Interviewer(s): S. Wiltz. Lafayette, LA

Affiliation: University of Louisiana at Lafayette

In 1906, Gloria Knox was born in north Louisiana (Coushatta) to a family of teachers; her father sold Singer sewing machines and her mother was a teacher. When she graduated from Shreveport High School at the age of 16 she went to business school. After which she was hired as the first women for The Texas Company. She met and married her husband in the company; her husband was their wildcat drilling superintendent. While her husband was moved around, she worked in the office for a variety of companies, including MacMillan, Federal Petroleum Company; all the time she studied gas cards, which led her into doing land title work. They settled in Lafayette when her son was nine years old in 1935. Around that time she was the landman for American Republics. She was one of the committee members who urged Mister Heymann to build the Oil Center. During her interview she discusses the development and impact of the Oil Center, the way that the Heymanns and the oil industry have made Lafayette what it is today, and female landmen.