The encyclopedia of Texas, Vol. 2 Page: 590

                                
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF TEXAS

of Capt. W. H. Thomas, and Frederick C. Connally,
son of W. C. Connally. His grandfather was Capt.
George Connally of Civil War fame.
Mr. Hatcher was an active member of the First
Baptist Church of Dallas, he was held in highest
esteem by a multitude of friends who counted his as
the highest friendship. Not only in commercial
circles was he active but in all moves that ushered
in the civic welfare of Dallas. The Hatcher residence
is at 2101 McKinney Avenue.
AUL FREDERICK ERB, for many years
head of the Dallas Mercantile Company,
died at his home, 1015 Browder Street,
on November 9, 1921, after more than a
quarter of a century of active business life in Dallas.
Commencing his business career here in the
stationery line, Mr. Erb later established a brokerage
business and handled produce and groceries and
was manufacturer's agent for a great many other
standard lines. Mr. Erb died after a short illness
and was buried in Oakland Cemetery.
A native Texan, Mr. Erb was born in Galveston
September 23, 1853, and had lived in Dallas for
forty-one years. He was a son of Peter Erb, native
of Holland and a prominent contractor and business
man of Galveston. After receiving his education
in the public schools of Galveston, Mr. Erb engaged
in business and in July 1880, removed to Dallas.
On March 2:, 1880, Mr. Erb was married in Galveston
to Miss Minnie Lermond Tobey, a daughter
of Nathaniel and Sarah  (Hinkley) Tobey, both
natives of Maine and who came tn Galveston in 1872.
After retiring from business Mr. and Mrs. Tobey
removed to Dallas and Mr. Tobey died here in 1911
and Mrs. Tobey in 1913.
Mr. and Mrs. Erb had one son, William Tobey Erb,
who married Miss Ella Marie Walters. They have
two children, Paul Walters Erb and William Tobey
Erb, Jr.
Mr. Erb was actively identified with civic movements
and organizations of various kinds and was a
member of the Dallas Country Club, a charter member
of the Dallas Athletic Club, the Chamber of
Commerce, Knights of Pythias. He contributed
considerably to the upbuilding of his city and built
the first apartments in Dallas and erected several
other apartments and residences. Mr. Erb saw
Dallas grow from a struggling village to a metropolitan
city and bought his first home in Dallas at
the corner of Akard and Young Streets, the site now
being considered close in down town property and
occupied by business establishments.
ICHARD EDGAR GAHAGAN, who from
boyhood until his death on June 11, 1913,
was connected with the American Exchange
National Bank of Dallas, came to this city
when he was sixteen years of age and shortly after
that began work for the old American National
Bank which later became the American Exchange,
today the largest bank in the Southwest. Mr.
Gahagan served the bank in various positions of
.trust and responsibility and had held the position
of assistant cashier for a number of years before his
death.
Soon after coming to Dallas Mr. Gahagan realized
the potential possibilities of investments in Dallas
real estate. He began in a small way acquiring
pieces of property in what he believed would be the
line of the city's growth and also bought vendor's

lien notes on attractively situated properties. He
59

was very successful in his investments and came to
be regarded as a man of keen and well nigh unerring
judgement.
Mr. Gahagan was a native of Louisiana and was
born in Vienna in 1876. He was a son of Lawrence
and Cornelia (Goodwin) Gahagan and was educated
in the public schools of Louisiana and at Poughkeepsie
Business College.
On May 12, 1900, Mr. Gahagan was married at
5506 Ross Avenue to Miss Florence M. Haskins, who
was born in the old James home that had been the
family residence for several generations. The old
home was burned a few years ago and has been replaced
by a new and modern structure on the same
block of ground. Two children were born to Mr. and
Mrs. Gahagan, Robert Henry, nineteen and Lawrence
Herman, eighteen, both students of Southern Methodist
University and who will enter Harvard as
soon as they have completed their courses at S. M. U.
Mrs. Gahagan's father, H. G. Haskins, came to
Dallas in 1872 with Alex Sanger and established a
drug store on Elm Street in one of three brick
buildings which were the only brick stores in Dallas
at that time. Mr. Haskins was very active in real
estate circles after retiring from the drug business.
Mrs. Gahagan has one brother, Hubert Haskins, of
New York City.
LBERT BEHRENDS was for many years
one of the leading figures in the wholesale
o grand bs in business in alveston and after the
IL. Disastrous storm there in 1900 moved to
Dallas on April 3, 1901, and organized the Dallas
Grain Company which he operated successfully until
his death on July 21, 1902. Mr. Behrends was
thoroughly conversant with the grain business and
first began work in this line with J. Reymershoffer
and Son, continuing with this firm for ten years
and then organizing his own business in partnership
with E. 0. Lynch in 1888. After the death of Mr.
Lynch, Mr. Behrends continued to operate under
his own name until the business was wiped out by
the Galveston storm and flood.
Mr. Behrends was born in Europe on October 29th,
1858, while his parents were on a visit there. He.
was a son of Jacob and Anna (Wilkins) Behrends
who came to the United States in 1855. His father
was a sea captain and settled at Galveston before
his death.
Mr. Behrends came to Dallas in 1901 and
organized the Dallas Grain Company and had a
remarkable beginning. On the date of his death
there were fifty cars of grain on the tracks that he
had bought.
On December 16, 1884 Mr. Behrends was married
at Galveston to Miss Cora Ella Talbot, who survives
him and who now resides at 4943 Victor Street. Mrs.
Behrends is a daughter of Captain John Fletcher
Talbot and Elinor Ann (Derrick) Talbot who wasI
born in Galveston, December 19, 1839. Her father
was a wealthy stock man and ship owner of Texas
He was born in Hempstead County, Arkansas.
December 19, 1827 and came to Texas in 1831. His
father, John Talbot fought in the war between Tewx
and Mexico which resulted in Texas becoming at
Independent Republic.   Mrs. Behrends maternal
grandfather, John R. Derrick was a member of th

first city council of Galveston and by profession wa
an architect and contractor. John Talbot was in
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