Cornelius Taylor

Maebell Taylor in Lexington, Texas. He received his education in Lee County where he attended

Doak Springs School.

On September 30, 1945, he married Mattie Lee Wilborn and they moved from Lee

County to Dallas, Texas. In Dallas they began their lives together and started their family with

the blessing of two daughters-Mildred and Jennifer.

Cornelius was a loving husband and father. He was a man of strong faith and possessed

an impeccable work ethic. He joined Southern Pacific Railroad in 1944 and continued his career

with them until they later became Santa Fe Railroad from which he formally retired. However,

after his retirement he continued to work and to provide for his family as an independent

contractor-unloading lumber onto his own flatbed cabbed truck, from rail cars at the railroad

depot. He did this strenuous labor while simultaneously working with his brother-in-law and

his residential moving company. After many years of working independently Cornelius decided

that he would assume a more leisurely job as the Lawn/Grounds Caretaker at the Dallas Black

Chamber of Commerce until 2007. Now, finally retired Cornelius continued to enjoy playing

dominoes with his grandsons, son-in-law, nephews and friends; cheering for the Texas Rangers

and the Dallas Cowboys; watching his great-grandchildren laugh and run around at his feet.

He was preceded in death by his parents, wife (Mattie Lee Wilborn Taylor), sisters-

Dorothy Taylor, Lola Mae Marine, Louise Washington, Lucy Taylor; brothers- Harmon, Clifford,

Homer, Comer, Melvin, James and Eliza Taylor.

He leaves to cherish his memories and continue his legacy-daughters, Mildred J. Guy

(Robert L.) and Jennifer J. Brown (Walton R.); sisters Ellen Woods of Houston, TX and Vernice

Hill of Austin, TX; brothers-Apostle Richard Taylor (Renee’) of Houston, TX and Louis Taylor of

Austin, TX; five grandsons-Ronald Guy (Lisa), Vincent Guy, Robert C. Guy (Zoe’), Todd Brown

(Kyndell) of Dallas, TX; Andre’ Guy (Regina) of Los Angeles, California; one granddaughter, Dawn

R. Franklin (Paul D.) of Dallas, TX; eleven great grandchildren and five great-great-grandchildren

and host of loving nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

Cornelius and Mattie Taylor were faithful members of the Pilgrim Rest Missionary

Baptist Church since 1945 and “walked by faith and not by sight”. Cornelius was actively

involved with the Brotherhood for decades.