1. Homer Graham
May 10, 1890 – Possibly born in
Buffalo County, definitely in Nebraska
1900 [census] – 10 yrs old, with family in Platte Township, Buffalo
Co., Nebraska
1910 [census] – Gibbon Township - 19, son, farm labor at home
Came to Kearney to live sometime soon after 1910.
Probably went to work in a garage
Died Dec 6, 1940, [age 50 yrs, 6 mo] stroke, in Kearney cemetery
2. William Moody
1920 [census] – 22 yrs old, living
with wife and 1 ½ yr old daughter.
Occupation – taxi driver crossed out,
clerk written on top
Daughter died in May of pneumonia, buried here
When wife died in 1973 and William in 1976, each cremated and
brought here from California to be buried by their daughter
3. Don Patsios
Immigrated from Greece in 1914
Started working shining shoes
Bought half interest in Kearney Shining Parlor
No taxi cab services listed in City
directories until 1924…but….
1920 Census – Homer Graham’s occupation listed as manager of a
taxi cab service
William Moody’s occupation taxi driver crossed out, clerk written on top
1924, 1926 & 1928 - City Directory
Homer F Graham, Taxi and Livery
Service, Tel 29
[in the block north of railroad on 1st Ave; his garage?]
Hub March 1924 advertisement -
The Yellow Cab Company Wishes to announce
If you want to ride in a Ford,
we have Ford Sedans and Ford Coupes
For Hire at 50¢/hour. Drive it
yourself.
Did we think the rent a car business was comparatively new?
1927 – Wm Moody had also gotten into the car rental business
Hub Aug 22, 1927 –
Hunt Missing Car
William Moody reported to the police
Sunday the loss of one of his “Drive It Yourself” cars. The machine was
taken out late Saturday night, by a man claiming Kansas City, Mo., as
his home town. He planned to be out for about two hours, but failed to
return it by dawn, Sunday…
(Year later)
Hub Aug. 4, 1928 –
A Jail Break Frustrated by Officers
[further down in the article]
Colter is charged with having stolen
the William Moody car, being captured near Hebron and the machine
recovered. Colter still awaits trial on his charge, to which he entered
a plea of not guilty.
1928 - City Directory
Yellow Cab Company (Homer F
Graham),
Whippet Cab Co. (Wm Moody)
Also in 1928 Don Patsios got into the taxi business
Hub Apr 11, 1928 –
Spring is here
Rent-A-Car-U-Drive
Get Out of Doors
Don Patsios, Kearney Shining Parlor,
Taxi Service
Then by November 1929 they all started coming together
First Graham & Patsios joined their services
Hub Nov. 2, 1929 [advertisement]
Sam Staton has employed the Service
of
Homer Graham and Will run an
Up-To-Date Taxi Service
With New and Enclosed Cars
Headquartered at Don’s Shining Parlor
Advertisements Nov 16 through Jan 15, 1930
Don’s Taxi, with new enclosed cars.
Headquarters, Don’s Shining Parlor
Sometime in 1930 Patsios took over the Yellow Cab Company
Hub Dec 27, 1930 –
Don’s Yellow Cab Company office is now located on First Avenue.
[apparently
separating the cab business from the shining parlor business]
City Directory - 1931 – Yellow Cab and Baggage Co (Don Patsios) 2224
1st av
1931 – Whippet Cab Service still also in operation
– ownership taken over by Wm J.
Center
Wm Moody moved to Des Moines
June 1932 – Don Patsios started selling cars.
The announcement was made that he had
taken over the DeSoto and Plymouth dealership.
1935 or 36 – Depression – Whippet disappeared
1937-8 City Directory - Yellow Cab Co ( Don Patsios) 2019 Central av
[Whippet & Wm Center not listed]
Patsios continued to operate Yellow Cab Co. through 1950
1952 – Yellow Cab Co, Billie & Doris Phipps Owners
Yellow Cab Co ceased to exist
Then came new owners and new business
names
1955 – 1960 - City Cab Company, (Harry U and Bess Bragg)
1963 – 1967 – City Taxi (Jess N and Anna E Foglesong)
1968 – 1973 – City Taxi (Wylan S and Darlen E Carlson)
1974 – 1975 – City Taxi (Jan Parker)
1977-1988 – No Taxi Service business
1990 – 1995 – J & M Taxi, Jerry O’Rourke
After 1995 no taxi service again for several years
2011 – Kearney Cab Co. 1103 Ave B
Hub, Mar 13, 1931 - Missing Car
Recovered
Don Patsios has returned from
Yankton, S. D., bringing back his Chrysler sedan which had been
missing for nearly two weeks.
Had been rented to Richard Pierce who
said he was going to take a short drive. But he did not return and a
search was initiated.
The car was found stored in a garage
in Yankton.
Patsios went there, identified his
car and had to pay storage charges “and other costs incidental to
recovery.”
Undamaged except for small dent in
one fender and te spare tire was missing.
Kearney is 200 miles from Yankton but
the car had been driven more than 700 miles.
Hub June 4, 1931 – Dick Fitch was being held in connection with
taking Don Patsios’ car which was recovered in Yankton.
Meanwhile – what happened to the car?
[6 weeks after getting the car back]
Hub April 27, 1931 - Crash on Boulevard
Two young men and two unidentified
girls were cut up Sunday evening when the car in which they were riding
took to the ditch, on the Watson Boulevard.
The machine, a Chrysler sedan,
had been rented from Don Patsios. It was badly damaged.
[It had been driven at a high speed,
the car rolled 3 times.]
