Water Rails & Oil - Historic Mid & South Jefferson County
An illustrated history of the Mid and South Jefferson County area, paired with the histories of companies, families and organizations that make the region great.
An illustrated history of the Mid and South Jefferson County area, paired with the histories of companies, families and organizations that make the region great.
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PORT ARTHUR<br />
ABSTRACT AND<br />
TITLE COMPANY<br />
❖<br />
Above: Port Arthur Abstract is a<br />
historical fixture in <strong>Jefferson</strong> <strong>County</strong>.<br />
Below: The company occupied offices<br />
at 1790 Memorial Boulevard from<br />
1973 to 1984.<br />
For more than a century, Port<br />
Arthur Abstract and Title Company<br />
has offered both residential and<br />
commercial closing, escrow and<br />
title insurance services, and is<br />
committed to providing customers<br />
with a level of satisfaction that<br />
is unparalleled in the title<br />
insurance industry.<br />
Need for an abstract company to<br />
research and maintain records of<br />
sales, road grants, mortgages, and<br />
other land transactions in <strong>Jefferson</strong><br />
<strong>County</strong> was created when Arthur Stillwell<br />
platted his namesake, the City of Port<br />
Arthur, back in 1895. The Spindletop oil<br />
boom at the turn of the century and the real<br />
estate development and sales that followed<br />
helped to fuel the early success of Port<br />
Arthur Abstract.<br />
A. M. Rutan, a local real estate lawyer,<br />
who was later joined by a partner, H. F. Banker,<br />
founded the company in 1896. After<br />
Rutan’s death, his son, R. L. Rutan, who<br />
was also a real estate lawyer and served in<br />
1942 as Mayor of Port Arthur, succeeded<br />
him. Banker’s son-in-law, Gil Phares, also an<br />
attorney, bought Port Arthur Abstract upon<br />
his return from service during World War II.<br />
Phares was later joined by his son and law<br />
partner, Banker Phares. In 1969, Gil and Banker<br />
Phares sold the business to another law partner,<br />
Cary Bass.<br />
Following Bass’ retirement in 2000, Port<br />
Arthur Abstract was sold and has been run by<br />
President and Legal Counsel Ken Whitlow and<br />
Senior Vice Presidents Molly Mallet, Vicki<br />
Robison, and Juliana Stringer. Forty-two<br />
employees now serve all of <strong>Jefferson</strong><br />
<strong>County</strong> through Port Arthur Abstract and Title<br />
Company and <strong>South</strong>east Texas Title Company,<br />
which serves Hardin <strong>County</strong>, as well. These<br />
staff members are involved in a variety<br />
of civic and charitable organizations and<br />
activities, and participate in a wide range of<br />
community endeavors.<br />
Originally located at 443 Austin Avenue<br />
in downtown Port Arthur, the company<br />
moved in 1973 to 3790 Memorial Boulevard<br />
and in 1984 to its present location at 2950<br />
Turtle Creek. The decision to rebuild the Port<br />
Arthur facility after its destruction by Hurricane<br />
Rita in 2005 reflects the company’s commitment<br />
68 ✦ WATER, RAILS & OIL
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