From A History of Coleman County
and Its People, 1985 edited by Judia and Ralph Terry, and
Vena Bob Gates - used by permission --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cars were new to the country
when Taylor Motor Co. of Coleman was
established as a Dodge agency in 1922, and
the Dodge Company was only eight years
old. Its founder was F. W. Taylor,
Sr., who came to Coleman County in 1900,
and his son, Ben, just out of high
school. Later they were joined by F.
W. Jr., "Dink'' Taylor, when he completed
school. Mr. Taylor was in the
laundry business and later in the meat
business in Coleman, before going into the
Dodge business. Almost as soon as he
entered the agency, work was started on a
new building at Live Oak and Pecos
Streets, tearing down an old church that
was there
This is still the
home of the company, with some changes,
and the addition of a large body shop at
the rear and a show room and shop across
the street.
Cars were
developing and the market was expanding in
the 1920's. The Taylors recall that
cars came without bumpers, and these were
installed here, if the customer wanted
chem. They like also to recall that
a number of customers who bought their
cars from them in the 1940's are still
buying them today- and other customers of
the second and third generations still
are, too.
In 1933, the
company also took over the Plymouth
automobile agency. In 1946, the
Chrysler franchise was acquired.
Dodge trucks were added to the three
lines. Taylor Motor Company has
enjoyed continued growth through the
years.
In 1960, Nick
Taylor, son of F. W. "Dink"' Taylor,
graduated from T. C. U. in Fort Worth and
returned home to join the family
firm. In 1977, Ben Taylor's portion
of Taylor Motor Co. was purchased by Nick,
who is now the manager. In addition
to their automobile agencies, the Taylor
Motor Company has ranch interests in south
Coleman County, managed by Dink.