Washington-Pulaski County ArArchives Biographies.....Heerwagen, Paul M. ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ar/arfiles.html ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Robert Sanchez http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00027.html#0006574 June 3, 2009, 9:22 pm Author: S. J. Clarke (Publisher, 1922) PAUL M. HEERWAGEN. Paul M. Heerwagen, one of the most prominent painting and decorating contractors of Arkansas, located in Fayetteville, was born in Bavaria, Germany, in 1866. He is a son of Gotlieb and Mary (Stahl) Heerwagen, who were also of Bavarian birth, the father spending his entire life in that country, where he had engaged in the drug business. His wife also died in Germany. They were the parents of four children, of whom two are living: Leo, who is engaged in the music business; and Paul M. The latter acquired his education in the schools of Berlin and came to the United States in 1881 with other members of the family. He made his way to Detroit, Michigan, and there learned the business of decorating, developing expert ability along that line. In 1891 he came to Arkansas, where he has since made his home, and through the intervening years he has built up a reputation as one of the foremost decorators of the state. He removed with his family to Fayetteville in 1911, and while he has done a large amount of work in this city, he is continually being called to various points in the south and southwest. He has decorated many of the fine residences and he did the decorating work on many of the finest public buildings of this section of the country, including Hotel Gayoso of Memphis, Tennessee; Hotel Piedmont of Atlanta, Georgia; Hotel Gay Teague of Montgomery, Alabama; Hotel Marion of Little Rock, Arkansas; Hotel Peabody of Memphis, Tennessee; Hotel Galvez of Galveston, Texas; Hotel Pine Bluff of Pine Bluff, Arkansas; Hotel Gibraltar of Paris, Texas; the courthouse of Paris, Texas; Hotel Youree of Shreveport, Louisiana; Hotel Bently of Alexandria, Louisiana; Exchange building of Memphis, Tennessee; Central Bank building of Memphis, Tennessee; Commercial Bank of Shreveport, Louisiana; Southern Pacific of Houston, Texas; the courthouse of Memphis, Tennessee; City National Bank building of Shreveport, Louisiana; Cosden building of Tulsa, Oklahoma; Scottish Rite Temple of Shreveport, Louisiana; City National Bank building of Wichita Falls, Texas; Farmers' & Mechanics' National Bank building of Fort Worth, Texas; and the Ardis building of Shreveport, Louisiana, as well as the Arkansas state capitol at Little Rock. These are among some of the largest hotels and public buildings of this part of the country and indicate the high character of the work which is planned and executed by the representatives of the Paul M. Heerwagen studios at Fayetteville. In 1893 Mr. Heerwagen was married to Miss Ida Killian, who was born in Little Rock, Arkansas, a daughter of Dr. Miles and Ruth (Johnstone) Killian, the former a native of North Carolina, while the latter was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Dr. Killian came to Little Rock in 1849 and practiced there for a number of years. He was a veteran of the Mexican war and following its close visited Little Rock while en route to North Carolina. So pleased was he with the city, however, that he did not continue his journey and remained a resident of the Arkansas capital. He was a member of the Presbyterian church. Mrs. Heerwagen is his only child and by her marriage she became the mother of six children: Ruth, who is a graduate of the University of Arkansas and taught in the schools of Oklahoma in 1920, while in 1921 she is a teacher in the schools of Fayetteville; Paul, the owner of the business conducted under the name of the Square Tire Company at Fayetteville; Leo, who is a junior in the University of Arkansas; Louie, also connected with the Square Tire Company; Margaret, who is attending high school; and Marion, at home. In his political views Mr. Heerwagen has always been a democrat. Fraternally he is a Mason and has filled all of the chairs in the York Rite bodies and taken a very active part in Masonic affairs. He has also taken the Scottish Rife degrees. He and his wife are active and faithful members of the Presbyterian church. Mrs. Heerwagen is a member of the Pioneer Society of Arkansas at Little Rock, also has membership with the Daughters of the Confederacy and the Order of the Eastern Star. Mr. and Mrs. Heerwagen have a beautiful modern home, erected at the edge of the city by Mr. Heerwagen in 1916. Its beauty is matched by its cordial hospitality, which is freely accorded their many friends. Additional Comments: Citation: Centennial History of Arkansas Volume II Chicago-Little Rock: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company 1922 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ar/washington/bios/heerwage35bs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/arfiles/ File size: 5.1 Kb