El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1920-01-10
The old Family Album

/ DORTER c. THEDE. president and
1 general manager OF the Porter C.
/ Theds Lumber company. and president
1 Of the Thede-sherrod Lumber com
Dany. IS shown at the age Of 1s years
[ in the accompanying picture
Mr.. Thede was born in Elizabeth.
MINI. May Is. 1877. but moved with
his parents to Fremont. Neb., when
about seven years Of age. His father
wanted him TO be an accountant and
he received private instructions in the
work when ten years Of age. At 16
he had graduated from the Fremont
Normal School and Business Institute
in accounting and then decided to be
lawyer so, teaching accounting be-
tween l6 and II TO pay his tuition. he
took ~ the reading Of law and pur-
sued his studies for a year
In. 1884, when young Thede was II
years Of aGes his family decided TO
move TO California and his law studies
were interrupted. as the family moved
into the lumber country near MADEIRA,
and went 20 farming. For four years
the youthful Thede ploWed. MIXED
cows cut hay and did such other du-
ties as any young man does on a farm
Then came the Spanish-American war
arllllery and was soon made a lieu
tenant II was his hard luck that his
company was not selected for service
in the Philippines. Companies A and
2 went over" but companies D and
y OF his battalion remained in Cali
1ornia guarding coast Qualifications.
Wnen the war was over, the young
lieutenant had made such a record as
a trainer OF men that be was appoint
60 a major in the guard and made in
spector Of the third brigade. He held
this position three years.
Meantime he had taken a Job with
the MADEIRA Lumber company as su-
perintendent Of construction Of a
rune Tor bringing lumber down out
or the mountains. This Job was done
50 well that he was promoted to yard
foreman, and IN 1903, after several
minor promotions. he was made gen
eral manager OF the company. which
position he held until 1911. when he
resigned 10 come TO Ell Paso and be-
come general manager Of the Pearson ]
plant OF the MADEIRA company. Linn
lted- Lhis was in December. 1911. In 7
lne following January, he was made I
general manager OF the MADEIRA COM
pany, Limited, with jurisdiction over
me MADEIRA Pearson and the EI Paso I
properties, which included the FL paso L
Milling company.
In 1913, Mr.. Thede resigned this DO I
sltion TO go 20 North Carolina and 4
9ecome general manager Of The
CHAMPION Lumber company, but he I
saw an opportunity 20 make more
money In business for himself So he
eturned TO Fl Paso and ia the fan
or 1916 organized the p. C. Thede
LUMBER company, a wholesale con-
Germ IN December 1913, in partner
snip with BENJAMIN Sherrod. he
1olgnt the CASTOR Lumber COMPANY.
-nlcn mas been changed TO the Thede-
,herrod Lumber company
4lI 4neQs was married IN FL Paso
- Aay. 1913. 70 Miss Twinkle n. Wells I
-nd Lley nave one child. Nary Eliza
oeln- Lney live in a handsome bun
saloW on Mckinley avenue. Mr.. Theda
having been one OF the first 10 build I
ln that now thickly settled thorough
NJ. Thede IS not "a Joiner" and be- d
onss 20 nothing except Rotary He is Z.
olreclor IN that organization in the
FL Paso club.
As a boy he was quite an athlete. j.
lnq back in the late nineties. when
wing az MADEIRA Califs he took part }
n many racing events, once doing a \
quarter OF a mile. with a sfsndire-
tart IN 80 seconds and another time
ioing f5 miles over a dirt road. In
.nree hours nat an average Of three
minutes 20 the mile.
he is q genuine Sportsman, one OF
ne best trap shots IN the city. and an
-raenr small game hunter. Few hunt
rs can bring down more ducks or
luail than P. c. Thede He believes
n sport for sports sake and for the
le1lllIul exercise Il gives a man, and
g not a game hog.