Emerson Francis Woodward

Emerson Francis Woodward
Born	Template:Birth date Podunk, New York, U.S.
Died	May 24, 1943(1943-05-24) (aged 64) Near D'Hanis, Texas, U.S.
Occupation(s)	Oil industry entrepreneur, horse breeder
Known for	Co-founder of Yount-Lee Oil Company; Thoroughbred horse racing at Valdina Farms; trapshooting champion

Emerson Francis Woodward (February 23, 1879 – May 24, 1943) was a prominent figure in the oil industry, best known as a co-founder of the Yount-Lee Oil Company, which gained recognition for its significant discovery at the Spindletop field near Beaumont, Texas. In 1935, Woodward and his associates sold the enterprise to Standard Oil & Gas for $46 million.

Born in Podunk, New York to parents William W. and Ida May LaGrange Woodward, Emerson followed in his father's footsteps who had early ties to the oil sector in Titusville, Pennsylvania. Beginning his career in oil fields at just eleven years old, Woodward worked extensively across several states including Oklahoma, Ohio, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Texas. In 1901, he married Bessie McGarry in Woodsfield, Ohio. The couple had one son, Harley E. Woodward, who tragically perished at age 34 in an airplane accident on Rich Mountain in the Ouachita Mountains, Arkansas.

Woodward dedicated eleven years to The Producers Oil Company, where he forged a lasting professional relationship with Thomas Peter Lee. Progressing swiftly within the company, he attained the position of assistant superintendent for its southern division, overseeing operations from New Orleans to El Paso. Subsequently, he played a key role in founding the Farmers Petroleum Company as superintendent and was appointed president of the Republic Production Company, a subsidiary under American Republics Corporation, in 1921. Upon establishing the Yount-Lee Oil Company, Woodward became one of its principal shareholders.

Trapshooting

In January 1924, Emerson Woodward invested $28,000 to create the Houston Gun Club on Westheimer Road and actively participated in trapshooting alongside contemporaries such as Hank A. Hausmann and Forest McNeir. His exceptional skills earned him induction into both the National Trapshooting Hall of Fame in 1973 and the Texas Trapshooters Association Hall of Fame in 1983. Remarkably, his 1933 ATA 16-yard average record of .9950 remained unbeaten for 32 years.

Valdina Farms

Following his exit from the oil business, Woodward retired to concentrate on Thoroughbred horse racing at his expansive ranch, Valdina Farms, located across Uvalde and Medina Counties in Texas. Under the guidance of trainer Frank Catrone, his stable was celebrated by The New York Times as "one of the largest and most famous racing stables of its time." The operation produced notable champions such as Valdina Myth, who led earnings among two-year-old fillies in 1940 and won the 1941 Kentucky Oaks. Another standout was Valdina Orphan, victor of the 1942 Derby Trial Stakes and third-place finisher in the Kentucky Derby. The Irish-bred Rounders also secured major wins including the 1942 Arlington Handicap, besting Triple Crown winner Whirlaway. Woodward’s contributions to horse racing were recognized with his induction into the Texas Horse Racing Hall of Fame in 2001.

Philanthropy

Emerson and Bessie Woodward were distinguished for their charitable efforts, supporting an orphanage in Hope, Arkansas; constructing the Church of Christ at College Station; assisting the Boles Orphans home in Quinlan, Texas; and sponsoring numerous students at Abilene Christian College, covering their full educational expenses.

Death

Emerson Woodward and his wife Bessie lost their lives following a collision between their car and a train at a grade crossing near D'Hanis, Texas, close to Hondo in Medina County. Bessie passed away from her injuries on May 22, 1943, while Emerson died two days later at Medina Hospital in Hondo at age sixty-four. Their double funeral took place at Heights Church of Christ in Houston, with burial in a mausoleum at Forest Park Cemetery. Their entire estate was inherited by their fifteen-year-old grandson, Robert Woodward.

Sources

• McKinley, Fred B., and Greg Riley. Black Gold to Bluegrass: Transitioning from Texas Oil Fields to Kentucky's Spindletop Farm. Austin: Eakin Press, 2005.