N.J. Badu
N. J. Badu was a native of
Nancy, France. Educated and trained as a
geologist in Europe, Badu emigrated from France to Mexico. From there, he traveled to
New Orleans, eventually finding employment in Texas as an instructor of the
French language, in the
Lamar County town of
Paris. He married a woman from the same county by the name of Charlie Neal. After a subsequent career change, he gained some experience at hotel management in
Dallas and
Austin. During his tenure in Paris, Badu had heard much about the geology of Llano. He was hired by the Llano Improvement and Furnace Company to manage the Algona Hotel, the area's grand upscale establishment. When the Llano Improvement and Furnace Company went bankrupt, the Algona closed. Badu became employed as a manager of the
Driskill Hotel in Austin, but maintained his home in Llano. Badu became a full-time mineralogist, with his laboratory based in Llano. ==See also==