The Encyclopedia of Texas Page: 619 of 970

ENCYCLOPEDIA OF TEXAS

one of the organizers and was Second President of
the Rotary Club of Waco.
James M. Penland was born at Haysville, North
Carolina, the twenty-third of July, 1878, son of J. A.
and Sallie Truett Penland. His mother is a sister of
Dr. Truett, well-known Dallas preacher. The family
came to Texas in 1889, and Mr. Penland began his
education in the schools of this state, attending
the public schools at Whitewright, and later Grayson
College. Finishing his school work he came to
Dallas and spent the ensuing year with the Texas
Drug Company. At the end of that time he went
to St. Louis and for five and a half years was connected
with the Meyer Brothers Drug Company of
that city. He then came to Texas, locating at Waco,
and established his present business.
Mr. Penland is a Trustee of Baylor University,
also a member of the Spring Lake Country Club,
the New City Club of which he is a member, and
former director of the Young Men's Business League,
and the Rotary Club, the latter of which he helped
organize, and is a Director of the Texas Cotton
Palace. Fraternally Mr. Penland is a Mason and
is a member of the Baptist Church in this city.
OBERT J. POTTS, whose activities for a
number of years have identified him with
construction work in the Lone Star State,
has for the past eight years been a factor
in construction, and construction supply work in the
city of Waco. Mr. Potts is President of the PottsMoore
Gravel Company which was organized in
1914 and has developed an industry that ranks
among the most important in the city, and has
been a factor in the growth and advancement of the
community. The plant is located north of the city,
near the river, and within the switching limits.
The business represents a hundred and fifty thousand
dollar investment, and furnishes employment
to some forty men. Immense steam shovels are
used to load the ballast and road gravel, which
is one of the principal products of the firm. They
also operate a plant for the preparation of concrete
materials, plaster mortar and sand. The firm supplies
a trade territory extending over Central Texas.
Mr. Potts maintains his office at 1411 Amicable
Building, where in addition to his interests in the
gravel company he manages the affairs of the
Potts, D. A. Hevearn,
of Ft. Worth, secretary, and J. J. Adams, of
Dallas, Treasurer.
Mr. Adams has had several years' experience in
the advertising business, having started in New
York in 1913, later going to Philadelphia, then returning
to New York. In 1917 he enlisted in the
army and was sent to Ohio with the Air Service,
later transferred to the University of California and
commissioned first lieutenant. He was sent to Love
Field, Dallas, as instructor in the air service, remaining
here throughout the war. When discharged
in 1919 he went to Wichita Falls, where for a year
he was in the oil business, later coming to Dallas,
with the United Advertising Company. He came to
Waco as general manager the first of November,
1920.
Ben H. Adams was born in New York City, in
1892, son of E. G. Adams, a native of New York.
He was educated in the public schools of New York
State, gave special attention to the fine arts, and
took a one-year course in the School of Electrical
Engineering of the General Electric Company.
Mr. Adams was married at Waco, the seventh of
January, 1922, to Miss Georgia Lagenley, whose
father was a prominent manufacturer of this city,
and president of the Circle A Corporation, manufacturers
of Circle A Ginger Ale and other products.
Mr. Adams is a Mason, a member of the Rotary
Club, the Advertising League, the Chamber of Commerce,
the Young Men's Business League, and the
Chelsea Club.