James Emerson Whiteselle
Corsicana, Navarro County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Born in Tennessee on Dec. 31, 1851, James Emerson Whiteselle moved to Texas in 1870 to work in the lumber company of his uncle P. W. Ezell. In 1875 he began working in the local Carruthers Lumber Company which he later owned. Under his management the business was expanded to include the manufacturing and selling of brick. Married to Kate Huey in 1882, Whiteselle became a prominent businessman and banker. As Mayor of Corsicana, 1894-98, when oil was discovered here, he was influential in the development of the field. He died on his birthday in 1915.
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Born in Tennessee in 1851, James Emerson Whiteselle came to Texas in 1870 to work in his uncle's lumber business and by 1875 had joined the Corsicana lumber company he would eventually own, later expanding into brick manufacturing. A prominent businessman and banker, he served as mayor of Corsicana from 1894 to 1898 — the very years oil was discovered there — and helped guide the field's early development. He died on his birthday in 1915.
Why it matters
Whiteselle's tenure links local civic leadership to the Corsicana strike, often called the birthplace of the modern Texas oil industry.
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Related people
- · James Emerson Whiteselle
- · Kate Huey
Related events
- · Corsicana oil discovery
Themes & tags
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