John Taylor was my great-great-great-grandfather. Unfortunately, this is a “dead end” line owing to the difficulty of tracing a name as common as John Taylor. Born somewhere in South Carolina according to census records, he first appears in Early County, Georgia in 1838. He later lived in Walker County, Georgia and Marshall County, Alabama and died in DeKalb County, Alabama. His son William F. Taylor, along with several siblings, eventually settled in Titus (later Morris) County, Texas.
Genealogy
-
John Taylor (c1813 – c1880) — my great-great-great-grandfather. Born in South Carolina but first appears in Early County, Georgia, then Walker County, Georgia, then Marshall County, Alabama, and finally DeKalb County, Alabama. His wife was Sarah Ella Lemacks. The descendants of five of his children settled in or around Cookville, Texas in the mid and late 1880s.
- John Taylor’s Southern Claims Commission File
Deposition by Henry Taylor
Deposition by Joseph Carr
Deposition by William F. Taylor - Exploring the origins of John Taylor — banging against the brick wall
- Who was Sarah Lemacks?
- John Taylor’s Southern Claims Commission File
-
William F. Taylor (19 February 1841 – 28 April 1914) — my great-great-grandfather, born in Georgia but lived in DeKalb County, Alabama and Morris County, Texas.
- His wife was Margaret Morgan, daughter of James J. Morgan, whose Morgan genealogy is explored at this link.
-
Wilson Taylor (13 October 1863 – 28 November 1938) — my great-grandfather, born in Alabama and lived in Morris and Titus Counties, Texas.
- His wife was His wife was Julia Ann Ellen Stewart., daughter of Walker A. Stewart, whose Stewart genealogy is explored at this link.
-
Wilson Van Buren Taylor (19 April 1894 – 10 January 1965) — my grandfather
- His wife, my grandmother was Passie Louisa Witt, daughter of Andrew William Witt. See the link for an extensive Witt genealogy.
Some Interesting Documents
The Lilly May Taylor Family Bible
William F. Taylor’s Civil War Enlistment paper and his brother James F. Taylor’s Civil War Enlistment paper. The brothers served in the same company during the war.
William F. Taylor’s Civil War Pension File and his brother James F. Taylor’s Civil War Pension File. Their widows and children lived near one another in Titus and Morris Counties, Texas.
The strange case of Frances M. Reeves, first wife of James F. Taylor, from whom he was separated but never divorced.
Old Photographs of the Taylor Family:
Click on the pictures to see the full-size photo.
Photo of William F. Taylor family taken about 1907. The photo was probably taken after the death of the elder daughter, Mary Frances Taylor, who died on 14 October 1906. Since Margaret Morgan Taylor died on 8 August 1908, this photo appears to have been taken sometime between those two dates. Seated: Margaret Morgan Taylor (30 November 1839 – 8 August 1908) and William F. Taylor (19 February 1841 – 28 April 1914). Standing: Six of their nine children. I think they are, left-to-right: John Jefferson Taylor, Wilson Taylor, James T. Taylor, William Andrew Taylor, Henry B. Taylor, Samuel Taylor, Walter B. Taylor, and Lucy E. Taylor.
Wilson Taylor and Ellen (Stewart) Taylor
Photo taken about 1930 of Wilson Van Buren Taylor, his wife Passie Louisa Witt, and their two daughters Mildred Louise Taylor and Virginia Van Taylor. Photograph is believed to have been taken outside their temporary home in Mount Pleasant, Texas
A portrait photograph of a young Wilson Van Buren Taylor. Taken circa 1918.
A very young teen-aged Louise Taylor, taken sometime in the mid 1930s.
A portrait photo of Passie Witt Taylor
Van and Passie Witt Taylor outside their house, taken sometime in the 1950s.
Left to right: Sylvia Witt Butterfield, Van Taylor and Passie Witt Taylor.