Ray M. Taylor Collection

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE

The Ray M. Taylor Collection was donated by Lawson Mann after he purchased the materials at an online auction. Ray Matthew Taylor was born in 1924 in Venus, Texas to James and Eliza Taylor. He married Dorothy Louise Martin Cantrell in March 1950 and had several children. He served as a lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps on active duty from 1943-1946. He was later recalled to selective service from 1951-1952. His various stations included Camp Lejune in North Carolina and Little Creek in Virginia, now named Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story. After his military service, Ray worked  at Swift and Company in Fort Worth, Texas as the assistant manager of the Canned Food Department. He was a Fort Worth resident for 52 years until his death on February 24, 1995.

SCOPE AND CONTENTS

The Ray M. Taylor Collection consists of nine file folders containing military orders, family documents including marriage license, civilian employment and school records, personal letters to his wife, postcards and photographs. Materials are dated from 1945 to 1969. 

Materials in this collection consist of the following:

Personal Documents

• Ray Taylor and Dorothy Louise Cantrell marriage license, March 11, 1950
• Bill of Sale for Ray and Dorothy Taylor's 1941 Chrysler Sedan, March 15, 1950
• Records related to Dorothy Taylor's automobile accident in Virginia with a photograph of the damage sustained by her 1950 Ford sedan, 1952
• Donna Rae Wise's elementary school records from Virginia, 1950-1952
• North Fort Worth State Bank check paid to Montgomery Ward from Ray Taylor, 1954
• Magnolia Petroleum Company Mobiloil Map of the Southwest, circa 1950
• Bank book from North Fort Worth State Bank, 1952

Correspondence

• Blank postcards from Camp Lejeune and California, undated
• Greeting cards to Ray and Dorothy Taylor, 1950, undated
• Correspondence to Ray and Dorothy Taylor, November 11, 1950-December 3, 1951
• Postcard to Dorothy from Ray, on the train going into New Orleans, January 5, 1951
• Five letters from Ray to Dorothy Taylor, January 11-24, 1951
• Three letters regarding home insurance policy for house in La Grange Park, Illinois, 1955-1958

Military Records

• Marine Corps identification and motor vehicle operator's permit cards, 1945, circa 1950
• Appointment of Ray M. Taylor to First Lieutenant, U. S. Marine Corps Reserve, 1948
• Military notebooks, Ray M. Taylor, 1950, undated
• Documents related to recall to service and transfer to Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, 1950
• Documents and orders for Ray M. Taylor for U. S. Marine duty, 1950-1951, undated
• Training agendas, Basic School, Marine Corps School, Quantico, Virginia, 1950-1951
• Orders to Quantico, Virginia, July 6, 1951
• Orders to Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, March 29, 1951
• Ray M. Taylor military orders, U. S. Marines, 1950-1952
• Orders for Ray M. Taylor for U. S. Marine duty, 1951-1952
• Medical and personal history statements, Ray M. Taylor, U. S. Marine Corps, 1952, undated
• Letter regarding military rank, 1954

Swift and Company Materials

• Swift and Company's Employee Development Program training program and certificate of completion, 1954
• Ray Taylor posing next to Swift and Company food displays at a grocery store, photographs, 1950-1960
• Photographs of Taylor and other Swift and Company men, 1950-1960
• Weekly travel expense reports for Ray M. Taylor while working at Swift and Company, 1958-1960