USA > Texas > The encyclopedia of Texas, V.2 > Part 4
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HARLES STRAUSS DUDLEY, senior part- ner of the firm of C. S. Dudley & Com- pany, commercial adjusters and collectors, 211-212-213 Dallas County State Bank Building, came to Dallas in 1916. He was born in Omaha, Nebraska, July 22nd, 1890, and ever since he was twelve years old he has been hustling for
himself. He is a graduate from the school of hard knocks, having had little or no opportunity to at- tend school during his boyhood days.
Mr. Dudley was married at Ft. Worth, June 30th, 1911, to Miss Virginia Mae Crain, a native of Texas, and a daughter of Rev. J. L. Crain, a well known Christian minister in this state. Mr. Dudley at that time was employed on a salary, but fully appre- ciating the additional responsibility that marriage ties bring, and being ambitious, as well as a firm believer in Herbert Kaufman's saying that "the best way to get a chance is to take one," Mr. Dudley determined to go into business for himself. Having a peculiar gift and talent for relieving tardy debtors in payment of their just debts, and knowing that there is a large field for a specialist in this line, Mr. Dudley decided to engage in the collection and adjustment business. He operated successfully in this line at Ft. Worth until 1916, at which time he moved to Dallas, and became associated with T. E. Blanchard, under the firm name of T. E. Blanchard & Company, continuing with Mr. Blanchard until the spring of 1917, at which time he succeeded Mr. Blanchard in business, operating from that date as C. S. Dudley & Company. In September of 1921, Mr. Dudley sold an interest in his business to J. C. Riser, who was formerly vice-president of Boren Stewart Co., wholesale grocers of Dallas, and also an interest to F. W. Cooney, who was formerly in charge of the credit department of Armstrong Pack- ing Company of Dallas. The firm enjoys a large following among the wholesalers, manufacturers and jobbers of not only Texas and Dallas, but in the market centers of the north and east. The firm specializes in the handling of adjustments and col- lections in the wholesale trade, and generally con- ceded to be the largest and best equipped commercial adjustment company in the Southwest. Mr. Dudley is regarded as a commercial adjuster of high ability, and since associating with him in business Mr. Riser and Mr. Cooney, the firm is equipped to handle adjustment matters of any size in the Southwestern States.
Mr. and Mrs. Dudley have two children, Lida Mae and Charles S., Jr., and the family residence is 5600 Lewis Street, Belmont.
Mr. Dudley is a member of the Dallas Wholesale Credit Men's Association, the Dallas Automobile Country Club, the Commercial Law League of America, Keystone Lodge No. 1143 A. F. & A. M., Dallas, and the East Dallas Christian Church. He is an enthusiastic booster for Dallas and Texas, and says Dallas is destined to become the greatest inland commercial center in the United States. He says that Texas is "a regular whale" and that oppor- tunities for the young man are unlimited in Texas. as its development is still in its infancy.
BRED E. SLOAN, sales manager for the Felt and Tarrant Manufacturing Company of Chicago, which manufactures the "Comp- tometer," has his offices in the Great South- ern Life Building at Dallas, Texas, and is a "pusher" who is a business man and friend. It might be possible to even class Mr. Sloan, not as a cold blooded business mortal. but as a man working for the development of his country. Can a man be said to be a plain business man when he is bring- ing before the public a contrivance that simplifies calculation in every respect, when in the past- a possible stub pencil in the hands of a possible com-
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petent clerk, only produced a possible correct solu- tion ?
In the year of 1875, a tiny baby boy was born to Sarah and W. R. Sloan, of Statesville, North Caro- lina, which was brought up by this mother in her southern way and sent to the public and high school of Statesville, after which he entered the North Carolina State College of Agriculture and Engi- neering, graduating from college in 1899 with C. E. degree.
One year later he entered the bonds of matri- mony with May H. Crawford, in the city of Raleigh, North Carolina. His wife is the daughter of William Riley Crawford, a wholesaler of North Carolina. Mr. and Mrs. Sloan have one son, Frederick William.
He was secretary of the State College of North Carolina from 1900 to 1905, and in the insurance business from 1905 to 1917 in his home state. In 1917 he accepted a position as sales manager for the Felt and Tarrant Manufacturing Company for the states of Georgia and Florida. Mr. Sloan was transferred to the Dallas branch in 1918.
His office here also included a school for girls to learn to operate the comptometer.
Mr. Sloan is a member of the Masonic lodge, the Knights of Pythias, Chamber of Commerce and the Lions Club of Dallas.
R T. COUCH well known oil operator business man and proprietor of the Tenth Street Drug Store, came to Wichita Falls from Rusk County, Texas, in 1903 and for twelve years has been an active figure in the commercial and civic life of the city. The Tenth Street Drug Store was opened in April, 1920, and has proven an unqualified success since the opening day. A com- plete line of drugs and sundries is carried and special attention is given prescription work, two registered pharmacists being employed to handle this portion of the trade. The store also carries a complete line of Johnston's and Norris' candies, imported and do- mestic perfumes and toilet goods, cigars and to- baccos. Elegant fixtures add to the attractiveness and convenience of the store and a modern soda fountain serves seasonable drinks.
Mr. Couch was born in Rusk County, Texas, No- vember 21, 1883, a son of W. C. and Ann F. (Burk) Couch. He was educated in the public schools of Rusk County and early in life engaged in business for himself.
A prominent figure in the oil industry, Mr. Couch is president of the Bankers and Merchants Petroleum Company, a million dollar organization and is the senior member of the well known independent oil operating firm of Couch-Winfrey, besides being con- nected as a stockholder and director in many other companies. The Bankers and Merchants Petroleum Company has headquarters at 810 Dan Waggoner Building, Fort Worth, and has choice holdings in various parts of the Wichita oil district. Mr. Couch has been engaged in the oil business for a number of years and is recognized as one of the best posted operators in the North Texas field,
Mr. Couch is a member of the West Chamber of Commerce, the Wichita Falls Chamber of Commerce and the Wichita Club.
R. JAMERSON, well known oil field supply D man, president of the Dallas Mill Supply Company, secretary of the Dallas Oil Field Supply Company, came to Dallas in 1914 from Houston where for twenty years he had been engaged in the mill and oil field supply business. He has built a large business in this line here and supplies many operators and mill men throughout Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico. He has three traveling salesmen.
His companies handle power plant supplies, steam specialties, mill and oil field sundries. Large ware- houses with ample stocks are maintained in Dallas to facilitate prompt shipments to customers.
Mr. Jamerson was born at Rock Island, Illinois, February 7, 1879, a son of D. Jamerson, in the hard- ware business at Edna in Jackson County, Texas, for 28 years. Educated in the public schools of Illinois, he was first employed in a hardware store at Rock Island and then came to Houston where he was con- nected with the Heitman Company and then on the road for the Fairbanks Company as buyer and sales- man. He was also connected with the Union Iron works of Houston and later made general manager of the company.
On February 28, 1901, Mr. Jamerson was married to Miss Ida Vinson, member of a pioneer family of Polk County, Texas. They have four children, Vin- son, Doris, Roy Everett and Lois.
In 1919 Mr. Jamerson was one of the organizers and was made secretary-treasurer of the Dallas County Gas and Fuel Company which owns some 10,000 acres of leases situated from 18 to 30 miles Southwest of Dallas. A well is being drilled now and concerning the company Mr. J. C. Casler, in a report to stockholders of the Manhattan Petroleum Company said: "The company owns the leases on 2,000 acres of land in Dallas County, Texas, located 11% miles from the town of Cedar Hill. This is the new field that is being exploited by the Dallas Coun- ty Gas and Fuel Co. The prospects here look very promising for some producing wells on account of the seepage of oil which is being found and a shal- low water well that is said to be making about three barrels of a high grade oil per day at a depth of 34 feet."
The company closed a contract early in 1920 to underwrite its stock and expects to thoroughly test out the leases owned in Dallas County.
He was married in Rusk County in November, Mr. Jamerson is a firm believer in Dallas and in 1901, to Miss Lillian Reagan. They have one child. . all Texas. He is confident the Dallas County Gas Oree. Mr. and Mrs. Couch reside at 2109 Eighth Street and also maintain a home at 2308 Fifth Avenue, Fort Worth.
and Fuel Company will open up an entirely new oil field near Dallas which in turn will make this city the real headquarters of the oil industry in Texas and add to its supremacy from an industrial and commercial standpoint.
J. FOLEY, manager of the Dallas branch of the International Harvester Company of America, Incorporated, 211 North Austin Street, has for many years been well known in the business world. The company handles every- thing that is required on a farm, fifty-four varieties of machinery being sold. It has a force of sixty employees of which thirty are traveling salesmen. The territory over which Mr. Foley has supervision comprises all of Texas from Texarkana to San Angelo and from Vernon to Temple, including all of the northern part of the state. Two hundred and fifty dealers in this territory handle the firm's goods through the Dallas office. The annual sales
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of the company are approximately three million dollars.
In 1901 Mr. Foley came to Dallas and went into the employ of the McCormick Harvesting Machine company. Two years later the International was formed. In 1907 when the International left the state he was identified with the Texas Harvester Company in the capacity of treasurer and assistant manager, the latter company handling the Inter- national goods. In August, 1919, when the Inter- national returned to Texas he became manager.
Mr. Foley was born on September 30, 1881, at Burlington, Iowa. His father, J. C. Foley, was a native of Ireland and his mother, whose maiden name was Justina Hughes, was a native of Virginia. He received his education from the Burlington public schools and from Elliot's Commercial College.
In 1911 Mr. Foley was married to Miss Mary Elsie Campion, the daughter of Benjamin T. Cam- pion, of Louisville, Kentucky. They are the parents of five children, Mary Justine, Joseph, James Ed- ward, Aline Elizabeth and Thomas. The family resides at 110 North Winnetka Street, Oak Cliff.
Mr. Foley is a member of the Rotary Club, the Chamber of Commerce, the Knights of Columbus and the Oak Cliff Catholic Church.
W. CARROLL, JR., President of the Carroll Company, factory branch of Manufacturers, of auto accessories and equipment, with of- fice and warehouse at 2218 South Harwood Street, Dallas. Although of a younger generation of business men of Dallas, Mr. Carroll might well be called a pioneer of this field of activity. The Carroll Company represents twelve leading factories who manufacture practically every manner of auto- mobile accessories and equipment and carry a com- plete line in stock. The company was organized March 1, 1921 and cover the usual trade territory of Dallas, namely: Texas, Southern Oklahoma, Louisi- ana and Arkansas. Six employes are engaged in the work, two of whom are on the road. Mr. Carroll is thoroughly experienced in his stricter lines, al- though he has been engaged in various other fields of activity which has served to broaden his vision in general.
Mr. Carroll's first work was in the oil business in Beaumont Texas 1908 to 1909, leaving this to take charge of his fathers machine shop in Beaumont, where he remained for one year. He then established a shingle mill which he operated for a like period. Leaving Beaumont he went to Waco where he joined the Perry-Willis Company Agent for the Chalmers Automobiles, as Salesman and during the year of 1913 he won a fine Tiffany watch, given by the Chalmers Company to the salesman in Class B selling the largest number of Chalmers cars during that year. In December of that year, he took the Ford Agency at Marlin, Texas, and two years later, 1915 he sold this business and organized the Spencer- Carroll Company of Texas in Waco and engaged as wholesale jobbers of auto accessories and equipment. He was vice-president and general manager of this firm, being the only active stockholder in the com- pany. Later, realizing what Dallas offered as a distributing center, he moved the Spencer-Carroll business to Dallas December 22, 1918, and January 6, 1919, and shipped over $2,000 worth of goods on the opening day. After moving the business to Dal- las it made wonderful gains, the 1919 business amounting to half a million dollars. Realizing the
splendid opportunity for a factory to manufacture a line of goods handled by jobbers. Mr. Carroll organized the Automotive Supply Manufacturing Company, and on November 1, 1919, sold his entire interest in the Spencer-Carroll Company to J. E. Spencer, in order that he might give his entire time to the affairs of this company's manufacturing operations. Leaving this business he organized his present company, with which he has since been identified.
Mr. Carroll is a native of Louisiana, born at Provencal, La., in 1888. He was educated in the public schools of Beaumont, Texas, and took the mechanical course at A. & M. College. Ilis father, M. W. Carroll, was a pioneer driller in the Beau- mont oil fields. He was married at Waco, Texas, June 11, 1913, to Miss Eleanor Sneed, daughter of J. W. Sneed, a farmer of Falls County, Texas, and who is still active on a farm that he has operated for more than fifty years. They have one son, Jim Sneed Carroll, and live at 4939 Worth Street, Mun- ger Place. His fraternal affiliation is with the Elk's Lodge.
AMUEL A. ELLSBERRY, manufacturer's agent and dealer in construction materials, Deere Building, came to Dallas from West Texas in 1912 and for nine years has played an important part in the building program in Dallas and vicinity. Many of the important buildings in Dallas contain materials which were sold to the con- tractors and builders by Mr. Ellsberry.
Mr. Ellsberry handles a complete line of fire doors and steel windows, sidewalk lights and other ma- terials and equipment. He also handles a line of machinery used in contracting and building work.
The steel windows for the Pierce Oil Corporation building, Tennison Packing Company building and the large plant recently completed by Proctor and Gamble in South Dallas were all supplied by Mr. Ellsberry.
A native of Alabama, Mr. Ellsberry was born at Montgomery, February 14th, 1888. He is a son of S. A. and Palmer (Ready) Ellsberry and was edu- cated in the public schools and the Alabama Poly- technic Institute, where he graduated in civil engi- neering. Mr. Ellsberry is unmarried and is very popular in social and club circles of Dallas.
Actively interested in civic affairs, Mr. Ellsberry is a member of the Chamber of Commerce, the Uni- versity Club, Cedar Crest Country Club and Lions Club. He is an enthusiastic booster for Dallas and predicts the city will become the principal com- mercial and industrial center of the Southwest.
ANIEL D. OTSTOTT, president of D. D. Otstott, Inc., manufacturers agent, with office and show rooms in the Southland Hotel, is a well known Dallas business man, having resided here since 1910. D. D. Otstott. Inc .. is probably one of the leading concerns of its kind in Dallas, having a complete, in fact remarkable line of glass, china, enamel, aluminum and crockery ware, also domestic and foreign toys. They have three thousand square feet of floor space in the Southland Hotel banquet room and have six sales- men on the road in Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana and Arkansas. While the company is new in the field. yet its volume of business is going at the rate of $250,000 per year and will increase undoubtedly from year to year. The other officers of the com-
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pany are: A. J. Brennan, vice-president, and J. B. Otstott, secretary and treasurer.
Cincinnati, Ohio, was the birthplace of Mr. Otstott in 1872. His parents were Mr. and Mrs. T. M. Otstott and his father was a farmer out from Cincinnati. Here the son was reared and trained in the deep-down virtues of thrift, honesty and per- severance, qualities that have brought him to the top in the business world. After his education in his native state, he went to Chicago and entered the employ of Butler Bros., in that city and has served this firm from that day as a beginner to a place of leadership. For eleven years, from 1899 until 1910, he was in their employ in Chicago. From there he came to Dallas to take charge of the merchandising for this district and completed about eleven years of affiliation with the company in Dallas. Mr. Otstott left Butler Bros to establish his own business.
In 1896, at Chicago, Ill., Mr. Otstott married Miss Ida Bonwell, of Iowa; they have three children, Frances (Otstott) Strong, John Otstott and DuShane Otstott. The family residence is at 4409 Highland Drive.
Mr. Otstott is a Mason in the Trinity Valley Lodge No. 1048, and a Shriner at Hella Temple. He is a member of the Dallas Country Club, the Chamber of Commerce, the Dallas Automobile Country Club and the Ad League. First Methodist is his church affiliation.
Active in the social and civic life of his city as well as a man of big business in its commercial affairs for more than a decade, Mr. Otstott has well identified himself with the state he serves and is one of her noblest adopted sons.
ORTER OAKES, president of the Union Trust Company of Wichita Falls. Texas, vice-president of the Graham National Bank, Graham, and president of the Dispatch Petroleum Company, is one of the younger bankers and oil operators of Texas, with a record of un- usual success to his credit since his discharge from the war service and his advent into the oil business soon after the Armistice was signed.
Following an interesting career of service during the World War which began with his training at the Second Officers Training Camp at Leon Springs, Texas, and ended with his retirement as Major, Brigade Adjutant, Infantry of the Federalized Texas National Guard. Mr. Oakes went to Wichita Falls when the oil fields were at the fever-heat of their development, and taking advantage of the oppor- tunities for profitable operations, he rapidly ad- vanced to his present prominence in oil and banking circles and in the social and commercial life of Wichita Falls. Like so many other pioneers of the Texas oil rush, Mr. Oakes experienced many of the vicissitudes of fortune hunters in the oil fields, and has known what it means to see fortunes lost and cherished ambitions blasted. His present substantial positiion in his community however, is ample evi- dence of his success and achievement.
Mr. Oakes was a trained newspaper man and ad- vertising specialist prior to his service in the World War. He received his early training on news- papers in Tennessee, and for some years was asso- ciated with the Nashville Tennessean and American in important editorial capacities. Later he devoted his entire time to advertising and publicity service with offices in Nashville and Chicago. Notwith-
standing his success in other pursuits, Mr. Oakes has never been able to completely break away from his profession. For a considerable period during the war, he was in charge of war work publicity for the Southern Department (Military). After considerable suecess in oil operations, he again entered the news- paper field, this time as vice-president and director of the Wichita Falls Record News, morning news- paper established by Messrs. Bagley, Allison and Oakes. The demand of other interests becanie so insistant however that after nearly a year, Mr. Oakes withdrew from the newspaper to give his en- tire attention to oil operations and investments.
Among the outstanding connections enjoyed by him have been the presidency of
the Plymouth Petroleum Corporation, a five million dollar oil enter- prise; association with Wm. G. McAdoo Jr., and J. M. Shaffer in the firm of McAdoo, Oakes and Shaffer, investment bankers; and a member of the board of directors of the Oil and Gas Corporation of Duncan, Oklahoma. He was also vice-president and director of the Graham National Bank, of Graham, Texas.
Mr. Oakes was born in Williamsburg, Ky., June 8, 1890. His parents, William A. and Elisabeth Smith Oakes, later moved to Tennessee, and accordingly, the American University at Harriman, Tennessee and the Law School of Vanderbilt University, Nashville, gave him his education. Miss Laurel Harper of Nashville, Tennessee on Sept. 1, 1910, became the bride of Mr. Oakes. They have one son, Porter Landrith Oakes. The family residence is at 1309 Polk Street, Wichita Falls.
Mr. Oakes is a member of the Kappa Gamma Alpha fraternity. He is a member of the Kiwanis Club, the University Club, Wichita Falls Tennis Club, commercial organizations, and the American Legion. He is a member of the Christian Church.
Keen interest in public affairs, particularly politi- cal and literary developments has given Mr. Oakes wide acquaintance with leading men and women, and has generously injected romance into his career, his experiences including political campaigning in Tennessee; making a business survey of Honduras and other countries in Central America; and im- portant assignments during the war and post-war period, among them being that of Aid to the Presi dent's daughter, Margaret Woodrow Wilson on her singing tour of the Army camps, and for a time located in the White House; director of the Armenian Relief in the South; and an associate in the work of the American Committee for Devastated France.
Mr. Oakes has substantial personal oil holdings in addition to his various company interests, as tangible evidence of his energy and success. He is devoting his tine largely to oil and banking interests, and his permanent business address at Wichita Falls, is the Morgan building.
HAS. B. EDDY, president of the Central Oil Development Company, a $2,000,000 cor- poration with shares of no par value, or- ganized in May, 1919, is one of the most interesting men connected with the oil business in Texas and has had many remarkable experiences as well as success since he was sixteen years old, at which time he left his home in New York State without a dollar and traveled all over the West, in- cluding Colorado, New Mexico and West Texas, be- fore going back to the family fireside. His Com-
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pany has holdings throughout the oil bearing sec- tions of the state and some holdings in the Louis- iana fields. The company has in the aggregate about 100,000 acres in leases, is drilling in eight or ten counties and has an interest in about twenty wells. Mr. Eddy spent two years in the North Texas fields and five years in the Southern fields and as a director and one of the organizers of the Atlantic and Gulf Production Company of Hous- ton, operating in the coast regions.
Mr. Eddy was born in New York State, September 15th, 1865, and comes from a family of prominent educators. His father, grandfather and all his brothers and sisters were born in the same house near Cooperstown, the first house built there, con- structed entirely of logs and later improved. He attended the Hudson River Institute, and the Cazi- novia Seminary, of which Dr. Lyman Eddy was principal. Another uncle, Dr. L. D. McCabe, was president of Ohio Weslyan College, and Dr. Bishop Johnson, another uncle was the principal of Dickinson College. Dr. Bishop Chas. C. McCabe, another un- cle, was also an educator. As a boy Mr. Eddy had been all over the western cattle country as a cow- boy, and after returning to New York and finishing his education he came west again and became one of the largest cattlemen in Texas, Kansas, New Mexico and Colorado. Later he went into the railroad busi- ness and built and financed the Pecos Valley road. He was also president and operated the El Paso and Northwestern Railroad, which he sold in 1913 to the Phelps-Dodge People. This road was about 500 miles long. He is a member of the New York, Chicago, Denver and El Paso Clubs, is an inter- esting gentleman and has many friends.
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