The man behind our most celebrated line of products:

      Sheriff Blaylock is the grandfather of Temple resident and business man Drayton McLane Jr., founder of Classic Foods and owner of the Houston Astros. Today, with the family’s blessing, the chili known as “Sheriff Blaylock’s Chili” is proudly served at baseball parks, restaurants, entertainment complexes and other public venues around the country including the Astros’ ballpark.

      Sheriff L. Blaylock definitely did not cut the typical figure of the Texas lawman. A man of average size with a shock of graying red hair, he was typically soft-spoken but when he spoke, he commanded respect. It was not his physical image that made Sheriff Blaylock such a beloved and unique figure; rather it was his large and open heart. Perhaps the most telling piece of evidence to the man’s character is the note left behind by a prisoner who had managed to escape from the jailhouse where Sheriff Blaylock was in charge: “Mr. Blaylock, I am sorry to do you this way, for you have been so kind to me.” It is a rare kind of man, who can inspire such friendship in even the men he was charged to stand against.

      Born on September 22, 1874 in North Carolina, Sheriff Blaylock’s family moved to central Texas when Blaylock was still a young boy. Growing up in Texas, Blaylock met and married his wife Jo Payne and sired 6 children, 5 girls and 1 boy. After holding deputy positions in several counties, Blaylock would earn his own title of sheriff in Milam County in 1918, when the former sheriff resigned. Although appointed to his first term rather than elected, Blaylock garnered much admiration and would be elected and then re-elected, only suffering one defeat in 1922 and quickly being returned to his post the following term, serving for a total of 14 years until his retirement. During his time as Sheriff, he and the rest of his family actually lived in house at the jail. His wife would cook for both the family and the prisoners with equal gusto, serving the same delicious meals to the prisoners as she did to her family. Indeed, the Sheriff Blaylock line of food is based on Mrs. Blaylock’s own recipes.

      Sheriff Blaylock was famous for his kindness, his fairness, and his sense of justice. He held no prejudices when it came to race and, unlike many Americans of the time, was a great friend to the minority communities living in his jurisdiction. Blaylock believed that teaching the young to respect and follow the law was just as important, if not more so, than simply punishing wrong-doers. He observed, “The lives of some, when once sent to prison, are ruined…if a boy does not reform in his early twenties after committing crimes, likely he never will.” Because of this concern, not only for the apprehension of criminals, but for the roots of criminal behavior as well, Blaylock was more than simply an imposing enforcer of the law. He was a friend, a counselor, and in many ways a fatherly role-model to both the criminals in his custody and the citizens in his care. His legacy of fairness and peace are honored to this day.

      Today, Classic Foods tries to uphold the values laid down and treasured by Sheriff Blaylock during his life. Blaylock held service and honesty closest to his heart, and we at Classic Foods strive to live up to his model both in our relationships with our clients and our commitment to what we do.

News Articles:

• Sheriff Leonides Blaylock served with distinction