Ch21 Austin Tales Ep1 Texas '20s Hot Oil Fortunes

         Emmett Shelton Sr. (1905-2000) shares several stories about the "Texas Hot Oil" business, and its impact on struggling families and a ex-governor, roughly 100 years ago. 
         Our first story is about the difference an oil strike can make in a family.  Mrs. O.H. Davenport is the namesake of Westlake's Davenport Ranch. Her family struck it rich in South Texas when the railroad condemned part of their ranch. The family kept the mineral rights and made their fortune when oil was discovered. 
          Next, Emmett tells his first-hand experience in the "1920s Texas Hot Oil" business.  It was short-lived - low-tech, sucking oil out of ponds. You can almost smell the Hot oil.! 
          Emmett rounds out the 1920s Hot Oil Fortune stories with one about Governor Dan Moody. He was so honest that when he left office, he had few resources. His work with then Gov. Sterling on behalf of the oil companies to solve the chaos of the Texas Oil Rush paid him a $50k fee. It allowed him to buy his own fine law library - His First.  
          

Music By: The Beverly Hillbillies TV show lends us a hand with some memories to set the stage.

#Hot Oil
#texashistory
#texashotoil
#Austinhistory
#EmmettShelton
#Davenport
#danmoody 

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Stories told by Emmett Shelton / compiled and submitted by Cynthia Shelton.