Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 812

 

This year, the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 812 had their 100th anniversary. The first temporary commander in 1921 was John R. Donoghue. The post, located in McKelligon Canyon, was named after two soldiers who died during World War I, Thomas Hart Davis and Rives Seamon.

Lieutenant Thomas Hart Davis was killed in action on July 21, 1918 in Germany. He was the son of retired General Thomas F. Davis. He was an El Paso native and his body was brought back to El Paso for burial in 1921. Davis was part of Battery F 12th Field Artillery. His death occurred "when the Americans were checking the Germans' final drive on Paris."

Lieutenant Rives Seamon was killed in the battle of Chaudron farm on September 29, 1918. Seamon was leader of a platoon in the 138th infantry. During the battle, they were to bush the combat patrol to the front of the objective. The platoon faced heavy artillery fire. While attacking a machine-gun nest, he was "killed by a high explosive shell." His body was not recovered. 

The image above is from the El Paso Herald on February 25, 1922.

Sources:

"Foreign War Veteran Name Post 'Davis -Seamon.'" (August 9, 1921) El Paso Herald. 

"Lieut. Thomas H. Davis." (May 21, 1921) El Paso Herald.

"Tribute to Lieut. Seamon." (July 1, 1919) El Paso Herald.

All About the American Furniture Company Building

 

American Furniture Building

AKA: First National Bank, Chemical Bank & Trust Company

Location: 109-117 East San Antonio at Oregon, El Paso, TX

Address 105 N Oregon Street (https://goo.gl/maps/MAoWMXJDyS994HyQ9)

Materials: reinforced concrete, yellow press bricks and yellow terra cotta. Seven stories

The building was designed by Henry C. Trost of Trost & Trost in August 1909. The building’s exterior was finished by December of 1910. The First National Bank Building was combined with the American National Bank building in 1913. Trost & Trost remodeled the building in 1925 and in 1943.  

The American Furniture Company purchased the building in 1944. The building was upgraded to a more modern style that covers part of the original design in August of 1949. The interior was also renovated during this time. The building was acquired by William “Billy” Abraham who planned to keep retail shops open on the ground floor, but redesign the upper stories for live-work artist spaces.

In 2010, the El Paso Building and Standards Commission issued civil penalties against the Caples Land Company, owned by Abraham, in order to address issues with the building and bring it up to code. Abraham appealed the civil penalty. The 2010 ruling was upheld in 2016. As of 2018, there is interest in turning the building into a hotel based on the Wyndham chain.

Original Trost & Trost architectural drawings are available at the Border Heritage Center.

Works Cited

“105 N Oregon.” (2010). Building and Standards Board. Retrieved from http://legacy.elpasotexas.gov/muni_clerk/_documents/DSD_archived_meeting_attachments/bsc0224101730/105%20Oregon%20Backup%20for%20WEB.pdf

“City: ‘Final Judgment’ Against Owner of American Furniture Building Underway.” (November 2, 2017) El Paso Herald Post. Retrieved from https://elpasoheraldpost.com/final-judgement-american-furniture-building

“Downtown El Paso Historic District.” (n.d.) United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved from https://www.thc.texas.gov/public/upload/preserve/national_register/draft_nominations/El-Paso%2C%20Downtown%20EP%20HD%20SBR%20Draft.pdf

Englebrecht, Lloyd C. and June F. Engelbrecht. (1990) “First National Bank.” Henry C. Trost Historical Organization. Retrieved from https://www.henrytrost.org/buildings/first-national-bank-el-paso

Marin, Daniel. (May 21, 2018). “Hotel Proposed for Old American Furniture Building Downtown.” KTSM.com. Retrieved from https://www.ktsm.com/local/el-paso-news/hotel-proposed-for-old-american-furniture-building-downtown

Mrkvicka, Mike. (March 25, 2001)  “Starting With the Plaza.” El Paso Times. Retrieved from https://www.newspapers.com/clip/77087293 and https://www.newspapers.com/clip/77087425

“New American Furniture Co. Opening to Culminate Years of Planning.” (August 31, 1949) El Paso Times. Retrieved from https://www.newspapers.com/clip/77086605