William Casper TYRRELL

TYRRELL, GARTH, RODERICK, RORICK, STEVES, DUBOIS

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 11/27/2008 at 11:53:15

Funeral for Tyrrell to be Held on Wednesday Probably at His Home

Venture Capitalist, Jefferson County's Richest Man Found Dead in Bed Early Sunday

Captain W.C. [William Casper] Tyrrell, 78, who died at his home in Beaumont early Sunday morning, was counted as one of Port Arthur's staunchest boosters and most active developers. The aged financier was found dead in bed by his son-in-law, Dr. James W. Garth, about 1:15 a.m. Sunday, a heart attack causing his death.

Funeral services for the dead financier probably will be held Wednesday afternoon.

Since Captain Tyrrell located to this section of Texas, first temporarily in the late nineties, and permanently in 1904, he had acquired vast real estate properties in Port Arthur and the adjoining territory, developing all of his buildings here. The four-story Deutser Building, at the corner of Procter avenue and Waco avenue, the Tyrrell Building at the corner of Procter avenue and Fort Worth avenue, occupied by Fuller's cafe and various offices and lodge halls, the Grammler undertaking establishment, Fifth and Waco, and the Jones-O'Neal furniture building on Fifth street were all built by Captain Tyrrell.

Hotel First Project
The city properties owned and developed by Captain Tyrrell in Port Arthur were financed by the W.C. Tyrrell Trust company, an organization comprising the financier and his four children. The development of Griffing and Port Acres was carried out through the Tyrrell-Combest Co., which he organized in 1918 with Ross Combest, with original capitalization of $70,000, which now has a fully paid capital of $1,000,000. Capt. Tyrrell's fortune was conservatively estimated at $4,000,000.

During the flood in Port Arthur, Capt. Tyrrell sent over 8,000 loaves of bread into this city to relieve the food shortage here, the loaves being distributed without cost throughout the city. On another occasion, he ordered 100,000 roses sent to Kansas City churches and hospitals. Several years ago he established a park in Belmond, Iowa, his former home, as memorial to his wife, who died August 2, 1919. A park on the Fannett road, near Beaumont, was give to that city by Capt. Tyrrell recently, and is now being developed. Purchase of the First Baptist church building, on Pearl street, Beaumont, as a public library for the city, also was made by Capt. Tyrrell and presented to Beaumont.

Children Surviving
Surviving Capt. Tyrrell are four children: Mrs. Esther L. Garth, of Beaumont, with whom he made his home for a number of years past: Mrs. David Roderick [ed. Rorick] of Oceanside, California: W.C. Tyrrell, Jr., who now owns and occupies the Tyrrell farm near Belmond, Iowa: and Harry C. Tyrrell, engaged in the oil business, at Tulsa, Oklahoma: 12 grandchildren, Dr. W. Leroy Garth of San Diego, Cal.: C. Tyrrell Garth of Beaumont: J.W. Garth, Jr. of Tulsa, Okla.: Thomas T. Garth of Beaumont: Mrs. Helen Rorick McGill, Mrs. Ruth Rorick Steves, and David Rorick, Jr. of Oceanside, Cal.: Harry F. Tyrrell of Beaumont, and Preston Tyrrell, W.C. Tyrrell III, Miss Carol Tyrrell, and David Tyrrell of Belmond, Iowa, and two great-grandchildren, William and Wilma Harl Garth, children of Dr. Leroy Garth of San Diego, Cal.

Port Arthur News, Texas
September 6, 1924

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Oxford Junction, Ia., Sept. 13 -- W.C. Tyrrell formerly of this city but now of Beaumont, Texas, passed away at his home in that city Sunday, according to a message received here by his brother-in-law, S.E. Rorick. Mr. Tyrrell was born in Pennsylvania in 1847, and was united in marriage with Miss Rorick of this city, who preceded him in death three years ago. He was interested in the Wilson-Tyrrell Co., the Tyrrell Rice Mill and the Josey-Miller company in Beaumont. He presented the city of Beaumont with a library building costing $70,000. He leaves to mourn his death four children, a sister, Mrs. I.M. Dubois, and a brother, C.P. Tyrrell of Cedar Rapids. Internment was made in Beaumont.

Davenport Democrat and Leader, Iowa
September 14, 1924