THE FLOYD COUNTY HISTORICAL MUSEUM MEMORIES 1979— JOHN A LLOYD FAMILY
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A through-and-through Texan, John A Lloyd was born in Brazos County near Bryan in 1890 and moved to Wichita Falls with the family when a young man of twenty. Mrs. Lloyd, whose maiden name was Goldie Joesphine Barger, was born in Tell City, Indiana in 1896. Though not a native Texan, she moved with her family when still a child to a farm near Wichita Falls in 1905.
It was in this city that the young couple met, courted, and were married three days before Christmas in 1912. They continued to live there until 1916 when the decision was made to move to Floyd County. As was common in those days, a box car was rented, loaded with family possessions, farming equipment and even animals to start the railroad trip to Roaring Springs. Here he was met by a friend, Tilford Taylor, who had brought wagons to take things to their new locatioin in the Lakeview Community. For many years he and Tilford worked together with a thrasher harvesting wheat and milo along with their own farming. During this time John bought his first car, a Model T. Not any of the roads were paved. Soon after their arrival in Lakeview, Goldie began writing to the Postmaster-General about establishing a rural mail route as they had to go 5 miles to where they had a box. After about 3 years the route was established. The Lakeview Community was part of their lives for many years. John was a trustee in the school and when it burned he was one of the ones instrumental in building a new one. Five of the children attended school there. When land was purchased just south of Floydada in 1938 the family moved to this location where they still live today.
The Lloyd children are Alta, Ray, Hazel (deceased at age 7), Fred, Florence Ann, Louis, Johnny and Janet. Alta and G. W. Smith, Ray and Ella (Breed), Fred and Joyce (Kessee), and Louis and Janice (Thompson) all reside in the county. Florence Ann and Russell Dorsey live in Big Spring, Johnnie and Willie May (Tanner) in the Republic of South Africa, and Janet and Wayne Webb make their home in Annandale, Virginia. With this large family, the Lloyds have been doubly blessed with twenty-four grandchildren and twenty- four great grandchildren.
Goldie was a member of the First Baptist Church and John a member of the Primitive Baptist Church where he has been a deacon for many years. Goldie was active in the Home Demonstration Club work. Among her hobbies were growing flowers, sewing, crocheting, and quilt making, “knowing people” and certainly cooking and canning! Many people call cooperative work their hobby, but with John Lloyd, it has been a way of life. Among the cooperative organizations he has helped to found or to which he has rendered long, faithful service are the Producers Elevator, of which he was president for six years, the Consumers Fuel Association, as board member for 10 years, and as president eight; the Coop Gin, the Cooperative Creamery of Plainview; and a cooperative frozen food locker. He also served on the Floydada School Board, Hospital Board; the local Farm Bureau and the Federal Farm Loan Association.
Goldie died January 23,1968 after being in failing health for several years. Following her death John married Myrtle Lewis and after five years of marriage Myrtle died on February 27,1973. On December 8, 1976, John married Joanna Earl Woodson of Martinez, California, a longtime friend of the family.
John notes some of the biggest changes that he has seen are in farming, since he started with one-row equipment with a horse, to the present 12-row equipment using 175 horsepower; and the roads being paved.