Everett A. Stapp. One of the leading industries of the prosperous and growing little city of Sentinel, in Washita County, is the Lyon & Matthews Lumber Company, a business originally founded in 1902 by William G. Stapp. Much of the success of this enterprise is due to the efforts and able management of the founder’s son, Everett A. Stapp, who since 1908 has occupied the position of manager, and who has devoted himself wholeheartedly to its interests.

Mr. Stapp was born in Ray County, Missouri, October 31, 1886, a member of a family whose members were pioneers of Bowling Green, Kentucky, from whence they moved to Missouri. In the latter state his father, William Golson Stapp, was born in 1853, and several years before the birth of Everett A., moved to Ray County, where he continued his operations as a lumberman and sawmill operator. In 1897 he removed to Conroe, Montgomery County, Texas, and in 1902 came to Sentinel, where he founded a lumber yard in September and conducted it successfully until December 5, 1908, when he disposed of his interests to the Lyon & Matthews Company, and moved to his grape ranch at Fresno, California, where his death occurred in December, 1909. He was a democrat in politics and a member of the Church of Christ, and belonged to Conroe Lodge, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, and to the Odd Fellows order. His first wife was a Miss Jones, who died in Missouri, leaving two children: Lullian, a farmer of Conroe, Texas; and Mary, deceased, who was the wife of L. B. Dorton, a miller of Orrick, Missouri. Mr. Stapp was again married to Miss Susan Jane Ayres, who was born iu Missouri in 1860, and who still survives him and resides at Sentinel. They became the parents of four children: Ola. who was married first to William Adams, and second to H. T. Vauderford, and resides on a farm one mile east of Sentinel; William E., who is engineer for an oil company at Coalinga, California: Everett A.; and Nellie, who is the wife of Raymond Welch, a blacksmith of Fort Worth, Texas.

Everett A. Stapp attended the public schools of Conroe, Texas, and assisted his father in the, sawmills until sixteen years of age, at which time he accompanied the family to Sentinel, where he was employed in the lumber yard and furthered his education by attending the high school. When his father sold the enterprise, December 5, 1908, Mr. Stapp was made manager for the new firm of Lyon & Matthews, and has continued to act efficiently in that capacity to the present time, He is considered one of the city’s enterprising and progressive young men of business and has made a firm place for himself in the confidence of his associates. He has also been active in civil life, having served as a member of the council for several years, and at the present time is city treasurer of Sentinel and one of the city’s most popular and energetic officials. His political support is given to the men and measures of the socialist party. Mr. Stapp and the members of his family belong to the Church of Christ. He is affiliated with Sentinel Lodge No. 152, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, of which he is a past master and was worshipful master in 1913, and is a thirty-second degree Mason, belonging to Consistory No. 1, Valley of Guthrie. He also holds membership in Sentinel Lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.

At Hobart, Oklahoma, in 1907, Mr. Stapp was married to Miss Alma Tidball, daughter of Dr. William and Jennie (Heiney) Tidball. Doctor Tidball is the pioneer physician and surgeon of Sentinel, where he has been engaged in a successful practice since 1901. Mr. and Mrs. Stapp are the parents of four children: Sue, born in June, 1908; Martha, born in January, 1910; Mary, born in May, 1912; and Cecelia, born in May, 1915.