Louis Blaylock

Louis Blaylock (October 21, 1849 in Sevier County, Arkansas – December 4, 1932) was a publisher, civil leader of Dallas, Texas, and its mayor from 1923 to 1927.

Blaylock was born in Sevier County, Arkansas to Willis and Irene (Gibs) Blaylock. Three years after his birth, the family relocated, residing in Austin. Blaylock's career began as a type-setter in 1866 for the Texas Christian Advocate, a Methodist newspaper (now the United Methodist Reporter). In 1871 he married Georgia Darton, and they eventually had five children. After several years of working there, Blaylock and William A. Shaw took over the paper, thus meaning he was in control of its workings. By 1876, the paper had a circulation rate of 13,000 civilians, considered by many during that time to be the largest circulation of a contemporary newspaper in Texas. By 1887, the paper claimed a circulation of 18,000. That same year Blaylock formed the Blaylock Publishing Company, after moving the Advocate to Dallas, Texas. As well as working for the newspaper, Blaylock was the commissioner of Police for the Dallas Police Department between 1901 and 1904, as well as serving as both police and fire commissioner between 1913 and 1915. He was publisher of the daily paper for the Methodist General Conference when it met in Dallas in 1902. He served as city administration and finance commissioner from 1919 until 1923, when he was elected mayor. For an unspecified reason, Blaylock left the newspaper company in 1922, after working and managing it for fifty-six years of his life. In 1923, Blaylock was elected the position of Mayor of Dallas, after working as the city finance and administration commissioner from 1913 until his election as mayor. Since he was seventy-four at the time of his election, he was soon nicknamed "Daddy" Blaylock. While in office he was noted for kissing every gorgeous movie star, festival queen, or other prominent female who visited Dallas, as an official welcome to the city. Blaylock was also known as one of the most able and conservative mayors in the city's history. Blaylock was the president of the board of trustees of the First Methodist Church in Dallas, as well as a building committee member for the church. He was also a prominent Mason. Blaylock died on December 4, 1932, and was buried in Oakland Cemetery, Dallas.