AUGUST H. BEVERING is the owner of three thousand acres of land, constituting one of the best ranches of his section of Texas, and he not only deserves mention as a most enterprising and representative business man, but also because of the part he has taken in improving the grade of cattle raised in the state. Prices are advanced through these means and the entire state profits thereby.
Mr. Bevering, whose home is at Charlie, Texas, was born in Lee county, Iowa, in 1855, his parents being Charles L. and Minnie (Hammond) Bevering, both of whom were natives of Germany. Crossing the Atlantic to America, they established their home in Lee county, Iowa, among its early settlers, and there mother of our subject is still living, but the father died there in 1885, aged sixty years.
In the place of his nativity August H. Bevering was reared until he had attained the age of eighteen years, when he went to St. Louis, Missouri. In the fall of 1873 he came to Texas, locating first at Austin and afterward at San Antonio, where he became connected with the cattle industry, with which he has since been identified. He began work as a cowboy and drove cattle all over the plains of this great state. In the winter of 1877 he came to Clay county and became associated with W. B. Worsham at Henrietta, the county seat. Mr. Worsham is a prominent banker and leading cattleman of this portion of the state. In 1878 Mr. Bevering went to Wilbarger county and broke the first furrow of land within its borders. In fact, he has been connected with pioneer experiences through northwestern Texas and he assisted in building the rock house at Groesbeck creek, where the town of Quanah now stands. His attention, however, has largely been given to the raising of cattle, and in this he has been very successful. After his marriage he settled in Clay county and has since made his home at Charlie, where he has extensive cattle and farming interests. He has continuously developed his business along modern lines and is at present successfully conducting a ranch covering three thousand acres. It is located in the northern part of Clay county, near the Red river, and upon it he has many hundred head of cattle. He gives special attention to improving the grade of his cattle, and now has fine stock, which finds a ready sale upon the market.
In the fall of 1882 was celebrated the marriage of August H. Bevering and Miss Nellie A. Hooker, a native of Delaware county, Iowa, and a daughter of B. F. Hooker, one of the prominent early settlers of Clay county, who has been an active factor in its development and substantial upbuilding. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Bevering have been born seven children, who are yet living: Minnie, William, Frank, John, Merrill, Sadie and Ed. Keen and clear-headed, always busy, always careful and conservative in financial matters, moving slowly but surely in every transaction, he had few superiors in the steady progress which invariably reaches the objective point. He has met reverse and obstacles, but the story of his achievement in spite of this should inspire all young men who read this record with a truer estimate of the value and sure rewards of character and labor.
Source: B. B. Paddock, History and Biographical Record of North and West Texas, Vol. II (Chicago: Lewis Publishing Co., 1906), p. 47.