The Taylor-Hooper House

In 1936, Dora Logan sold the lot for this house to Mrs. Madge Taylor and in that same year she and her husband executed a mechanic’s lien for the construction of a one-story residence. In 1939, Madge sold the property to her daughter, Sara Louise Smith, and her husband, Wilford A. Smith, and 18 months later the Smiths conveyed the property back to Madge. When the house was conveyed by Madge to Si C. Jeffrey in 1944, Madge was a widow and her daughters and sons-in-law Herma and Burke Stancill, Sara Louise and Jesse L. Long, and Estelle and Frank D. Wear joined in signing the deed. Silas Crawford Jeffrey was the son of S.R. Jeffrey (1852-1929) and Jennie Kirk Stribling Jeffrey (1866-1945). (Mr. S. R. Jeffrey was born in England and immigrated to America in 1871 and worked originally as a mechanic at the Graham Family Salt Works in Graham)

Si Jeffrey was a prominent member of the community. He was a member of the Jeffrey Ranch management. It was composed of two parcels—3,500 acres North of Graham and 7,700 acres at Ingleside near Olney. He was also the Conoco consignee for Olney and a director in First National Bank. In 1949, Si and his wife Neweta made an addition to the house, only to have the house completely taken away by the 1951 tornado, and had to rebuild it. Si and Neweta had one child. Mary Jo, who married the nephew of Judge E.H. Grifin, the step-father of Katherine Hamilton Atchley, and she had two sons.

In 1982 after Si’s death, the estate sold the property to Dudley and Margaret Hooper. Dudley was a state employee in the Department of Public Safety, and Margaret taught in the Olney Independent School District.Both worked in their jobs until retirement. The Hoopers were the parents of three girls, including one set of twins.