Zella Allen

By  Joe Leonard

Zella Holman Allen was born on December 27, 1896 in the home of her father Cooke County Judge and Mrs. Henry S. Holman  The house was located at 825 E. California Street in Gainesville. This address for many years prior to Judge Holman building his home there in 1888 was the location of the Buck Wagon Yard, where in 1883, Frank “Bring ‘em Back Alive” Buck was born. The zoo in Gainesville has been named in his honor.

Zella was baptized in St. Paul’s Church July 18,1908, and confirmed on June 2,1952. She died November 12,1961 and is buried in Fairview Cemetery in Gainesville. She was well educated having graduated from GHS and attending a womens college in Denton,Texas. In 1947 I had the pleasure of hiring her to serve as the Women's Program Director of Radio Station KGAF in Gainesville, a position she held until retiring in 1957. In 2004 she was honored by the Texas Association of Broadcasters as being a Pioneer in Broadcasting by Women in the state of Texas.

Mrs. Allen was a devout member of St. Paul’s and in 1954 took on the noble task of rewriting and bringing up-to-date the history of our church.  That history is still used for reference. She was also responsible for raising and helping educate her only child, Lew Allen, Jr. Lew Allen is a distinguished citizen of Gainesville having been the only four star general in our history, one among many other achievements. He has also been recognized as a Legend of St. Paul’s.

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