Alva Lee Taylor Family of Lamar County, Texas
by Mary Tallant
Alva Lee Taylor was born 8 Jul 1879, Illinois, the son of Robert Emmett and Matilda Turner Taylor. He married the former Miss Arizona A. Mitchell, 31 Aug 1898 in Lamar County, Texas. Arizona was born 24 Oct 1881 in Greenup County, Kentucky, the daughter of Melvin Valentine Mitchell (b. 30 Sep 1844 Lewis County, Virginia, d. 8 June 1896 Caviness, Lamar County, Texas, buried McEwin Cemetery) and Henrietta A. Horner Mitchell (b. Greenup County, Kentucky, 7 Dec 1864, d. Paris, Lamar County, Texas, buried Rockford Cemetery). Alva died 14 Jun 1952, and Arizona died 22 July 1953. Both are buried in Meadowbrook Cemetery.
OBITUARY for Alva Lee Taylor:
"Funeral services will be held Monday afternoon at 2: p.m. at Fry & Gibbs Funeral Home for Alva Lee Taylor, Rt. 2. Paris. He died at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at his residence. Roy E. Hazleton minister of Church of Christ of Van Alstyne will officiate with burial at Meadowbrook Memorial Park at Reno. He was born 8 July 1879, in Illinois. The son of Robert Emmett and Matilda Turner Taylor. He married the former Miss Arizona A. Mitchell, 31 Aug 1898. Survivors include his wife and four daughters: Mrs. Ed (Goldie) Thomas, of Dallas; Mrs. J. W. (Maudie) Posey, Rt. 6, Paris; Mrs. Bob (Pearl) Chambless, and Mrs. C. U. (Eunice) Morrison, both of Paris; four sons, Lawrence L. Taylor, Davis, OK; Goldman C. Taylor, Rt. 2, Paris; Samuel O. Taylor and McLee Taylor, both of Dallas; 20 grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren." THE PARIS NEWS, 16 June 1952: "Taylor Services - Funeral services were set for Monday at 2:00 p.m. at Fry & Gibbs Chapel for Alva Lee Taylor, Rt. 2, Paris, who died Saturday night at his home. Internment was to be made at Meadowbrook Memorial Park. Named as pallbearers were J. M. Herron, Delbert Morrison, J. F. Shannon, Homer Findley, Willie LaRue, and R. L. Hutchings."OBITUARY for Arizona A. Mitchell Taylor:
From an unknown and undated newspaper clipping: "Mrs. A. L. Taylor , 72, of 961 Grove St., died Wednesday at 3:50 a.m. at St. Joseph Hospital. The funeral, Thursday at 2 p.m., will be held at Fry & Gibbs Chapel, and burial will be made in Meadowbrook Memorial Park. Mrs. Taylor was formerly Miss Arizona A. Mitchell of Caviness Community, daughter of Melvin V. and Henretta A. Horner Mitchell. Mrs. Taylor was born in Greenup Co., Kentucky on 24 Oct 1881 and came to Texas with her family between 1881 and 1884, settling first in Fannin County and then in Lamar County near Caviness. She married Alva Lee Taylor on 31 Aug 1898 in Lamar County. Mr. and Mrs Taylor had 12 children. She was preceded in death by her husband and four children, Clare Bell, Beulah Lee, Claudie Emmitt and Ruby Opal Taylor Hodges. Bearers will be Willie LaRue, R. L. Hutching, J. M. Herron, Edd Vincent, Homer Fendley, Delbert Morrison. Mr. & Mrs. Taylor lived and raised their children in the Fords Academy Community, the children attended school there. During the building of Camp Maxey during WWII they had to sell out and bought land between Paris and Reno. When Highway 82 was widened, Mr. Taylor didn't want the traffic so close to his home. They moved East along Highway 82 near the Sylvan Road where they lived until Mr. Taylor died in 1952."The following was written by Maudie Taylor Posey (her daughter):
MOTHER
She is a little old lady with silvery hair,
Her face is all wrinkled from worry and care,
Her eyes are dim, her foot steps are slow.
But to us she is the fairest one here below.
The hours were never to long for her,
To share all our troubles, wipe away each tear,
Her voice so tender, so soothing to hear,
Makes our own cares and troubles easier to bare.
God Bless you our Mother, we love you, you dear,
We have been richly blessed through these many years.
We all wish you happiness on this bright Mothers Day,
Loving thoughts from all of us coming your way
To you, OUR DEAR MOTHER, fond memories and thoughts of you,
For health and happiness, with love thats warm and true.
We love you DEAREST MOTHER, from all of us to you,
OUR MOTHER, SO DEAR AND TRUE.Children of the Alva Lee and Arizona A. Mitchell Taylor were:
1. Clara Bell Taylor, b. 27 July 1900, d. 14 Oct 1917, buried McEwin Cemetery;Clara Bell Taylor was born 27 Jul 1900 and died 14 Oct 1917. The first child of Alva Lee and Arizona Mitchell Taylor. During her 17th year, as the story is told, a swing fell with Clara and she fell across a log and broke her back. Clara was baptized 20 Aug 1917 at Taylor Chapel Church of Christ at Fords Academy in Lamar County, Texas. Mother has said that Clara was a very religious girl, while in her death bed she sang 'Lord I'm Coming home.' Although her death certificate says she died of typhoid fever, it could have been a connection there. Clara is buried in an unmarked grave in the old McEwin Cemetery.2. Bulah Lee Taylor, b. 11 Sep 1905, d. 31 Oct 1913, buried McEwin Cemetery;Bulah Lee was so tiny when she was born they were afraid to hold her. They made her bed in the case of an old mantle clock. When she started to school, her eyes just cleared the top of the desk. I believe she died of pneumonia. She is buried in an unmarked grave.3. Maudie Emma Taylor, twin, b. 20 May 1907, d. 1 Aug 1978 buried Hopewell Cemetery;4. Claudie Emmitt Taylor, twin, b. 20 May 1907, d. 6 Aug 1907 buried McEwin Cemetery;OBITUARY:
THE PARIS NEWS, 2 Aug 1978: "MRS. MAUDIE EMMA POSEY- Mrs. Maudie E. Posey of 1973 E. Booth died at 10 p.m., Tuesday at McCuistion Regional Medical Center. Services will be at 2 p.m., Thursday at the Fry & Gibbs Funeral Home. Dell Young, Church of Christ minister from Valliant, OK, will officiate and burial will be in Hopewell Cemetery. The family will recieve friends 7:30 to 8:30 tonight at the funeral home. Mrs. Posey was born May 20, 1907, in Lamar County, daughter of Alva Lee and Arizona (Mitchell) Taylor. She was a housewife and a member of Lamar Road Church of Christ. She was married to John W. Posey on Nov. 27, 1926. He preceded her in death on January 12, 1975. Survivors include one son, Donnie Ray Posey of Paris; two daughters, Mrs Duane (Mary) Tallant of Austin and Mrs. Billy (Jean) Jones of Petty; eight grandchildren five great-grandchildren;two brothers, Lawrence L. Taylor of McDade, LA, and Sam Taylor of McKinney; and three sisters, Mrs Bob (Pearl) Chambless of Richardson, Mrs. Udell (Eunice) Morrison of Blossom and Mrs. Bill (Goldie) Welch of Paris. She was preceded in death by a daughter, Zona Bell Williams, on June 8, 1957, and two brothers, Goldman Taylor on May 27, 1977, and McLee Taylor on July 13, 1978."5. Ruby Opal Taylor, b. 8 Apr 1909, d. 1 May 1940, buried Casey Cemetery;Claudie Emmit Taylor was born 7 May 1907 and died 6 August 1907.Claudie was a twin. When Claudie and Maudie were born, it seemed to all that Claudie would be the healthiest of the two. Maudie was smaller and not expected to live. Claudie lived just a few months. He is buried at McEwin Cemetery in an unmarked grave.
OBITUARY:6. Goldman C. Taylor, b. 3 Oct 1910, d. 27 May 1977, buried Meadowbrook Memorial Park;
THE PARIS NEWS, Thursday, 2 May 1940, p. 16: "MRS. J. G. HODGES Mrs. Ruby Hodges, 31, wife of J. G. Hodges of Ford's Academy community, died at 1:45 p. m. Wednesday at her home, the result of blood poisoning from an infected tooth. Funeral service was arranged for 3 p. m. Thursday at Taylor's Academy Church, near Ford's Academy, conducted by Sam Cochran, with burial at Casey Cemetery by Brown-Roden Funeral Home. Joe Casey, Hugh Ellis, Lloyd Ford, Gilbert Coble, Herbert Morrison and Ed Vincent were named pallbearers. Mrs. Hodges leaves besides her husband, her parents, Mr. and Mrs. A. L. Taylor; her grandmother, Mrs. John Payne, three children, Connie Lou, Joe Bailey and Jimmy Dale Hodges; and these brothers and sisters: Goldman, Sam, Lawrence and Mack Taylor; Mrs. Maudie Posey, Mrs. Pearl Landers, Mrs. Eunice Morrison and Miss Goldie Taylor."OBITUARY:
THE PARIS NEWS, Friday, May 27, 1977: "Goldman C. Taylor of Rt. 2, Paris, died in Dallas at Baylor Hospital about 1 a.m. Friday. Funeral services are set for 4 p.m. Saturday at the Fry & Gibbs Funeral Home Chapel. Burial will be in Meadowbrook Cemetery. Mr. Taylor was born Oct. 4, 1911, in Lamar County, a son of Alva Lee and Arizona (Mitchell) Taylor. He attended Paris public schools and married Miss Florence Williams from Paris, on Feb. 1, 1935. They lived in Lamar County all their married life. He was a member of the Church of Christ . He was a rancher and a former employee of Babcock and Wilcox. He had been in ill health for the past several years. Survivors include his wife; two nieces whom he raised, Mrs. Elaine Thompson of Arlington and Mrs. Diane Gann of Paris; three brothers, Sam Taylor of Leonard, Mac Taylor of Dallas and Lawrence Taylor of Shreveport, LA; and four sister, Mrs. Pearl Chambless of Richardson and Mrs. Goldie Welch, Mrs. Maudie Posey of Paris and Mrs. Eunice Morrison of Blossom. The family will be at the Taylor residence."7. Pearl Jewel Taylor, b. 27 Jan 1913, d. 9 Apr 2004, buried Restland Wildwood Chapel, Dallas;
OBITUARY:8. Samuel Oliver Taylor, b. 10 Aug 1915, d. 30 Mar 1998, buried Highland Cemetery, Bryan County, OK;
THE PARIS NEWS, 13 April 2003: "DALLAS-Pearl Taylor Chambless, 91, passed away, Friday, April 9, 2004, in Richardson. Funeral services were held on Monday, April 12, in Restland Wildwood Chapel in Dallas. She was born January 27, 1913, in Lamar County. She was a member of the Church of Christ. She was preceded in death by her husband, Robert L. Chambless; her parents, Alva Lee Taylor and Arizona Mitchell Taylor; one son, Billy Wayne Landers; five brothers, Claudie, Goldman, Sam, Lawrence, and McLee; and four sisters, Clara, Beulah, Maudie Posey and Ruby Hodges. She is survived by two daughters, Betty J. Goodnight of Dallas and Paulette Temple of Hideaway Lake; two grandchildren, Vivki Landers and Cherrel Ptak; five great-grandchildren; two sisters, Goldie Welch of Paris and Eunice Morrison of Blossom; and many nieces, nephews and cousins."OBITUARY:
MEDICAL CENTER SOUTHERN OKLAHOMA, 31 MARCH 1998: "Samuel Oliver Taylor, 82, of Durant, Oklahoma died Monday, March 30 1998, at Medical Center of Southwestern Oklahoma in Durant. Services will be at 2:30 p.m. Friday, April 3, at Brown's Funeral Chapel with Tandy Troutman and Don Willingham officiating. Burial will be in Highland Cemetery. Mr. Taylor was born Aug 10, 1915, at Ford's Academy in Lamar County, Texas, to Alva Lee and Arizona Mitchell Taylor. He attended school at Ford's Academy and married Emily Ruby Ford, 14 Oct 1933, in Lamar County. He was a retail sales manager for 20 years and was a member of Coleman Church of Christ. During his healthier years, Sam is remembered by his grandchildren as a wise and gentle mentor and for teaching them to work and 'fix' anything broken. He loved horses, cattle and was constantly tinkering. Surviving are his wife; two daughters, Patsy Taylor Shannon and her husband Clifford of Durant and Sandra Taylor Fain and husband Robert, Jr. of Billings, Montana; 11 grandchildren; 18 great grandchildren; two great great-grandchildren; three sisters, Pearl Taylor Chambless of Richardson, Texas, Eunice Taylor Morrison of Blossom, Texas and Goldie Taylor Welch of Paris, Texas; several nieces, nephews, other relatives and many very dear and loved friends; and his special neighbors, Val and Jennie Posey. He was preceded in death by his parents and these brothers and sisters, Maudie Taylor Posey, Claudie Taylor, Beulah Lee Taylor, Clara Taylor, Goldman C. Taylor, Ruby Taylor Hodges, Lawrence L. Taylor and Mack Lee Taylor."9. Lawrence L. Taylor, b. 25 March 1918, d. 29 June 1994, buried Hill Crest Memorial Park, Bossier Parrish, LA;
OBITUARY:10. McLee Taylor, b. 4 July 1921, d. 13 July 1978, buried Grove Hill Cemetery, Dallas, TX;
HILL CREST MEMORIAL PARK - LAWRENCE L. TAYLOR - ELM GROVE, LA.- "Services will be conducted at Hill Crest Memorial Funeral Home, Hwy. 80 East, Bossier City/Haughton, for Mr. Lawrence L. Taylor, 76, Saturday, July 2, 1994 at 10 a.m. Officiating will be Bro. Martin Vandergriff of Lanes Chapel Baptist Church of Clarksville, TX. and assisted by Bro. George Rogers of Koran Baptist Church where Mr. Taylor was a member. Interment will be at Hill Crest Memorial Park. Visitation will be Friday from 5 p.m. until 9 p.m. at the funeral home. Mr. Taylor entered into rest Wednesday, June 29, 1994 at his residence. He was born in Paris, Lamar Co., TX and had been a resident of Bossier Parish since 1948 where he owned a grocery store and was a farmer. Mr. Taylor also served in the U. S. Navy and was a veteran of WWII. He was preceded in death by his wife, Ala Mae Johnson Taylor; three brothers and four sisters. Mr. Taylor is survived by his son, Larry L. Taylor and wife, Patricia; grandson Larry L Taylor III (Tay); three sisters, Pearl Chambless of Richardson, TX, Eunice Morrison of Blossom, TX, and Goldie Welch of Paris, TX; and one brother, Samuel O. Taylor of Durant, OK. Pallbearers will be James Ramsey, Kendrick Ryan, Clarence Ludwick, Vol Dooley, Doug Brown, Arnold Young, Red Richardson and W. J. Woods."11. Eunice Alene Taylor, b. 6 Feb 1923, d. 21 Feb 2013, buried Knights of Honor Cemetery, Blossom TX;McLee married Mildred Inez Humphrey in Lamar County, Texas (Book 45, Page 436 of the Lamar Co. Marriage Records). McLee served in the US Army during WWII.
OBITUARY:
"MCLEE TAYLOR--Dallas,Texas-- McLee Taylor of 10335 Sandra Lynn, Dallas, Texas died Thursday in Gaston Hospital. He was a former resident of Lamar County, Texas. Funeral arrangments are pending with Dudley Hughes Funeral Home on Buckner Boulevard, Dallas. Burial will be made in Grove Hill Cemetary in Dallas. Mr. Taylor was born 4 July 1921 in Lamar County, Texas, a son of Alva Lee and Arizona Mitchell Taylor. He is survived by his wife, the former Inez Humphrey ; one daughter Mrs. Jerry (Patricia) Knoerr of Mesquite, Texas; two brothers, Lawrence Taylor of McDade, LA and Sam Taylor of McKinney, TX; four sisters, Mrs. John (Maudie) Posey of Paris, TX, Mrs. Udell (Eunice) Morrison of Blossom, TX, Mrs. Bill (Goldie) Welch of Paris, TX and Mrs Bob (Pearl) Chambless of Richardson, TX. A number of neices and nephews also survive."12. Goldie Geneva Taylor, b. 25 July 1925.OBITUARY:
THE PARIS NEWS, Friday, February 22, 2013: "Eunice Morrison blessed this world for 90 years and on Thursday, Feb. 21, 2013, she was called to her heavenly home. She was surrounded by family and she departed this earth receiving as much love as she had brought into it. Bright-Holland Funeral Home has scheduled services for 11 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 23, at Blossom Church of Christ with Evan Butler and David Ballard officiating. Burial will follow in Knights of Honor Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 6–7 p.m. on Friday at the funeral home. Eunice was born Feb. 6, 1923, to Alva Lee Taylor and Arizona Mitchell Taylor in the Ford's Academy community. There she met the love of her life, Clarence Udell Morrison. On Nov. 4, 1939, they committed their lives to each other and held that commitment for 68 years of true and unending love. During those years they began to build their life together on their dairy farm in Blossom, and they began to grow their family. First came a daughter, Joyce, followed by two sons, Harold Wayne and Randy. Throughout the years, the family grew and so did their love. The addition of seven grandchildren and thirteen great-grandchildren expanded her heart and home. Family was her greatest wealth and the only treasure she desired. With her family she was richly blessed. She relished every moment with her family, her friends and her church. Her kitchen was the heart of her home and you could feel her love when you sat down at her dinner table. The noise of her grandchildren and the mess they left behind brought joy to her heart. The stories and memories will live in our hearts forever and are too numerous to write but just ask us about her and we would be happy to share. She was preceded in death by her husband, Udell; son, Harold Wayne; and granddaughter, Abbie Lynn Morrison. She is survived by her daughter Joyce and husband, Denis, of Paris; son Randy and wife, Jackie, of Tyler; grandchildren, Brian Frank and wife, Christy, of Brenham, Brent Frank and wife, Lisa, of Tushka, Okla., Alicia Hutchins and husband, Jason, of College Station, Angie Morrison, of Tyler, Jeff Morrison and wife, Miranda, of Blossom, and Paul Glen Morrison and wife, Chelli, of The Colony; 13 great-grandchildren; the last remaining sibling in her family, Goldie Welch, of Paris; and many nieces and nephews. A special thank you to the staff of 'The Home Place' where she made her home and they became family. She received the ultimate in care and love. Proverbs 31:27-28 'She watches over the ways of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her.'"
Created on ... June 10, 2013