In 1895, a Mexican range cook working for Lyman T. Davis of Corsicana, Texas developed the original recipe for Wolf Brand Chili. It became popular so Mr. Davis began to sell it for five cents a bowl from the back of a wagon parked on the streets in downtown Corsicana, usually in front of the Blue Front Saloon. He owned a meat market in Corsicana where he sold his chili in brick form, using the brand name of Lyman"s Famous Chili. In 1921, using the simplest machinery, he began canning his chili and marketing it in the immediate area. It was about that time that he adopted the brand name "Wolf Brand," a name suggested to him in honor of his pet wolf, Kaiser Bill. By 1923, with improved equipment, Davis had increased production to 2,000 cans of chili per day. Because of the discovery of oil on his ranch, he had neither the time nor the interest to devote to his chili business, and in 1924 he sold his operations to J. C. West and Fred Slauson, two Corsicana businessmen. The new owners modernized production and introduced new marketing techniques. Among the most successful innovations introduced by West and Slauson was a Model T Ford truck with a cab shaped like a can and painted to resemble the Wolf Brand label. A live wolf was caged in the back of the truck. The vehicle not only provided practical transportation for company salesmen but also was an effective traveling advertisement for their products. During World War II, with partner Fred and son James in the Air Force, J. C. sent a case of chili and tamales without charge to any service person whose name was sent to him. Many soldiers have shared memories of heating the chili in their helmets on the battle fronts of Europe. In 1954 the company expanded into interstate markets, having previously distributed its products only in Texas. In 1957 Quaker Oats of Chicago purchased Wolf Brand from then owners Doyle and James West, sons of J. C. West. Quaker Oats continued to operate the Corsicana plant, streamlining Davis"s original recipe. In 1977 Wolf Brand, along with other chili manufacturers, successfully lobbied the Texas legislature to have chili proclaimed the official "state food" of Texas. In an effort to consolidate its operations, Quaker Oats closed the Corsicana plant in 1985 and merged its operations with another subsidiary, Stokley-Van Camp, in Dallas. It was a sadly unpopular move for the community.
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Today's Featured Article - Women and Tractors - More Views From the Farmer's Wife - by Teri Burkholder. The top ten reasons why the judges wouldn't let you participate in the stock antique tractor pull: Hey, this is stock! It came with that V8 in it! That "R" on my tires stands for "really old" not radial! Blue gas? We thought it was a pretty color! What wire hooked to my throttle?
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