The encyclopedia of Texas, Vol. 2 Page: 536
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FNCY(:\(IOPEI)IA OF TEXAS
Colorado, Western aNerL faska, South Dtakota and he was manager of the Boger Lumber Company,
Wyoming, continuing until January 1, 191, when he later he was with the W. E. Thomas Lumber
went with the F. L. Shaw Company at Dallas. In pany of Kansas City, and while with this comp
February, 1919, he became identified with the Reo- he covered the states of Missouri, Oklahoma a
Kenney ( companyy and in August took charge of the pajt of Illinois. When the company establish
Fort Worth branch. branch at Burkburnett, Texas, in 1908, Mr. Wt
Mr. Thackston is a man of pleasing personality went there as manager, and sold the lumber for
and wide acquaintance and has achieved splendid first derrick erected in that field. In 1915 he c
success in the automobile world. Since this sketch to Wichita Falls and formed a connection li
was written Mr. Thackston has entered the oil busi- Chenault Brothers, and in 1918 his son, E. O. Wht,
ness and spends considerable time in Breckenridge. wag added to the firm.
RANK D. KEIM, owner and manager of the Mr. Wheat is a native of Carlton, Mo., bornmb
Excelsior Motor C ompany, distributors of 1868, and educated in the public schools of that toik
Studebaker automobiles in three counties, He was married at Norborne, Mo., in 1891, to Nb
was for a number of years engaged in the Mollie Creel, a native of Missouri, who died in 19
oil business, operating in Pennsylvania, West Vir- and in 1907, at Hale, Mo., he was married a seeie
ginia, Ohio and Illinois. lie came to Wichita Falls time to Miss Nettie Herbert Rheinhart. He has Us
in 1916 for the purpose of engaging in the oil sons, E. O. Wheat, in charge of the firm's brat
business, but in 1917 he ortariized the Dixon-Keim at Vernon, Texas, and E. h. Wheat, secretary-tri
Motor Company, a partnership, and in 1920 he ureroftheFlagstaffLumberCompan at lagstS
bought the Excelsior 'Motor Co. He is interested Ariz. He is a member of the Masonic Blue Loll
in the Panhandle oRefining Company tin production at Hale, Mo. He is interested in every move
only) and the Burk-Archer-Dome Company, which that tends to promote the civic and moral betow
owns leases in Archer, Wichita and Eastland coun- ment of his city, and is an enthusiastic booster.
ties, Texas, and Cotton county Oklahoma. AMES C. LATHAM, vice-president and gen
Mr. Keim's place of business in Wichita Falls eral manager of the Scarborough-ILathas
is located at 605. Scott Avenue, and occupies a Company of auto dealers, Dallas, supervise:
building 100x150 feet, in wh, h are located the of- the distribution of the well known makesof
fices and salesroom, parts department and service Scripp-Booth and Milburn Electric cars for his firn
st ation. Thirty employTes and four salesmen are in which he has been a dominant influence since its
engaged, and a very large volume of business is en- establishment in 1917.
joyed by the company, doing about $500,000 an- The Scarborough-Latham Company, whose only
nually. other official is its president, J. A. Scarborough, of
Mr. Keim was born in 1873, in Oil City, Pa., where Paris, Texas, began operations with a capitalization
his father, Chas. Keim, was interested in the oil busi- of $20,000. Their alloted territory for the dlistribuness
as a producer. He was educated in the public tion of the Scripps-Booth covers two-thirds of the
schools of Oil City, and married Miss Lena Baird entire state while for Milburn Electric they are asat
Franklin, Pa. They have four children, Harold, signed forty counties each and handle contracts to
Lucile, Burdett and Paul, and live at 2101 Ninth distribute cars to about 35 dealers in that territory
Street. He is associated with the Knights of Colum- The home of the Scarborough-Latham Company is
bus, the Rotary Club, president of Forrest Country a building of 85 foot frontage and a depth of 16I
Club, the Country Club and the Business Council of feet. Here are installed the office and spacious salesthe
Chamber of Commerce, taking an active interest room, the balance of the first floor being occupied
in each organization. In May, 1920, Mr. Keim by a complete service department with eight emwas
elected president of the Automobile Dealers' ployees rendering continuous service. Mr. Latham
Association to serve for the period 1920-1921. He has had the management of the firm since its inhas
great faith in the future greatness of his city cipiency and under his efficient direction it has atand
never fails to identify himself with all move- tained its present highly satisfactory degree of sucments
inaugurated to further advance the interests cess and a volume of business that will aggregate
of the city along all lines. annually the amount of $250,000.
G 0. WHEAT, member of the firm of Chenault Mr. Latham, a native Texan, was born at Dublin.
& Wheat Co., of which E. O. Wheat, N. B. Texas, March 21, 1887. His father, J. H. Latham,
and W. L. Chenault are the other members, a well known banker and merchant of Dublin, came
is another live wire automobile man of to Texas from Mississippi at an early (late; his
Wichita Falls, proud of his city and county and mother, Mrs. May Caswell Latham, was from the
one of the factors aiding to further its continued state of Illinois. After graduating from the public
growth and advancement along all lines. The firm schools of Dublin, Mr. Latham attended Baylor Uniof
Chenault & Wheat Co. was established in 1915, versity, receiving his A. B. degree there before het
and is located at 1116 Tenth Street, occupying the was twenty-two years of age. He next attended Yale
ground floor, 90x100 feet, of the Chenault Wheat and at the end of one year took his A. B. from the
apartments, a very beautiful building. They are latter institution, the spring of 1910.
distributors for the Winton and Stephens automo- Returning to Texas, he became associated with
biles and the Cole and Liberty automobiles, and his father in a mercantile business at Dublin. Suboperate
at Vernon Texas. A service and parts de- sequently he was associated with the Citizens' Na-Ipartment is maintained at both Wichita Falls and tional Bank of that town in the capacity of assistant
Vernon, and a force of ten people are employed. cashier. In 1914 he removed to Dallas to establish
At the Wichita Falls office a space of 46x53 feet is a grocery business; remaining there one year, at the
devoted to show rooms. end of which he went to Ballinger, Texas, and there
Prior to engaging in the automobile business Mr. conducted successfully, a cotton and grain busing
Wheat was a lumberman at Norborne, Mo., where for a period of two years. Recognizing Dallas to be
536
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Davis, Ellis Arthur & Grobe, Edwin H. The encyclopedia of Texas, Vol. 2, book, 1922; Dallas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth39129/m1/96/: accessed April 25, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Special Collections.