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April 4, 2006
Edith
(Taylor) Gray is 85 and an outstanding lady. She is a Christian, active in
the church, a loving wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and aunt. She is
always there for any of them who need her. She has served in many ways of
better and more promising advantages of life, having interest in all age groups.
She has a beautiful well kept manicured yard. She loves raising flowers,
trees and plants. She can raise plants and flowers rarely found in our
area and has good luck with them. Edith is also a wonderful gardener.
Edith was born and raised in Flo.
She is the daughter of O.K. and Winnie Taylor, first and long time settlers.
The home place she lives on has been in the Taylor name since the 1800's.
She is the granddaughter of our Flo Dr. William Franklin and Mary (House)
Taylor.
Dr. Taylor was a doctor who was vital
in our Flo pioneer settlers health and medical needs. He served our people
by traveling the roads by horseback, his medical supplies packed in his bag and
tied on to his horse. He went wherever he was called. Doc Taylor
delivered many of our Flo babies and tended to every manner of sickness.
He would spend the night and sometimes weeks with his patients. At times
he would be away from home for long periods of time, traveling from house to
house, tending to the physical needs of our residents. He also served as
the Flo dentist.
Doc Taylor was born in 1855 and came
to Texas from Arkansas when he was 16. He drove a covered wagon for a
widow lady and her children to Hillsboro, TX. There he met and fell in
love with Elizabeth Hunt of Hillsboro. They were married and later moved
to Franklin Co., where they lived for a while.
Later Doc and Elizabeth Taylor moved
to Leon Co. This was Doc's permanent home. He was vital in our
peoples medical needs. He owned many acres of land and was successful in
farming and raising livestock. He was very important in the land
development of flo.
Doc Taylor lost Elizabeth. He
married Mary House. Doc and Mary owned a lot of land and Doc gave each one
of his children a home place. His son O.K. inherited the Taylor home site
where Edith lives now.
O.K. and Winnie farmed, raised
gardens and fruit orchards. They both had a great heritage. O.K. was
the son of Doc and Mary (House) Taylor and Winnie was the daughter of first time
settlers of Sand Lake, Flo, Ed and Matt Pate. They are all credited with
residents who built these settlements into established home lands.
O.K. and Winnie with their heritage
passed from one generation to another since 1892.
Edith has a cherished Flo history.
She was the oldest child of O.K. and Winnie and the oldest grandchild of Doc and
Mary Taylor. She has the same special qualities of dedicated personal and
community service as her ancestors. She has Christian and family values
that have been a great asset all her life. She has always given of herself
and is actively involved in church worship, tending to the ones in need,
preparing many dishes of food and delivering to many families of Flo and other
Leon Co. families.
She is a skillful gardener and takes
pleasure in planting and growing produce. She tells me the old oak tree
sends a message to her in every spring season. When spring time begins and
the sap rises in the oak trees, she is ready to put her feet in the dirt and get
busy planting her vegetable garden. It is a rewarding time to her when she
can gather her produce, cook and eat it.
Edith is an old fashioned cook.
She can prepare country home cooking and she can prepare elegant entrees for
entertaining. She has a special touch in decorating, too. She
delights in preparing for guests. She loves the planning, cooking, baking,
and being a skillful artist in decorating.
Edith has many special dishes she
prepares. There is one so special, our people hurry to get some of it
before it is all gone. Her spring time cooked corn, prepared the old
fashioned way, like our grandmothers and mothers cooked it when we were young,
is a very special treat. She has a special technique of when to gather it,
the right way to cut and cook it.
Edith prepares many special meals
throughout the year. One of her best is her Christmas parties. Every
room has beautiful unique Christmas trees and decorations. Her table is
set with the finest dishes, added festive attractions and a feast of delicious
and colorful entrees. Her home is filled with wonderful Christmas spices.
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