John Taylor (1846-1920)

TAYLOR, BANGHART

Posted By: Ken Wright (email)
Date: 4/11/2009 at 01:00:15

Jackson Sentinel
April 20, 1920

Obituary

The following obituary of the late John Taylor of Cascade who during the past few years had made his home a portion of the time with his nephew, Frank Banghart, of this city, is taken from the Cascade Pioneer.

In the death of John Taylor, who passed away at the home of his old friend, David Barton in East Cascade last Wednesday morning, April 7th, a connection between the very early history of Iowa and our present times was removed, for John Taylor was the native born and only son of a territorial organizer of what is now the great state of Iowa. His father was Judge John Taylor who located in Dubuque Iowa, in the spring of 1838, and who in 1841 purchased the present Taylor estate in Richland township, adjoining the town of Cascade on the west; who in 1843 was elected probate judge of Jones County; who was elected as a member of the first constitutional convention of Iowa, which convened in October, 1844; who in 1845 was a member of the territorial legislature, and who was a member of the state legislature in 1846 and one of the commissioners to locate a permanent seat of government for the state, and was thereafter again twice elected to the legislative body. Judge Taylor having married Elizabeth Graffort, of Dubuque, December 25, 1844, the subject of this sketch, John Taylor, Jr., was born to them on the old Taylor homestead December 22, 1846, and grew to manhood at the old home. He attended the Farm Creek school and the old Academy in Cascade, and performed his duties as a farmer as he grew to manhood.

On November 9th, 1871, he was united in marriage to his childhood playmate, Mary Jane Moore, and established a home on the estate, opposite, across the highway from the old homestead, and where he resided until the death of his wife on May 9, 1911 since which time he had resided with his sister-in-law, Mr. F. S. Banghart and family in Maquoketa. But while residing at Maquoketa he made frequent visits to his old home. While enroute here on one of his periodical visits during the past winter, he caught a severe cold which prostrated him for many weeks, and from which he failed to rally, and on the 7th of April died at the home of his old friend, David Barton. Death was due to a complication of diseases, resulting in heart failure, and his death came suddenly. He leaves no children, and no immediate relatives, but many friends, who will mourn his death. He was a man of most kindly disposition. Firm in his views but just to all men. Mr. Taylor was a man of firm religious views but did not affiliate with any church organization. Like his father before him he was a democrat from principle, and an uncompromising believer in our form of government as it was established for and by the people.

The funeral services were held at the Barton residence in East Cascade, Friday afternoon at 2 o’clock, Rev. William Isley, pastor of the M. E. church officiating.