W. P. Torrans
W. P. Torrans, born in Mobile, Alabama, in 1849 moved to Houston, Texas and in 1850 came to Jefferson. He established a general mercantile business on Austin Street, in the building next to the present Goldberg Feed Store.
In 1862 he was Tax Collector, but maintained his business also. In 1872 built the first brick block on Polk Street, where the Torrans Manufacturing Company is now located.
The W. P. Torrans home at one time stood in the middle of this block, made into an office building and used by Dr. A. C. Clopton. Mr. Torrans bought a home on the corner of Lafayette and Market Streets which is standing and in good repair.
The Torrans business has run continuously all these years and is known as the Torrans Manufacturing Company, a very flourishing business, owned and operated by T. L. Torrans, who is one of Jefferson’s most prominent and active citizens, and a son of W. P. Torrans. Mr. T. L. Torrans married Miss Elizabeth Schluter, daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Louis Schluter, who was a very prominent lawyer in this city.
Tom Lee Torrans, Jr., a son of Mr. Torrans, is now active manager of the store. Mrs. Kelly Spearman and Louis Torrans are also children of Mr. and Mrs. Tom Torrans.
Story From Past Recalls Worth of Two Jefferson Men
Captain DeWare, Col. H. McKay, Have Sons Prominent Here Now
“Before the final adjournment of district court and during a short recess Saturday evening, at Jefferson, the friends of Sheriff J. M. DeWare of Marion County presented him with a Smith and Wesson forty-four caliber pistol and belt. The weapon was elaborately carved, pearl handled, inlaid with gold, and bore this inscription: ‘J. M. DeWare, Sheriff, Jefferson, Texas. From his friends, Jan. 1, 1887.’ A graceful and appropriate presentation speech was delivered by Col. McKay.”
Taken from the “Dallas and Texas fifty years ago” column in the Dallas News on Jan. 25, the story above was sent The Jefferson Journal by Ollie B. Webb, Texas and Pacific official, with the notation that “it seems to me will be of interest to many in Jefferson.”
Mr. Webb was right. As he goes on to explain, Sheriff J. M. DeWare, or Captain DeWare, as he was more generally known, was the father of J. M. DeWare, present local agent for the Texas and Pacific in Jefferson, and the Col. H. McKay mentioned, was the father of Arch McKay, now Tax Assessor-Collector.