Wilson Taylor

(13 October 1863 – 28 November 1938)

 

His birth and death records are from a family Bible.[1]  He married Julia Ann Ellen Stewart in DeKalb County, Alabama on 5 November 1882 (see Stewart pages).  They apparently moved to Texas in the mid-1880s, for a child was born there in March 1886 according to the 1900 census.  Two other children were born in 1894 and 1896 in Alabama, indicating that they evidently returned to Alabama temporarily before settling permanently in Texas.  By 1900, they are found in the Morris County, Texas census living next door to his parents and near several siblings.  My grandmother, the wife of one of the children, told me that she thought the family arrived in Texas about 1885.  She did not mention a temporary return to Alabama. 

 

My mother told me that Wilson Taylor and his brother James Taylor were briefly in Oklahoma when they fell upon lean times, but returned to Titus County within a year or two.  This was apparently shortly after their appearance in the 1900 Texas census, because she heard the story from her father, who said he was a small child at the time.  I would note that their brothers John J. Taylor and William A. Taylor were both in Oklahoma for the 1900 census, so that story may be true. 

 

My grandmother told me in the 1970s that Wilson Taylor was a “lay preacher”, as were several of his brothers.  I would note, though,  that through the 1930 census most listed their occupations as farmers on rented land.

 

The 1900 census shows Wilson Taylor and “Ellen” living in Morris County next door to his parents.  Ellen is listed as the mother of seven children, six of whom were living.  All six were in the household.   In 1910, the family is living in Omaha, Morris County with all the living children at home.[2]  In 1920, they are in Titus County, with Ruby, Opal, and Charlie still  in the household.  I did not find them in the 1930 census.

 

The Bible mentioned above and the records of Passie Louisa Witt Taylor[3], the wife of Wilson Van Buren Taylor, listed twelve children:

 

1.      Amanda Rosella Taylor (17 March 1884 – 9 May 1908)  She is listed in the 1900 census as “Rose E.” and in her marriage record as “Rozzellar”.   She married T. O. Driggers on 29 June 1902 in Titus County, but died in 1908.

2.      Florence Margaret Bethany Taylor (March 1886 – 1953)  The 1900 census lists her as Florence, which is how she was known, but the 1910 census lists her as “Margrette”.  (She was still unmarried at 24 in 1910, and working as a clerk in a dry goods store in Omaha according to the census.)  Her full name comes from my grandmother’s records.  She married Robert Heard in 1913, according to Passie Taylor.  The 1930 census of Omaha, Morris County, shows J. R. Heard and Florence with two children:  Lester Heard (14) and Selma Heard (8) [Delma?]

3.      William Walker Taylor (August 1888 – August 1888) Died in infancy.

4.      Lilly May Taylor (13 October 1889 – 21 January 1978)  She married James Russell sometime after the 1910 census.  She died in Omaha, Texas according to the Social Security Death Index.

5.      Samuel Byron Taylor (4 February 1892 – 1945)  He married Lizzie Joyner on 5 February 1912.  They are in the 1920 Morris County census with a daughter named Mattie L. Taylor (Madeline, according to my mother.)  I have a 1927 photo showing Sam B. Taylor and his wife, and his sister Opal Taylor, in the Omaha Cafe.[4]  The accompanying article says Sam Taylor operated a blacksmith shop and the Omaha Café, employing his sister there.  The menu, readable in the photo, includes a 35¢ steak.

6.      Wilson Van Buren Taylor (19 April 1894 – 10 January 1965)  He married Passie Louisa Witt on 30 March 1918.  In the 1920 census, they are enumerated in Cookville, Titus County with his occupation listed as store clerk in a “confectionary”.  In the 1930 census, they are listed in Naples, Morris County (as “W. Van Taylor”) across from the railroad station.  His occupation is manager of a grocery store, and the monthly rent of their house is given as $15.  They later lived just outside Omaha, Morris County.

6.1.   Mildred Louise Taylor (4 December 1921 - )  Married Jack Anthony Baird (see Baird pages) and had two children: Glen Taylor Baird and Robert William Baird.  Currently living in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

6.2.   Virginia Van Taylor (21 January 1925 - )  Married Jack Milton Moore, and had one child, Jack Milton, then married Arvin Redfearn 7 September 1947, and had one child, Jennifer Lynn.  Currently living in Longview, Texas.

7.      Dovie Leona Taylor (27 March 1896 – 18 May 1965)   She is listed in the 1900 census as “Dovie L.”  She married James M. Lewis in Titus County on 28 November 1918.  They are enumerated in the 1920 census in Omaha with no children, his occupation listed as “U. S. Mail”.  (A sister-in-law of James Lewis is also in the household, along with her daughter.)  My mother told me that James Lewis was an ordained Methodist minister. Dovie died in Dallas according to the Social Security Death Index.

8.      Pearl Taylor (9 October 1900 – 9 October 1901) Died in infancy.

9.      Ruby Esther Taylor (18 May 1901 - ?)  She married David Hall, according to Passie Taylor.  The 1930 census shows David H. Hall and his wife Ruth E. (listed as age 27) living in Cherokee County, Texas next door to her sister Opal and her husband.

10.  Opal Beulah Taylor (13 November 1904 - ?)  She married Herschel W. Harris [Hershell?] about 1929.  They are listed next door to her sister Ruby in 1930 in Cherokee County.  They apparently returned to Morris County, for the couple ran a gas station and store in Omaha according to my mother.

11.  Charles Mathews Taylor (18 June 1907 – November 1974)  He was a lay preacher nearly all his life.  In 1930, he is in neighboring Hopkins County, with a wife named Katie F. (thirteen years older than himself), listed as a farmer.  He died in Franklin County, Texas according to the SSDI.

12.  (Unknown) Taylor (18 June 1907 – 17 August 1907)  A twin of Charles died in infancy