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Brandon Building
Main
Street
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Brandon Building in 2015
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Brandon's Begun Business in Palacios Thirty Years Ago
About thirty years ago Mr. T. R. Brandon, one of
the older and better known business men of this vicinity, built two
buildings, one in which he located himself and the other which now
houses the Crescent Drug Store. Mr. Brandon originally opened a
grocery in the present location of the drug store remaining there
for two and a half years finally selling to Curtis-Tatum. Since that
time several grocery stores have been operated in that particular
spot. In 1912, the building now occupied by Brandon's became a
general dry goods store, and is still operated as one.
Until 1935, Mr. Brandon was active in the
management of the store, however, at that time he retired from
active work and the management was taken over by Thomas S. Brandon,
his son.
This firm carries a general line of dry goods,
ready to wear, hats, shoes and notions. Miss Gladys Swensen and Mrs.
Margaret Vandivert are alert, efficient saleswomen and who has been
in the store for several years and with their friendly, courteous
manner of serving are indeed quite an asset to the store.
Palacios Beacon, October 19, 1939
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Crescent Drug Store Now Located In Brandon’s Building
The Crescent Drug Store is now located in its new
quarters the Brandon Building at the corner of Main and 5th
Streets. The room has been newly painted and makes a most attractive
and commodious place of business and Mr. and Mrs. Bowden are quite
anxious for all their friends and customers to call and see them in
their new home.
Palacios Beacon, August 31, 1939
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T. R. Brandon
T. R. Brandon passed to his eternal rest on the
evening of July 18th at the Scott and White hospital in
Temple, Texas. The funeral service was held at the home in Palacios
on Sabbath afternoon at 1:30 with Rev. George F Gillespie
officiating in the absence of Rev. J. E. Mack, pastor of the
Methodist Church, who was out of town attending a Church conference.
The preacher chose as his Scripture passage, 2 Cor. Ch. 5, vv. 1 and
8, and Psalm 15. He said Psalm 15 contained a description of a
citizen of Zion, or in other words, it describes a Christian
gentlemen. The preacher said he had known the deceased intimately
for 21 years, and paid tribute to his loyalty as a friend, his
kindness of heart, and his love of home.
Mr. Brandon was a man of high principle. He had
certain rules of conduct which he always carried out in his business
and in his private life, and these were exemplified in the verses
read from the 15th Psalm. Without truth there can be no
virtue. Mr. Brandon believed in speaking the truth in his heart, he
walked uprightly, and worked righteousness, and considered always
that a man’s word was as good as his bond. He was born in Pulaski,
Giles County, Tennessee. His father was a farmer, and he often
talked about his early life and upbringing on the farm. He attended
Giles College in his native county, and came to Columbus, Texas, at
an early age, where his brother Kenneth had preceded him. He was a
commercial traveler for 25 years—working 22 years for the same
company—and afterwards engaged in ranching and rice farming. While
living in Columbus he was united in marriage to Miss Lena Farmer,
and to this union was born one son, Thomas. During the years he
lived in Columbus he was an active worker in the Knights of Pythias
Lodge. He came to Palacios 32 years ago and engaged in the dry good
business until he turned the business over to his son a few years
ago. Mr. Brandon was spared to a ripe old age. He was successful in
his business undertakings and amassed a considerable fortune.
Perhaps his distinguishing trait was that he enjoyed life. He was
known for his hearty laugh and for his love of company. He was a
sincere and loyal Christian, having been a member of the Methodist
Church for many years. He was a liberal giver to all the causes of
the Church. He always attended Church worship both morning and
evening, and sang in the choir. The members of the Methodist Church
will miss his cheery presence and his friendly ways.
He has earned the blessing: “Well done, good and
faithful servant, enter thou into the joy of Thy Lord.”
“There is no death,
What seems so is transition,
This life of mortal breath
Is but a suburb of the life elysian,
Whose portals we call death.”
The remains were laid to rest in Columbus
cemetery. He leaves to mourn his going, one son, Thomas S., his wife
and two grandchildren; a sister who lives in Atlanta, Georgia; a
sister-in-law, Mrs. Kenneth Brandon, of Columbus, and two daughters,
Mrs. Dan Clinton, of Houston, and Mrs. Roy Ball, of Dallas.
The following out of town friends were present:
Mrs. Kenneth Brandon, Columbus, Texas; Mr. and Mrs. H. B. Farmer,
Houston, Texas; Mr. and Mrs. Dan Clinton, Houston, Texas; Mrs. Roy
R. Ball, Dallas, Texas; Mr. and Mrs. R. T. Hunter, Corpus Christi,
Texas; Mr. and Mrs. John L. Tompkins, Corpus Christi; E. J. Hogan,
E. L. Hogan, and Frank Seerden, Houston, Texas, and others.
Palacios Beacon, July 24, 1941
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Funeral Services Are Held Saturday For Mrs.
Lena Brandon
Funeral services were held Saturday, November 11,
for Mrs. T. R. Brandon, widow of the late T. R. Brandon, widow of
the late T. R. Brandon, pioneer dry goods merchant of Palacios.
Born Lena Farmer in Columbus, Texas, on February
10, 1889, she was married to T. R. Brandon on December 30, 1909, and
they came to Palacios to make their home. To this union was born one
son, Thomas S. Brandon, who with his three children, Ann, Tommy and
Becky are the survivors.
Mrs. Brandon was a gentle, dainty, little lady
who was completely devoted to her family and her religion. She
joined the Methodist Church while a child, and as long as her health
permitted, she was a faithful member of the First Methodist Church
of Palacios and was in regular attendance at all church services.
In addition, she worked with the primary
department of the Sunday School and was a member of the Woman’s
Society of Christian Service for many years. She was a member of the
Wednesday Club until her health began to fail.
After a long illness, she grew seriously ill a
week ago and passed away at the Bayview General Hospital on Friday,
November 10.
Services were conducted at the First Methodist
Church at 1:30 p. m., Saturday, November 11, by the pastor, the
Reverend Wesley Schulze, assisted by the Reverend Earl Price of the
Presbyterian Church.
Using the scripture—Jeremiah 15:9—which says “Her
sun is gone while it was yet day,” Mr. Schulze brought words of
comfort in portraying her passing as a beautiful sunset, leaving
those who remain behind a challenge while it is “yet day” for them
to use their lives correctly in following her Christian example.
Life for everyone has two mornings but only one
night. For Mrs. Brandon the first morning was her birth into the
earthly life. Her night was death and the end of the earthly
existence. For those who are left behind, this knowledge that her
second morning has dawned in the sunrise of the new life eternal
with God will help to comfort them in their loss.
Burial was in the Columbus cemetery at 4:30 p. m.
Pall bearers were R. J. Sisson, W. C. Gray, J. H. Huffman, Frank
Gillespie, Harry Sisson, and M. O. Burton. Alternates at Columbus
were Dan Clinton, Brandon Fitzpatrick and Bowers Cousins.
To typify further the lovely thought of the
dawning of the new morning is the life eternal, Tennyson’s immortal
“Crossing the Bar” was used.
Palacios Beacon, November 16, 1950
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Thomas Brandon, Local Merchant Victim
of Attack
News of the fatal heart attack to Thomas S.
Brandon, shortly after 8 p. m. Wednesday was a distinct shock to the
entire community.
Funeral services for the well known business man
and community worker were held at the First Presbyterian Church at 3
o’clock Friday afternoon with Rev. R. Earl Price of Dallas, Rev.
Richard E. Stone and Rev. Clint Harris officiating. Interment was in
the Palacios Cemetery.
A native of Palacios, Thomas S. Brandon, the only
child of the late Mr. and Mrs. T. R. Brandon, was born October 2,
1910, in an apartment located at the rear of the new Palacios
clothing store his father had founded that year. He worked around
the store as soon as he was big enough and took over as manager in
1935. He attended Palacios schools, graduating in the class of 1928,
and then attended Southwestern University at Georgetown.
He married the former Trude Ann Duffy, who
preceded him in death last July and they were the parents of four
children, Ann Brandon of Corpus Christi, Thomas R. Brandon, a
medical student in Houston, Becky Brandon and Kenneth Brandon of
Palacios.
Mr. Brandon was a member and deacon of the First
Presbyterian Church and chairman of the Board of Deacons; a member
of the Rotary Club with a perfect attendance record for 24 years; a
charter member of the Bay City Knife and Fork Club and an active
member of the chamber of commerce.
He was a director of the City State Bank and had
served as inactive vice-president of the organization for the past
several years. He had served on the Matagorda County Hospital Board
and Matagorda County School Board.
Active pallbearers were Messrs. Cornell Prindle,
Tom Friery, Jimmie Shearer, Rex Cooper, Ralph Newsom and Carlton
Crawford. Honorary pallbearers were Rotary Club members, Directors
of The City State Bank and the Board of Deacons of the Presbyterian
Church.
Out of town relatives and friends attending the
services were Mr. and Mrs. Dan D. Clinton, Sr., Mr. and Mrs. Dan D.
Clinton, Jr., Mrs. Lavine Shaw, Miss Zue Belle Shaw and John
Holmberg of Houston; Mr. and Mrs. Roy R. Ball, Rev. and Mrs. R. Earl
Price, Dr. and Mrs. Jack Duffy of Dallas; Mr. and Mrs. Brandon
Fitzpatrick of Columbus; Ed Derry, Rosalyn Wolfe, Mr. and Mrs. Jeff
Wakefield and Mr. and Mrs. W. S. Minor III of Corpus Christi.
Also Miss Georgene Stubblefield, Bill Grissom of
Austin; Mr. and Mrs. M. O. Burton of Port Lavaca; Mr. and Mrs. A. E.
Duffy of Conroe; Tom Hale, Tom Hale, Jr., Mr. and Mrs. W. W.
Rugeley, Mrs. W. H. Kelley, John Huebner, Sr., R. O. Kaiser, W. T.
Caffal of Bay City; Mrs. J. E. Anthony, Wharton; Mrs. O. R. Lundy,
El Campo; Mrs. A. S. Culver, Mrs. Ben Nolte, Mrs. Arthur Gottschalk
and Mrs. Emma Jean Taylor of Matagorda and Mrs. Fred Law,
Collegeport.
Palacios Beacon, March 1, 1962
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Funeral Services For Trude Ann Brandon
To Be Held Thursday
Funeral services for Trude Ann Duffy Brandon, who
passed away in Wagner General Hospital at 1:40 p. m. Tuesday, will
be held at 3 p. m. Thursday, July 20, in the First Presbyterian
Church with the Rev. Richard E. Stone and Rev. Clinton Harris
officiating. Interment will be in the Palacios Cemetery.
A native of Matagorda, Texas, Trude Ann was born
August 3, 1914, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. A. E. Duffy. She was a
Palacios resident for 26 years, coming here as the bride of Thomas
S. Brandon after their marriage in Matagorda on June 4, 1935.
She was an active member of the First
Presbyterian Church, serving as Sunday School teacher many years and
as president of the Women of the Church. She helped organize the
local Girl Scouts, the Red Cross swimming lessons and served on the
Youth Council. She was a former member of the Athens Club and a
current member of the Bay City Knife and Fork Club.
Survivors include her husband, Thomas S. Brandon;
four children, Ann, Thomas Reynolds, Becky and Kenneth Edward, her
parents, Mr. and Mrs. A. E. Duffy, of Palacios; a sister, Mrs. L. R.
Beason of San Pedro, Calif.; two brothers, A. E. Duffy, Jr. of
Conroe and Dr. Jack Duffy of Fort Worth; two aunts, Misses Lucile
Duffy and Elizabeth Gilbert of Palacios; uncles, C. E. Gilbert,
Houston and P. S. Gilbert, Kerrville, eight nieces and nephews.
Palacios Beacon, July 20, 1961
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Brandon's Dry Goods, One of Oldest Businesses In City, Sells to
K. Wolen's
One of Palacios' oldest businesses, Brandon's,
was sold last week to K. Wolen's, and with the change of ownership
the Beacon bids adieu to one of its most faithful advertisers.
Brandon's has been an active business in Palacios
since 1909 when T. R. Brandon built the building at the corner of
5th and Main. He originally opened a grocery store in half of the
building, selling his grocery stock 2 1/2 years later to
Curtis-Tatum. In 1912, he opened a general dry good store in the
other part of the building which continued in operation until it was
sold last week.
In 1935, Thomas S. Brandon, son of T. R. Brandon,
took over as manager of the store, and as owner following the death
of his parents. During his ownership, the store was enlarged to take
in the entire building, and a new and better quality of merchandise
was stocked, making it one of Palacios' leading and most popular
stores.
A heart attack in February, 1962 took the life of
Thomas S. Brandon, and his four children became owners of the store.
They continued to carry on in the footsteps of their father and
grandfather, with the help of their maternal grandfather, A. E.
Duffy, and efficient clerks.
When offered a chance to sell the store, a great
deal of thought was given the proposition before the deal was
closed, but as all four children were busy with their chosen career
or studies; Tommy attending medical college, Ann teaching, Becky
raising her family, and Kenneth attending elementary school, they
decided it best to sell.
K. Wolen's is not new to Palacios. They first
came to Palacios in the Spring of 1960 when they purchased the stock
of Oldham's. In August, 1960 they moved to the Ramsey building and
were known as K. Wolen's Department Store.
Managers during these years were first, James
West, who was here only a short time, followed by Charles Cobb, who
is not manager of their store in Port Lavaca. The present manager,
Tommy Oliver, took over in September 1962. He and his wife, Betty
Jo, and daughter, Brenda, with their clerks have brought the store
forward.
In taking over the stock at Brandon's, K. Wolen's
has expressed more faith in Palacios. Their plans at present are to
close Brandon's Saturday night for approximately two weeks, to
rearrange and reprice the merchandise for a big
going-out-of-business sale. Following this sale the store will again
be closed for a vast remodeling and restocking of fresh, new
merchandise and will again reopen. The present store will continue
to operate until, or as long, as they feel it is profitable.
Palacios Beacon, April 30, 1964
Ad courtesy of the Holsworth Family Archives,
Palacios Beacon, January 29, 1959
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Citizen's State Bank -
Palacios Pharmacy
Main
Street
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New
Bank Organized
Palacios,
Texas, September 19.—The Citizens’ State bank of Palacios, Texas,
was organized here last night; capital stock $25,000. The following
are the officers: F. H. Bonner, president; A. J. Dubose, vice
president. The directors are Joseph Pybus, G. W. Stanford, R. F.
Clement, G. A. Lefever, S. T. Best, G. B. Truitt, W. T. Blair, A. J.
Dubose of Palacios, J. S. Rice, Frank Audres of Houston and Thomas
Fintey of Dallas. The new bank will erect a large two-story brick
building and will be open for business in the near future.
The Houston Post,
Saturday, September 21, 1907
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Palacios Building Progress
Palacios,
Texas, March 11—Work has started on new business buildings in the
city-by-the-sea this week. Among the most prominent are: The
Citizen’s State bank, a two-story brick building, to be erected at
the corner of Carey avenue and Fifth street. The ground floor will
be used for the bank, which is now opened for business in the
Lefever real estate office until building is completed. The second
story will be used by the Masonic lodge.
The Houston Post,
Friday, March 13, 1908
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Possibly taken in 1908 at opening of the
Citizen's State Bank
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Taken before December 1909 and the building of
the Brandon Building.
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Citizen's State Bank (left) at the
intersection of Carey (Main) and 5th Street.
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Citizen's State Bank on right, c 1912.
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Duncan Ruthven, Former Mayor, Writes History of 37 Years From Memory
By Duncan Ruthven
Citizen’s State Bank
I have
neglected up to now to mention an important matter. About 1907-08,
Thos. H. Bonner of Jacksonville arrived and organized the Citizen’s
State Bank. This bank operated for a number of years and was a real
asset to our county and city—especially to the first young
struggling administrators as we started with an empty treasury. This
bank supplied the cash to the extent for about $4000.00 for
improvements, and until we collected back. The Citizen’s State Bank
was merged with the Palacios State Bank and the latter moved to the
building of the former with H. B. Farwell as president and J. F.
Barnett, cashier and active vice-president. Owing to the depression
this bank ceased to exist in 1936, but with no loss to the
depositors, they being paid in full.
Palacios Beacon,
October 19, 1939
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Citizen's State Bank Building - O'Neal Cafe,
March 26, 1941
(O'Neal Cafe moved to the Smith Building at the corner of Haber
(Commerce) and 5th in January, 1942)
O’Neal Café
R. H. O’Neal, of the
O’Neal Café, was a business visitor to Houston this week and secured
additional supplies for this café.—Palacios Beacon, Thursday,
October 10, 1940
Palacios Beacon, November 7, 1940
Mr. and Mrs. R. H.
O’Neal are now well-established in their new location on Fifth
street with their O’Neal Cafe. They secured the site of the old City
Cafe (Smith Building) and after completely remodeling, painting and
renovating the location have moved their equipment in and are
ready for their old friends and customers.—Palacios Beacon,
January 15, 1942
Palacios Beacon, January 16, 1942
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Palacios Beacon, January 19, 1946
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Palacios Beacon, December 19, 1946
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Citizen's State Bank Building - Palacios Pharmacy
Owned and operated by Samuel Woodrow "Woody" Wilson from 1951
until 1996.
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Palacios Pharmacy Will Open Soon With Complete New Stock
With the final stages of
construction rapidly nearing completion, the new tile building which
is being constructed by J. L. Pybus for the Palacios Pharmacy will
be occupied some time next week if the present schedule is
maintained and no unforeseen difficulties appear, according to Leon
C. Presley, of El Campo, who will be manager of the store.
The store, which is owned by Presley and J. S. Morris and H. E.
Foerster, also of El Campo, will contain a 24 foot soda fountain
with all the latest modern equipment, including a counter freezer
for ice cream, and a number of booths for customers in addition to
the usual line of drugs and drug sundries usually stocked by a
modern up-to-date drug store.
Presley who is a
registered pharmacist, will emphasize his prescription department
which will carry a stock of pharmaceuticals and biologicals
sufficient to cover almost any prescription which might conceivably
be brought, to his store. The stock of drugs for this department
alone will represent an investment of over 3000 dollars Mr. Presley
stated.
The new manager and part
owner of the store has been a registered pharmacist for some five
years, having studied that line in Colorado. He has been connected
with drug store work for nearly 15 years in other capacities. The
other owners of the store have been in the drug business for a
number of years in El Campo and they will continue to operate their
store there while Mr. Presley will manage the new pharmacy in
Palacios.
Palacios Beacon,
January 16, 1941
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Audry Sullivan, who recently received his honorable discharge from
the U. S. Navy, has taken over the management of- the Grant Drug
Store, formerly the Palacios Pharmacy. Audry had almost four years
in the service, much of it being spent in the Pacific Zone and has
five combat stars. He had the rating of pharmacist first class and
after returning to the States in March 1944 he has been at Norfolk,
Va., in the office of the Base Hospital. His many friends are
pleased to learn he has decided to locate in the home town and wish
for him unbounded success.
Palacios Beacon,
October 18, 1945
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Ivan Mannering, Pharmacist, Buys Interest In Pharmacy
Mr. A. N. Sullivan who
announced through the columns of the Beacon last week his
purchasing of the Grant Drug Store has another one this week in
which he states he has been able to find s registered pharmacist,
Mr. Ivan Mannering, who was wanting to locate in Palacios and took
him in as a partner in the business.
Mr. Mannering who is a
World War I Veteran has been a registered pharmacist for 20 years
and was located in Carrizo Springs where he opened the City Drug
Store in
September .of 1930, which he disposed of last September.
He comes to our city
highly recommended his vocation also as a citizen and Palacios
extends him a most cordial welcome to our business circle.
The new owners plan to add a complete stock of drugs within the next
few days and announce they hope to be able to take care of all
prescriptions brought them by January 20. Palacios has had only one
registered pharmacist for some time and Mr. Mannering’s decision to
locate here is good news for this entire community.
Palacios Beacon,
January 10, 1946
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C. O. Waring, Jr., Of Okla., Purchases Palacios Pharmacy
Mr. C. O. Waring, Jr.,
of Ralston, Okla., is new owner of the Palacios Pharmacy, purchasing
it last Thursday from Mr. Ivan Mannering.
Mr. Waring is an
experienced druggist and has spent the past 21 years in this
business at Ralston. He is accompanied by his wife who will assist
in the store. Both are delighted with Palacios and the cordial
welcome given them by our citizens.
Mr. Mannering who came here in the early part of January from
Carrizo Springs, was co-partner in the Pharmacy with Audry Sullivan
and became sole owner the first of
December. He and his family have made numerous friends in our city
in both business and social circles who are pleased to learn they
plan to remain here for the present.
Palacios Beacon,
December 19, 1946
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Waring Announces Sale Of Half Interest In Palacios Pharmacy
C. O. Waring Jr., owner
of the Palacios Pharmacy for the past five years, has announced the
sale of one-half interest in the business to S. Woodrow Wilson, a
registered pharmacist formerly of LaGrange. The sale was effective
August 16.
A registered pharmacist will be on duty in charge of the store at
all times, the co-owners said, with Mr. Waring and Mr. Wilson
dividing the duties between themselves.
A Pacific Navy veteran of World War II, Mr. Wilson has been a
registered pharmacist since 1947. He and his wife and family will
make their home here. They have a daughter, Marion, 8, and a son,
Roger, 7.
Palacios Beacon,
August 23, 1951
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Palacios Beacon, January 10, 1980
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Citizen's State Bank Building on January 22,
2015 when it was the home of Oh My (c2011-2017).
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