TAYLOR, Amos - 1912 Bio (1828-1893)

TAYLOR, BOGARD, PEARSON, MCCLURE, WILDMAN, LANGNER, FRY, MAPES, DRAPER, HETRICK, MCDONALD, MCELDERRY, MANNING

Posted By: Joey Stark
Date: 10/2/2007 at 22:11:44

History of Jefferson County, Iowa -- A Record of Settlement, Organization, Progress and Achievement, Vol II, Published 1912, S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., Chicago
Pages 212-214

The late Amos TAYLOR was one of the highly esteemed citizens of Des Moines township, where he is still kindly remembered by some of the older residents, although more than eighteen years have elapsed since he departed this life. His birth occurred in Ross county, Ohio, on the 15th of February, 1828, his parents being Joseph and Polly Ann (BOGARD) TAYLOR. The father, who was a farmer, was born and reared in Pennsylvania, of Scotch-Irish (sic) descent, and the mother was a native of Ross county, Ohio. Her father was killed while on the banks of the Wabash river, where he was residing at that time, during an Indian uprising. Having been notified of the approaching enemy the family started for the fort, located at some distance from there. In their haste they left some articles of value in the house for which Mr. BOGARD returned. He was attacked by the Indians, killed and scalped. His body was found later carefully guarded by his faithful dog. His son, Cornelius BOGARD, swore vengeance, and thereafter never hesitated to kill and Indian when an opportunity presented itself, during either peace or war. Joseph TAYLOR with his wife and family removed from Ohio to Indiana, where they resided for nineteen years, proceeding to Missouri. Six children were born to Mr. and Mrs. TAYLOR: William, who is deceased; Sarah, who has attained the venerable age of eighty-two years, living in Missouri; Annie, who is living in Kansas; and Lydia, Elizabeth and Amos, all of whom are deceased. The father died while the family were living in Missouri, but the mother was residing in Marion county, Iowa, at the time of her death, having removed to this state with her children during the Civil war.

The first fourteen years in the life of Amos TAYLOR were passed amid the scenes of his birth. In 1842 he removed with his parents to Indiana, sharing with them the hardships and privations incident to a frontier life. Later he went to Missouri, subsequently locating in Marion county, Iowa. In 1848 he became a resident of Jefferson county, settling in Des Moines township, where fifteen years later he purchased the farm on which his widow is now living. The land is located on section 21, and consists of eighty acres under cultivation and thirty acres of timber. When he first came to Jefferson county, it was but sparsely settled; such improvements as had been made were crude, while the majority of roads through the rural districts were little more than wagon tracks. Mr. TAYLOR was the typical pioneersman, energetic, tireless, determined, and despite the many discouragements he encountered, his faith in the ultimate future of the country was never shaken. Versatile and resourceful he could turn his energies in any direction and became one of the factors in promoting the development of the township, whose interests he most efficiently served for many years in an official capacity.

On the 30th of September, 1857, Mr. TAYLOR completed his arrangements for a home by his marriage to Miss Mary E. PEARSON, a daughter of Sampson and Nancy (McCLURE) PEARSON. The father was a native of Miami county, Ohio, where for many years he worked as a farmer and blacksmith. He was of English descent, but the mother, whose birth occurred in Shelby county, Ohio, was of Irish and Scotch (sic) extraction. They came to Iowa in 1853, settling in Des Moines township, Jefferson county. After residing there for twenty-two years they went to Missouri, where they both died, the mother on the 12th of March, 1885, at the home of her daughter Edna, and the father in Nodaway county, at the home of his son Young, on the 5th of January, 1898. Their family numbered nine: Silas, who is living in Libertyville, Iowa; and Young, Henry, John and George, all of whom are deceased; Rachel, who is living in Missouri; and Edna and Annie, both of whom are also deceased. Mrs. TAYLOR is the eldest of the family. Mr. and Mrs. TAYLOR were the parents of eight children and there are now twenty-six grandchildren and six great-grandchildren descendants. Ida, the wife of John WILDMAN, a carpenter of Fairfield, Iowa, has three children: Otto Taylor; Grace, the wife of John LANDNER and the mother of three children, William, Kenneth and Marie; and Floyd. Millard, a farmer of Des Moines township, married Allie FRY and has four children, Hazel, Florence, Russell and Fern. Sarah, the wife of Ben WILDMAN of South Haven, Michigan, has five children: Roy; Cora, who married William MAPES and has two children, Ethel Louise and Dora May; Amos; Clarence; and Ethel. Laura, who is the fourth member of the family, is at home with her mother. Margaret Edna, the wife of Sherman DRAPER of Port Angeles, Washington, has five children: Winnie, who married Montie HETRICK and has one child, Thelma, Richard, Ruby, Ina and Dorothy. Mary E., the wife of John McDONALD, a farmer of Lane county, Oregon, has one child, Carrie. Victoria, the wife of James McELDERRY, a farmer of Davis county, Iowa, has three children, Ralph, Mervin and Taylor. Charles L., a farmer of Des Moines township, this county, married Delilah MANNING and has five children: Cleo, Glenn, Irene, Marie and Bernice. Mrs. TAYLOR continues to live on her farm, which for several years after the death of Mr. TAYLOR was cultivated by her youngest son, Charles, but since he left home she has been renting the land. During the long period of her residence in the township she has been the interested observer of its wonderful development, and has lived to witness all the expectations of her husband, regarding its agricultural future, fully realized.

Mr. TAYLOR always took an active and helpful interest in all public matters, giving his political support to the men and measures of the republican party. He served for two terms as assessor of his township, while for six years he acted as township trustee and was treasurer for twelve years. He was well qualified for public office, and although very young while living in Missouri he held the office of justice of the peace. During the Civil war he was a member of the Home Protective League, and for many years he was a prominent member of the Iowa Grange. He had been a resident of Des Moines township for thirty years at the time of his death, on the 12th of July, 1893, during which period he became widely known, winning the esteem and friendship not only of those in his immediate community but throughout the county.

*Transcribed for genealogy purposes; I have no relation to the person(s) mentioned.