Eugene Tullis Arnett

Eugene Tullis Arnett was born 19 Feb 1882 in Rusk County, Texas. He was the son of David William and Eudora C. Arnett, both natives Texans. Sometime between 1890 and 1895 he moved to Beaumont in Jefferson County, Texas with his mother, where he attended South Park High School.

When an oil well known as "Spindletop" blew in January 1901, Beaumont became heavily involved in the oil industry. As a young man of 18, E. T learned the oil business and became a driller and oil field supervisor. He traveled to many of the Texas oil fields as well as Mexico and Russia. He met and married Emmaline Young at Paris, Texas on December 24, 1910. They moved to Goose Creek, Texas in 1915 where he was an oil field superintendent in the Pelly oil fields.

In 1923, E. T. bought half interest in the McKinney Insurance Agency. In December 1925, Carl McKinney sold his interest to W. E. Kerr and from 1925 to 1931 the agency was known as Arnett & Kerr. He bought out Mr. Kerr in 1931 and the agency became known as Arnett & Company. He gave one-fourth share in the company to his son, David Young Arnett in 1950. The company slogan was "Insure with Arnett". Arnett & Company represented Hartford Fire Insurance Company, Hartford Accident & Indemnity Company, Commercial Union Insurance Company, and Gulf Insurance among other reliable companies of the time.

E. T. Arnett took an active part in almost everything that happened in Baytown, Goose Creek and Pelly. He was tax collector for the the City of Pelly for a while. He was president of the board of trustees of the Goose Creek Independent School District when the first brick school buildings were built and when the first school system budget was prepared.

He was chairman of a special committee appointed by the Chamber of Commerce to organize an agency to make loans on homes. As a result the first building and loan association was formed in East Harris County and is still know today as Harris County Federal Savings and Loan. E. T. served as vice-president, director and appraiser for them and was still active on the board of directors when he died in 1958.

E. T. Arnett was a member of the Grace Methodist Church, Baytown Chamber of Commerce, Baytown Country Club and a Charter Member of the Goose Creek Masonic Lodge No. 1192. He was one of the "grand old men" that made Baytown grow and prosper. In addition, he was an avid sportsman. He was an excellent hunter and fisherman, but probably best known for his love of baseball and football. If there was a game in Baytown, he was there.

David William Arnett Family