1925 Biography - William Taylor
William Taylor was a first settler here and the founder of a large family. The exact date of his coming is not known but likely before the state was admitted into the Union. He settled on the ridge northeast of what is now Bloomfield and known as Taylor ridge, later he moved to Old Sulphur Springs on the lines of Williamson and Johnson counties, where he spent the rest of his days. He was a brother to Mary, first wife of Joseph Kuykendall, the pioneer, and Colonel Richard Taylor a prominent and wealthy citizen of Chicago, Ill. It is thought this family came originally from Virginia, lived a while in Kentucky, and then to this state. William the 1st married Nellie McMahan and they had Polly (2), James (2), John (2), Giles (2), Hampton (2), Richard (2), William H. (2), Mary (2), Betsy (2), Catherine (2), Samuel (2).
Polly (2) married William Westbrooks and had James (3), Jackson (3), Alice (3), Samuel (3) (married Lucy Taylor (3), Peter (3), Emeline (3) (married Anson Taylor (3), and Sarah (3).
James (2) married, his children were Nancy (3), Newton (3), Wil liam (3), Elias (3).
John (2) married Betsy Ann Howerton, they had William (3) who died while serving in the Civil War; Anson (3) (married Emeline Westbrooks (3); Massandra (3) married Campbell Hall, Elizabeth (3) married William (see Peterson); Lucy (3) married Samuel Westbrooks (3); Nancy E. (3) married a Mr. Russell; Polly (3) married a Mr. Gregory.
Giles (2) married Betsy Kuykendall, daughter of Joseph 1st; they had Hampton (3), James M. (3), John O. (3), Benjamin (3), Jackson (3), Lydia (3), Sarah (3), Louisa (3). James M. (3) married Martha Mangum; they had Giles (4); Henry (4) married Norah Harper and they have Ivy and Vivy (5), Herbert (5), Herschel (5), Lynn (5); Giles (4) married Lula Cummins and they have three sets of twins; James M. (3) married second Georgia Barringer. Louise (3) married Marshall Lawrence.
Hampton (2) married Betsy Henderson and had Samuel (3), Benjamin (3), Thomas (3), James (3), William (3), Martha (3), Mary (3) who married William (see Simpson) Cina (3), Isabel (3);
Richard (2) married Mary Seay they had Sarah C. (3), Martha Ann (3). Sarah C. (3) married John Brown; Martha Ann (3) married Jesse Martin; Richard (2) married second Ann Eubanks, they had Thomas (3) who married Margaret Cook and had three children. Mary Ellen (3) married Thomas Hooker, they have Alonzo (4) who married Ola Smith and has Valgean (5); Frank W. (3) married Lena Woodward; John L. (3) married Sarah Shadowen; Melissa J. (3) married Jerome Glasco of Union county; Albert (3) married Rachael Fox; Richard (2) married third Martha Robertson and had Emma (3) who married John Lawrence.
William H. (2) married Louisa Kuykendall, daughter of Joseph 1st; they had Jasper (3) who married Mary Jane Wickham and had Lewis F. (4) who married Cora Harper; Thomas (4) married Dell Harper and has Ralph (5), Marguerite (5), Lewis (5). Glenda (5), Warren (5), John Howard (5); James (4) married Martha O'Neal; Joseph (4) married Dimple Bradley; Roy (4) married Lora Odum; Oma (4) married Inez Hayden; Stella (4) married Clyde Jones; Zora (4) married Will Hogg; Lula (4) married Simpson Whiteside. Louisa (3) married John Hall; Elizabeth (3) married Mr. Elliot and had William (4) and Arthur (4), who married Ida Gray; William H. (2) married second Eunice Caldwell, sister to Calvin a Baptist minister of this county, they had Linnie (3) who married Boyt Shelton; John (3) married Mary Weston, they have Linnie T. (4), Almus (4), Minnie (4), Roy (4), Carros (4), Emeline T. (4). Linnie (4) married Relus Evans and has John (5) Mary (5), Robert (5); Almus (4) married Ethel Cates and has Ruby (5); Minnie (4) married Charles Whitesides, has Emeline (5); Roy (4) married Emeline Cook, has Caroline (5); Carros (4) married Harry Sullens who was killed in battle at St. Mihiel, France, during the World War; Vera (4) married Frank McCuan, has Helen (5); Emeline (4) at home; B. S. Taylor (3) married Hattie Kincanon, they had Lily who died leaving one son; Jay C. (3) married Rhoda Branscomb and had Esta (4) and Clint (4) who married Lela Verhines; Samuel H. (3) married Flora Hale they had Ray (4); Samuel H. (3) married second Daisy, daughter of I. N. Davies, they had Gladys (4) who died 1921; R. F. (3) married Leanna Harper and has Lloyd (4), Lee (4) Lawrence (4), Blanch (4), Beulah (4), Frank, Jr. (4); T. C. Taylor is a son of W. H. and Eunice (Caldwell) born and raised in this county. He was a business man of Bloomfield for several years and somewhat interested in politics. He removed to Vienna a few years ago and engaged in the coal and ice business. In 1902 he was elected sheriff of the county and is making an efficient officer. He is a Mason, a Republican, and an obliging official and citizen. Louisa (3) married John Hall a minister.
No knowledge of Mary (2), Betsy (2), Catherine (2) or Samuel (2).
The wives of Henry (4), Lewis F. (4), Thomas (4), and R. F. Taylor (3) were daughters of John and Sarah (Cooper) Harper. They had one other daughter Mary (called Darley), who married T. J. Clayton and has Viva who married William Corbit, Hazel May and Pleasant T. Hazel May married Henry Marcus.
Extracted 08 Feb 2017 by Norma Hass from 1925 A History of Johnson County, Illinois, by Mrs. P. T. Chapman, pages 447-449.
