Person:Joshua Taylor (11)

http://genesee.bettysgenealogy.org/jftaylor.htm

MY FATHER

by Cora Taylor Harvey El Dorado , Kansas 1935

Transcribed by Marilyn Canfield - [email protected]

Part One

James Fuller Taylor was born in Oakfield, Geneseo Co. New York February 5, 1838. He died July 31, 1877 while visiting at the home of his sister, Mrs. Harry Slater, near Elba and was interred a that place, which was not far from the place of birth. He had grown to manhood in these communities and had received the major portion of his education-tho? a part of the more advanced schooling may have been in Batavia, county seat of Geneseo Co. The valley of the Geneseo River in western New York is a beautiful portion of the state.

Presumably, during the autumn part or winter months of 1843 his father (Mark) had migrated to this part of New York from Alexandria, New Hampshire. Later when LeRoy, his oldest brother, was eighteen months old and the sister Elizabeth but three weeks, the mother Elizabeth (Betsy) Page Taylor, followed her husband, making the trip from New Hampshire in a sleigh with her fifteen year old brother , Benjamin for driver.

In the new home in the then "western" country, James was born in 1828 and Joshua Page , the youngest of the family in 1840. ___________________________ His war service was from May first-1861 to Mary 17, 1863 when he was mustered out at Elmira, New York. His discharge paper states that he was a Sergeant of Charles E. Randall?s Company (K), Twelfth Reg. Of New York Volunteer Infantry. I note it gives his height as five feet eight and one-half inches, and his age as twenty two- a discrepancy between that and the birth record, tho? I suppose the "Discharge" quoted his enlistment paper.As his commission , as such, was not issued until the 13 th day of July 1861, but cites him as Sergeant of Co "K" from May 13, 1861- I presume he was so placed by election of his company in the beginning.

In his sister?s possession were letters dated from battlefields, which she showed me and which I read in 1886. These she burned later in a fit of despondency- thus depriving his descendants of these rare and precious mementos. One of these written ( I think) after the second battle of Bull Run, was penciled on a fly-leaf from a note book (one side glazy and bright green) and told on one page how he (my father) had noticed ,in an advance thro? a fusilade of exploding shells that men had twice fallen on either side of "Dot" = his baby brother- but both of them had come through uninjured. They were in the "Army of the Potomac" under Gen. Geo. Mcclelland?s command. The Slaters were northern Democrats ? not at all in sympathy with "Lincoln?s cause" ? and Aunt Elizabeth was always bitter over my father?s sacrifice of health to his army service. His discharge paper bears a stamp showing he had collected an additional bounty ($100) tho a line is drawn thro? the amount which might have been changed under an act of July 28, 1866. ___________________________ Butler County claimed the attention of Grandfather Calvert, Uncle James Calvert and my father. They (" the boys chose their land in 1871 )and in 1872 the young men and their families came to this county, Grandmother and Grandfather Calvert came in the fall.

While building the rough houses on the claims they lived in a log cabin on the Little Walnut. My father?s house was better built than the others, as he had hauled the lumber from Emporia, built a stone foundation as a stay against the cyclones he so dreaded. Grandfather and Uncle James Calvert chose to build their claim houses of native lumber, which was walnut . My mother was a good pioneer-quite ready to make the best of the crude conditions, but my father had no taste for it and was not a farmer.

After "proving up" the claim, the Taylors returned to Leavenworth. The little cottage where they lived is the first house of which I have any memory..I can recall the three rooms: living room, bedroom and kitchen and remember my father in this house. __________________________ Addenda

Even as I finish this little story of my father it occurred to me that I should chronicle that with my generation the Taylor line is "snuffed out."

In 1886 when I was in York state my Aunt Elizabeth Slater told me that so far as she knew besides the Taylors of her own branch i.e. that Mark Taylor Jr. (my grandfather)there was only one other of this 8th generation from the first Taylors who came to America. This one was her cousin Sylvester Taylors daughter, Mary Emma, who was born Sept. 20, 1866.

A few years ago, Alta Culver (Lena Taylor?s daughter, Albion , New York) sent me what she had of the family history . She said she had been in correspondence with Miss Mary E. Taylor of Canterbury N.H. that she had provided her with much of the data so Amos Taylor?s line passes with Sylvesters daughter Mary emma. By the way, Mary E. Taylor is a D.A.R. her National number being 85520. She joined under her mother?s genealogical connection in the name "Pattu" but used the Taylor evidence as supplementary. This would be an wasy way to establish eligibility. ? just prove one is of the same line.

Of my father?s generation I was his only child. His older brother LeRoy?s children were Clarence who never marriedd, and Lena (Culver) whose children now living, Alta and Byron, do not have the same name of course.

Elixabeth?s children were Orville and Henry Slater. Orville?s children are Howard and Ethel (De Lano). Henry died (killed by lightning ) and was never married.

The younger brothe Joshua (Dot) had one son Frand, killed in an automobile accident in Wichita Falls Texa, July 23 1933.

Frank was twice married , but left no children , so he was the last of his ? our line of Taylors.

There is something sad in the the dying out of a people ? in the passing of a name. Of course the blood remains. The eccentricities , the facieal featurees, the physical build, special indivualism, the weaknesses, the strong trends of character will live on ? but the individuality of the name is gone. There is regret to me in that ? for the Taylor ancestry in America has been recorded a simple , honorable, and loyal people, - wholly worthy of respect.

Cora Taylor Harvey - 1935

1. ↑ History of the Osborn and Related Families, By Walter W Osborn.