(UPDATE) I got a note from Jackie James a few days ago. She pointed out something I realized when I found this picture on the Internet, but failed to note when I posted this entry. This picture shows honored employees of the Imperial Sugar Company and Sugarland Industries. I realized this when I read the caption because I saw names of people I knew worked for SL Industries: Gus Stabler (Sugar Land Motors), Otis Enquist (Residential Maintenance), and Paul Schumann (General Mercantile Store).
I also want to point out that these are employees who were honored for significant anniversaries; for example, 5 years of employment, 10 years, 15 years, etc. If any of them were celebrating anniversaries of 40 years or longer, they were employees 'before the beginning.' (I mean they must have worked for Kempner & Eldridge when they owned the Sartaria operation before they bought out Cunningham in 1908.)
(I wonder where they held the banquet. Maybe it was an outside event?)
The photograph below shows employees of the Imperial Sugar Company taken at their employee appreciation dinner in November of 1947. The group includes 46 men and two women (front row). They are posing in front of the old Imperial Offices in front of the Refinery.
Employees are identified beginning with the front row left to right: Gus Stabler, W. L. Friend, Mabel Dunkerly Woolley, Myrtle Friend Stabler, J. E. "Daddy" Blair, Claude Douglas, Homer Johnson, R. B. "Bob" Sheppard, Frank Schultz, Luke Thompson, J. Q. Boyer, H. R. Rushing, Louie Dreier, Vic Krehmeier, Willie Reese.
Second Row: J. B. Fowler, Eluterio Cervantez, Juan Cervantez, J. F. "Jim" Guyer, R. A. Prikryl, M. M. McBride, Henry A. "Buck" Herder, A. M. Horn, W. L. Scarborough, E.O. Guenther, S. V. "Sid" Loper, J. M. "Jim" Sheppard, J.H. "Jinx" Hobbs, Paul Schumann, I.H. Kempner Sr, Harry G. Thompson, E.E. Saeger.
Top Row: C. A. Dierks, Frank Tallas, W. T. "Bill" Matlage, Frank Hauerland, Ramaldo Nanez, Cosme Gonzales, Max Schumann, T. F. Freeland Smith, Arthur Rister, Frank Seitz, B. H. "Bennie" Varnau, O.W. "Otis" Enquist, Robert Harper, Frank Williams, Lee Townsend, Ted Harman.
This pictures comes from the Fort Bend Museum Collection.
