After graduating from medical school in Kentucky, Dr. John Richard Echols moved to Tolar in 1890 to practice medicine.

He met and courted the town beauty, Lavada Arvine Powell. They were married on Sept. 6, 1893.

She was 19 years younger than the doctor. They had two sons, Clarence and John, while living in Tolar. In 1900 the doctor moved his family to Lueders, and there they had two daughters, Louis and Ruth. There is still an Echols Street in Tolar named after the doctor.