GULF, COLORADO AND SANTA FE RAILWAY COMPANY

EARLY ISSUES OF CAPITAL STOCK (continued)

Elinore McDonough

Galveston, Texas

May 25, 1927

Some of the first Stockholders

The following notes have been compiled to cover some of the other stockholders of the early company. That they are not more complete, is due to the fact that they represent only the writer's personal knowledge, as gained from family tradition and friendly gossip. No attempt has been made to amplify them from other sources, except from some few advertisements on old newspaper clippings included in the first minute book of the company. Of those stockholders not mentioned here, though appearing in the transcript of the first stock book, the writer has no knowledge, and has made no attempt to obtain any.

Mr. J. H. Hutchings, of the original firm of Ball, Hutchings & Co., has also been dead for many years. His son, Sealy Hutchings, is the present representative in firm, now known for a long time as Hutchings, Sealy & Company, and still the largest financial institution in the city. Mr. Sealy Hutchings married a daughter of Col. W. L. Moody, one of the associate commissioners who organized the first company, and who joined in the formation of the new company in 1879.

Mr. George Sealy and Mr. John Sealy, brothers, were both members of the firm of Ball, Hutchings & Co., and of the later firm of Hutchings, Sealy & Co. Mr. George Sealy was the first treasurer of the Santa Fe, elected at the meeting of the Directors on Nov. 26, 1873. He was elected a director in 1876, and again elected treasurer on Dec. 17, 1877. At this time, however, he declined to serve, on account of other business engagements. He, with certain other stockholders and business associates, made the loan of $250,000.00 to the railway company in 1878; and when the railway company was unable to pay its note on maturity, Mr. Sealy bought in its entire property at the Trustee's sale on April 15, 1879. He and his associates organized the new company of 1879. Mr. Sealy married Miss Magnolia Willis, whose family had been among the most prominent of the early organizers and stockholders of the old company, and who joined also in the formation of the new company of 1879. Their s on -- also George Sealy -- carried on the various business affairs of the family of today, including their control of the Galveston Wharf Company. When Mr. George Sealy died in 1900, Trinity Episcopal Church of whose congregation he was a member, had been only partially repaired from the damages it had suffered in the great storm. And the church had no bell. However, on the orders of the later Monsignor Kirwin, then rector of the St. Mary's Roman Catholic Cathedral, St. Mary's bell tolled for Mr. Sealy's funeral at Trinity Church, only a few blocks away.

Mr. John Sealy was a member of the first Board of Directors of the Santa Fe, elected on Nov. 14, 1873. He was of the committee that drafted the company's first by-laws. He was continuously a director and member of the Executive Committee until his resignation from the Board on March 31, 1876, on account of his having accepted the presidency of the Galveston, Houston & Henderson Railroad. He was elected the first president of the new company on 1879, having joined in its organization as a member of the firm of Ball, Hutchings & Co. Mr. Sealy died many years ago. His memory is perpetuated in the John Sealy Hospital, the funds to construct which having been bequeathed to the city in his will. His son, the late John Sealy, added to the great fortune left in his care by his father and uncle, and at his death a year ago, left half of his own estate to the enlargement and development of the hospital. The elder John Sealy's daughter resides in the family home at Tremont St. and Avenue I. She is Mrs. R. Waverly Smith, whose husband is president of the First National Bank of Galveston.

Certificate No. 9 was issued Nov. 3, 1875, to J. J. Schott for one share. Mr. Schott is a druggist, who had opened a drug store on Market St., near 20th St., shortly after the Civil War. He is still in business at the same location.

Certificate No. 10, for one share, was issued Nov. 3, 1875, to John Leinbach. His son, F. George Leinbach, has for many years conducted a drug store on Market St., near 22d St.

Certificate No. 11, for one share, was issued Nov. 3, 1875, to J. J. Hendley; and Certificate No. 13 was issued Nov. 3, 1875, to Wm. Hendley & Co. They were merchants. The Hendley Building, on the northeast corner of 20th St. and the Strand, still bears the marks of the shells that struck it when the Federal gunboats bombarded the City of Galveston in the Civil War. Mr. J. J. Hendley joined with George Sealy in the loan to the old company in 1878, and was one of the organizers of the new company in 1879.

Certificate No. 14, issued Nov. 3, 1875, was for 10 shares, in favor of N. N. John. He was a banker, and a director of the company in 1875 and 1876, and again in 1878 until the dissolution of the old company. He was not among the organizers of the new company in 1879.

Certificate No. 16, for 10 shares, was issued Nov. 3, 1875, to Lee, McBride & Co. They were cotton and wool factors and general commission merchants at 214 Strand.

Certificate No. 17, for 5 shares, was issued Nov. 3, 1875, to W. K. McAlpin. He was senior member of the firm McAlpine & Baldridge, cotton factors and commission merchants, Hendley Building, Strand.

Certificate No. 23, for 3 shares, was issued Nov. 3, 1875, to Lammers & Vogel, who were cotton factors and commission merchants.

Certificate No. 25, for 13 shares, was issued Nov. 3, 1875, to Marx & Kempner. They were cotton merchants. Mr. H. Kempner was elected a member of the Santa Fe board of Directors -- one of those nominated by the County -- at the election in December, 1877, and continued as a director until the dissolution of the old company. He was one of those who joined with George Sealy in the loan to the old company in 1878, and was one of the organizers of the new company in 1879. Mr. Kempner died many years ago, but the cotton business is still carried on by his sons, under the firm name of H. Kempner. Their banking business is now the United States National Bank, located in its own building, recently erected on the southwest corner of Market and 22d Sts. His eldest son, Mr. I. H. Kempner, has been successively Finance Commissioner and Mayor of the City of Galveston. His youngest son, Mr. S. E. Kempner, has recently presented the City of Galveston with a park, to be known as Kempner Park, in memory of his parents.

Certificate No. 28, was issued Nov. 3, 1875, to E. T. Austin, for 10 shares. Mr. Austin had been an alderman of the city in 1869 and 1870. It was he who brought the suit to restrain the County of Galveston from issuing its bonds in aid of the railway company, and to restrain the railway company from using or disposing of the bonds delivered to it by the County.

Certificate No. 32, for one share, was issued Nov. 3, 1875, to N. B. Sligh, who was president of the Gulf Loan & Homestead Co.

Certificate No. 33, for 15 shares, was issued Nov. 3, 1875, to Grinnan & Durell (Probably Grinnan & Duval), who were cotton factors and commission merchants. In New York City, they were located at 118 Pearl St., as Grinnan, Duval & Co., bankers and commission merchants.

Certificate No. 38 was issued Nov. 4, 1875, for 5 shares, to G. B. Miller & Co. Nearly all this family is now located at Falfurrias.

Certificate No. 39, for 5 shares, was issued Nov. 4, 1875, to T. C. Thompson, who was at one time the proprietor of a drug store on Market St., about where the City National Bank now stands.

Certificate No. 45, for 15 shares, was issued Nov. 4, 1875, to J. Frederich and Erhard. The sons of this Mr. Erhard operate a stationery and printing business on Mechanic St., near Tremont, as F. W. Erhard Company.

Certificate No. 47 was issued Nov. 4, 1875, to Kauffman & Runge, for 10 shares. Mr. Julius Runge, the managing partner of the firm, was an alderman of the City of Galveston in 1877, 1878, and 1879, and city treasurer from 1885 to 1890, inclusive. He was also the German Consul at Galveston. He was elected to the Board of Directors of the Santa Fe, representing the private stock, at the meeting of Dec. 15, 1877. At the election held Oct. 1, 1878, he was again elected a director, this time representing the County's stock. He joined with George Sealy in the loan to the old company in 1878, and was one of the organizers of the new company in 1879. The Runge family is still prominent in Galveston.

Certificate No. 50 was issued Nov. 4, 1875, for 2 shares, to T. E. Thompson, a jeweler, formerly located at Tremont and Market Sts.

Certificate No. 51, for one share, was issued Nov. 4, 1875, to A. Flake, a grocer, with a large store on Market St. between 22d and Tremont Sts. His brother, Ferdinand Flake, was the owner and publisher of Flake's Bulletin, probably the first newspaper published in Galveston. It is no longer in existence, having been sold many years ago to the Galveston News. Several members of the Flake family still live in Galveston. A great-grandson of Ferdinand Flake, John M. Burgess, is personal record clerk in the office of the Secretary and Treasurer of the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe. Flake station, on The Gulf and Interstate Railway of Texas, is named for another member of the family.

Certificate No. 58 was issued Nov. 4, 1875, to the Merchants Insurance Co., of which Mr. John D. Rogers was president, for 50 shares.

Certificate No. 59, for 10 shares, was issued Nov. 4, 1875, to Focke, Wilkins & Co. This was a firm of wholesale grocers, variously known since as Focke, Wilkens & Lange and Wilkens & Lange. They have recently liquidated their affairs and gone out of business. In the present generation, the Focke family are still wholesale grocers; the Wilkens family are cotton factors and steamship agents; and Alvin T. Lange, junior member of the real estate firm of Arnold & Lange, is just beginning his second term as Commissioner of Waterworks and Sewerage for the City of Galveston. His father, the late H. C. Lange, held the same office in the first board of commissioners elected in 1901 upon the adoption of the commission form of city government.

Certificate No. 61 was issued Nov. 5, 1875, for 12 shares, to the Island City Savings Bank, which went out of existence many years ago.

Certificate No. 64, for 2 shares, was issued Nov. 5, 1875, to J. T. Huffmaster, who is still living at his home in Galveston. His son, Hu Huffmaster, is a prominent musician of Galveston and Houston, organist and choirmaster at Trinity Church, Galveston.

Certificate No. 65, for 5 shares, was issued Nov. 5, 1875, to Cannon & Williams, cotton and wool factors on the Strand. Fen Cannon was the Galveston member of the firm, and Geo. Williams was from Brazoria.

Certificate No. 67, for 5 shares, was issued Nov. 5, 1875, to H. A. Landes, and Certificate No. 68, for 10 shares, was issued the same day to J. E. Wallis. These gentlemen comprised the firm of Wallis, Landes & Co., wholesale grocers. Mr. J. E. Wallis was elected to the Santa Fe Board of Directors at the meeting of Oct. 3, 1876. Though a member of the "old board" after the first election in 1877, he was finally elected a director, representing the County's stock, at the election of Dec. 15, 1877. He was again elected in 1878, and served at various times as a member of the Finance Committee and the Executive Committee. The firm of Wallis, Landes & Co. joined with George Sealy in the loan to the old company in 1878, and were among the organizers of the new company in 1879. The other member of the firm, Mr. H. A. Landes, was elected Mayor-President of the City of Galveston on Dec. 14, 1905, after the death of Wm. T. Austin, the first Mayor-President under the commission form of government. Mr. Landes was also elected for the full term from 1907 to 1909. Both these gentlemen are dead now; and practically all the members of both families now live in California.

Certificate No. 69, for 10 shares, was issued Nov. 5, 1875, to Folts & Walshe, who were cotton factors on the Strand.

Certificate No. 72, for 5 shares, was issued Nov. 5, 1875, to A. Rakel, who was a grocer, located on Market St. near 20th St.

Certificate No. 75 was issued Nov. 6, 1875, for 5 shares to R. Irvine. Capt. Irvine was a retired sea captain. He died many years ago. His wife, Mrs. Reliance Irvine, still survives him, though she lost her mind over twenty years ago. Their former home, on 35th St. and Broadway, was sold about fifteen years ago to St. Patrick's Church, and was used for several years as a school building. Recently, however, the remainder of the property belonging to the estate in that block was also sold to the church, and the old mansion was torn down and a modern brick school building erected in its place.

Certificate No. 77, for 12 shares, was issued on Nov. 8, 1875, to Peter Gengler. In 1856, Peter Gengler had started a small grocery business on the south side of Market St., near 20th. In 1926, the business, many times expanded and enlarged, was still flourishing at the same location, but in a new building, reaching all the way to 20th St. At the celebration of the store's seventy-fifth anniversary at that time, it was said that it had the longest continuous history of any similar establishment in the United States.

Certificate No. 79, for 5 shares, was issued Nov. 8, 1875, to Steele, Wood & Co., and afterwards transferred to Oliver Steele, who was the successor of Steele, Wood & Co. They were dealers in hardware, cutlery, guns, pistols, stoves, scales, etc., at 68 Tremont St.

Certificate No. 83, for 25 shares, was issued Nov. 7, 1875, to the Galveston City Railroad Company, and Certificate No. 84 was issued the same day, for 20 shares to D. Theo. Ayers, who was president of the Galveston City Railroad Company. That company had had a contract with the City of Galveston since May 24, 1866. Mr. Ayers' son, James W. Ayers, is a clerk in the office of the Assistant General Manager of the Santa Fe at Galveston.