Taylor, Catherine (1792-1891)

TAYLOR

Posted By: Karon Velau (email)
Date: 1/1/2017 at 20:37:40

The Advocate Tribune, Indianola, Iowa, Thursday, June 28, 1888, p.2
Catherine Taylor
Squaw Township
Editor Advocate Tribune – We seldom have the privilege of meeting at a birthday party in honor of one whose life story spans the history of the United States, and I hope I may be pardoned for somewhat lengthy sketch, when you consider that the subject of this article was a baby when Washington was elected to his second term in 1792. She has played among the old huts of Valley Forge, living within three miles of that camp. She saw the British fleet under Admiral Cockburn as it sailed up the Chesapeake, and her husband stood in line to repel the invaders. She has seen the nation grow from an infant of three million to a sturdy manhood of sixty million with a people whose progress in the arts and sciences has had no equal since the decay of the Greco-Roman Empire. She has seen the invention of steam and electrical machinery of all kinds, matches, reapers, sewing machines, etc. The mind can scarce grasp the changes this lady has seen, living as she has under every president from Washington to Cleveland. The party was given by Elizabeth Morris, of Squaw township, in honor of her mother, Mrs. Catherine Taylor, who was born June 16, 1792, in Chester county, Pennsylvania. She moved to Lancaster county in 1800 and was married Nov. 7, 1813 to John Taylor who died in 1864. She joined the Episcopal church at the age of 20. She moved to Ohio, thence to Iowa in 1856, where she had made her home in her declining years. She is a cousin of the noted Indian fighter, Lewis Whetzel. She had been in 10 different states as she followed the wave of civilization from the Atlantic to the Pacific. She had eight children, 44 grand children, 80 great grand children and thinks she has some great great grand children. She was well acquainted with Phil Sheridan, and 3 of her boys served under him. At the party were 54 including a few friends. The dinner was a grand success and all present enjoyed themselves highly. The presents were too numerous for publication. All joined in the wish to help celebrate her centennial.