Cora Alta King

"A business head like a man" was said many times about Cora Alta Cockerham King (1896-1961). Meeting at a mutual aunt's home in Hale Center, Cora and Sidney Baird King (1886-1918) were later married in 1911. They then moved to House, New Mexico where they lived on a ranch. Born to them were H. B. in 1913, Ann Jane in 1915, and Nettie Louise (Dugan) in 1917. Sidney sustained an injury from a horse and later died in 1918. Cora and her young children were moved to Floydada by her brother. There she operated a commercial laundry. Moving to Sudan, she purchased and maintained a hotel. She moved this building to Morton in 1942. The children had responsibilities and chores. Dugan remembers carrying out the "slop jars" every morning and helping with the cooking and cleaning.

Cora moved to Cochran County in 1942 and started her motel here. She acquired farmland, rental properties in Morton and Whiteface along with a furniture store in Morton and cafe in Whiteface.

Cora was a loving grandmother to Dugan's three children. If Ray got into trouble on the way home from school or in mud puddle, he would go by her house and get her to face his mother for him. Cora would tell Dugan that she could spank "her kids," but she was to leave "mine" alone.

Cora King was well known throughout Cochran County and was always a woman with "a business head like a man."

Submitted by Nancy Luper