The Allred's

My grandfather, George W. Taylor, came from Salem, Indiana in 1877. He married Eliza Mead, daughter of David F. Mead of Dexter. She was a sister of Sarah Mead Day, wife of Will Day. Her other sister, Kathryn Mead Day, was the wife of Jim Day, former sheriff of Cowley County in 1903.

My father, William D. Taylor, was born in 1867. He married Clara Cunningham of Burden, my mother. Her parents came by wagon train in 1877 from Jamestown, Indiana. Clara's dad was Alfred Cunningham. My mother said on a trip, a man said he'd kill the first Indian squaw he saw, he did and the Indians took him and started skinning him alive. The train moved on, they weren't looking for trouble.

My father's brothers were Lewis, Jess and Oral (Ral) Taylor. His sisters were Edwilda Hoel, Amanda Archer and Julia Beech. They are deceased.

My mother's brothers were Harry and Ray Cunningham and sisters were Ida Davis and Bertha Rivers, all deceased.

My great-grandfather, David F. Mead, bought the farm on the north corner, known as Bolack corner, twelve miles east of Winfield. Later Al Foudray and wife, Olive, daughter of Mead's, bought it and sold it to Lou Bolack. My great- grandfather built the rock fence around the barn.

Edwilda Taylor Hoel said she drove a spike where the Missouri-Pacific railway met at Eaton. They had a celebration whenever the railroad was completed, Edwilda was Leonard's mother, who was from Winfield.

I, Mabel Taylor Allred, was born in 1901. My brothers were Harry and James. My sister was Lena Sutton. All are deceased except myself.

Whenever I was small, Lewis Taylor and sons, Ray and Maurice, took care of Hiatt Park, west of Walnut River. It had a merry-go-round and other rides.

Floyd L. Allred was born in 1896. His father was Frank T. Allred who came to Dexter from Garfield, Arkansas in the 1900's. Floyd's brothers are Finice L. and Kenneth L. of Kansas City, Missouri.

Floyd and Mabel Allred lived in Haskins Camp, near Augusta, in 1918. They had a grocery store, garage, sold tires and ran the sub-post office. They had the first chair-driven truck with solid rubber tires. The two trucks ran ice routes. Whenever the oil field business slowed down Floyd moved families out of town. Every other day he would drive to Garden after groceries. The Wichita Eagle newspaper came by train and he would pick it up so people could get it from the grocery store.

In 1928 the Allreds started a business in Winfield. They sold Firestone tires, machinery and gasoline. Floyd also did ditch digging, welding and worked on septic tanks.

Floyd and I had one son, William (Billy) and one grandson, Gary, who took over the business in 1973. Billy is married to Marie Hoyt, who is the daughter of Helen Akers. Their son, Gary and wife Pam have two sons, Aaron and Edward (Teddy). They all live in Winfield.

Submitted by Mabel Allred
Scanned out of the Cowley County Heritage book, pg 115.