"The life blood of the commerce of the port of Galveston has, almost from the beginning, been cotton and many of Galveston's foremost citizens have been connected with the industry. among these was Charles Adams Vedder (my mother adds: 'uncle of Margaret Stafford Crow').

"Mr. Vedder was born in Galveston January 14th, 1861, and was a member of one of the earliest Galveston families. He was the youngest child and only son of a family of six children. His father, Jacob Suydam Vedder, a native of New York State, came to Texas in 1845, arriving in Galveston immediately before Texas was admitted to the Union, and was a cousin of the late Elihu Vedder, a noted artist. His mother, Margaret King, was a daughter of Gray King whose life ended just before the battle of San Jacinto. He was ordered by the Commander of the Texas Army to assist in the removal of the women and children from the path of the advance of Santa Anna, and it was while engaged in this work that he lost his life. (my mother inserts: 'In trying to see if a bayou was safe to cross, he disappeared under water; an alligator probably killed him.')

"Charles Vedder was connected with the firm of John D. Rogers & Company, prominent cotton factors, for thirty years and later with the National Compress Company, of which he was general manager.

"Recognized as one of the outstanding experts in the cotton trade he was, under the administration of President Roosevelt, appointed a commissioner to discuss the standardization of the various cotton classes and grades for the United States Government. It was appreciated then, as now, that a standard must be set for the benefit of the industry, and Mr. Vedder was one of the two men selected from Texas for this important work.

"Mr. Vedder died in 1925. Widely known in Galveston and among those connected with the cotton industry throughout the South, devoted to his family and his friends, he was without an enemy.

"He was a member of the Galveston Artillery Club and of the Galveston Cotton Exchange, and was active in those associations devoted to the best interests of his native city.

"In 1884 he was married to Miss Florence M. Schryver, who was a granddaughter of General George Heath Flood, Minister from the United States to the Republic of Texas in 1839. Three children were born of this union: Laura Margaret, wife of Herbert M. Key of Corona, California; Katherine, wife of Cortes Pauls of Galveston; and Jacob Suydam Vedder whose death occurred in 1928."