In 1803, the third President of the United States, Thomas Jefferson, bought the Louisiana territory. Forty-nine years later, in 1852, my great-great grandfather, Louis Toye, started the first transportation company in New Orleans with five Morgan horses and five enclosed carriages. Louis had only one child, John Patrick Toye.
At the turn of the century, early 1900s, John Patrick wanted to enhance his father’s business and bought five automobiles from Henry Ford. Louis was not convinced that this was going to be a good move. As fate would have it, it was the perfect move.
The transportation company grew exponentially.
By 1924, my great-grandfather, John Patrick Toye, along with his seven sons, had grown the company to a fleet of thirty taxi cabs. From that point on, the company was known as the Toye Brothers Yellow Cab Company, which was later shortened to Yellow Cab Company.
My grandfather, Paul Williams Toye Sr, one of John Patrick’s seven sons, was one of the first men to invent turn signals on automobiles.
The Yellow Cab Company went on to thrive for five generations. After nearly one hundred forty years in business, the company was sold off bit by bit in the late 1980s.
The biggest asset owned by the company was the land on Annunciation Street, where the cabs, limousines, and Grayline Tour Buses were housed. The buses were used to give tours in New Orleans, another first my family created in the city.
I have a very deep connection to and passion for the city of New Orleans. That connection and passion was what inspired me to create The Adventures of Yats and His Famous New Orleans Jazzland Band as well as Dixie, the Fiddle playing Cajun Pixie who is the protector of all the residents of Pixie Parish and the daughter of Queen Carnival, who ruled all of the swamps and bayous in Louisiana.
Once the story is told and shared, just like my family’s past, it will last for many generations to come. It is my intent to have a screenplay made involving these characters. I also see this story developing a strong brand, which in turn will be the catalyst for many other revenue streams.
