USA > Texas > The encyclopedia of Texas, V.2 > Part 87
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in this field has the approval of the welfare depart- ment, this department recognizing the importance of the work she is doing. She has been actively engaged in this hospital since 1916.
Mrs. Lillian B. English, nce Lillian Burgess, was born in Ilunt County, Texas, and is a daughter of Joe A. and Ray (Ifarris) Burgess. Mr. Burgess, a native of Alabama, came to Texas many years ago, and is a pioneer farmer of Hunt County. Mrs. Burgess, a native of Mississippi is a pioneer Texas cducator, having taught for twenty-two consecutive years in the Hunt County schools. Mrs. English was educated in the Hunt County schools, and fol- lowing this entered the nursing profession, her first experience being as a practical nurse. She then en- tered John Sealy Hospital, at Galveston, where she graduated. Following this she came to Dallas, and established the English Home Hospital.
Mrs. English makes her home at 4811 Victor Strect, and has two adopted daughters, Ethel Ray English and Jean English. She belongs to the Gas- ton Avenue Baptist Church.
RS. LILLIE BURGESS HOVENKAMP is numbered among the successful women of Fort Worth, Texas, where she owns and operates the Sunny Hill Dairy and a farm comprising one thousand acres, located north of this city in Tarrant County. Mrs. Hovenkamp, with her son, Burgess Smith, who is the manager, started this plant in 1921 with only eleven cows. The de- mand for the product of the Sunny Hill Dairy increased and she added to the equipment and number of milk cows until more than one hundred high grade cows are milked. This dairy is one of the most sanitary in the state, with all modern equipment throughout. Baby milk is the special product, and the demand for this milk is more than equal to the production. Two large trucks arc operated in the delivery of the milk from the Sun- ny Hill Dairy and eight people are employed.
Mrs. Hovenkamp is a native of Kentucky, and was educated in that state. In addition to her dairy interests to which she gives her personal attention, Mrs. Hovenkamp takes a keen interest in the af- fairs of her city and has been a member of the Board of trustees of the Arlington Heights Public School for several years. Her home is located at 4911 Bryce Avenue, Arlington Heights. She also owns in fce a ranch consisting of four hundred and eighty acres in Glasscock County, which she leases.
Mrs. Hovenkamp has been twice married. Her first marriage was to Mr. William Helm Smith (deceased since November 6, 1900) a native of Louisville, Kentucky. Mr. Smith a leading grain merchant of Fort Worth, was a member of the firm of Rawl & Smith. Three children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Smith: Helma (deceased) was mar- ried to H. D. Oglesby, and left one son, Billie Burgess Oglesby; Burgess Smith, associated with his mother in the dairy industry, and Marian (deceascd). Burgess Smith was married to Susie Rainey of Gallatin, Tenn., and has one child Burgess, Jr.
In 1915 she was married to Mark Hovenkamp, a well known cattle and business man of Fort Worth. He is a native of Kentucky, whose parents were pioneer settlers of Birdville, Texas. His father, Judge Edward Hovencamp, was a leading lawyer of Fort Worth.
Mrs. Hovenkamp is a member of the D. A. R.
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Mrs. Thomas E Brandon.
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Mary Isham Keith Chapter, the Fort Worth W.man's Club and the First Christian Church. Her success in the business world is noteworthy and she has a host of friends here and throughout North Texas who admire her many wonderful, womanly traits of character.
RS. THOMAS E. BRANDON, of Fort Worth, proprietress of the Maizie Brandon Special- ty Company, is well known in the business, social and musical circles of this city. The " We named company, which she organized in May, 1047, manufactures the "Southern Queen" hair : nic and other products. Already the leading drug three of Texas have found a growing demand for :?:. "Southern Queen" line.
Mrs. Brandon was born in Kentucky, daughter .! Elijah G. and Katherine (Lewis) Shackelford. she was educated in her native state and came to Texas with her parents.
On June 25, 1906, she was united in marriage with J. Edward Cooley, a complete sketch of whom may be found in this volume. To this union one child, Winnie Belle, who is deceased, was born. Subsequent to Mr. Cooley's death she married Thomas E. Brandon, district sales manager of Cook Paint & Varnish Company of Fort Worth.
Mrs. Brandon has always taken a keen interest in church matters and is particularly popular with the younger people. For years she taught bible classes and is a very talented musician. She was soloist in the First Christian Church and is in demand as a singer and director of musical affairs. To the radio fans she is well known and was one of the first artists to sing over Radio Station WBAP. To her eredit is the organization of the Junior Euterpean Club, a musical association of young people, which she directed for some time.
Mrs. Brandon is successful in her manufacturing undertaking because of her business acumen and enthusiasm.
OWARD T. BOSWORTH has been identi- fied with the cotton business of Dallas, for a period of 15 years. His offices are located at 1008 Burt Building. As a cotton broker, he has conducted an extensive business.
Mr. Bosworth became a cotton broker in 1923. Fle first had offices at 411 South Akard Street but later moved to his present location. In a period of less than five years he has handled over 160,000 bales, selling in the local markets and shipping to Mastern buyers.
Howard T. Bosworth was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, in 1885. His parents were Wm. J. and Jonnie (Foster) Bosworth. Both of his parents were natives of New Orleans.
Mr. Bosworth was educated in the public schools of New Orleans and at the age of thirteen started his career in the cotton business in the office of a arge cotton exporter. In 1907 he moved to Laurel, Mississippi, where he was associated with a Shreve- port Company. He remained there for five years. In 1912 he moved to Columbus, Georgia, where he remained for one year in the employ of a New Orleans Company. In 1913 Mr. Bosworth came :o Dallas where he was associated with the H. L. Ed- wards and Company in the cotton business remain- ng with this Company for a period of nine years. In 1923 he opened up offices and started a cotton brokerage business of his own.
Mr. Bosworth was married at Jackson, Mississip- pi, to Miss Minnie Ewing, member of a well-known Tennessee family. Mr. and Mrs. Bosworth are the parents of two children, Howard T. Jr., and Wm. Martin.
B. ROBERTS, pioneer telephone man of Dallas, has been associated with the Southwestern Bell Telephone Company for many years and is well known through- out Texas. Mr. Roberts began his experience in the telephone business in Dallas, building post oak lines, and has worked his way through many positions, obtaining a first-hand and practical knowledge of this industry. His first assignment as manager was at Kaufman, serving also in that capacity in Terrell. In 1918 he was made district manager of the Victoria district, where he re- mained several years. After a short time in the commercial department in San Antonio he was transferred in 1926 to that department in Dallas, where he since has been doing special work.
W. B. Roberts was born in Tyler, Texas, the ninth of May, 1876, son of B. W. Roberts, a cotton man, who moved to Marshall when his son was five years old, and five years later moved to St. Louis. After two years he returned to Texas, locating at Dallas, where his death occurred in 1908. W. B. Roberts was educated by private tutors, and as a boy worked in the cotton room for his father. When the time came to choose a career he decided to pick an entirely different line, and as he always had an inclination for mechanics he went into the telephone business, going with the telephone company in Dallas. During the long period of his connection with this company he has held many positions of responsibility and trust.
Mr. Roberts has been twice married, his second wife, before her marriage being Miss Velma Gilles- pie, whom he married in Stanford in 1914. He has two children, by his first marriage, Mrs. A. C. Robbins, whose husband, formerly state senator, resided in Austin for some years, and who now lives in California, and a daughter, Maidel Roberts, employed in a bank in Denton. He has two grandchildren, the children of Mr. and Mrs. Robbins. Mr. Roberts was a member of the Rotary Club during his residence in Victoria.
The Roberts family, of whom Mr. Roberts is a representative, dates back to the house of Ormand, in Ireland, and many of the old family names have been continued in the family in this country. The family has the first photograph album ever used. and from which the idea originated. The father of W. B. Roberts, B. W. Roberts, was a native of Alabama, coming to Tyler, Texas, at the close of the Civil war. A graduate of Kentucky Military Academy he served during the conflict as a captain of artillery, and after the close of hostilities started to Mexico, reaching Tyler, where he met the girl he later married. Mrs. Robert's father, L. P. Butler, came to Texas during the Civil war, just after Sherman marched through Georgia, of which state he was a native. He brought his slaves with him and settled in Smith county, where he acquired farming interests. He served as a member of the Texas Legislature during the Civil war and took a prominent part in the reconstruction work fol- lowing the close of the war. The family is honored as one of the pioneer families of Tyler.
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MEN OF TEXAS
AMES C SHIRLEY, of Avondale, Texas, came to Tarrant County in 1894 and, for more than thirty years, was one of the leading farmers of this county.
A native of South Carolina, Mr. Shirley was born in Honeypathe, October 20, 1857. His father, J. M. Shirley, also a native of South Carolina, was engaged in farming in that state, where he was well known, and esteemed by a large circle of friends. His mother, Mrs. Nancy (Cox) Shirley, was a member of a pioneer family of South Caro- lina. His education was received in the schools of his native state. Reared on a farm he was taught farmning methods by his father, but as a young man he left the farm for a few years and was employed as a clerk in Townsville, South Car- olina. After his experience as a clerk for various merchants in Townsville, he returned to his farm and again engaged in farming until he located in Tarrant County. He devoted his time here to his farming activities with the exception of a few years when he served as postmaster of Avondale. The Shirley family has lived in their present home at Avondale, sixteen miles north of Fort Worth, for thirty-three years, and is one of the best known families in this part of the State. Mr. Shirley was married at Donalds, South Carolina, April 15, 1884, to Miss Alice Martin, a native of South Carolina, and a member of one of the pioneer families of Don- alds. Her parents, Pinkney and Sarah Jane (Bran- yon) Martin were natives of South Carolina, and members of well known families of that state. Seven children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Shirley, six of whom are living: Clarence, of Avondale; Dora, now Mrs. Harry Kline, of Kansas; Corrie, now Mrs. J. C. Butler, of Albany, Texas; Lula, now Mrs. Thomas J. Doss, of Mission, Texas; Ethel, now Mrs. E. Bass Clay, of Pampa, Texas and Annie, now Mrs. L. D. Hill, of Fort Worth. Mrs. Shirley owns some 800 acres of fine farm land which she rents and with her son, she owns some first class white- face cattle.
Mr. Shirley died in Avondale September 11, 1924. He was a member of the Baptist Church, and served as trustee of the district school, always being interested in education. Although he was almost seventy years of age at the time of his death, he was active in his farm work, with a mind that was clear and alert. Mr. Shirley was a char- itable man and highly regarded by his fellows. His life could be summed in the assertion that he was a good farmer, an enterprising citizen and a faith- ful and true friend.
OHN F. GARRETT came to the Lone Star state as a very young man, settled on a farm in Johnson County and spent the remainder of his life as a farmer in the vi- cinity of Burleson. Perhaps in the history of this community, no man was ever held in higher esteem than Mr. Garrett, who was one of the most helpful members of the farming fraternity of Johnson County.
A native of Georgia, Mr. Garrett was born in Walker County, August 29, 1878. His father, Manlin Garrett, also a native of Georgia, spent his entire life in farming and stock raising. His moth- er, was a member of an old and esteemed fam- ily of Georgia. His education was received in the schools of Burleson, Texas. Educational ad- vantages were limited at that time, but he attend-
ed school and by self-help, became a well educated man.
Mr. Garrett was married in Johnson County, Tex- as near the town of Burleson, February 24, 1901, to Miss Susie I. Minor, who was born and reared near Burleson and her parents, both of whom were natives of Kentucky, were among the pioneer set- tlers of Tarrant County. Her father, H. H. Minor, was one of the leading farmers of Tarrant County. Her mother, Mrs. Mary J. (Burger) Minor, was a member of a well known family of Kentucky. Seven children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Garrett, six of whom are living: Otho B., residing near Burleson ; Mrs. Bessie A. McDonald of Fort Worth; John H., Christeen. Charles E., (Robie), and Way- land H., the last four named residing at the Gar- rett home, four miles East of Burleson.
Mr. Garrett died on his farm November 26, 1920. He was a member of the Woodman of the World, Puritan Lodge, and the Christian Church. Start- ing in an humble way, Mr. Garrett, by industry, integrity and perseverance, worked his way from a wage earner on a farm, to that of landowner and successful farmer. Mr. Garrett was one of the men who developed Johnson County into one of the finest farming counties of Texas. As a very young man he recognized the importance of agri- culture as an asset to Texas, and in his death the farming fraternity lost one of its staunchest sup- porters. Mr. Garrett loved the farm and if he had been a man of untold wealth, he would never have moved from the farm, and it is this kind of farmer that has made Texas. He had a host of friends throughout Johnson County, but especially in the vicinity of Burleson, where he was loved by the entire community.
AMES FREDERICK BRADFORD, for many years was a well known hardware merchant of Mansfield, Tarrant County, Texas, where he owned and operated a hardware store that would have been a credit to towns much larger than Mansfield.
A native Texan, Mr. Bradford was born in Ellis County, November 22, 1855. His father, E. C. Bradford, came to Texas in the early days and, for many years, was one of the leading farmers of Ellis County. His mother, Mrs. Sidney (Smith) Bradford, was a native of Missouri, and a member of a prominent family of that state. His educa- tion was received in the schools of Texas. He was reared on his father's farm and, as a young man, engaged in farming with his father, but after a few years he moved to Tarrant County, purchas- ed land and, for more than thirty years, was one of the enterprising and successful farmers of this county. He later engaged in the hardware busi- ness at Mansfield, where he carried a full and complete line of agricultural implements. heavy and shelf hardware, in fact everything to be found in a modern hardware store. He had many friends in Tarrant and contiguous counties, where he was one of the best known merchants and farmers of this part of the state.
Mr. Bradford was married in Mansfield, Decem- ber. 29. 1881, to Miss Susie Hopson, a native of this state and a member of a pioneer family, who came here when this part of the state was a vast enipire of grazing land for the livestock that roam- ed at will over its great expanse. Her father. Lind- say Hopson, was a native of Kentucky, and after
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Mr & Mus g. T. Shirley
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NEW ENCYCLOPEDIA OF TEXAS
e ming to this state was engaged in farming and cattle raising. Her mother, Mrs. Judith ( Oglesby) Hopson, was a member of a well known family Kentucky. Four children were born to Mr. sod Mrs. Bradford, two of whom survive: Edward Carroll, a leader in the business and agricultural inte of Mansfield, where he was born and reared, and Dr. Cecil Rhodes, a member of the medical fraternity of Nashville, Tennessee. The Brad- ford home is in Mansfield.
Mr. Bradford died in Mansfield, November 4, 1:22. Ile was a member of the Masonic fratern- Ry and active in the upbuilding of his community and state. He did much for the farming frater- nity of Tarrant County to encourage better farming methods and later, when engaged in the hardware business, furnished them with modern farm imple- ments. He was an energetic and successful farmer, an enterprising merchant, a loyal citizen and a faithful friend, loved by all who knew him.
OE BASSETT AMMERMAN, of Fort Worth, was a pioneer cattleman of West Texas, a pioneer in the real estate business of Dallas, and a well known surveyor of Tex- as lands in the early days.
A native of Kentucky, Mr. Ammerman was born in Harrison County, January 5, 1855. His father Wesley Ammerman, was a well known farmer of Kentucky, where he spent his entire life. His mother, Mrs Louisa (Bassett) Ammerman, was a member of a pioneer family of Kentucky. His early education was received in the district schools of Harrison County Kentucky, after which he was a student for years in the Transylvania University of Lexington, Kentucky.
In 1875, when twenty years of age, Mr. Ammer- man came to Dallas where he soon engaged in the real estate business. During this period he assisted in surveying many of the West Texas towns and locating section corners in the vast empire of the western part of the state. After a residence of five years in Dallas, Mr. Ammer- man moved to Eastland County. He was a part owner of the section of land on which the town of Eastland is now located. About this time he started in the ranching business on a large scale, owning several sections of land and grazing some of his cattle on the free range of that time. He was active in the raising of cattle and horses there from 1881 to 1907. when he traded his ranch and moved to Fort Worth. Prior to this time he had moved into the town of Cisco in 1890 and the following year was elected to the office of tax collector of Eastland County, and while he served only one term, his regime was an efficient one. In 1910 he moved to the Rio Grande Valley near San Benito where he bought eighty acres of land and farmed there for seven years. In addi- tion to his other interests, he was owner of the first round-bale cotton gin to be installed in West Texas and was known as an expert in the opera- ton of cotton gin machinery. Mr. Ammerman was a success in his various undertakings, owning large real estate acreage in five Texas counties.
Mr. Ammerman was married in Bourbon County, Kentucky, December 21. 1880 to Miss Lelia Bar- low, a member of a widely known family of Ken- tucky. Her father, J. T. Barlow, was one of the lending farmers of Bourbon County, Kentucky.
One child was born to Mr and Mrs Ammerman : Wesley Barlow Ammerman, a well known Fort Worth attorney, who graduated from the Texas Christian University, and the law department of the University of Texas, class of 1906 The Am- merman home is located at 3537 Travis Avenue.
Mr Ammerman died in Fort Worth, Texas, Jan- uary 1, 1929. He was a member of the Christian Church and was an active worker throughout his life for the good of his city and community, and every community in which he had lived was richer and better by his having lived in it.
LBERT HOBSON of Dallas spent practically his entire life in the various branches of the telephone business and was for more than a decade associated with the tele- phone company in Dallas as the head of the plant engineering department. During his career of over twenty-five years in the telephone business he was located in various sections of the country and was known as one of the mose efficient men of his profession.
A native of Missouri, Mr. Hobson was born in Savannah, March 16, 1879. His father, W. J. Hob- son, was for many years one of the leading contrac- tors of Missouri and built the first electric street railway in St. Joseph. W. J. Hobson came to Waco about 1894 and for many years was active in the building business of this State. The education of Albert Hobson was received in the public schools of St. Joseph and through self help devoting his spare moments to study and reading. When fourteen years of age Mr. Hobson began work on a farm and so continued for several years. In 1902 he started his career in the telephone business, going to Port- land, Oregon, with the Pacific State Telephone Company as switch board man. He remained there until 1910, during this period being promoted to the position of district plant superintendent. He then went to Vancouver as engineer for the British Columbia Telephone Company, where he remained for two years and in 1912 went to Butte, as district plant chief, and remained there until 1917. He then moved to Denver, and was associated with the engineering department of the Mountain States Telephone Company until 1918 when he came to Dallas as plant engineer.
Mr. Hobson was married in Vancouver, B. C., May 29, 1910, to Miss Minnie L. Achenbach, a na- tive of Oregon. Iler father, Joseph Achenbach, spent his early life as a farmer in Iowa, later be- coming an engineer doing much engineering work in Oregon. Two children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Hobson: W. J., who is associated with the Telephone Company in Dallas, and Albert S., in the Dallas schools.
Mr. Ilobson died in Dallas, May 5, 1928. He was a 32nd degree Mason, a member of the Consistory in Butte and was active in Masonry, especially while a resident of Montana. Mr. Hobson was for many years interested in the activities of the Boy Scouts and sponsored one of the troops while re- siding in Dallas, and was active in arranging a . training school for adults. He was for several years a member of the Texas National Guard, but severed his connection with it when he moved to Portland. Mr. Hobson had a host of friends in all parts of the United States, and especially among his associates in the telephone business. He was chari- table, kind and public-spirited.
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FINDLEY L. STEVENSON. A pioneer contractor of Dallas, Findley L. Steven- son was identified with building activities here for many years, and his name is associated with much early construction work. Mr. Stevenson came to Dallas in 1891, from Kansas, and entered the contracting business. He handled a number of government contracts, in Dallas, and also at San Antonio and El Paso, and also built many buildings, among them the Scollard Building, the negro High School, St. Matthew's Cathedral and Holy Trinity College.
Findley L. Stevenson was born in Mercer County, Pennsylvania, on the thirteenth day of February, 1855, and was a son of John Stevenson and Eliza (Dumars) Stevenson. John Stevenson, also a native of Pennsylvania, was of Scotch-Irish extraction. He was a farmer in Pennsylvania for inany years. Mrs. Stevenson was a native- of Pennsylvania, her father having been a farmer in that state. Findley L. Stevenson was educated in the public schools of Mercer County, Pennsylvania, and following this taught school for a time. He then went to Kansas, where he entered the contracting business, and ten years later came to Dallas.
Mr. Stevenson was married in Topeka, Kansas, on the third day of August, 1886, to Miss Flora Kosier, a daughter of Samuel Kosier and Elizabeth (Woer- ner) Kosier. Mr. Kosier, a native of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, settled in Kansas in 1857 and was subsequently a farmer in that state. He was in the raid against Quantrell, who sacked and burned Lawrence, serving under General Price, they defeating Quantrell. Mrs. Kosier was a native of Hagerstown, Maryland, and was married in Pennsylvania, moving to Kansas, where Mrs. Stevenson was born. Mr. and Mrs. Stevenson had two children, Bessie Stevenson (deceased) and Louis A. Stevenson, insurance man of Houston, who married Louise Ayars, of Houston, they hav- ing two children, Orissa and Louis, Jr.
Mr. Stevenson was a Mason. His death occurred in Dallas on the eighteenth day of July 1922.
ILLIAM ASBERY RAY, of Dallas, was a pioneer in the mercantile field of the Lone Star State, having established a general merchandise store in this city in 1872 and for almost a quarter of a century was one of the leaders in the commercial and financial circles here.
A native of North Carolina, Mr. Ray was born in Caswell County, March 8, 1823. His father, Thomas Ray, was a native of Paris, Tennessee, and the Ray family was one of the most noted families of Tennessee of the nineteenth century. His mother, Mrs. Amy (Powell) Ray, also a native of Paris, Tennessee, was a member of one of the oldest and most prominent families of that state, the Powells being leaders in various noteworthy causes in Tennessee since the 1700's. His educa- tion was received in private schools and colleges of Tennessee. ' After finishing college the first position Mr. Ray held was that of a clerk in a store at Paris Landing, Tennessee, but he remained there only a short time. In the early 50's he came to Texas, locating near Seguin and for three years he was engaged in business there, after which he returned to Paris, Tennessee where he was married. In August 1861 he came back to Texas with his wife, traveling this distance in a covered
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