W. L. Dallas    

W. L. DALLAS. One of the rarest of human traits is the quality of concentration. We seldom see men predisposed to follow one given calling or occupation throughout the entire history of their lives. Men fly away at a tangent, grow tired of what they are doing, and allow themselves to be lured away into other channels which, more often than not, culminates in wreckage to their life’s boat. But when we do find a stayer in a given line he is at once admired, and an investigation will prove that if he is not financially successful he has mastered the intricate and complex details of his trade, which is an accomplishment of rare and high value. With these words we describe the life history of W. L. Dallas, of Decatur, a man whose mastery of the complicated details of the grocery business stands undisputed. For eighteen busy years Mr. Dallas has been behind the counter and at the helm of one grocery business after another in Decatur until at present he is aligned with the substantial firm of Russell & Dallas. For a stretch of eleven years he lost only seven days away from business, and then when his father’s death forced his absence.

Thus by enterprise and pertinacity, Mr. Dallas has risen from the obscure position of an apprentice to one of the foremost positions in the business ranks of Wise County.

Briefly recited, his history is as follows: Born at Java, Neshoba Co., Mississippi, July 24, 1862. Served an apprenticeship when a boy with a firm in Meridian, Mississippi, who gave him papers of recommendation which secured him a position with Ullman & Co., grocers in Decatur, Texas, in 1889. Came to Wise County in 1881; taught school six years, after which he came to Decatur and remained with Ullman & Co. eleven years. In 1891 he was married to Miss Kate Russell, the daughter of a pioneer, to which union two children have been born—Alma May and Russell Prentiss. Mrs. Dallas is popular socially, and one of the town’s leaders in church work. The business spirit of the firm of Russell & Dallas reflects the energy of its proprietors. Goods and produce are turned rapidly, therefore stocks are constantly replenished with fresh, crisp receipts. Business is, done on an honest, courteous basis, consequently the firm is a popular trading resort in Decatur.

Pioneer history of Wise County : from red men to railroads, twenty years of intrepid history, Decatur, Tex, 1907, pages 370-372. View the image of this page on line.   Search Hundreds of 1880s-1920s Texas History Books for biographies and historical information on your ancestors.  View the book page images on line and print them out for your genealogy file!  Try the family history collection for free!