The Harness Maker's Dream: Nathan Kallison and the Rise of South Texas

Eleven: The Brothers Kallison

Et ELEVEN The Brolhers Kallison A STRANGER COMING IN to Kallison's would never guess that Morris and Perry were brothers. Aside from their sevenyear difference in age and their great disparity in appearance -broad-shouldered Morris with his dark eyes and shock of black hair; blue-eyed Perry, shorter and balding-the brothers' interests were as wide apart as their personalities. Morris, the elder (who was quite vain about his good looks and wore tailor-made suits, highly polished shoes, and a diamond ring on his finger), dressed the part of a city executive on the way to his club. His club, proudly, was the Masonic Lodge, in which he had achieved the thirty-second degree. "He was very smart," said his lawyer Jesse Oppenheimer, "and competitive and ambitious." If Morris ever regretted not finishing college, no one could tell. He was flamboyant, ebullient, energetic, and attractive . He loved local politics-and the city soon recognized him as a "kingmaker." He also loved money, and the power he believed it brought. Both Kallison brothers were outgoing, meeting people easily and collecting scores of friends. Perry's charm was quiet and more thoughtful. He thoroughly enjoyed his role as the 01' Trader, and relished the friendships gained by that acquired personality. His radio show with its "sermonettes" allowed him a platform to express his philosophy and his opinions-like an editorialist or a rabbi. Since his high school days in the thrall of Rabbi and Mrs. Frisch, he had centered his life in the philanthropic and organizational work of Temple ,8, THE HARNESS MAKER'S DREAM Beth-El. The Jewish community, locally and internationally, was at the heart of his social commitments. But it was the Kallison Ranch, his herd of cattle, and his passion for the Texas agricultural economy that captured Perry's deepest feelings. He dressed as a Texas cattleman -brown jackets with yoked shoulders, embossed leather boots, and the ever-present Stetson to protect his thinning hair, scalp, and fair complexion from the sun. He had inherited Anna's blue eyes and round face, a face that was open and earnestly inquisitive into the lives of others, including strangers. As partners throughout their lives, Morris and Perry had worked in tandem under Nathan's tutelage and direction. What they shared most was a deep respect for their father, "the Boss," and his commitment to and appreciation for hard work. Morris and Perry Kallison each made a considerable impact on business and community life in San Antonio. Outside the store, however, their principal interests continued to diverge after Nathan's death. Perry gravitated to the ranch, where he could engage his passionate feeling for the land and his expertise in cattle breeding. Morris focused his considerable energy on building his own downtown real estate empire, as well as becoming a behind-the-scenes power in city politics. As time passed, disagreements, at times bitter, arose between the brothers. Perry felt that his older brother Morris neglected the store while focusing on his separate real estate holdings. Although Morris later included Perry in several of his real estate deals, the growing family rift was compounded by Anna Kallison, the widowed matriarch. She deeply resented Morris for not including his sisters Tibe and Pauline in his new ventures. Conflicted in his own loyalties, Perry tried to play peacemaker as the chasm widened between Morris and his mother, Pauline, and Tibe. Arguments sometimes grew heated, with Morris stalking out of his parents' home. From an early age, Morris Kallison sought the spotlight. In his suits of silk, mohair, or summertime white linen, he was always noticed. "A striking figure," reported the society pages. His abundant head of hair, its dark glistening waves always carefully combed and ,8, THE BROTHERS KALLISON pomaded, was his pride, especially when it began to show streaks of silver gray. He would often stop in at a beauty college in a building he owned to enjoy a facial and to have his hair coiffed by the instructors.' With his smartly-tailored clothing and forceful personality, Morris Kallison drew attention, which was his intention. He drove big carsCadillacs -with his monogram on the dashboard. He was seen by many acquaintances, and also by his grandchildren, as a largerthan -life character, one with a magnetic personality and the ability to persuade others to agree with his ideas and plans. Determined to stand out from the crowd as...