The encyclopedia of Texas, V.2, Part 31

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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EVEREAUX G. DUNLAP: The late Dever- eaux G. Dunlap was one of the pioneers of the cotton seed products business and was widely known as one of the best posted men in that branch of the cotton business in Texas. As a dealer in cotton seed products at Young and Akard Streets he had a backing of thirty years in the cot- ton seed products business. This comparatively re- cent business is utilizing millions of dollars from by-products of cotton which were formerly disre- garded. Time was when the farmer not merely al- lowed hundreds of tons of cotton seed to waste but he actually burned them up to get rid of them. "But today these by-products come back to us as stock feeds, or, in our own dinners as cooking oils, due to the forward march of scientific discovery and utilization of what was once thrown away. Mr. Dunlap specialized in the oils and he handles carload lots only.

Mr. Dunlap is a native of Tennessee, having been born in the city of Nashville in 1870. His parents were General J. T. Dunlap and Martha S. Dunlap, both among the most prominent families of Tennes- see. General Dunlap was a lawyer of renown, was prominent in Tennessee politics, having at one time been Comptroller of the State of Tennessee. He was educated in the splendid school system of the Tennessean capital to which metropolis many others migrate today because of its educational advantages as expressed in Peabody or Vanderbilt or other schools. Appreciating the commercial advantages of the West, Mr. Dunlap migrated to Texas. He spent several years in Houston, moving to North Texas in 1900. For four years he was manager of the Texas Refining Company at Greenville. For still larger opportunities he came to Dallas in 1904.

Mr. Dunlap married at Memphis, Tenn., in 1892, Miss Virginia Bassford Price, daughter of Bernard

Frances Price and Mary Virginia Price of Memphis, Tenn. The former a very prominent Mason, having been Grand Master of Tennessee in 1893. To him and his wife three sons have been born, Devereaux G., Jr., Bernard Price and Hugh Dearborn. The family residence is at 3908 Gaston Avenue. Though diligent in business, Mr. Dunlap finds time to make himself felt and known in other circles. He held membership in the Dallas Country Club, the City Club and the Automobile Club. His church affiliation was Presbyterian.

Mr. Dunlap was one of the men who made Dallas the Southwest's best market for cotton seed products as well as for the white fleece itself, and he played an important role in the development of a new in- dustry which has an ever increasing place in the world's commerce. By his death, which occurred Nov. 15th, 1920, Dallas lost an able business man and a loyal and patriotic citizen.

ENRY HATCHER, deceased since June 28, 1912, was a pioneer and financier of Dallas County, locating in Dallas County fifty-nine years ago, and in the city of Dallas in 1888. The wonderful development during the present period of big business and helpful enterprises has its rise in the wise living and planning and work of the pioneers of yesterday; it is they only who have made possible the big things of today just as the work of the men of the present will really be re- vealed in how it helps or handicaps the man of to- morrow. Never does the sower reap what he has sown in its utmost unless it is a very transient crop. And any record of the makers of Texas and her cities of today which would dare pass over the foundation work of the pioneers would come short of recording faithfully the history of Texas. It is in this capacity that the influence of Henry Hatcher is reviewed here.

Henry Hatcher was a native of Missouri, born in Marion County in 1843. His father, Branch Hatcher, was a native of Virginia, his mother, M. (Davis) Hatcher, was of Kentucky. Coming of the best families of these two aristocratic southern states, his education and culture was the best the South af- forded in the war days that clouded the nation during his early young manhood. He left his native state to come to Texas to direct the large farming interests which his mother possessed here. In a few years the Lone Star State claimed as her own citizen this cultured family. They bought large farming interests near Richardson, Texas and after a ten-year residence on the farm they moved into Richardson where Mr. Hatcher engaged in the mer- cantile and grain business for five years. In 1888, Mr. Hatcher moved to Dallas where for twenty-four years he was active not only in handling realty values of the rapidly developing metropolis but as a financier.

In 1867 in Dallas County, Miss Cinderella Huffines and Mr. Hatcher were married. The bride was the daughter of Elizabeth (Wright) Huffines and John Huffines, a Dallas County farmer who came from Kentucky in 1853 and settled near Richardson. John Huffines was born in North Carolina in 1800 and Elizabeth (Wright) Huffines was born in New York in 1805. Mrs. Eulalie (Hatcher-Thomas) Connally, of Dallas is the one daughter of this union. She and the mother survive the father. Mrs. Hatcher has three grandsons, namely, William Hatcher Thomas, James Pendleton Thomas, and both also grandsons

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of Capt. W. H. Thomas, and Frederick C. Connally, son of W. C. Connally. His grandfather was Capt. George Connally of Civil War fame.

Mr. Hatcher was an active member of the First Baptist Church of Dallas, he was held in highest esteem by a multitude of friends who counted his as the highest friendship. Not only in commercial circles was he active but in all moves that ushered in the civic welfare of Dallas. The Hatcher resi- dence is at 2101 Mckinney Avenue.

AUL FREDERICK ERB, for many years head of the Dallas Mercantile Company, died at his home, 1015 Browder Street, on November 9, 1921, after more than a quarter of a century of active business life in Dal- las. Commencing his business career here in the stationery line, Mr. Erb later established a broker- age business and handled produce and groceries and was manufacturer's agent for a great many other standard lines. Mr. Erb died after a short illness and was buried in Oakland Cemetery.

A native Texan, Mr. Erb was born in Galveston September 23, 1853, and had lived in Dallas for forty-one years. He was a son of Peter Erb, native of Holland and a prominent contractor and business man of Galveston. After receiving his education in the public schools of Galveston, Mr. Erb engaged in business and in July 1880, removed to Dallas.

On March 23, 1880, Mr. Erb was married in Gal- veston to Miss Minnie Lermond Tobey, a daughter of Nathaniel and Sarah (Hinkley) Tobey, both natives of Maine and who came to Galveston in 1872. After retiring from business Mr. and Mrs. Tobey removed to Dallas and Mr. Tobey died here in 1911 and Mrs. Tobey in 1913.

Mr. and Mrs. Erb had one son, William Tobey Erb, who married Miss Ella Marie Walters. They have two children, Paul Walters Erb and William Tobey Erb, Jr.

Mr. Erb was actively identified with civic move- ments and organizations of various kinds and was a member of the Dallas Country Club, a charter mem- ber of the Dallas Athletic Club, the Chamber of Commerce, Knights of Pythias. He contributed considerably to the upbuilding of his city and built the first apartments in Dallas and erected several other apartments and residences. Mr. Erb saw Dallas grow from a struggling village to a metro- politan city and bought his first home in Dallas at the corner of Akard and Young Streets. the site now being considered close in down town property and occupied by business establishments.

ICHARD EDGAR GAHAGAN, who from boyhood until his death on June 11, 1913, was connected with the American Exchange National Bank of Dallas, came to this city when he was sixteen years of age and shortly after that began work for the old American National Bank which later became the American Exchange, today the largest bank in the Southwest. Mr. Gahagan served the bank in various positions of trust and responsibility and had held the position of assistant cashier for a number of years before his death.

Soon after coming to Dallas Mr. Gahagan realized the potential possibilities of investments in Dallas real estate. He began in a small way acquiring pieces of property in what he believed would be the line of the city's growth and also bought vendor's lien notes on attractively situated properties. He

was very successful in his investments and came to be regarded as a man of keen and well nigh unerr- ing judgement.

Mr. Gahagan was a native of Louisiana and was born in Vienna in 1876. He was a son of Lawrence and Cornelia (Goodwin) Gahagan and was educated in the public schools of Louisiana and at Pough- keepsie Business College.

On May 12, 1900, Mr. Gahagan was married at 5506 Ross Avenue to Miss Florence M. Haskins, who was born in the old James home that had been the family residence for several generations. The old home was burned a few years ago and has been re- placed by a new and modern structure on the same block of ground. Two children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Gahagan, Robert Henry, nineteen and Lawrence Herman, eighteen, both students of Southern Metho- dist University and who will enter Harvard as soon as they have completed their courses at S. M. U.

Mrs. Gahagan's father, H. G. Haskins, came to Dallas in 1872 with Alex Sanger and established a drug store on Elm Street in one of three brick buildings which were the only brick stores in Dallas at that time. Mr. Haskins was very active in real estate circles after retiring from the drug business. Mrs. Gahagan has one brother, Hubert Haskins, of New York City.

LBERT BEHRENDS was for many years one of the leading figures in the wholesale grain business in Galveston and after the disastrous storm there in 1900 moved to Dallas on April 3, 1901, and organized the Dallas Grain Company which he operated successfully until his death on July 21, 1902. Mr. Behrends was thoroughly conversant with the grain business and first began work in this line with J. Reymershoffer and Son, continuing with this firm for ten years and then organizing his own business in partnership with E. O. Lynch in 1888. After the death of Mr. Lynch, Mr. Behrends continued to operate under his own name until the business was wiped out by the Galveston storm and flood.

Mr. Behrends was born in Europe on October 29th, 1858, while his parents were on a visit there. He was a son of Jacob and Anna (Wilkins) Behrends who came to the United States in 1855. His father was a sea captain and settled at Galveston before his death.

Mr. Behrends came to Dallas in 1901 and organized the Dallas Grain Company and had a remarkable beginning. On the date of his death there were fifty cars of grain on the tracks that he had bought.

On December 16, 1884 Mr. Behrends was married at Galveston to Miss Cora Ella Talbot, who survives him and who now resides at 4943 Victor Street. Mrs. Behrends is a daughter of Captain John Fletcher Talbot and Elinor Ann (Derrick) Talbot who was born in Galveston, December 19, 1839. Her father was a wealthy stock man and ship owner of Texas. Ile was born in Hempstead County, Arkansas, December 19, 1827 and came to Texas in 1831. His father, John Talbot fought in the war between Texas and Mexico which resulted in Texas becoming an Independent Republic. Mrs. Bchrends maternal grandfather, John R. Derrick was a member of the first city council of Galveston and by profession was an architect and contractor. John Talbot was in-

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terested especially in aeronautics and in 1853 built a biplane in which he made one successful flight long years before the Wright Brothers began their struggles for the mastery of the air. On his second flight he sustained an accident which resulted in wrecking. the plane and causing injuries from which he later died.

Mrs. Behrends is an able writer and a prominent club woman. She is now president of the Dallas Pen Women, an organization made up of Dallas Women Writers. She contributes to a number of musical journals and has written a great deal of music, both instrumental and vocal. . Mrs. Behrends also is a member of the U. S. Daughters of 1812, Daugh- ters of the American Revolution and the United Daughters of the Confederacy besides a number of other women's clubs and literary organizations. Her son, Earle Behrends, is also a talented musician and teacher. Earle Behrends married Miss Daisy Teagarden of Greenville, Texas, and they have two interesting children, Marcella Sembrich and Albert Teagarden Behrends.

ETH MILLER, one of the largest Florists and Nurserymen in Northern Texas, de- ceased since October 10, 1918, deserves a sketch among the record of Texans who have built worthily in the past and are doing things today. In this first class Mr. Miller belongs- for he was a man of big business, and was the owner of one of Dallas' largest and most beautiful establish- ments of today that will perpetuate his memory, energy and ability among the generations that lives after him. In 1911, he bought the Green Floral Company, on the Kaufman road, four-and-a-half miles from the city of Dallas, with forty-two acres. This he developed into one of the largest floral and nursery plants in the southwest, employing thirty- five assistants and opening a branch establishment known as the Haskell Avenue Floral Company at the corner of Haskell avenue and Watts strect.

Mr. Miller was born at Constableville, New York, in 1855, of one of the noblest and oldest families of Lewis County New York. His parents were S. T. Miller, a New York Merchant, and Hannah (Carr) Miller, also a native of New York state. After com- pleting the common school system, the youth at- tended and graduated from Williamstown University of his native state. For his business career he be- gan with Arbuckle Bros., as a traveling salesman in Utah, Montana and other western states. In 1888, he accepted the state agency for the Arbuckle Cof- fee for Texas and located in that year at Dallas. He continued to serve his company and the public in this capacity until 1911 when he sold his interests with that company and purchased the Green Floral Company which he enlarged to its present place of leadership and permanency.

On July 2, 1891, Mr. Miller married Miss Kate Hardie, daughter of A. F. Hardie, a broker who came to Dallas in 1874 from Alabama; his family had come from Scotland. To them were born two daugh- ters-Mrs. Katherine Miller Houghton and Miss Isabel Miller. The family reside at 2809 Ross avenue. Both daughters received college education.

Mr. Miller was a Mason, a charter member of the Dallas Country Club and a charter member of the Dallas Club. The church affiliation was Presby- terian. He was a good mixer with his fellow men, active in every civic interest of his city as well as its commercial life and one of Dallas' most able citizens.

ILLIAM WATKINS MANNING, deceased, has interwoven his activity with two in- dustries of the city of Dallas, in such a way that both these businesses still feel his genius and is reaping bigger business today because of his wise and extensive foundation work. As a pioneer state agent for the Remington Typewriter with headquarters at Dallas, he has done much to educate men to the latest and best methods of clerical work and records in business; accuracy and system were dominating motives with him and the typewrit- ing business has had no better foundation builder in the Southwest than was Mr. Manning. Later, he became interested in real estate as an investment field, looking after his own properties.

William Watkins Manning was born on January 16th, 1860, at Montgomery, Alabama. His father, W. W. Manning, owned large plantations in his home state and gave $50,000.00 in what was known as cotton bonds to help finance the Confederate Army. His plantation was also turned over to the Con- federate forces use as hospital base for Southerners. His mother was Elizabeth Venable. All of the vast Manning estates and property was lost or destroyed during the Civil War days, with the result that young Manning had to see to his own schooling and education which he admirably did as a self-made man. In 1885 he came to Dallas from Galveston and became a court reporter and at the same time studied law in the o lices of Leake, Shepperd and Miller. Later he gave up this work to accept the state dealer and management of sales for the Remington Typewriter Co. and developed their state business to such attractive proportions that the company opened their own offices here. This firm was known as Merchant & Manning, his associate being Geo. M. Merchant.

In 1889, at Dallas, Texas, Mr. Manning was wedded to Miss Eugenia Chappell, daughter of John H. Chappell, deceased, reared by her step-father, Dr. S. D. Thurston. She had spent two years in Randolph-Macon Woman's College, one of the fore- most colleges in America for women. They have two daughters: Mrs. Eleanor Manning Walker, wife of James Walker of Dallas, an A. B. graduate of Randolph-Macon College, and Miss Grace Pope Manning is now a Freshman in that college. The Manning residence is at 3900 Miramar Avenue, High- land Park, Dallas. The church affiliation is Meth- odist.

Mr. Manning was a 32nd Degree Mason and a - Shriner at the Hella Temple; he was a charter men- ber of the Finn and Feather Club, and also member of the Dallas Club. He was a faithful devoted mem- ber of the Board of Stewards of the Trinity Metho- dist Episcopal Church, South. He was ever active and successful in the realms of business, the civic life of his city and its religious activities.

LONZO PRICE DARR, deceased since Dec. 18, 1918, who for nearly twenty years re- sided at 422 West Tenth Street, Dallas, had to his credit as many years of successful salesmanship with the Southern Rock Island Plow Company and the Columbia wagons and buggies as had any man in the southwestern states. As a pioneer who served the Lone Star State in its transi- tion period from the day of the cowboy and the ranch of unlimited extent to its present day era when it is emerging as a leading agricultural state-Mr.

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Darr was an important figure. Just as the farmer has supplanted the cattleman, so the plow had to take the place of the lasso. In this interchange Mr. Darr and his company had a great part. perhaps a greater part than any other like company and its representative. Texas today is not simply Unele Sam's chief supply place for agricultural products simply because of her size, but a comparison of the acreage in cultivation with the like territory of any other state is favorable for the Lone Star people.

Mr. Darr came from Oregon, he was born at Enterprise, Missouri, on April 17, 1862. His father, Alexander Darr, was a native of that state before him. The state of Illinois combined with his native state in providing the youth with his education; each gave him the best schooling she had and then he took up his business career. In 1892, when he was thirty years of age, he yielded to the call of the Lone Star State and came to Texas. From that date he was identified with Texas and her interests. He tauglit school at Troy and Rogers, Texas, and later moved to McGregor and established an imple- ment business, handling wagons, buggies and all kinds of farm machinery, then he went on the road for the Texas Implement & Machine Co. Several years later for the Rock Island Plow Co. In 1901 he moved to Dallas and several years later became state manager for the company. In 1900 he gave up the position of state manager for Texas with that house to accept the state agency for the Columbia Buggy Co.

On May 19, 1889, at Salado, Texas, Miss Nannie Morton became the bride of Mr. Darr. Her father, G. W. Morton, was a planter and merchant who came to Texas from Arkansas in 1870. They have two children, Alonzo Thaddeus Darr, assistant cashier of the Central State Bank and a 32d degree Mason and Shriner at Hella Temple, and Mrs. Ethel (Darr) Peebles. Mr. Peebles was Texas representa- tive for the Ed B. Price & Co, of Chicago, and later moved to Chicago to accept a position in the head office.

Mr. Darr was a Maccabee. As a salesman of many years, he was a good mixer with his fellow- men, had a host of friends and rendered an invalu- able service to the Lone Star State in her transition state which service is called for more than ever today as Texas is an agricultural state to stay.

US KELLER. As one of the pioneers in Dallas business circles, Gus Keller, deceased since 1906, was among the earliest and most progressive tradesmen of his city. Born in Dallas in 1859 when the metropolis of today was a hamlet, Gus Keller and his home city grew up to- gether, first through childhood each and then into a vigorous and hardy commercial success whether Dallas or Mr. Keller is meant. He founded his own business, never did work for a salary, and built that business up to a place of leadership in its realm, mar- keting the choicest and such edible meats that his establishment acquired a city-wide reputation, and he became a city character, universally known and esteemed for his reliability and service. The rendi- tion of any public service is worthy of one's best efforts; Mr. Keller realized this and his career was one of success.

Gus Keller was a native Texan, born in Dallas in 1859. His father was Dr. France Keller who came to Dallas in 1840, where he remained until 1886 when he moved to California. The public schools

of Dallas gave young Keller his schooling and he chose to continue in that city rather than to move with his parents to the Pacific Coast; he entered the business of marketing of meats and in a short while made himself known as one of the most progressive of the earlier settlers of Dallas and as one of his city's strongest boosters.

In 1893, Mrs. Regina Schmidt became the bride of Mr. Keller at Dallas, Texas, she is a woman of unusual ability even for this day. At the age of twenty-five, upon the death of her husband, she mi- grated from Germany with her two children -- a thing a woman would hardly do even in this day, alone and unattended, so resolutely was her face set westward towards what she regarded as the land of greatest opportunity for her children and for herself. To her and Mr. Keller were born five children, giving her a family of seven whom she began the oversight of unaided and alone and whom now, companionless, she is guiding successfully into young manhood and womanhood. The family residence is at 102 South Haskell Avenue. She has seventeen grandchildren.

Both Mr. and Mrs. Keller have given in a beautiful way the lesson of the pioneers to their following generation, the lesson of thrift and perseverance and fortitude crowned with success in home-life and in commercial affairs.

ACK D. BROWN is the president of the Dallas Co-Operative Clothing Company, 12121/2 Main Street, Dallas, Texas. This company is a mercantile establishment, handling gent's wearing apparel, including every- thing from hat to your hose. This company began operation in July, 1920, with a capital of $250,000, and is operating under a unique but successful co- operative plan. This plan consists of selling gent's wearing apparel to a stockholder for a ten per cent net profit, and has met with so much success that there are, at this time, approximately 3,000 stock- holders. To a purchaser who is not a stockholder, the same price is charged for merchandise that other concerns charge for a similar garment. Other of- ficials in the organization are Robert J. John, vice- president, and Sam A. Scott, secretary-treasurer.

Mr. Brown is a native Texan by birth, having been born at Llano, Texas, April 10th, 1892. His father, J. Duff Brown, is a retired physician of Arlington, Texas, also a native of Tennessee. After completing the schools in Mineral Wells, he began business in Dallas and was associated as assistant to the buyer for a local wholesale clothing house. He was also manager of a local automobile accessory house for three years.

One of the principal features of the Dallas Co- Operative Clothing Company is the fact that they allow a stockholder the privilege of examining in- voices to ascertain the correctness of the wholesale cost, plus a ten per cent net profit.

In 1914, at Marshall, Texas, Mr. Brown married Miss Ruth Scott, daughter of Sam A. Scott, of Hope, Arkansas. They have one son, Jack D., Jr., age two, and the family residence is at 5611 Willis Avenue.

Mr. Brown is a member of the Dallas Automobile Club, Dallas Country Club and the Mutual Club. He is active in social and civic interests of his city and is eminently identifying himself with comnier- cial life. He and his interests, already successful to an attractive degree, will grow into a place of leadership in the bigger Dallas of tomorrow.

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MEN OF TEXAS

OVERNOR WILLIAM PETTUS HOBBY is a distinguished member of that ancient, honorable and numerically strong order of successful men, the first and most important fact in whose lives is, that they were born in East Texas. - He came into the world in Moscow, Polk County, Texas, on March 26, 1878. Soon after his birth his parents changed their place of residence to Livingston, Polk County, where they remained until he was fourteen years of age. In the meantime his father, Edwin Hobby, was twice elected judge of the Ninth Judicial District. From the district bench he rose to the commission of Appeals, remaining on the commission until it was done away with.

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The encyclopedia of Texas, V.2, Part 31

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