“BRIDGETOWN ON THE RED”

“RAGS TO RICHES”

     Bob Ray rode directly over to Emil’s place and found him down in the barn.  Missing him in church that morning, he could now see why.  An ole mother cow was in trouble trying desperately to give birth to her calf.  She had been struggling for several hours and both the cow and Emil were weary from the task.  “Is she going to make it?” he inquired.  Emil said, “I think so.  The calf is moving now.  Here it comes.”  Suddenly, the mother cow gave a final push and with Emil pulling on the calf, out it came into the world.  Its momma giving a sigh of relief and then began licking her new born.  Emil was exhausted and said, “I’ve been working with her since before sun up.  I thought we were going to lose her but she’s tough.  The calf is okay and mom appears to be okay as will.  Let’s walk up to the house for some coffee.”

     Setting at the kitchen table Bob Ray told Emil about his talk with Reverend Robert earlier in the day and his thoughts while he rode over to Emil’s place, “Emil let’s form our own company and develop our own acreage.  We can find good, honest people that we know and trust to help us.  What do you think?”  Emil scratched his head and stared out at the river in thought then wheeled around, shook Bob Ray’s hand and replied, “I like your plan and couldn’t ask for a better partner.  If we don’t do something our resources are going to be depleted by those around us.”  So with a handshake the two friends and neighbors created Gil-Marc Inc.  A lawyer who was a member of the Clara church and a friend to both of them helped them with the paperwork to get the corporate charter from the State of Texas.  His name was C.E. Pell, and he had grown up in Wichita Falls, attended college in East Texas, and joined the army at the beginning of the Spanish-American War.  He was assigned to the Quarter Master Corp. as a Clerk and stationed in San Antonio.  While there he rubbed shoulders with the Rough Riders and their famous commander, Teddy Roosevelt.  Later, their paths crossed again in Cuba shortly before the end of the war.  Roosevelt had asked for more horses and “smoke-less” ammunition for his men.  Private First Class Pell was in charge of the procurement and delivery of the ordinance and 20 additional horses.  At their encampment Roosevelt was in extremely high spirits in anticipation of the climatic action which would soon follow and thanked Pell for this fast procurement.  Within the week the Battle of San Juan Hill would propel the Americans to victory, and Roosevelt would become a national hero.  After the war, C.E. was mustered out of the army and decided to study law at Cumberland School of Law in Lebanon, Tennessee.  On returning to the Wichita Falls area after law school, he had settled in Burkburnett.  When President Roosevelt arrived for the famous wolf hunt in 1905, C.E. introduced himself to the President who with his gleaming smile exclaimed, “It’s bully good to see you sir.  We’re going to have a jolly good time over in the Big Pasture.”  C.E. knew the fellows that would be his hunting hosts and replied, “You’re in for a real treat Mr. President.  Good luck and safe hunting.”  With that the President bid C.E. farewell.  Several years later when the oil boom came first to Burkburnett, then to the Northwest Field, C.E. had opened a small office in Bridgetown and moved to the area and joined the Lutheran Church at Clara.  It was there that he met Bob Ray Gilbert and Emil Marcy through Reverend Robert Holt and became their friends. With the formation of Gil-Marc Inc., they decided that 80% of the stock would be owned equally leaving 15% for investors since they gave 5% of the stock to C.E. Pell, their lawyer, for his work.  C.E. Pell advised Bob Ray and Emil not to put any of their land or minerals into the corporation but to let the corporation lease the rights to produce oil and gas from their mineral estates