E. B. ALFORD, SR.

The following bio was taken from page 89 of the book entitled "Rusk County History" compiled and edited and used with permission of the Rusk County Historical Commission.

Transcribed by Shirley Koym

Submitted by Gloria Briley Mayfield, Rusk County TX Coordinator

One of the earliest settlers of northwest Rusk County was John Frank Overton from Tennessee, and when E. B. Alford came to Texas the latter part of the 19^th Century, he met and married Ella Overton, the granddaughter of John Frank and Mary Drucilla Overton. With the union of E. B. and Ella, one of the most prominent families of East Texas in service to the public and private affairs of the area was begun.

E. B. Alford (1858-1933) was a master merchant, having been a clerk, a salesman, and a businessman. Prior to his coming to Henderson, he entered a private business in Overton with his brother, Kenneth B. Alford. In 1891 he moved to Henderson as a successful merchant where his name was joined with Irion in the Irion-Alford Company. A year later he bought Irion’s interest and joined with Jesse Mayfield to form the Mayfield-Alford Company which remained in business for forty years. One of the managers of the men’s department during these years was Willie Beall, who was later a founder, with two of his brothers, of the Beall Department Stores.

E. B. was interested in good government, and he helped incorporate the city of Henderson and became its first mayor. However, his greatest interest was in rural people. He worked toward diversified farming, promoting dairying, good pastures, and all kinds of farm production.

Mrs. Ella Alford devoted her time to her family, her church, and other public obligations. Her husband broadened his interest, after the children began to arrive, by serving as a school trustee and in the Masonic Lodge. He served as the first president of the East Texas Chamber of Commerce, which organized in Tyler.

E. B. Alford had the first automobile in Rusk County, and it had the license number "1#". In those days, every owner paid a license fee and then made his own plates for his car. There are many stories that some tell, about E. B. Alford, Sr., but perhaps the best is about his store. Every year E. B. carried the cotton farmers on his books for things they had to buy. When the crops came in, the farmers would take their checks to Mayfield-Alford Company and walk to the back to pay up on their accounts. Mr. Alford decided to use a bell as a signal for the clerks at the front of the store so they would know when customers had paid the bill and still had cash to spend. He wanted them to try to sell the farmers some things before they left the store. One day E. B. hired a new man. He was very large and just a little slow in catching on to things. E. B. said, "When you hear the bell ring, you tackle that customer and sell him something. Don’t forget when the bell rings."

The next day the young man came to work. The bell rang, and, sure enough, he ran out into the aisle and "tackled" the customer.

E. B. and Ella Overton Alford had six children: John R., Sr.; Josie Beall (Mrs. J. J. Rayford); Bessie Lou (Mrs. Ben Clower); Jesse B.; E. B., Jr. (Benson); Richard O. (Dick); (see each individual family accounts.)

Submitted by Virginia Knapp