The encyclopedia of Texas, V.2, Part 33

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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On December 24, 1895, Mr. Junkin was married to Miss Mary Parker of Mexia, Texas. Their only son, Eben D., is a student in the School of Commerce and Finance of the University of New York.

Mr. Junkin is a Mason and while he was in Dallas he took a great deal of interest in the Rotary Club and the University Club to which he belonged.

596

Ste. Fammido

MEN OF TEXAS

OSEPH E. FARNSWORTH. Development of the telephone industry in Texas is closely interwoven with the record of the life and achievements of Joseph E. Farnsworth, for many years vice-president of the Southwestern Bell Telephone Company in Texas, formerly the South- western Telegraph and Telephone Company, and sinee 1919 president of the Dallas Telephone Com- pany, a subsidiary company of the Bell System.

In length of service Mr. Farnsworth is the rank- ing official of the Bell Company in the Southwest, having become identified with the system in Austin, Texas, in 1885. The Austin Company was then known as the Erie Telegraph and Telephone Com- pany and Mr. Farnsworth was its general auditor.

In 1896 Mr. Farnsworth came to Dallas as super- intendent of the North Texas Division of the South- western Telegraph and Telephone Company and in 1902 was promoted to the position of general man- ager of the company in Texas. In 1912 he was also niade viee-president, a position he has held eon- tinuously since. There are few, if any, men in Texas today better known to the general public than J. E. Farnsworth. Starting to all intents and purposes at the very bottom, he has forged his way to the front of the telephone industry and Texas owes much of the present development of its eom- munication systems to him.

Mr. Farnsworth was born in Manchester, New Hampshire, January 31, 1862, being the son of Simeon D. and Jennie Eastman Farnsworth. His father was a well known newspaper man and young Farnsworth's earliest efforts, after finishing at the Lowell, Mass., public schools, was in the newspaper business. In 1882 he came to Texas and became identified with the Austin Statesman and continued with this and other papers until he became engaged in the telephone business in 1885. Five years after entering upon his telephone eareer, Mr. Farnsworth was married in 1890 to Miss Laura Maas, of Austin. They have one son, Austin M. Farnsworth, of Dallas. Since his removal to Dallas Mr. Farnsworth has been elosely identified with the eity's eommercial, social and eivie life and has been connected with all those progressive movements that have made for the upbuilding of the city along every line. Mr. Farnsworth is a 32d degree Mason and a past poten- tate of Hella Temple Shrine. He is also a member of the Knights Templar, Dallas Commandery, and is Past Exalted Ruler of the Dallas Lodge, B. P. O. Elks. The City Club and Dailas Country Club in- elude Mr. Farnsworth in their membership.

Mr. Farnsworth is one of the men of Texas who has done much to promote the development of the state along material lines and whose judgment and knowledge of affairs has aided materially in focus- ing the attention of large business interests upon the wonderful possibilities of the Lone Star. State.

DWIN F. CARTER'S position as general manager in Texas, for the Southwestern Bell Telephone Company, 633 Western In- demnity Building, called for the qualities of resourcefulness and never ceasing vigilance in its . executive.

Texas, and especially Dallas, is somewhat of a stronghold of the Southwestern Bell Telephone interests, inasmuch as it has, through its officers, strong affiliations with the financial and commer- cial institutions of Dallas. The manager of this district has under his direction approximately . six

thousand operatives and a territory embracing the entire state. This, together with the fact that the interests of public utilities are so closely coordinated with those of the communities which they serve, gives an idea of the extent of his duties and the re- sponsibility they involve.

A Missourian by birth, Mr. Carter spent much of his earlier life in that state. His parents, William and Maria MeIlvaine Carter, were residing in Faring- ton, Missouri, at the time of his birth, May 24, 1877. His education was begun in a manual training school and later he attended Washington University, both St. Louis schools. On completing his education he accepted a position with the Southwestern Bell Tele- phone Company of Missouri and after schooling him- self in the fundamentals of the construction depart- ment, was in time made commercial manager. He next became commercial engineer of the South- western System and in 1917, general manager for the state of Kansas. In 1919 he was transferred to Texas in his present capacity and in 1920 he was made General Commercial Manager of the South- western system with headquarters at St. Louis, Mo.

His marriage to Miss Mary Ida Bull, also a native of Missouri, took place at her home in St. Louis in 1906. They have three children, Edwin Follett, Jesse MeIlvaine and Mary Clem. Mr. Carter is a member of the Phi Delta Theta Fraternity. His active interest in the welfare of Dallas marked his entire term of residence in that city and any eommunity has much to gain in counting among its eitizens such men as E. F. Carter.

E. BEDLOW, treasurer of the Dallas Tele- phone Company and division auditor of re- ceipts for the Southwestern Bell Telephone Company, 522 Western Indemnity Building, is one of the oldest employees in point of continuous service connected with the Dallas division of the telephone company. He began his career with the telephone company thirty-five years ago, or in 1887, when he was employed by the New England Tele- graph and Telephone Company in its Boston offices. He was a clerk and general utility man in the audi- tor's department of the New England Company and was gradually promoted until he was made chief elerk of the accounting department. He remained in this position until 1902 when he was transferred to Dallas as division auditor of the Southwestern Tele- graph and Telephone Company, now a part of the Southwestern Bell Telephone Company. He has continued in this same position since that time and upon the consolidation of the Bell and automatic companies in Dallas was made treasurer of the local company. His territory with the Southwestern Bell Telephone Company covers the entire state of Texas with general headquarters at Dallas and division offices at Fort Worth, Houston and San Antonio. A total of 140 employees report to Mr. Bedlow.

A native of Massachusetts, Mr. Bedlow was born at Lowell on June 4, 1864, a son of Geo. N. and Amanda (Dodge) Bedlow. Ilis mother was a descendant of Captain John Trull who fought the British soldiers at the battles of Concord and Lexing- ton. He attended the public and high schools of Lowell and later had two years training at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1SS1 and 1882.

On December 30, 1891, Mr. Bedlow was married at Boston to Miss Harriett A. Putnam, a direct descen- dant of the famous revolutionary leader, General

597

ENCYCLOPEDIA OF TEXAS

Israel Putnam. Mr. and Mrs. Bedlow have three daughters. The family home is at 1832 Bennett Street.

Mr. Bedlow is a member of the Masonic Lodge and of the Dallas Country Club, Dallas Athletic Club and the Jovian League.

A. GATES, vice-president of the Southwest- ern Bell Telephone Co. and The Dallas Tele- phone Co. Among the public utility men of the Southwest there is to be found no more forceful, rugged character or stronger personality than C. A. Gates, 625 Western Indemnity Building, vice-president of the Southwestern Bell Telephone System and also vice-president and a member of the board of directors of the Dallas Telephone Company. Coming to Texas and associating himself with the Bell System in 1900, Mr. Gates won his way to his present commanding position in the public utility world by sheer force of character, abundant native ability and an unbounded determination to succeed. His telephone career began at the very bottom rung of the ladder, his first employment in telephone service being as night operator for the Michigan Telephone Company. He rose by successive stages with this Company until he was made general super- intendent for the eastern division of Michigan, hav- ing his headquarters at Saginaw.

Coming to Texas in 1900 he was made superin- tendent of long distance service for the Southwestern Telegraph and Telephone Company, the Bell System, and two years later was promoted to the position of traffic manager. In 1904 he was made general superintendent and in 1909 became general superin- tendent of the plant department when the activities of the company were divided into three divisions, plant, commercial and traffic. He continued in this capacity until 1912 when he was made general manager for the Southwestern Company in Texas and Arkansas, remaining in this position until 1917 when he became vice-president. Before engaging in the telephone business at Saginaw, Michigan, in 1885, Mr. Gates was engaged in various capacities in newspaper work, banking and mercantile lines, in all of which he gave indication of the ability and indomitable perseverance which later characterized his work as a telephone official.

ERCY REDMUND, general traffic superin- tendent for the Southwestern Bell Tele- phone Company in Texas, with offices on the eleventh floor of the Western Indemnity Building, Main and Poydras Streets, has been a resident of Dallas for seven years, coming here from Oklahoma City in 1914. Mr. Redmund is one of the best known telephone men in the Southwest, and has been with the Bell system for 24 years, practically all of this time being spent in the traffic department.

The entire state of Texas in the operation of both toll and local facilities, is under the super- vision of Mr. Redmund and he regularly visits the principal offices and toll centers and observes operat- ing conditions and makes suggestions for improving the service. A force of trained supervisors and traveling chief operators reporting directly to Mr. Redmund also aid in maintaining the standard of service required by the Bell system. Approximately five hundred offices in the Texas division report to Mr. Redmund and between four and five thousand employees are under his supervision.

Mr. Redmund began his telephone career with the American Telephone and Telegraph Company in

New York City in 1895, having prior to that tin !.. worked two years with the Western Electric Com. pany, a subsidiary of the parent telephone company In 1898 he was transferred to St. Louis as a cler ... and remained in this position until he was promoted to chief operator. Later he was made local manager and then traffic superintendent, which position h- filled until 1910 when he went to Oklahoma :: general traffic superintendent of the Oklahoma di- vision.

Born in London, England, November 28, 1878. Mr. Redmund was educated in the schools of London, and came to America in 1894. He is a son of William and Clara (Walton) Redmund. His father came to America in the early eighties and located in Boston.

While connected with the telephone company in St. Louis, Mr. Redmund was married to Miss Alice Greer, member of a well known St. Louis family. They have three daughters, Lillian, Eleanor and Virginia.

Mr. Redmund is a member of the Jovian Club and a communicant of the Episcopal Church.

REDERICK H. MOIIR, general manager of the Gulf Division of the Western Union Telegraph Company, had supervised the telegraph business of four states, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana, since early in 1920, when he came to Dallas as director for the above states. Prior to his arrival in Texas he had a connection through thirty years with the Western Union people, working his way from the beginning as messenger boy in his native city to his present position. He served as general superintendent for several of the larger middle-west citics, including St. Louis, before being placed over a district made up of several states with their entire business.

"Mr. Mohr is a native of Wisconsin, where he was born in the city of Racine, in 1875. His boyhood was uneventful, being spent in the Racine schools from which he entered the employ of the Western Union office as messenger boy. Every position he has held since has been with this one organization, in varying positions at different times. In 1891 he became an operator in Chicago in which capacity he served for five years. He then was made station manager for Jacksonville, Ill., next for Cairo, Ill., thence to Davenport, Iowa, and next to Sioux City. Iowa. In 1904 he was transferred to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and spent fourteen interesting years as manager in that city. This association was broken by his appointment as city manager for St. Louis in 1918, which in turn was brought to an end by Mr. Mohr's promotion to take the general manage- ment of the four states constituting the Gulf District of the company's activity, in 1920. At this date he came to Dallas, the headquarters for his terri- tory and a city which has but two other centers in the United States which do a larger telegraph busi- ness.

In 1898 Miss Grace Cassell, of Jacksonville, Ill., became the bride of Mr. Mohr. They now have residence at 1314 Carroll Avenue. Mr. Mohr is a member of the Blue Lodge, the Chapter, Com- mandery and the Consistory of the A. F. & A. M. He is a Shriner of the Tripoli Temple of Milwaukee. His church affiliation is Presbyterian.

Mr. Mohr is well suited to the Southwest. being a native of the middle-west, the place of his activity prior to his arrival in Dallas. He is, therefore. al- ready a westerner himself, and will render both his company and the Southwest an invaluable service.

598

LAB Oriswill

MEN OF TEXAS

B. CRISWELL, proprietor of the house- furnishing establishment at 1713-1801 Elm Street, might be called one of the corner stones of Dallas. In 1893, when Dallas was ast beginning to see the possibilities of what she might become, Mr. Criswell opened up a modest store on Elm Street. As the city grew and prospered the business grew, prospered and expanded, enlarging its capacity year by year until today it is one of the most beautiful establishments to be found in the country. During these twenty-seven years Mr. Cris- well has been identified with many civic improve- ments and problems of a growing city. He was the first to give an entire season of free concerts in the city parks, and without remuneration for himself or his band of thirty-tive nien holding his organiza- tion together by his gifts as an artist and ability as a leader of men. Aside from this and his com- mercial success he has devoted much time to the higher arts, being a student of literature, as well as an accomplished musician, amateur actor and a com- poser of note. He has a thorough understanding of advertising and writes all his own copy. His artistic tastes combined with his accurate sense of values and long experience, have made him a buyer of acknowl- edged discrimination and judgment.

Born near Canton, Ohio, September 24th, 1871. His father, Jno. B. Criswell, was a Union soldier, school teacher, justice of the peace, and well-to-do farmer; his mother before her marriage was Sarah Jane Dager, both from pioneer families. Mr. Cris- well takes a pardonable pride in his American line- age. His four grandparents were all born in America-two of them of English, one of Irish and one of Dutch descent.

After the death of his mother when he was thir- teen, and of his father eighteen months later, he attended the Ohio Normal University for three years, later entering a mercantile establishment in Canton as a bookkeeper. He continued his musical studies during that time under H. Clark Thayer, and was, the latter part of his period, cornet soloist with the famous "Grand Army Band" (which visited Dal- las in 1901). In 1893 he came to Dallas and began his present business. While struggling timidly along with his little business in day time, he studied litera- ture, philosophy and expression with a well-known Baylor professor for three years at night, and later did the same thing in musical theory for four years with Herbert J. Wrightson.

In 1898 he organized the "Criswell Military Band" which gave the concert music at the State Fair of Texas in 1900 and which is still remembered as the best band Texas has ever had.

In 1902 he became an officer on the regimental staff of the Fourth Texas Regiment, attached to the band, and again directed the concerts for the State Fair. This was the first instance in this country for anyone (except the director of the Marine Band of Washington, D. C.) being made an officer, to act as band master-a practice that has only recently become the regular practice in the U. S. Army, since army band masters are required to educate musi- cians.

Among his compositions the "Funeral March of the Heroes," and "Hymn of the Republic" visualize and glorify the sad scenes of the afternoon following the fall of the Alamo, and a prophet of San Jacinto. This and the "Dance of the Dryads" were written for symphony orchestra. The former was given at the May fete in 1913; the latter, both seasons of Venth's

Dallas Symphony Orchestra Concerts. His "Lullaby," arranged for the S. M. U. Ladies Chorus, has won its way nationally as did his early composition "The Lone Star" concert polka-a cornet solo.

On June 3rd, 1900, he was married to Elnora Rousseau, of Glasgow, Kentucky, and New York. Mr. and Mrs. Criswell have two children Rousseau (valedictorian of his class, 1921, of Bryan high school), and H. B., Jr., age thirteen (winner of the Diamond Medal in the oratorical contest of Bryan high school in 1920).

Mr. Criswell is a 33d degree Hon. Scottish Rite Mason, a Knight Templar, a member of the Shrine and several clubs. His esorteric work in Masonry has been done principally in the Scottish Rite where his capacity as a character actor has had free scope for many years. Here too, he has developed a musical program of the worlds best, and incidental music that together have done much to add to the profound impression made by the Rite.

Such an unusual combination of business and artistic ability denote a mentality of rare quality and mark Mr. Criswell as a man whose friendship is an honor and whose presence in a community is a decided asset. It is doubtful if there could be found anywhere in the country another man of such versatile accomplishments who has succeeded in de- veloping them to such a remarkable degree.

E. GREINER, president of the Greiner- Kelly Drug Co., wholesale drugs, sundries and chemicals, has been distributing drugs and kindred lines in Texas for nearly thirty years. During the last sixteen years he has con- ducted his business out of Dallas and has built up one of the strongest concerns in the Southwest. The present company was organized in 1899 and associated with him as officers are C. D. Kelly, vice-president and J. G. Davis, secretary-treasurer.

The building occupied by the firm was erected in 1904 and contains fifty thousand square feet of floor space in its three floors and basement. Fifty em- ployees are used in the Dallas house and nine sales- men cover the territory handled by the firm. The business has increased steadily and today it will go handsomely over a million dollars a year.

Mr. Greiner was born in Paris, Texas, son of G. O. Greiner, one of the most prominent citizens of that thriving city. His father was mayor of Paris for eight years and prominent in fraternal cireles. Mr. Greiner received his early training in the Paris schools and later attended the University of Illinois where he was graduated with a Ph. G. degree in 1888. He was engaged in the retail drug business in Paris from 1891 to 1899. He moved to Sherman in 1900 and was in business there for four years when he came to Dallas. His firm immediately constructed the building which they now occupy.

He married Miss Terry of Dallas and to them have come two children, Mary A. and William E. Jr.

. Mr. Greiner has been a member of the Board of Education for six years and is now the president. During his terms of service great strides have been made with the Dallas Public Schools. They are now second to none and the board is constantly building new schools to take care of the rapidly grow- ing population. More than a million dollars worth of work is now going on here. He is also president of the Dallas Athletic Club which is going to con- struet one of the most modern athletic club buildings in the United States. He is also a member of the Dallas Country Club and the Chamber of Commerce

599

ENCYCLOPEDIA OF TEXAS

OL. STEPHEN E. MOSS, President of the Texas Drug Company, 900 Commerce St., Dallas, is one of the leaders in Dallas activities of today though he came to Dal- las in 1905 for the purpose of retiring. The Texas Drug Company is one of the largest concerns of its kind in the state of Texas, having five floors that include nearly 60,000 sq. ft. of floor space, two ware houses, of 5000 sq. ft. each, on Camp Street with ten salesmen on the road and covering all of Texas and Southern Oklahoma. When Col. Moss came from Cleburne in 1905 to retire, he made investments in the Texas Drug Company. He was persuaded to take the Presidency of the concern, in 1912 and from that date has built it up from a $600,000.00 to a $1,500,000.00 concern.

Col. Moss was born seven miles from Dallas, in 1853, the son of Azriah Moss who came to Texas in 1849. He was reared on the farm, received a common school education in Dallas Co., and began farming, raising cattle and sheep. He later took up the lightning rod business was on the road as trav- eling salesman for fifteen years and had over 100 men under his direction, covered Oklahoma, Texas, Mississippi and Louisiana and became the largest retail lightning rod dealers in the world. He then began ranching in Bosque County, eighteen miles west of Cleburne, at Moss Villa. His ranch and farm was situated in the Brazos River Valley. Here he had 4,000 acres under fence, 400 acres under cultiva- tion, Brazos River bottom land, an artesian well, a three-acre lake which is one of the best fish lakes in the State, boats, bath house, modern residence, rustic bridges-all of which was worked out in detail by a landscape gardner he brought from New York. This expert and four men were kept busy for eleven months in the work of making most modern and beautiful the possibilities of Moss Villa-said to be the best improved country home in the south.

Col. Moss was made President of the National Bank of Cleburne in which he held the majority stock. This position he held for twenty-five years. His last marriage was in 1913, to Mrs. Mamie Cart- wright. He has one son, Robert Cartwright.

Though Col. Moss returned to Dallas, his native home, seventeen years ago for the purpose of re- tirement, they have been among the most active and fruitful years of this eventful life. He has been in this time an incessant worker among the fore- most leaders in Dallas commercial and civic and social life; activities ranging from the presidency of a big concern to President of the Cedar Crest Country Club. He is a member of the City Planning Commission-which deals with the opening of streets, operation ef street cars, beautifying of the city-to his sportsmanship. He is a great hunter and fisherman; during the last duck season Col. Moss and his hunting companion brought in 105 mallard ducks in one week. He spends on the average of two days a week in hunting and fishing during the open season. He is a member of the Finn and Feather Club, and the Dallas Caddo Hunting and Fishing Club.

Colonei Moss is a pioneer of the State of Texas. He has served with dignity and honor on the staff · of three of the Governors of this state: with Gover- nor Culberson, two terms, Governor Sears, two terms, and Governor Lanham, two terms. While he resides at Dallas, he is a citizen of the state at large rather than a man of one municipality.

HOMAS D. CULBREATH, secretary an! treasurer of the Texas Drug Company. 900. 902 Commerce Street, has been closeis identified with the drug business of Texa: for thirty-three years, during which time he l ... come into an acquaintance and influence in h .. field which but few men have attained.

The Texas Drug Company, dealers in wholesa !. drugs and druggists' sundries, is another Texas firm which has been marked by that steady, healthf .: growth characteristic of its home city. Incorporate : in 1894 with a capital stock of $200,000, its influence and patronage has gradually increased until it now covers that expansive territory stretching from E: Paso on the west to Texarkana on the east, south to Temple and north to Oklahoma City with parts of New Mexico and South Arkansas on the outskirts. Its home is a four story building having a floor space of 40,000 square feet with an additional 10,000 square feet of warehouse space. More than sixty persons are employed, doing an annual business of nearly two million dollars.

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The encyclopedia of Texas, V.2, Part 33

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