USA > Texas > The encyclopedia of Texas, V.2 > Part 32
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In 1892, Governor Hobby's parents moved to Houston. Three years later he obtained employment in the business department of the Houston Post, soon changing to the editorial department. He rose step by step to the position of managing editor. In 1907 he acquired a proprietary interest in the Beaumont Enterprise, and took charge thereof. Under his direction it has become one of the leading papers of the South.
In 1914, he was elected lieutenant-governor of Texas. On May 15, 1915, he married Miss Willie Cooper, of Beaumont, daughter of the late Hon. S. B. Cooper, member of congress front the Second Texas District. In 1916 he was again candidate for lieutenant-governor and was again re-nominated and re-elected. When Governor Ferguson was removed from his office by impeachment, Mr. Hobby became governor. He was the youngest governor in the history of the state, serving almost two years after succeeding to the office. Under his administration much progressive legislation was passed, including prohibition and woman's suffrage laws and many laws were passed for the purpose of aiding to win the war, causing him to be known as the "War Governor of Texas." Governor Hobby was a candi- date for election in 1918, after being nominated by the largest majority ever given a candidate for governor and served until January, 1921, completing practically a four year term.
When the Federal Farm Loan Bank of Texas was created in 1917 Governor Hobby was appointed secretary thereof by President Wilson and took a hand in its organization but resigned when he suc- ceeded to the governship. Governor Hobby is clear- visioned, studious and high minded, a man of sound judgment and of proven business ability.
L. WOOD and J. P. GREENWOOD, the first named an adjuster and appraiser with many years experience, and the latter a mechani- cal engineer with extensive experience, form
the J. L. Wood
Appraisal Company, Cotton Exchange Building. Their specialty is making ap- praisals and valuations of industrial and mechanical properties, factories, mills, electric light and power plants; completely itemized and classified lists of all buildings, machinery and miscellaneous equipment; indexed summaries, plans, blue prints, photographs, reproductive values, depreciations and present values of each division or compartment of specific sections, together with outlying properties pertaining to oper- ation of niain plant. Also, when desired, special pre- war valuations for income tax requirements, and of non-insurable values for fire insurance purposes.
Mr. Wood gives his attention to the adjusting end of the business, specializing in cotton, industrials
and railroads. He came to Dallas in 1882 from New York, where he was engaged in the insurance business, which he followed for a number of years, representing the Home Insurance Company of New York, as special agent for Louisiana and Texas from 1882 to 1900, when he retired and entered the ad- justing field as an independent adjuster. Prior to coming to Dallas he was engaged in the insurance business in New York from 1875 to 1882, except for a brief period he spent abroad.
After entering the adjusting field, in which he remained until 1912, Mr. Wood handled mostly marine cotton losses, representing many marine in- surance companies.
In 1912 he organized his present business, the features of which are outlined above. His company has made appraisals for many of the leading in- dustrial plants in Texas and is a pioneer in the state in this line of work.
Mr. Wood is a native of Joliet, Ill., born Novem- ber 17, 1852. His father, W. C. Wood, was a lead- ing insurance man in Joliet for many years. His mother was a native of Brooklyn, N. Y., and before her marriage was Miss Hannah T. Lawrence.
Mr. Wood attended the schools of Joliet, Ill., in his boyhood days and received his higher schooling in Chicago and at Cornell University. Before going to New York he spent several years in the ice manufacturing business in Georgia.
He lives at the Dallas Country Club and maintains a summer home in Rhode Island.
When he came to Dallas the population of the city was only 11,000, and it has been his pleasure to see the city grow to its present proportions. There is, he declares, no limit to the city's great- ness. He has traveled over a considerable portion of the world and declares that Texas is the best part of the whole universe, and that he would rather live here than any where else.
Mr. J. P. Greenwood, M. E., in charge of the engineering department of the J. L. Wood Appraisal Company, is an expert in industrial appraisals and has been engaged in the business since 1912, when he joined Mr. Wood in the present partnership. For many years previous to forming his present connection he was engaged in the engineering busi- ness and built many mills, compresses, electric light plants in the Mississippi Delta and other sections. He came to Dallas in 1905 as district manager of a steel and machinery company and remained with the company for eight years.
Mr. Greenwood was the first man to build cross compound pumping units without fly wheels for ir- rigation on Rio Grande north of Brownsville; the first man to build a two-story reinforced concrete oil mill in Hillsboro, Texas, and not have a stick of wood in it-the first of its kind in Texas. He also erected cotton oil mills at Fresno and Los Angeles, Cal., and Chillicothe, Texas.
In 1920 Mr. Greenwood expects to complete the first book ever written covering full cotton seed oil mill operations. He has been working on the story for three years. In 1912 he published "The Green- wood Table for Estimating the Cost of Generating Power for Steam Plants," now in use by practically all people who use fuel for power plants. He has done considerable writing for the Cotton and Cotton Oil News and the Oil Mill Gazette, as well as other publications.
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ENCYCLOPEDIA OF TEXAS
AT MORRIS NEFF, governor of Texas, is the twenty-seventh executive to occupy the governor's chair since Texas was admitted to the Union on December 29, 1845, the date upon which the Republic of Texas surrendered its sovereignty and became a part of the United States.
Governor Neff was elected head of the Texas state government in November, 1920, after one of the most memorable campaigns in the history of the state in which he defeated, for the democratie nomi- nation, Hon. Joseph Weldon Bailey, former United States senator from Texas. Mr. Neff received one of the largest majorities in the democratie primaries ever accorded a candidate for governor, the cam- paign being marked by unusual interest in all sec- tions of the state. Assuming office in January, 1921, Governor Neff is now completing his first term and is a candidate for re-election, basing his candidacy upon the record made by his administration during his first two years in the governor's chair.
A native Texan, Governor Neff was born at Me- Gregor, November 26, 1871, a son of Noah and Isabella (Shepherd) Neff, both now deceased. The mother of Governor Neff died since his induction into the office of governor.
Completing his preliminary studies in the public and high schools, Mr. Neff entered Baylor Univer- sity at Waco and graduated with the degree of bachelor of arts with the class of 1894. He then attended the University of Texas Law Department and in 1897 completed his work and received the degree of bachelor of laws. The degree of master of arts was conferred by Baylor University in 1898 and in 1921 both Howard Payne College at Brown- wood and Baylor University conferred upon him the degree of doctor of laws.
Following the completion of his work at the Uni- versity of Texas, Mr. Neff engaged in the practice of law at Waco and took an active interest in politics. He was elected prosecuting attorney of McLennan County in 1906 and served continuous until 1912, achieving a state-wide reputation for his fearless and conscientious enforcement of the laws of the state. During his incumbency as prosecuting attorney he tried 422 cases, securing convictions in all except sixteen and turning into the county treas- ury in fines and costs the sum of $24,788 over and above his salary and expenses of office. During four years of his administration he paid into the treasury more money than all the other county at- torneys of Texas combined during the same period.
He was a member of the Texas legislature from 1901 until 1905 and during the period from 1903 until 1905 was speaker of the house of representa- tives. He has the distinction of being the youngest speaker who ever presided over the Texas house of representatives and during his tenure as a member of the legislature was one of only three members who never missed a roll call and who never failed to record his voice on any question submitted. He was also the first speaker from whose rulings there never was an appeal and the first one who was always present, it never being necessary to elect a speaker pro tem during his administration as speaker of the house.
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Mr. Neff has always been an ardent prohibitionist and was the leader of the prohibition forces when McLennan County abolished the open saloons. Waco, . the county seat of McLennan County, was one of the
first cities in Texas won by the prohibition forces.
On May 31, 1899, Mr. Neff was married as Love- lady, Texas, to Miss Myrtle Mainer. They have two children, Miss Hallie Maud and Pat M., Jr.
Mr. Neff is a member of the Baptist Church and for many years has been prominently identified with the religious and educational work of this denomina- tion in Texas. For the past eighteen years he has been president of the board of trustees of Baylor University, one of the higher institutions of learn- ing controlled by the Baptist Church. He also is a thirty-second degree Mason, a Shriner, member of the Knights of Pythias, serving as Grand Chancellor during 1918-19, a member of the Modern Woodmen and Woodmen of the World, the Lions Club, an honorary member of the Rotary Club and a member of the Red Men and a tenderfoot of the Boy Scouts organization.
The administration of Mr. Neff has been char- acterized by his staunch devotion to the principles of law and order and his insistence that the laws be enforced fearlessly and impartially and the operat- ing expenses of the state government brought within the state's income. He also has stood for liberal support of the state's educational and eleemosynary institutions.
ILLIAM D. DAVIS, Ex-Mayor of the City of Ft. Worth, has the admirable record to his credit of having served in that capacity from 1909 until 1913 and then after a four years' retirement elected and again elected to the same office. For more than twenty years he has been identified with every best interest of his city and has won a multitude of friends and is held in esteem by a city as is indicated by its so many times calling him to the Mayorality.
William D. Davis is a native of Mississippi where he was born in 1867. He comes of the South's noblest families, the sons of whom the Southland has chosen frequently before to places of service and leadership. The father, M. Davis, native of Georgia, was cattle- man and farmer who came to Texas in the pioneer days of '69; the mother was a native of South Caro- lina. The public schools of the Lone Star State pro- vided the youth with his earlier training which was finished by thorough courses in Granbury College, a leader in educational circles in earlier days of northern Texas. Ranch life claimed the young man- hood days of Mr. Davis, at first with his father's interests, later at Colorado City. In 1900, he came to Ft. Worth with the grain and cattle business in which he has been a leader from the first. He has farming interests in Tarrant County and 1,700 acres in cultivation in Oklahoma which farm is managed by Marvin L. Davis, his son.
On December 18, 1890, Miss Ella Raynolds be- came the bride of Mr. Davis. He has one son, Marvin L. Davis. The mother has been deceased since August 8, 1908.
Mr. Davis is a Mason to the thirty-second degree. He is congenial and optimistie in spirit, a splendid after-dinner speaker and one who has by experience and application become a leader in the solution of many municipal problems. He is public-spirited to the last, always having the vision of a multitude and the welfare for generations in view. Though quiet and nnassuming, a man who leads a city as its fore- most representative for so many years, as has Mr. Davis, is a citizen of the first rank and not only has been frequently of invaluable service to Ft. Worth in the past but will be in the. many years to come.
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Treff
قدة :
R. L. Vau Banalk
MEN OF TEXAS
UDGE WILLIAM F. RAMSEY, has so thor- oughly distinguished himself in the fields of law or finance that it is difficult to deter- mine in which of the two he should really be classed. In Dallas he is perhaps better known as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Federal Reserve Bank and Federal Reserve Agent.
Judge Ramsey is a native Texan, born October 25, 1855, in Bell County. He represents a Scotch family of long standing which has furnished many illus- trious names both in America and in Scotland. His father , John J. Ramsey, was a native of Kentucky and came to Texas in 1853. He served in the Con- federate Army throughout the Civil War. After the war he settled in Johnson county, where he be- came prominent as a farmer and merchant. His wife, who was formerly Miss Nancy Clark, was a native of Tennessee.
For his early education, Judge Ramsey is indebted to the Public Schools of Johnson County. Having finished his preparatory work, he entered Trinity University at Tehaucana, Texas, from which he was graduated in 1876, with the Degree of Bachelor of Arts. A year later he was graduated from the Law School and was shortly afterwards admitted to the bar. In 1883 his Alma Mater conferred on him the degree of Master of Arts. In 1877 he opened a law office at Cleburne where he served a constantly in- creasing clientele until January 1, 1908, when he re- moved to Austin in order to assume his duties as one of the Judges of the Court of Criminal Appeals to which he had just been appointed to complete an unexpired term. In November of that year he was elected for the un-expired term of four years, be- ginning January 1, 1909. From this office he re- signed January 5, 1911, to accept a place as associate Justice of the Supreme Court. Having served here but little more than a year he resigned to become a candidate for the Democratic nomination for the Governor of Texas. In spite of a vigorous campaign he failed to get the number of votes required for the nomination. After this campaign he resumed his private practice at Austin in which he continued un- til January 15, 1916, when he came to Dallas as Federal Reserve Agent.
On January 22, 1878, Judge Ramsey was married to Miss Emma Johnson, daughter of Rev. Felix Johnson, a prominent Presbyterian minister of Paris, Texas. Five years later Mrs. Ramsey died, leaving a son, William F. Jr., who is now a practising attor- ney at Cleburne. A second marriage was to Miss Rowena Hill of Lagrange, Texas. To them were born three sons and three daughters. The oldest son Samuel David, died for his country in the late World War. The Ramsey home is at 301 North Rosemont Avenue.
Judge Ramsey is a Mason of high standing in both the Scottish Rite and York Rite. He is a Shriner with the Hella Temple of Dallas. In addition to his legal and public activities he has attained no little prominence in the financial field, having served as President of the National Bank of Cleburne, the First National Bank of Covington and the Farmers and Traders Bank of Rio Vista. Although he has not been actively connected with the business for some years, when he came to Dallas in 1916 as chairman of the Board of Directors of the Federal Reserve Bank he was by no means on strange ground. With such a long eventful career behind him as such
a sketch as this can only barely indicate, it is not surprising that Judge Ramsey is not only one of the best known but one of the most highly honored and esteemed of all outstanding men of Texas.
ICHARD L. VAN ZANDT, governor of the Federal Reserve Bank, Dallas, is a banker that enjoys national fame. His position, a crown to men in his profession, is not a thing accidental or of sudden maturing, for Richard L. Van Zandt comes of a banking family that enjoys leadership in matters of finances not only in this generation but generations back. His father, K. M. Van Zandt, for fifty years has been a banker of dis- tinction, and is yet active at the age of eighty-five, in some of Texas' greatest banks.
Mr. Van Zandt is a native Texan, he was born at Fort Worth, on December 1, 1871. His mother was Martha Peete Van Zandt and his father, Khleber M. Van Zandt besides having the distinction of being a founder of banks is also notable as past Commander- in-Chief of the United Confederate Veterans of America. He was active every day in Confederate service during the Civil War, as major of the 7th Texas Infantry. His grandfather was a minister for the Republic of Texas to the United States and just as he was entering the race for the position of first governor of the state of Texas he contracted yellow fever which resulted in his death. No family is more distinguished in the aristocracy of the South and in the state of Texas than is the Van Zandt family.
Ft. Worth high school started Richard L. Van Zandt in his education, then came A. & M., from which he graduated in 1890 as a civil engineer with the degree of C. E., then he did post-graduate work there and also in the Renssalaer Institute of Troy, New York.
He had started his banking career prior to finish- ing his education, for he had served in boyhood as mesenger boy to the teller in the Ft. Worth National Bank of which bank his father was president. For ten years he was in the service of the Ft. Worth National Bank, then he entered the treasury depart- ment of the Philippines where he served in various capacities for two and a half years and then for eleven more years he served as National Bank Ex- aminer in Texas, Louisiana, Tennessee and Arkan- sas. For the first four months of the existance of the Federal Reserve Bank, he served as deputy-gov- ernor and on April 6, 1915, he was chosen as gov- ernor.
In 1898, Miss Annabel Cooper became the bride of Mr. Van Zandt. On January 1, 1919, Mr. Van Zandt came to Dallas and now resides at 2417 Mckinney Avenue. Mr. Van Zandt is active in affairs civic and social as well as in business in two cities, Ft. Worth and Dallas. He is a member of Hella Temple Shrine, a member of the Dallas Country Club, Dallas Athletic Club and the City Cinb. He also has mem- bership in the Ft. Worth Club and in the River Crest Country Club of Ft. Worth.
As one who from childhood has grown up in the banking world, as one who comes of a banking family of distinction, as well as from the view- point of natural talent and ability, Mr. Van Zandt well deserves the high honors accorded him by men of his profession everywhere. His service is more than state-wide and rightfuly ranks as a national figure among nien of his profession.
595
£
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF TEXAS
LVIN V. LANE, vice-president of the Amer- ican Exchange National Bank, has for the last thirty-five years been so largely asso- ciated with the public affairs of the state of Texas that the success of his career as a business man has almost been eclipsed by his record as a big- hearted, public-spirited citizen.
Mr. Lane was born in New Orleans, February 14, 1860. His father, John J. Lane, was one of the well known and highly respected citizens of that city. As a boy Mr. Lane attended the public and high schools of his native city and having completed this course of instruction he entered Vanderbilt Univer- sity. From this school he took the degree of Civil Engineer in 1881. He continued his studies there for another year completing the course leading to the degree of Doctor of Philosophy which he took in 1882. During his last three years there he held a fellowship, teaching engineering and mathematics. His record as a student is one of which he may justly be proud. Mr. Lane is a member of the Phi Beta Kappa fraternity, Vanderbilt Chapter.
After leaving the university, Mr. Lane taught mathematics and engineering in the University of Arkansas for two years. From 1884 to 1888 he taught engineering and mathematics in the Univer- sity of Texas with much credit. During these years he prepared and published a book entitled "Adjust- ments of the Compass, Transit and Level" which made a distinct contribution to the subject with which it deals. Mr. Lane's record as a scholar and a uni- versity professor show that his aptitudes in that direction were unusual and it was a serious loss to the teaching profession in his state when he resigned in 1888 to enter upon a field which was quite different yet one that would give full scope to the powers he has already manifested.
Mr. Lane's first connection with the banking busi- ness was with the Dallas Savings Bank and Safe Deposit which later became the Mercantile National Bank of Dallas, which was in 1897 merged into the National Exchange Bank, now the American Ex- change National Bank, Mr. Lane taking the position of cashier, and in 1903 becoming vice-president, which position he has since held. In addition to his interests here he is treasurer of the Praetorians and treasurer of the Huey and Philp Hardware Company, treasurer of the Chamber of Commerce and a trustee of the Dallas Public Library.
Mr. Lane has filled a large place in the banking circles of Texas and has been associated with every notable banking reform since entering the business. He was president of the Texas Bankers' Association, 1907, and was a member of the executive council, American Bankers' Association, 1902 to 1905 and 1909 to 1912.
In 1886 Mr. Lane was married to Miss Lulie Huey, daughter of Joseph Huey of Corsicana. One son, Alvin H., and two daughters, Mrs. J. O. Newberry and Mrs. T. W. Newcome, complete the family. The Lane residence is at 2505 Maple Avenue.
In spite of the close attention demanded by his business, Mr. Lane has always given liberally of his time and means in the interest of the community welfare. He is a Past Grand Commander, Knights Templar of Texas; 33d degree Hon. A. & A. S. R .; Past Potentate A. A. O. N. M. S .; Grand Herald, Red Cross of Constantine. He has long been one of the outstanding members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, having served as chairman of the Board of Stewards and is now chairman of the Build-
ing Committee. His liberal donations to the Y. M. and Y. W. C. A. and the devotion of no little of his time to the success of their activities form a notable chapter in his life as a generous supporter of such enterprises.
The possessor of a good heritage and the product of one of our highest ranking universities, Mr. Lane brought to the banking business a ripe experience and that rare business foresight which has marked his commercial activities. His success adds another proof to the fact that a college education and even a term as university professor are not inimical to success in the commercial world. Highly merited prosperity and a fortune wisely and unselfishly usedi have combined to make Mr. Lane one of Dallas' most highly honored and genuinely respected citizens.
INSLEY P. JUNKIN, vice-president Repub- lic National Bank of Dallas, formerly gen- eral manager of the Industrial Finance Corporation, New York City, after having shown his ability as a college president, entered the banking business and rapidly came to a place of prominence and unusual influence in that field. Such qualities of leadership as he possesses will necessarily assert themselves in whatever activity they are found.
The Industrial Finance Corporation is the parent of all the Morris Plan Companies in America. The Morris Plan System has recently become a very popular and very satisfactory method of securing loans. Taking as their fundamental belief that "Character is the basis of Credit" they have formu- lated a plan whereby any man of honesty and in- tegrity may borrow money offering as the chief collateral the assurance of a dependable character. Mr. Junkin's resourcefulness has been a valuable factor in the working out of this plan.
Mr. Junkin was born in Rockbridge County, Vir- ginia, April 27, 1873. His parents were Rev. E. D. and Mrs. Agnes (Penick) Junkin. When he was only seven years old his parents came to Texas and after he had finished his preparatory education, he attended Austin College at Sherman, Texas, from which he was graduated in 1893 with the A. B. degree. In 1901 he received his master's degree from the University of Virginia. Two years later he became associate professor of mathematics in the Texas A. & M. College in which position he re- mained for six years. In 1909 he was elected to the presidency of Daniel Baker College of Brown- wood, Texas. After five years in this responsible position he came to Dallas as publicity manager for the Dallas Trust & Savings Bank. In 1916 he was called back to the presidency of Daniel Baker Col- lege and this time he remained for two years. In March, 1918, he was elected to the position of secre- tary and manager of the Morris Plan Company at Dallas but the College Board of Directors would not release him until six months later. As a result of the unusual ability which he manifested in this posi- tion he was asked to become manager of the Indus- trial Finance Corporation of New York and accepted the position April 1, 1920.
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