Daffan Gin is one of the lost cotton gins of Austin and Travis County. Not too much history is known about Daffan Gin. This news article will share and explain some of the history behind Daffan Gin. Daffan Gin was known as Daffin Gin Company, Daffin Gin Co, and Daffan Cotton Gin.
Daffan Gin was established on what was then Route 2 and is now Old Manor Road in 1908 on the outskirts of Austin, Texas. T. E. Carlson ran, owned, and operated the Daffin Gin which belonged to the Daffin Gin Company.
Daffin Gin Company began offering contracts for a steel gin plant in 1909. These plans were announced in the Austin Weekly Statesman. Gus Smith was manager of Daffin Gin Company and Daffin Gin. (Ref: Austin Weekly Statesman, DAFFAN GIN COMPANY CONTRACTS FOR PLANT, Page 2, Thursday, November 4, 1909)
“The Daffan Gin Company has contracted for a $ 10,000 one-story "Murray" steel gin plant to go in at Daffan, Texas. Gus Smith is manager of the gin company.”
The Daffan Gin Company and Daffan Gin were incorporated with a capital stock of $9,000 on the date of Sunday, January 9, 1910. “The Daffan Gin Company of Daffan, Travis County, capital stock of $9,000. The incorporators are Gust Smith, C. E. Swenson, and C. John Swenson.” (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/359076659/)
News regarding the incorporation of Daffan Gin Company made the news to the Houston Post in 1910. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/94908872/)
The Daffan Gin Company and Daffan Gin would officially open in 1910 after the incorporation process was flied and completed. (Ref: https://bizstanding.com/p/daffan+gin+co-40545070)
According to the Austin American newspaper, addresses for Daffan Gin were Daffan Gin Company, Route 1, Austin, Daffan Gin Company, Route 1, Manor, and Daffan Gin Co., Rt. 1., Manor, Texas. Their phone number was GR 6-2972. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/385752893/)
Daffan Gin and Daffan Gin Company were part of in a garnishment dispute with Mrs. Emma Johnson in early 1917 in lawsuits titled Mrs. Emma Johnson vs Daffan Gin company and Mrs. Emma Johnson vs, Gus Smith. Mrs. Emma Johnson sued Gus Smith over garnishment in probate court. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/358050442/)
“Mrs. Emma Johnson vs Daffan Gin company, garnishment. Mrs. Emma Johnson vs, Gus Smith, suit on note. Judge Calhoun. Filed: Mrs. Emma Johnson vs Daffan Gin company, garnishment. Mrs. Emma Johnson vs, Gus Smith, suit on note. Probate Court.”
A sheriffs sale of Daffan Gin occurred on the date of November 8, 1917 by order of sale issued by the clerk of the District Court of Travis County. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/384333996/)
LEGAL NOTICES SHERIFFS SALE
By virtue of a certain order of sale issued by the clerk of the District Court of Travis County, on the 2 8th day of November 1917, In a certain cause wherein Mrs. Emma Johnson is plaintiff, and Gus Smith is defendant. In favor of the said plaintiff for the sum of $2,540 with interest thereon at the rate of six per centum per annum from date of Judgment, together with all costs of suit, that being the amount of a judgment recovered by the said Mrs. Emma Johnson, plaintiff, in the district court of Travis County, on the 3rd day of April 1917, I have levied upon, and will, on the 10th day of December 1917, at the court house door in the city of Austin, within legal hours, proceed to sell for cash to the highest bidder, all the right, title and interest, of the defendant, in and to a certain share of stock, being share No. 16 of the capital stock of the Daffan Gin company, of the par value of $450 and being the share of stock issued by said Daffan Gin company to said Gus Smith. The above sale to be made by me to satisfy the above described judgment for $2,540 in favor of Mrs. Emma Johnson, together with the costs of said suit, and the proceeds applied to the satisfaction thereof V. S. MATTHEWS, Sheriff Travis County.
A fire destroyed the seed house and coal barn at Daffan Gin on the night of Sunday, September 3, 1922. The fire caused slight damage to the engine room of the Daffan Gin. (Ref: Austin Statesman, DAFFAN GIN AT DECKER IS DAMAGED BY BLAZE, Page 10, Tuesday, September 5, 1922)
“Fire of undetermined cause destroyed the seed house and coal barn and caused slight damage to the engine room of the Daffan Gin at Decker, 8 miles east of Austin, on the Manor Road Sunday afternoon at 4:30 o'clock. A box car containing 18 cords of wood and a carload of cotton see in the seed house were also lost in the blaze. The gin was built of corrugated iron which prevented the destruction of the entire building. A bucket brigade got the fire under control. The estimated loss, not including the box car was $11.500. The property belonged to the Decker Gin company, an association formed by the farmers of the community.”
Gus Smith would sell the company to a person named A. B. Cedar and Ed Philquist in 1932. He would register Daffin Gin as Daffan Gin Company as a domestic for-profit corporation on the date of August 19, 1932. (Ref: https://bizstanding.com/p/daffan+gin+company-37483234)
Daffan Gin Company would reincorporate with a capital stock of $8,550 dollars. Incorporators were Ed Philquist, August E. Lundell, and T. E. Swenon. “Daffan Gin Company, Daffan, capital stock $8550. cotton gins ; Incorporators, Ed Philquist, August E. Lundell, T. E. Swenon.” (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/385935595/)
The Daffan Gin Company was reappraised for tax purposes in 1951. Ed Philquist argued the assessment was more than the resale value of the property. “Reduction from $2,000 to the rendered value of $1,500 on Daffan Gin Company after Ed Philquist argued the assessment was more than the re-sale value of the property.” He believed that people are being overtaxed. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/357731229/)
The Daffan Gin was sold in April 20, 1963 to Arthur Cedar (Arthur Ceder) on a sealed bid. He had all of the structures auctioned off and what was left was demolished. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/clip/51466324/sale-of-daffan-cotton-gin-april-20/)
The only remnants left today of Daffan Gin are a dilapidated broken down shed and the road called Daffan Gin Road. Most of these remnants are hidden from public view as they are covered by trees and overgrown shrubbery. Daffan Gin only exists in namesake as the Daffan Gin Road.
Daffan Gin was located at the corner of Daffan Gin Road & Old Manor Road, Austin, Texas US 78724. Part of Daffan Gin was located at 9103 Old Manor Road, Austin, Texas US 78724.
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