ISAAC M. TAYLOR
Isaac
M. Taylor, a worthy native son of Lucas county and a
representative of an honored pioneer family of Union township,
owns and operates a well improved farm of three hundred and
thirty-two acres in Union and Warren townships and has resided
thereon from his birth to the present time. He was born on the
10th of December, 1860, his parents being Jacob and
Mary (McKnight) Taylor, the former a native of Indiana and the
latter of Virginia. Jacob
Taylor came to this county in 1854, when a young man of
eighteen years, making the overland journey with an ox team. Here he spent the
remainder of his life, devoting his attention to general
agricultural pursuits until he passed away in Union township
in 1872. His
wife, who made the overland journey to Iowa in company with
her parents in 1856, died in Union township, Lucas county, in
1870. They were
well known and highly esteemed here, and in their passing the
community lost two of its honored pioneer residents. Their children, six
in number and all natives of Union township, were as follows: Mary Virginia, who
is deceased; Isaac M., of this review; John Everett, who
resides in the North Yakima valley of Washington; William P.,
of Warren township, this county; Eugene, deceased; and a son
who died in infancy.
Isaac
M. Taylor first attended the district school near his father’s
farm and subsequently continued his studies in the public
schools of Derby. The
place on which he was born has remained his home to the
present time, and early in life he became familiar with the
duties and labors that fall to the lot of the agriculturist. The pursuits of
farming and stock-raising have claimed his attention
throughout his entire business career and he now owns three
hundred and thirty-two acres of valuable land in Union and
Warren townships, with two sets of excellent improvements. His live stock is
of good grade and this branch of his business has added
materially to his yearly income. He annually harvests bounteous crops
which find a ready sale on the market and has long been
numbered among the prosperous agriculturists and
representative citizens of his community.
On
the 22d of February, 1882, Mr. Taylor was united in marriage
to Miss Joanna McCullough, whose birth occurred in Greene
county, Pennsylvania, on the 14th of September,
1857, her parents being Thomas and Elizabeth (Webster)
McCullough, likewise natives of that county. Following the death
of Thomas McCullough, which occurred in Greene county,
Pennsylvania, his widow came with her family to Lucas county,
Iowa, in 1875, and here spent the remainder of her life. Her children were
seven in number, namely:
Canada, who is deceased; William, a resident of
Chanute, Kansas; John, who makes his home in Concordia,
Kansas; Mrs. Joanna Taylor; Joseph Leroy, who passed away in
Kansas; George L., living in Lakin, Kansas; and Charles
Ellsworth, of Wayne county, Iowa. All were natives of Greene county,
Pennsylvania. Mr.
and Mrs. Taylor have become the parents of four children, all
of whom were born on the same farm in Union township where the
father first saw the light of day. The record is as follows: Carl E., whose
birth occurred on the 24th of June, 1883, and who
resides with his parents on the home farm; Mrs. Mary Elizabeth
Newsome, born March 14, 1885, who is a resident of Union
township; Charles, who was born September 10, 1888, and
resides with his parents; and Ray, who was born on the 19th
of August, 1890, and also lives in Union township. The two eldest sons
attended the Capital City Commercial College of Des Moines,
Iowa, Carl being a graduate of that institution and Charles
pursuing his studies there for one year.
Mr. Taylor is a democrat in politics and has served in the capacity of township trustee for four years, having also held the office of road supervisor. Fraternally he is identified with the Modern Woodmen of America at Derby, while his wife is a member of the Baptist church at May. He is a public-spirited and progressive citizen whose aid and cooperation can ever be counted upon to further any movement or measure instituted to promote the general welfare. That his life has ever been upright and honorable is indicated in the fact that the associates of his boyhood and youth are still numbered among his stanch friends and admirers.