Attendees of the Dayton Historical Society meeting on Monday evening, Feb. 24, heard glowing profiles of 10 of Dayton’s citizens who owned businesses 110 years ago. The accounts were taken from a February 24, 1910 Daytonite newspaper collector’s edition that extolled the virtues of the progressive small town.
The paper began the issue began by printing, “We have attempted to write and publish a few facts and figures about the rapid progress of Dayton sufficient for the reader to know that every line of this article is written with the sole purpose in view of showing to the outside world the many advantages the business, or resident, man has here over towns of like size in the United States.”
Following an introduction by Program Chairman Larry Wadzeck, several Society members presented profiles as written in the paper. Mary Ellen Conner talked about Mr. L. Fouts with the Dayton Lumber Company, Louis Friedman who owned a mercantile store, and Charlie Hastings who owned a hardware store.
Dr. Jessica Johnson spoke about Joe Entzminger who was a well-known stockman, Dr. W.R. Yarbrough who was a medical doctor and pharmacist, and Frank Setek who owned a bakery. Suzy Hicks told about J.H. Marshall who was a first-class tailor and Mr. Edmund Pruett, another well-known stockman. Squeaky Hicks gave information about Mr. J.E. McKinney – Dayton’s Constable.
Wadzeck closed the program by talking about the only woman businessperson – Mrs. Dora Bozeman who was the first lady pharmacist in Texas and owned City Pharmacy.
The next meeting of the Dayton Historical Society will take place on March 30, 6 p.m., at Parker Hall, located behind The Old School Museum. The public is very welcome to attend.