The son of Elijah Albert and Ann Elizabeth Cotton Mayfield, Moliere was born on the 26th of August 1859 in Helena, Karnes county Texas.
His mother Ann enjoyed reading books written in the French language and was a great admirer of the French playwright Moliere. Thus she gave her first born son his name.
Moliere graduated from the Helena (Karnes county) Academy in 1877, and first came to West Texas in 1879 to visit his brother Eugene and see the wide open spaces.
Seeing where the future city of Abilene was to be built, and liking what he saw, he eventually resettled in the area. For a time, he worked as a cowhand on ranches west of Taylor county.
In 1883, he returned to the Abilene area determined to get into the cattle business for himself. He did so in a grand fashion, leasing three sections (1,920 acres) of land located to the north of 14th and Pine Street. His pasture also included 40 acres where Simmons College was later built and went north to the local brick plant and east to the Wichita Valley railroad track. Here, he fed cattle for market, as many as 500 head at a time. The feeding and shipping pens were both near the railroad tracks and a large corral at 16th and Pine was used as a temporary holding place for the cattle.
Moliere married Helena (Lena) Frances Anderson of Moro, Texas, South Taylor County, on December 18, 1884 in the home of her sister, Mrs. Jefferson Davis Elliott.
In January 1890, Moliere went into business with W. E. Hughes and began the Mayfield and Hughes Market, located on North 1st Street halfway between Pine and Cypress Streets. It grew into one of the leading businesses in Texas, and was first to adopt the method of cold storage. They displayed their meat products by hanging them from steel hooks - both inside and often outside - the store. There were no refrigerated displays used in those days.
The partners' primary focus was the wholesale meat market, and they supplied beef, poultry and pork to numerous retail markets
throughout the state.
Moliere was also a cattle buyer for John Guitar, Sr. for 15 years. Mr Guitar was established in Abilene by 1897 and relied on Moliere as he began acquiring massive land holdings throughout the state. Moliere's largest cattle purchase was 8 train loads from the King Ranch in 1910. He was allowed to pick his herd, and they accepted his count. Some of these cattle were sent to East Texas, and some were sent to the Guitar Ranch near Big Spring, Texas which Moliere had previously purchased and fenced for Mr. Guitar. The remaining cattle were sent to the 101 Ranch in Oklahoma and put on leased grazing land. After about a year the cattle were sold at a profit of $100,000.00 for Guitar Industries, with half the calf crop not yet sold.
FROM THE ABILENE DAILY REPORTER - FEBRUARY 5, 1912
"M. M. Mayfield passed away. Took suddenly ill while buying cattle at San Angelo, Texas and brought home. Died Sunday night 8 P. M.
"A fine man and pioneer citizen of Abilene, partner of W. E. Hughes for quarter of a century. Burial at 3 P. M.
"Another good man has gone to his reward. M. M. Mayfield, pioneer and most excellent citizen, passed away at his home, 10th and Pine Street Sunday night at 8 o'clock, after a very brief illness. He took suddenly ill last Tuesday in San Angelo, where he and John Guitar had gone to buy cattle. He was brought home Thursday afternoon by Mr. Guitar and Dr. Batts of San Angelo, and was in such bad condition that Dr. Campbell and another physician were unable to determine exactly what the trouble was, outside of the fact that it was some stomach affection. Saturday he became better and sat up and walked around the house some, but Sunday morning at an early hour he grew violently ill and gradually sank until the end came.
"Mr. Mayfield was 51 years of age, having lived here more than a quarter of a century. Was a partner with W. E. Hughes. He leaves a wife and mother, Mrs. E. A. Mayfield, who lives at 10th and Walnut St., and a brother Eugene Mayfield of Aspermont, together with five children whose age range from seven to eighteen.
"Mr. Mayfield was a leading church man, being a member of the First Baptist Church of this city. Was insured in the Foresters, and carried several life insurance policies in old line companies." His wife was a Miss Anderson and a sister of Jack, Fred and Chess Anderson of this city.
"Mr. Mayfield was highly regarded as a citizen, a friend, and a neighbor, and his demise comes as a blow to his legion of friends. The funeral will take place this afternoon from the family residence at 3 o'clock."
From a History of Texas and Texans, 1914:
"The funeral of Mr. Mayfield, which was held at the family residence in Abilene, was said to be the largest held in the city of Abilene up to that time, being attended by people of all walks of life, who had learned to know and respect the deceased. The funeral sermon was preached by C. C. Coleman his pastor, and the remains were laid to rest in Abilene Cemetery."
His mother Ann enjoyed reading books written in the French language and was a great admirer of the French playwright Moliere. Thus she gave her first born son his name.
Moliere graduated from the Helena (Karnes county) Academy in 1877, and first came to West Texas in 1879 to visit his brother Eugene and see the wide open spaces.
Seeing where the future city of Abilene was to be built, and liking what he saw, he eventually resettled in the area. For a time, he worked as a cowhand on ranches west of Taylor county.
In 1883, he returned to the Abilene area determined to get into the cattle business for himself. He did so in a grand fashion, leasing three sections (1,920 acres) of land located to the north of 14th and Pine Street. His pasture also included 40 acres where Simmons College was later built and went north to the local brick plant and east to the Wichita Valley railroad track. Here, he fed cattle for market, as many as 500 head at a time. The feeding and shipping pens were both near the railroad tracks and a large corral at 16th and Pine was used as a temporary holding place for the cattle.
Moliere married Helena (Lena) Frances Anderson of Moro, Texas, South Taylor County, on December 18, 1884 in the home of her sister, Mrs. Jefferson Davis Elliott.
In January 1890, Moliere went into business with W. E. Hughes and began the Mayfield and Hughes Market, located on North 1st Street halfway between Pine and Cypress Streets. It grew into one of the leading businesses in Texas, and was first to adopt the method of cold storage. They displayed their meat products by hanging them from steel hooks - both inside and often outside - the store. There were no refrigerated displays used in those days.
The partners' primary focus was the wholesale meat market, and they supplied beef, poultry and pork to numerous retail markets
throughout the state.
Moliere was also a cattle buyer for John Guitar, Sr. for 15 years. Mr Guitar was established in Abilene by 1897 and relied on Moliere as he began acquiring massive land holdings throughout the state. Moliere's largest cattle purchase was 8 train loads from the King Ranch in 1910. He was allowed to pick his herd, and they accepted his count. Some of these cattle were sent to East Texas, and some were sent to the Guitar Ranch near Big Spring, Texas which Moliere had previously purchased and fenced for Mr. Guitar. The remaining cattle were sent to the 101 Ranch in Oklahoma and put on leased grazing land. After about a year the cattle were sold at a profit of $100,000.00 for Guitar Industries, with half the calf crop not yet sold.
FROM THE ABILENE DAILY REPORTER - FEBRUARY 5, 1912
"M. M. Mayfield passed away. Took suddenly ill while buying cattle at San Angelo, Texas and brought home. Died Sunday night 8 P. M.
"A fine man and pioneer citizen of Abilene, partner of W. E. Hughes for quarter of a century. Burial at 3 P. M.
"Another good man has gone to his reward. M. M. Mayfield, pioneer and most excellent citizen, passed away at his home, 10th and Pine Street Sunday night at 8 o'clock, after a very brief illness. He took suddenly ill last Tuesday in San Angelo, where he and John Guitar had gone to buy cattle. He was brought home Thursday afternoon by Mr. Guitar and Dr. Batts of San Angelo, and was in such bad condition that Dr. Campbell and another physician were unable to determine exactly what the trouble was, outside of the fact that it was some stomach affection. Saturday he became better and sat up and walked around the house some, but Sunday morning at an early hour he grew violently ill and gradually sank until the end came.
"Mr. Mayfield was 51 years of age, having lived here more than a quarter of a century. Was a partner with W. E. Hughes. He leaves a wife and mother, Mrs. E. A. Mayfield, who lives at 10th and Walnut St., and a brother Eugene Mayfield of Aspermont, together with five children whose age range from seven to eighteen.
"Mr. Mayfield was a leading church man, being a member of the First Baptist Church of this city. Was insured in the Foresters, and carried several life insurance policies in old line companies." His wife was a Miss Anderson and a sister of Jack, Fred and Chess Anderson of this city.
"Mr. Mayfield was highly regarded as a citizen, a friend, and a neighbor, and his demise comes as a blow to his legion of friends. The funeral will take place this afternoon from the family residence at 3 o'clock."
From a History of Texas and Texans, 1914:
"The funeral of Mr. Mayfield, which was held at the family residence in Abilene, was said to be the largest held in the city of Abilene up to that time, being attended by people of all walks of life, who had learned to know and respect the deceased. The funeral sermon was preached by C. C. Coleman his pastor, and the remains were laid to rest in Abilene Cemetery."
The son of Elijah Albert and Ann Elizabeth Cotton Mayfield, Moliere was born on the 26th of August 1859 in Helena, Karnes county Texas.
His mother Ann enjoyed reading books written in the French language and was a great admirer of the French playwright Moliere. Thus she gave her first born son his name.
Moliere graduated from the Helena (Karnes county) Academy in 1877, and first came to West Texas in 1879 to visit his brother Eugene and see the wide open spaces.
Seeing where the future city of Abilene was to be built, and liking what he saw, he eventually resettled in the area. For a time, he worked as a cowhand on ranches west of Taylor county.
In 1883, he returned to the Abilene area determined to get into the cattle business for himself. He did so in a grand fashion, leasing three sections (1,920 acres) of land located to the north of 14th and Pine Street. His pasture also included 40 acres where Simmons College was later built and went north to the local brick plant and east to the Wichita Valley railroad track. Here, he fed cattle for market, as many as 500 head at a time. The feeding and shipping pens were both near the railroad tracks and a large corral at 16th and Pine was used as a temporary holding place for the cattle.
Moliere married Helena (Lena) Frances Anderson of Moro, Texas, South Taylor County, on December 18, 1884 in the home of her sister, Mrs. Jefferson Davis Elliott.
In January 1890, Moliere went into business with W. E. Hughes and began the Mayfield and Hughes Market, located on North 1st Street halfway between Pine and Cypress Streets. It grew into one of the leading businesses in Texas, and was first to adopt the method of cold storage. They displayed their meat products by hanging them from steel hooks - both inside and often outside - the store. There were no refrigerated displays used in those days.
The partners' primary focus was the wholesale meat market, and they supplied beef, poultry and pork to numerous retail markets
throughout the state.
Moliere was also a cattle buyer for John Guitar, Sr. for 15 years. Mr Guitar was established in Abilene by 1897 and relied on Moliere as he began acquiring massive land holdings throughout the state. Moliere's largest cattle purchase was 8 train loads from the King Ranch in 1910. He was allowed to pick his herd, and they accepted his count. Some of these cattle were sent to East Texas, and some were sent to the Guitar Ranch near Big Spring, Texas which Moliere had previously purchased and fenced for Mr. Guitar. The remaining cattle were sent to the 101 Ranch in Oklahoma and put on leased grazing land. After about a year the cattle were sold at a profit of $100,000.00 for Guitar Industries, with half the calf crop not yet sold.
FROM THE ABILENE DAILY REPORTER - FEBRUARY 5, 1912
"M. M. Mayfield passed away. Took suddenly ill while buying cattle at San Angelo, Texas and brought home. Died Sunday night 8 P. M.
"A fine man and pioneer citizen of Abilene, partner of W. E. Hughes for quarter of a century. Burial at 3 P. M.
"Another good man has gone to his reward. M. M. Mayfield, pioneer and most excellent citizen, passed away at his home, 10th and Pine Street Sunday night at 8 o'clock, after a very brief illness. He took suddenly ill last Tuesday in San Angelo, where he and John Guitar had gone to buy cattle. He was brought home Thursday afternoon by Mr. Guitar and Dr. Batts of San Angelo, and was in such bad condition that Dr. Campbell and another physician were unable to determine exactly what the trouble was, outside of the fact that it was some stomach affection. Saturday he became better and sat up and walked around the house some, but Sunday morning at an early hour he grew violently ill and gradually sank until the end came.
"Mr. Mayfield was 51 years of age, having lived here more than a quarter of a century. Was a partner with W. E. Hughes. He leaves a wife and mother, Mrs. E. A. Mayfield, who lives at 10th and Walnut St., and a brother Eugene Mayfield of Aspermont, together with five children whose age range from seven to eighteen.
"Mr. Mayfield was a leading church man, being a member of the First Baptist Church of this city. Was insured in the Foresters, and carried several life insurance policies in old line companies." His wife was a Miss Anderson and a sister of Jack, Fred and Chess Anderson of this city.
"Mr. Mayfield was highly regarded as a citizen, a friend, and a neighbor, and his demise comes as a blow to his legion of friends. The funeral will take place this afternoon from the family residence at 3 o'clock."
From a History of Texas and Texans, 1914:
"The funeral of Mr. Mayfield, which was held at the family residence in Abilene, was said to be the largest held in the city of Abilene up to that time, being attended by people of all walks of life, who had learned to know and respect the deceased. The funeral sermon was preached by C. C. Coleman his pastor, and the remains were laid to rest in Abilene Cemetery."
His mother Ann enjoyed reading books written in the French language and was a great admirer of the French playwright Moliere. Thus she gave her first born son his name.
Moliere graduated from the Helena (Karnes county) Academy in 1877, and first came to West Texas in 1879 to visit his brother Eugene and see the wide open spaces.
Seeing where the future city of Abilene was to be built, and liking what he saw, he eventually resettled in the area. For a time, he worked as a cowhand on ranches west of Taylor county.
In 1883, he returned to the Abilene area determined to get into the cattle business for himself. He did so in a grand fashion, leasing three sections (1,920 acres) of land located to the north of 14th and Pine Street. His pasture also included 40 acres where Simmons College was later built and went north to the local brick plant and east to the Wichita Valley railroad track. Here, he fed cattle for market, as many as 500 head at a time. The feeding and shipping pens were both near the railroad tracks and a large corral at 16th and Pine was used as a temporary holding place for the cattle.
Moliere married Helena (Lena) Frances Anderson of Moro, Texas, South Taylor County, on December 18, 1884 in the home of her sister, Mrs. Jefferson Davis Elliott.
In January 1890, Moliere went into business with W. E. Hughes and began the Mayfield and Hughes Market, located on North 1st Street halfway between Pine and Cypress Streets. It grew into one of the leading businesses in Texas, and was first to adopt the method of cold storage. They displayed their meat products by hanging them from steel hooks - both inside and often outside - the store. There were no refrigerated displays used in those days.
The partners' primary focus was the wholesale meat market, and they supplied beef, poultry and pork to numerous retail markets
throughout the state.
Moliere was also a cattle buyer for John Guitar, Sr. for 15 years. Mr Guitar was established in Abilene by 1897 and relied on Moliere as he began acquiring massive land holdings throughout the state. Moliere's largest cattle purchase was 8 train loads from the King Ranch in 1910. He was allowed to pick his herd, and they accepted his count. Some of these cattle were sent to East Texas, and some were sent to the Guitar Ranch near Big Spring, Texas which Moliere had previously purchased and fenced for Mr. Guitar. The remaining cattle were sent to the 101 Ranch in Oklahoma and put on leased grazing land. After about a year the cattle were sold at a profit of $100,000.00 for Guitar Industries, with half the calf crop not yet sold.
FROM THE ABILENE DAILY REPORTER - FEBRUARY 5, 1912
"M. M. Mayfield passed away. Took suddenly ill while buying cattle at San Angelo, Texas and brought home. Died Sunday night 8 P. M.
"A fine man and pioneer citizen of Abilene, partner of W. E. Hughes for quarter of a century. Burial at 3 P. M.
"Another good man has gone to his reward. M. M. Mayfield, pioneer and most excellent citizen, passed away at his home, 10th and Pine Street Sunday night at 8 o'clock, after a very brief illness. He took suddenly ill last Tuesday in San Angelo, where he and John Guitar had gone to buy cattle. He was brought home Thursday afternoon by Mr. Guitar and Dr. Batts of San Angelo, and was in such bad condition that Dr. Campbell and another physician were unable to determine exactly what the trouble was, outside of the fact that it was some stomach affection. Saturday he became better and sat up and walked around the house some, but Sunday morning at an early hour he grew violently ill and gradually sank until the end came.
"Mr. Mayfield was 51 years of age, having lived here more than a quarter of a century. Was a partner with W. E. Hughes. He leaves a wife and mother, Mrs. E. A. Mayfield, who lives at 10th and Walnut St., and a brother Eugene Mayfield of Aspermont, together with five children whose age range from seven to eighteen.
"Mr. Mayfield was a leading church man, being a member of the First Baptist Church of this city. Was insured in the Foresters, and carried several life insurance policies in old line companies." His wife was a Miss Anderson and a sister of Jack, Fred and Chess Anderson of this city.
"Mr. Mayfield was highly regarded as a citizen, a friend, and a neighbor, and his demise comes as a blow to his legion of friends. The funeral will take place this afternoon from the family residence at 3 o'clock."
From a History of Texas and Texans, 1914:
"The funeral of Mr. Mayfield, which was held at the family residence in Abilene, was said to be the largest held in the city of Abilene up to that time, being attended by people of all walks of life, who had learned to know and respect the deceased. The funeral sermon was preached by C. C. Coleman his pastor, and the remains were laid to rest in Abilene Cemetery."
Bio by: Lonestar
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