Cornelius T. Herring
Cornelius Taylor Herring | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date Sherman County, Texas, U.S. |
| Died | June 29, 1931 (aged 81) Amarillo, Texas, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Rancher, banker, hotelier |
| Known for | Founder of Herring Bank; first chairman of West Texas Chamber of Commerce |
Colonel Cornelius Taylor Herring (November 13, 1849 – June 29, 1931) was a prominent American figure known for his ventures in ranching, banking, and hotel management. He possessed ownership of as many as five ranches across Texas and established the Herring Bank. His contributions to the hospitality sector included developing hotels in both Vernon and Amarillo, Texas. Additionally, he held the distinction of being the inaugural chairman of the West Texas Chamber of Commerce.
Early life
Born on November 13, 1849, in Sherman County, Texas, Cornelius Taylor Herring was the son of Jesse Herring and Sarah Friend. Tragically, his mother passed away when he was just ten years old. Following this loss, his father remarried and served in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. Cornelius also had a brother named Emerson.
Career
At thirteen years old, Herring started his career cultivating wheat in Hill County, Texas, earning $200 during his initial year. The following year, he invested in 100 cattle. After the Civil War concluded, he and his brother undertook cattle drives from Navarro County, Texas to Shreveport, Louisiana. By 1872, they had acquired 500 acres in Smith County, Texas. In 1878, he relocated cattle to Archer County, Texas and subsequently to open range territories traditionally occupied by the Comanche and Kiowa tribes.
In 1883, Herring initiated legal action against the Texas and Pacific Railway over cattle damage claims. By the late 1880s, in partnership with Bill Stinson, he managed a herd of 12,000 Texas Longhorn cattle spread over 150,000 acres in Greer County, Texas. The year 1899 marked the founding of his C. T. Herring Banking Company in Vernon, which later evolved into the Herring National Bank and eventually Herring Bank. During this period, he also constructed his first hotel—the Wilbarger Hotel—in Vernon. His business interests extended into lumber with ownership of thirteen companies across North Texas, including the C. T. Herring Lumber Company based in Wichita Falls, Texas. By the end of the 1890s, his cattle operations expanded into regions such as New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Lyon County, Kansas.
In 1905, Herring acquired the Seven-Up Ranch located in Castro County, Texas, followed by a significant purchase of 96,000 acres from the LS Ranch in Oldham County, Texas two years later. His portfolio also included several additional ranches like Kit Carson Ranch; Y Ranch near Paducah; H-Anchor Ranch close to Crowell; properties within the Big Bend area; along with farming enterprises situated in Hartley and Moore counties. Together with Patrick H. Landergin, he took ownership of the Bravo Ranch.
Herring maintained active participation in industry groups such as the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association, and in 1912 served on the executive committee for the Panhandle and Southwestern Stockmen's Association. He was appointed as the first chairman of the West Texas Chamber of Commerce by 1919 and also led the Tri-State Fair Association as its president.
His contributions to hospitality included erecting the Palo Duro Hotel—a five-story building—in Amarillo in 1923. Two years afterward, he invested $1 million to complete a fourteen-story building known as the Herring Hotel. Moreover, he held shares in the Amarillo Gas Company, which later became Pioneer Natural Gas.
Herring was affiliated with numerous civic organizations including the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, Rotary Club, Odd Fellows fraternity, and supported youth development through involvement with the Boy Scouts of America.
Personal life
In 1869, Herring wed Sarah Jane Lawrence. Together, they had two children: a son named William E. Herring, who resided in Amarillo, and a daughter known as Mrs. L. K. Johnson from Vernon. Following their separation, Herring entered into matrimony with Elizabeth Smithey in 1889. Initially, the couple made their home in Vernon before relocating during the 1910s to an estate located at 2216 Van Buren Street in Amarillo, Texas.
Death and legacy
Herring passed away on June 29, 1931, in Amarillo, Texas, and was laid to rest at Llano Cemetery. At the time of his death, his fortune was valued at approximately US$10 million. The grand residence he owned in Amarillo was torn down in 1970; today, the location serves as a parking area adjacent to the Amarillo Museum of Art.