George Emmett Green (1875-1960) revolutionized Texas agriculture through advances in irrigation. Mechanically gifted, he mastered water well development, worked as a pattern maker and draftsman in pump factories, and operated a plant in his native Missouri before moving in 1909 with his wife Salome (Rich) and their children. In 1911 he dug Hale County's test irrigation well on the J.H. Slaton farm, reaching a commercial yield of 1400 gallons of water per minute. That achievement brought him fame because irrigation had long been seen as the missing ingredient in South Plains agriculture, the factor that would allow the fertile region to produce foodstuffs and fibers for millions of consumers. After deep water was found, he addressed related problems and in 1915 invented the hollow-shaft, right-angle gear drive for irrigation pumps, making it possible to use automotive-type engines for irrigation power. Aiming to provide commercial pumps at moderate prices, he established the factory in 1911 and reduced irrigation well installation costs to a level farmers could afford. His descendants still own and operate the business.