... General James 5 Taylor, of Kentucky, the financier of the War of 1812, an account of whom was printed in September number, while the following about his family is copied from his diary of 1840-47 :
Mrs. Keturah L. Taylor, wife of General James Taylor, of Bellevue, Campbell county, Kentucky, was born in the county of Goochland in the State of Virginia on September 11, 1773, about sixteen miles above Richmond and about four miles from the birth-place of the Hon. Hy Clay, whose father was the Reverend Mr. Clay of the Baptist Church and was the minister of Mrs. T.'s parents. Her father was Major Hugh Moss and her mother was Jane Ford, both born in that vicinity. Major Moss died in the year 1779. Mrs. Moss then married Captain Joseph R. Farrar, who came to Kentucky in the spring of 1775, settled near Lexington and died 1796. Mrs. F. then married Captain Joseph Rogers of Bryant Station and died in 1814. The Reverend Augustus Eastin married a sister of Mrs. T.'s mother and moved to Kentucky in the spring of 1784, and mother allowed Mrs. T., Sally, the eldest child, and Ann, the youngest daughter, now the widow of the Rev. William Montague, to come with them to Kentucky, and Mary, the late widow of Judge John Coburn, now deceased. Doctor James W. Moss, the youngest child, now of Missouri, came out with their mother and Captain F. Rev. Mr. Eastin moved through the wilderness with a large party. The Indians were then very war-like, as they continued to be a number of years afterwards. While Mr. E.'s party were encamped in the wilderness near nightfall a party of about forty came up. A gentleman had gone from Kentucky to Virginia, married a wife and was returning with their friends and others. Mr. E. advised the party to encamp with him, saying the Indians were watching them to find them off their guard to fall upon them ; but that his party kept a regular guard, and had escaped danger that far. Advised them by no means to go forward, but if they did to keep a vigilant guard. They took no heed, but went on about a mile, encamped ; kept no guard. The Indians rushed on them while asleep and tomahawked and scalped about half the party ; a man his wife and two children were of the party ; the wife took her infant child in her arms and got into the bushes ; took the back track and reached Mr. E.'s encampment about daybreak and gave notice of the fate of her party. Her husband also escaped, but took the opposite course. The other child was slain. The wife joined Mr. E.'s party to Kentucky ; she as well as the husband believed the other had perished, but in about two weeks got together. As Mr. E.'s party came up the next morning it beheld the revolting sight of the mangled corpses of the slain, gave them the best burial they could. In 1784 and 5 the savages were frequently around Bryant's Station and only about five miles north of Lexington, and about four miles from "Tuckahoe," the seat of Captain Farrar and adjoining was Mr.
E.'s seat, "the Buckey." The daughters went to school at Bryant Station ; sent on horseback generally. Mrs. Taylor spent much of her time with Polly Scott, daughter of General Charles Scott, in interchange of visits, and they with Mrs. General James Wilkinson, while he lived in now Woodford county, near the old surveyor's office, kept at the time by Colonel Thomas Marshall father of the late Chief Justice and a numerous family of sons and daughters. Mrs. W. had no daughter and but two sons, James and Joseph B. W. The latter is still alive, a sugar planter, about forty miles below New Orleans, on the opposite side of the river. Mrs. W. was desirous of having these two sprightly and interesting girls with her, as General W. was much from home, and in one or more campaigns against the Indians he commanded the forces and was successful, taking many prisoners.
In December, 1790, K. L. Moss married the late Major David Leitch, who resided adjoining Captain F., where they resided till the spring of 1792, when he removed to a large tract of land on Licking, about six miles from the mouth, on the northeast side. Major L. owned 73 of 13,800 acres. Captain William Kennedy, the locator, owned the 73d. Major L. in '91 had established Leitch's Station by giving leases for a term of years to get a farm cleared. General Wilkinson had been appointed to the command of U. S. Western army by General Washington in March, 1792, after General St. Clair was ordered to Philadelphia to answer charges preferred against him by General William Dark, of Virginia, who, as a colonel, was in the battle and defeat of General St. Clair's army the 4th of November, 1791, at a place known now as Fort Recovery, on a branch of the Big Miami, about eighty miles a northwest course from Cincinnati and now in Indiana. Major L. built a snug hard log-house on a handsome rise from the stockade and blockhouse on the bank of Licking, at the foot of the second falls of that river. The house is still standing about 150 yards east of the stockade and block-house. While I was on a visit to the land I now live on in June, 1792, I visited Major Leitch and lady at their residence near the station. Mrs. T. had spent about six weeks with General W. and lady at their particular invitation, while Major L. was building his house, and when I visited them I spent a very pleasant day with them, the last of June, 1792. Major L. was a remarkably handsome, intelligent Scotch gentleman, was bred in Manchester and was in business in Manchester opposite Richmond for several years before he removed to Kentucky in the year 1788, and vested most of his funds in land warrants and located large tracts on the waters of Green river. On state, or with one exception, Major Leitch and lady were the only society I had on the Kentucky side of the river.
Thomas Lindsey, Esq., and quite an interesting Irish family lately from that county settled at L. Station in 1790, bought land of Major L. on the now State road from N. Port to Frankfort. He had a large family of sons and daughters. I associated personally with General Wayne's officers. They reached their encampment at Hobson's Choice on the Ohio river in the lower end of now Cincinnati, above the mouth of Mill creek. It arrived on May 15, 1793, about the second week at my second visit with my few Blacks. I set to work on the 4th of May and made a good crop of corn. that season, enough for my bread and small stock. Mrs. T. 's oldest sister, Sally, had married Captain George Gordon from Philadelphia, who was several years at Lexington, but had moved to Cincinnati. Major L. took his wife to Cincinnati in 1791 and to see their intended residence. They came in a flatboat via Limestone, and went home by the mouth of the Kentucky river, where there was a small stockade fort commanded by Indian David Williams, late of the Revolutionary army. They rested a night with their old acquaintance, and proceeded to Frankfort via the Breshearses creek settlement along a small trail. Mr. Thomas Lindsey was in company. Captain Williams sent a guard with them part of the way fifteen or twenty miles. Major L. has frequently related to me the self-possession of his lady and kindness of heart. Mr. Lindsey had lagged behind more than 100 yards, when one of the guard discovered an Indian, he announced the fact and incircled Mrs. L. around to protect her and urged her hurry on with all speed, as they feared there were many more nearby lounging in ambush, but she declared she would not desert Mr. Lindsey and waved her hand for him to hasten on which he did in a gallop, and then when he came up they hastened on, and got clear of the Indians. I have heard Mr. Lindsey recount the kindness of Mrs. L. with tears in his eyes. I kept bachelor's house in a small log cabin I got after laying in my boat two weeks while clearing my land and preparing to make a crop. There was no ferry across the Ohio, it was crossed in canoes. When Major L. and lady would cross to see her sister they would leave their horses with me until they returned. I spent most of my Saturday and Sunday evenings with them. Early in the next year, 1794, Major L. went out with a surveyor and a party to layoff some land he had sold; they were caught in a cold storm of rain, night came on, they lay out in the wet, he caught a bad cold, which brought on a violent spell of sickness from which he died in eight or ten days. I had heard of his illness and went to see him. I found Captain Gordon there with an attorney who had just completed his will. A Doctor Strong, of the U. S. Army, who was there and had attended him. At that time there was but one private physician in Cincinnati, a Dr. McClure. Captain Gordon took me out and told me Major L. had appointed me one of his executors, with Captain John Fowler, of Lexington, and Captain Daniel Weiseger, of Frankfort, and herself as executrix. I was much impressed at the information, as I had only known him a little upwards of two years and me a young man and single. His will was made November 8, 1794, and he died the next day. He left his whole estate to his wife, but had little else than land, much of which the title was not protected ; but which I carried into grant afterwards in Mrs. T.' s name as her legatee. Mrs. L. went up and spent most of her time with her mother and stepfather, Captain F., and sometimes at Judge Coburn's in Washington, Mason county. Neither Captain Fowler nor Captain Weiseger were willing to qualify a grant and Mrs. L also declined and I alone qualified as executor.
In our conferences as to her land business and seeing her frequently by the time a year had nearly expired I proposed to take charge of her person as well as of her estate, to which she consented, and on November 15, 1795, we became man and wife at Tuckahoe, near Lexington. We have lived as man and wife upwards of fifty-one years, have had eleven children born alive, but lost all in infancy but four, James a son and three daughters, Mrs. K. L. Harris, Ann Tibbatts and Jane Williamson, of Cincinnati. We have now alive twenty-five grandchildren and one great-grandchild of the second daughter of Mrs. Harris. We have six grown granddaughters. Our children and grandchildren are generally healthy and are generally doing well, all live in Newport except Jane Williamson. Mrs. Taylor had no offspring by Major Leitch, he died a little upwards of thirty-eight years old ; was born September 11, 1756. Mrs. Taylor enjoys good health for a person of her age and attends to her domestic cares as well as most ladies of much fewer years. The first trip she took was to Virginia, in the year 1830, via the City of Washington and went to both places of note and were at the places where we were each born. Spent two weeks at Montpelier, the seat of President Madison and his amiable lady. Spent some days among our connections in Orange. Went to Monticello and visited the tomb of the immortal Jefferson. Spent about two weeks at Richmond, Va. Were at Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York and Albany. Visited West Point, the Falls of Niagara and returned home via Buffalo, the Lakes and home by the Columbus, Ohio, accompanied by our daughter Jane under charge of Colonel J. W. Tibbatts.
The following is an extract from a letter written by "the widow Leitch" to the Pioneer Society of Cincinnati when she
was eighty-four years of age :
Newport, Ky., April 7, 1858.
Gentlemen :
I came to Kentucky from Goochland, Va., in 1783, and resided near Lexington until my marriage with Major David Leitch, when in the year 1790 we came to reside on a tract of land about five miles from the mouth of the Licking, owned by Major Leitch on which he had erected a block house to defend himself and man against the Indians ; and during our residence there we were sometimes compelled to seek safety in Fort Washington. About this time an incident occurred, connected with one of the most prominent settlers which I will relate : As my husband and myself were descending the Licking in a small batteau rowed by two men, the Major and men all being armed, it began to rain and we went ashore to shelter ourselves under some trees, when we heard the firing of guns in the direction of the mouth of the Licking. My husband remarked that something must have happened as the firing of guns was contrary to orders. When we reached Fort Washington we found that the Indians had surprised a party between Columbia and Cincinnati, killing one or more and taking a young son of Col. Spencer prisoner. I was well acquainted with Gen. Harmer, Gen. St. Clair, Gen. Anthony, Maj.-Gen. Wilkinson, and was at the Fort when St. Clair marched against the Indians in 1 79 1. I assisted the ladies in the Fort in making knapsacks, and preparing coffee for the soldiers, who served in that unfortunate campaign. When I first settled in this county the only building in Newport was a single log house, at the mouth of the Licking, built by Jacob Fowler, now deceased. When I came to Kentucky this part of the State was unsettled, and all north of the Ohio an unbroken wilderness, and I feel a grateful pride in being able to say that I now look upon this magnificent city and a densely peopled country which, when I first saw it, was infested by the savage Indian.
The wife of James Taylor, Quartermaster General U. S. Army, of Newport, Ky., was a daughter of Major Hugh Moss, an
officer in the Revolutionary army, and Jane Ford, his wife, who was a daughter of Thomas Ford and Sarah Winn, his wife. Mrs. Taylor was born in Goochland county, Va., Sept. 11, 1773, and removed to Kentucky in 1784. She was truly a pioneer, for when she reached it, it was known as "The Wilderness." Graphic stories are told of her journey to Kentucky. In 1790 she married Maj. David Leitch, whom she always called her "Beloved David." He was a Scotch gentleman who had been living in Manchester, England. Maj. Leitch died in 1794. He left a handsome property to Mrs. Leitch. In 1795 Mrs. Leitch married James Taylor, he was the founder of Newport, Ky., and they went there to live Mrs. Taylor was one of the most brilliant and remarkable women of her day, and people who had the good fortune to know her never forgot her. She had received a very superior education and was a most cultivated and elegant woman. Her chief characteristic was her rare good sense, and one of her favorite expressions was "stand well with yourself."
It is very difficult to transmit to paper the many fine qualities of such a woman. Endless accounts are given of her dignity and presence, her graciousness of manner, her constant desire to be of use to others, and her great family pride and charming personality.
She was the warm personal friend of many of our greatest countrymen and women. She knew well President Harrison and President and Mrs. Madison, whom she visited at the "White House," and also at "Montpelior," Madison being a second cousin. to her husband, General Taylor. General and Mrs. Wilkinson were dear friends of hers, and also Stephen
A. Douglas. Justice McLain, Justice McKinley, Lewis Clarke, of Missouri ; General Wayne, and President Zachary Taylor, a second cousin of her husband's, both he and Madison being descended from James Taylor, a burgess for King and Queen county, Va., 1702 to 1714. Her distinguished friends were legion as she knew the greatest of her day.
A very good story is told to illustrate her force of character. Her Moss coat of arms bears as it's legend "Peace
with power," and it was frequently said of her that she would have peace with power if she could, but if not she would have power without peace, for power she would have in spite of everything. In her family her will was law, and her personality was so strong that everyone yielded to her wish as a matter of course.
In her position she was sought by young and old for aid and advice, and it is said that her good judgment was unerring, in fact she was a sort of "Oracle" in her way. Her memory was wonderful, and when ninety she would talk of events seventy-five years before. She had second sight, and her splendid constitution enabled her to enjoy good health all her life. She passed away in her sleep peacefully and quietly on January 29, 1866, at Newport, Ky., at the house of her oldest daughter, Mrs. Horatio Turpin Harris, in the ninety-fourth year of her age.
OBITUARY.
Died, January 29, 1866, Mrs. Keturah Taylor, wife of the late Gen. James Taylor, in the ninety-third year of her age. Mrs. Taylor was born in Goochland county, Va., in 1773. In 1784 she removed, with her friends, to Kentucky, and settled in the vicinity of Lexington. She was united in marriage with Major David Leitch in 1790, and the following year removed to a stockade on the Licking river, about five miles from its mouth. The Indians being troublesome, having killed several persons, Major Leitch returned to Lexington. In April, 1792, Major Leitch returned to his station, where he resided till his death. In 1795 Mrs. Taylor was married to Gen. James Taylor, who died November, 1848, with whom she lived over fifty years. They settled in what is now the city of Newport, but then it was a wilderness. Newport had not, in 1791, been laid out, and the Queen City, with her now 200,000 population, consisted, at that early day, of only a few log cabins and a fort, called Fort Washington.
Mrs. Taylor, in the year 1807, was brought to feel her need of a higher good than earth can bestow. She sought and found the Saviour precious to her soul, and this Saviour was her support to the end in all the duties and trials of life. For reasons, unknown to the writer, Mrs. Taylor did not publicly profess her faith till 1827. In that year a daughter of hers, having obtained like precious faith, the mother took the daughter by the hand and they went down both into the water and were buried with Christ in baptism. Thus, having imitated the Saviour in his baptism, and having risen to newness of life, mother and daughter went on their way rejoicing. Mrs. Taylor continued in fellowship with the denomination of her early choice till called to the Church Triumphant.
Of her interior life, as a wife, a mother, a neighbor and a friend, I need not speak. Her record is written in the hearts of her children, grandchildren and neighbors, and on high. Gen. Taylor, as is well known, being a man of princely fortune, Mrs. Taylor was enabled to carry out the promptings of her benevolent heart. Her charities did not so much resemble the torrents which leap from the mountain and hurry in rapid coarse to the sea, as the perennial springs which flow from the mountains and water and fertilize the plains below. The poor will call her blessed.
A mother in Israel has passed away. She was deposited in her final resting-place by the hands of eight grandsons. She may be said to be the last of those adventurous persons who settled Kentucky. She came here in most perilous times. Many persons were killed in this vicinity, and, indeed, near Lexington, while she resided there. She saw Kentucky in its infancy, in its youth and in its manhood. What a storehouse of incidents, of trials, of changes and experiences, was locked up in her memory! The link with the past is broken. She rests in peace. Be it our daily prayer that we may be prepared to follow.
The children of General and Mrs. James Taylor were James, Mrs. Jane Williamson, Mrs. Ann Tibbatts and Mrs. Keturah Harris, whose daughters, Mrs. James J. O'Fallon, of St. Louis, and Mrs. James Van Voast, of Cincinnati, and granddaughter, Mrs. C. A. Doremus, of New York, are well-known " Colonial Dames." Mrs. Harris' husband, Horatio Turpin Harris, was a son of Major Jordan Harris, a Virginian, of the Continental army, 1763- 1826 a member of the Virginia Society of the Cincinnati, and a grandson of Major John Harris, of "Norwood," Powhatan county, Va., member of the Cumberland County Committee of Safety, 1776, whose wife was a cousin of President Jefferson. The descent from Alfred the Great and the Plantagenet kings of England of this Harris family is shown in Pedigree CCXXXIX. of Americans of Royal Descent."
