erhood in Los Angeles until 1918. At present he is practicing law in Tyler. His mother was Mattie E. Sitton Duke, a native of Texas. After graduating from the high school of Tyler, Mr. Duke went into the fraternal insurance business with his father. He was then 17 years old. A year later he was made district manager of the Fraternal Brotherhood with headquarters in Dallas, displaying such marked ability in the execution of his duties that he shortly became general manager for the states of Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Kentucky. In 1917 Mr. Duke resigned this position to accept a place with his present company, being stationed in Indiana the first year and then returning to Dallas as state manager.
He was married on July 30, 1912, to Miss Geral- dine Borden. Mr. and Mrs. Duke live at 103 North Edgefield.
Mr. Duke, in November, 1919, was elected presi- dent of the Texas Fraternal Congress for 1920, an organization which represents 400,000 members. He is also president of the Dallas Insurance League. That these high offices have been tendered him shows in what high esteem he is held by the men of his profession throughout Texas.
JOHN H. LOVE, general insurance agent, with offices in the Deere Building, Dallas, has been a resident of this city for the past twenty years. Since 1914 he has been en- gaged in the general insurance business and has built up a large trade in Dallas and the surround- ing territory. At the present time he is agent for the Pennsylvania Fire Insurance Company, the Georgia Casualty Company. the National Surety Company, the Fidelity and Deposit Co. of Maryland, the North American Accident Insurance Company, and the National Life Insurance Company, writing all fire and casualty lines.
A native son of Tennessee, John H. Love was born at the city of Hartsville, April 4th, 1880. He is a son of R. and Eva (DeBow) Love, both of whoni were of Tennessee families. The elder Mr. Love was engaged in the general mercantile business and also farmed considerable land in his native state. The younger Mr. Love received his educational train- ing in the public schools of Hartsville and in 1900 moved to Texas, settling at Dallas. He was em- ployed soon thereafter by the Dallas Electric Com-
pany, which position he retained for the next four- teen years, gradually rising from the starting posi- tion to head solicitor in the contract department. In 1914 he resigned his position and entered the in- surance business as a broker and in 1918 became the agent for the Home Fire and Marine Insurance Company. In 1919 he was appointed as local agent for the Pennsylvania Fire Insurance Company of Philadelphia, and at the present time is the only agent for that company in Dallas. Since 1918 the company's business has been quadrupled, the past year being the most successful that Mr. Love has enjoyed.
On January 4th, 1905, Mr. Love married Miss Mary R. Tomson, a native of Texas and daughter of John Tomson, who was the founder of the artesian water business in Dallas and whose son now carries out his trade. Mr. and Mrs. Love have their home at 2412 Iliekory Street, Dallas.
In fraternal affiliation Mr. Love is a member of the Woodmen of the World. He is also a member of the Dallas Automobile Club, the Dallas Insurance Ex- change and the City Temple Church.
Always a fervent supporter of Greater Dallas, Mr. Love has rendered an unusual service to his adopted city by the way of fire protection and many are the homes that he has saved from utter annihilation.
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