Hiram Downard "Bud" Davis

     Hiram Downard "Bud" Davis, born 14 April 1880, and married Susan Elizabeth Douglas about 1907 in Ohio County. They had three children: Alma Lee, William W., and Ernest Douglas Davis.

      Susan Elizabeth, called Lizzie, died in 1948.  In December of 1950 Bud Davis went to visit his daughter and her family in Edwardsville, Illinois.  I found this newspaper clipping in the Edwardsville newspaper:

        And a few days later I found this article:

Buffalo Road

         When we think of the lyrics to the well-known folk song, “Home on the Range,” a “home where the buffalo roam” may not immediately bring to mind images of Owensboro. But, 200 years ago, the buffalo trail under what is now Frederica Street was one of the most important natural features that would lead to the founding of the city.

          According to Hugh O. Potter’s History of Owensboro, a buffalo trail (also known as a trace) began where buffalo were naturally gathering at a salt lick near the north and south fork convergence of Panther Creek, southwest of Owensboro. This buffalo trail led north to the nearest crossing of the Ohio River, at what is now downtown Owensboro.

          According to the University of Kentucky Department of Geography, buffalo trails were some of the first primitive roads that cut a path through the wilderness of Kentucky, leading settlers to establish cabins and businesses along well-traveled portions. Over the years, they did just that, as people like Bill Smothers (Smeathers), the first settler of Owensboro, traveled along the buffalo trail that passed through downtown Owensboro. According to a letter from Smothers, the buffalo trail and “the Big Lick on Panther Creek” were highly trafficked at least by 1780. This buffalo trail would have been part of a larger trail leading from Fort Hartford, Kentucky (present-day Hartford) to the encampment on the river named Yellow Banks (present-day Owensboro) by Smothers.

          The buffalo trail paved the way for the beginning of commerce around the Ohio River at Yellow Banks (Owensboro). As the earliest known settler of Owensboro, Smothers built a cabin that also served as a tavern around 1797 to attract keel boaters seeking food and drink while breaking from their jobs. Eventually, this buffalo trail became the main avenue for business and stately homes in Owensboro. Today, we know it as Frederica Street, possibly named for local landowner David Ross’s child, Frederica (based on information from the Kentucky Room at the Daviess County Public Library).

          In 2007, the city of Owensboro launched a project called, “Bronze Buffalo Trace” to commemorate the history of the Buffalo Trail by commissioning statues of bronze buffalo that can be seen near the Owensboro Museum of Fine Art.

          According to Mary Bryan Hood, Director of the Owensboro Museum of Fine Art, Ryan Sculpture Park was established in 2008 at 9th and Frederica Streets to house this project. In 2008, the Owensboro Museum of Fine Art and the Owensboro Public Art Commission erected the first of several bronze buffalo sculptures titled, “Into the Wind,” created by Texas wildlife artist T.D. Kelsey. In 2013, the park added another sculpture titled “Meadowlands Pair,” depicting a mother buffalo and her calf. A third sculpture was commissioned in 2014, depicting a Native American buffalo hunter, titled “Strength of the Maker.”

          To further designate this space in honor of the former buffalo trail, the Buffalo Road historical marker located by the old Owensboro riverfront (pre-dating Smothers Park) was relocated to Ryan Sculpture Park with the bronze sculptures.

          The marker reads, “buffalo herds opened the first road in the wilderness to present site of Owensboro. Bill Smothers, the pioneer settler of Yellow Banks, followed trail from Rough Creek, near present-day Hartford, to Ohio River. Built his cabin at end of road, near here, 1797-98. An old court record says the buffalo road was a ‘place of great resort for that kind of game.’”

          The three bronze buffalo are not likely to be the only buffalo roaming along Frederica Street. The city has plans to place more bronze buffalo along Frederica Street between 9th Street and Smothers Park.

Source: Owensboro Times, Oct. 19, 2019

Edgar Johnson Leach

Edgar Johnson Leach was born 8 Sep 1873 in Ohio County (probably in the Beda community) and died 14 Dec 1914 in Ohio County at age 40.  He was an attorney and was known as E. J. Leach.  He married Annie Brooks 27 Dec 1903 and they had five children: Irene, Hubert Clarence, Ernest Miller, Helen R., and Henry Gordon.  E. J.'s parents were Stephen L. Leach and Rebecca M. Park; he was the first born of three children.  His younger brother, Author E., died at age 17 of typhoid fever.  His sister, Nancy Carrie, married Ernest Woodward, also an attorney, and Nancy died at age 24 without having any children.

Ohio County Cemeteries, Vol 1, page 83, says date of birth was 7 Nov 1874. 

Hartford Herald, 16 Dec 1914

Who Is W. L. C. Leach?

         I came across a newspaper legal notice that referred to W. L. C. Leach (see below) and I think I have worked out the answer to this puzzle. 

         Since there were two men named William Crown Leach that lived in Ohio County at the same time it is hard to distinguish them apart (one born 1844 and one born 1848). One of them apparently used W. L. C. Leach as his name to avoid confusion with the other William Crown and I suspect the “L” would have come from his father's given name, Leonard.  In olden days some men were called, for example, “William, son of John.” So I am of the opinion that any reference to W. L. C. Leach was referring to the William C. Leach that was born 23 Mar 1848 and married Nancy Mariah Young. His parents were Leonard Washington Leach and Rosanna A. Morris; thus, William, son of Leonard was the reason for the L.

        This is the notice of a Master Commissioner’s Sale of real estate that was published in the Hartford newspaper during December 1916 concerning the estate of “W. L. C. Leach’s” estate.  Since this William Crown Leach died 12 Dec 1914 it is logical to assume the notice is related to the William C. born in 1848 (the other William Crown Leach died in 1908).  And since there were deeds using the W. L. C. Leach name the legal system had to use that exact name for these legal matters (passing title to real estate).

        Other information about this William Crown Leach includes the following  article about a birthday party; from this article we find a clue, the name of a son, that tells us  this article refers to William Crown Leach that died 12 Dec 1914:

          The middle name I refer to, i. e. "Crown"  was found in an old photo album owned by a descendant of the William Crown that died 12 Dec 1914, Ginger Hartman, who wrote: "Mother wrote 'Virginia Lee Shane as she grew' as a title in the old kind of black photograph albums. She had to use white ink. After listing time of birth, et-cetera, she listed my parents, then Father's parents, then Mother's parents, Father's grandparents: Ethelbert Bruce Trabue, Ophelia Elizabeth Burnett, and Mother's Grandparents: William Crown Leach, & Nancy Mariah Young." 

          The other William Crown, born Jul 1844 and died 21 Dec 1908, was referred to as William Crown in his death notice in the Owensboro Messenger and in the Hartford Republican: "Mr. Will Crown Leach who lived alone about six miles east of town, was found dead in his yard last Monday evening.  From all appearances he had been dead for some time.  He was last seen on Saturday.  Coroner Allen held an inquest and the verdict of the jury was to the effect that deceased came to his death from natural causes.  The burial was at Milton Taylor graveyard."   As far as I know this William Crown Leach never married and had no children. His parents were James S. Leach and Rebecca Raley.

          All of the above makes me wonder why were these two men given the middle name "Crown" since "Crown" is a bit unusual as a name.  I suggest it is quite possible that they were named after their common ancestor, who we know as William C. Leach (1791-1863) who was born in Maryland and was one of the early settlers of Ohio County, probably moving to Ohio County about 1800; he was a grandfather to one of the two William Crowns and a great-uncle to the other. The word Crown could relate to the British royalty or the British coin called a Crown.  So, perhaps, with no real proof, the middle name of William C. Leach (1791-1863) was Crown. Sadly we don't have enough proof to make that leap.

John Peyton Taylor Family Record - Part 2

Part 2:

        A death certificate for John P. Taylor’s widow was recorded in the 1852-1861 Ohio County, KY Vital Statistics.  It records that Mary Taylor died on 18 April 1861 at the age of 89, the cause of her death was listed as cancer of the face.  She was reported to be a native of Virginia and her parents were given as Thomas & Nancy Davis.  A great-grandson, James William Van Cleave (1845-1925), wrote that Mary Davis Taylor had brothers named Warren, William, John & Reace Davis.  Warren Davis, born 1775-1784, is listed in the 1810 census of Fairfax County, VA (p192) and was enumerated two households from John P. Taylor in the 1820 Shelby County, KY census.  At least two of the grandchildren of John P. & Mary Taylor had the middle name of “Warren”.  Several members of the Davis family moved to Montgomery County, IN, including William Davis, a brother of Mary Taylor.  William was born in Virginia c1784 and died on 22 Sep 1861 in Montgomery County, IN, where he resided along Sugar Creek.  In the 1787 census of Fairfax County, VA no Thomas Davis is listed.  It is possible that Mary’s father was one of the Thomas Davis’ listed in the adjoining county of Prince William in the 1787 Census of Virginia.  Among the Davis families of Prince William is found a Warren Davis, who was at least 10 years older than Mary Taylor’s brother, Warren.  He was born c1764 and by 1786 was residing in Nelson County, KY.  He was one of 11 children born to Isaac Davis & Elizabeth Kincheloe.  Isaac Davis died in Prince William County in 1771, he owned land that adjoined a Thomas Davis, who possibly could be his brother and the father of Mary Taylor (if true this would make the two Warren’s 1^st cousins).  Isaac’s plantation lay on both sides of the Occuquan River, near Davis Ford, about 5 miles southwest of Manassas.  Isaac also owned land in Fairfax County.  Four of his sons served in the Revolution and two of them John & Presley died during the war – one of John P. Taylor’s grandchildren was named Presley Davis Taylor.  Isaac was the son of William Davis & Ellen Bland, who received several land patents in Prince William County between 1707-1722.  Isaac’s grandfather, David Davis about 1701 emigrated from Wales and settled in the Welsh Tract Settlement near New Castle, Delaware.  See the book, Kincheloe, McPherson and Related Families, by Lewin D. McPherson (1951, pp110-121) for data on the family of Isaac Davis & Elizabeth Kincheloe.

        The location of the graves of John P. & Mary Taylor have not been identified.  The area of Ohio County where he lived was in the vicinity of the  communities of Bells Run and Taylorfield.  His son, John P., Jr., resided at what came to be known as “Taylor Old Fields” and later as Taylorfield.  The earliest reference to it found is a Taylorfield community column appearing in the 19 Sep 1877 issue of the Hartford Herald newspaper.  It was located near the site of the Antioch Christian Church Cemetery on the Ralph – Bells Run Road, about 1 mile west of Adaburg.  The “Taylor Fork” of the Panther Creek runs between the Antioch Cemetery  and Highway 1414.  The Taylorfield school located near the church continued up until the consolidation of Ohio County schools during the 1930’s.  A short distance south of Antioch is the old Patton home and cemetery were Dr. John William Patton (1835-1908) is buried, he was the first postmaster of the Adaburg post office (established 1886).  On the farm across the road from the Patton place was the home of John P. Taylor, Jr., several of his great-grandchildren reported that the chimney of his old home could be seen there in recent years.  About 2½ miles to the west is the Bells Run Baptist Church, where many of the Taylor family were members.  Thomas L. Taylor, son of John P., Sr. lived on land adjoining the church and in 1877 donated a lot for the new church building (Ohio Co. deed book Z, p110).  The old part of the Bell’s Run Cemetery began as the Taylor family cemetery.  The oldest grave there being of Thomas L. Taylor’s first wife, Cassandra Van Cleave, who died in 1824.  Thomas L. joined the Bell’s Run church in 1831 and was ordained one of its deacons in 1833, a position later held by two of his sons, George W. & Benjamin W.  Thomas’s son, John Samuel Taylor, was ordained a minister by the church in 1855 and served as its pastor in 1858 & 1879-1881.  Joseph Perkins Ellis, husband of Jane S. Taylor, daughter of John P., Sr., was pastor of the Bell’s Run Church during 1842-1857 & 1866-1878.  The church in January 1854 licensed Mack Taylor, a former slave of John Peyton Taylor, to preach, and was to have ordained him but his untimely death prevented it.  A death certificate records that Mack died at the age of 50 on 7 Feb 1854 of pneumonia, he was a farmer, married, born in Fairfax Co., VA, & his owner was Mary Taylor.

        To the preceding record of the children of John Peyton Taylor & Mary Davis the following can be added:

        Ann Davis Taylor married Joseph Robinson Midkiff in Ohio Co., KY on 12 Nov 1823, she died in Ohio County, where she lived in the vicinity of Magan, her gravesite is not known.  To them were born - Thomas T., William D., Benjamin F. & Mary B.  Her sister, Elizabeth, married his brother, James G. Midkiff.  They were 1^st cousins to Kit Carson.  Their mother, Mrs. Benjamin (Elizabeth Robinson) Midkiff, was a sister to Kit’s mother, Rebecca. 

        Thomas L. Taylor was a veteran of the War of 1812.  He participated in the siege of Baltimore in the year of 1814.  His 1^st marriage was recorded in Shelby Co., KY and his 2^nd in Ohio Co., KY.  By his 1^st wife he had - John Samuel & Hiram V. and by his 2^nd - Squire Littlegrove, Cassandra, Jesse McCrocklin, Benjamin Wilson, Richard Dudley, Lucinda, Mary P., George Warren, Lydia Jane, James Thomas & Henry Peyton.  He died in Ohio County, and his gravestone is in the old section of the Bells Run Baptist Church Cemetery.  Jesse James, the notorious outlaw, was a 1^st cousin twice removed to his wife, Sallie L. McCrocklin.

            Matilda B. Taylor married Benjamin Van Cleave in Shelby Co., KY on 11 Aug 1818.  Between 1824-1826 moved to Montgomery Co., IN, and between 1850-1854 moved to Dallas Co., Iowa.  She died in the latter place on 4 April 1880 and was buried there in the Panther Creek Cemetery.  She had 13 children – Bazzil, John Peyton, Mary Elizabeth, Joseph Warren, Benjamin Taylor, Aaron Crawford, Ada Anne, Thomas Taylor, Samuel Grimes, Solomon Munson, Cornelius Johnson, Margaret Jane & Stephen Allen.

            Mary B. Taylor married John B. /”Jack” Van Cleave on 20 Sep 1821 in Shelby Co., KY.  He was a son of Aaron Van Cleave & Elizabeth (Van Cleave), and was a brother to Matilda B. Taylor’s husband, Benjamin Van Cleave, and to Margaret Van Cleave, wife of Benjamin B. Taylor.  Between 1824-1826 moved to Montgomery Co., IN.  She married 2^nd Cornelius Johnson in Montgomery County on 4 July 1839.  By the time of the 1840 census had moved to Vigo Co., IN.  She died in that county on 29 June 1876 and was buried there in the Hull Cemetery.  By her 1^st marriage she had – Henry S., Matilda Ann, Sarah Jane, Elizabeth & John Samuel, and by her 2^nd – George W. Johnson.

            Elizabeth D. Taylor married James G. Midkiff in Ohio Co., KY on 17 March 1825.  She died in Ohio County, where she is buried in the Capp (Midkiff) Cemetery between Adaburg & Beech Valley.  To her were born – Mary Elizabeth, Matilda Ann, John Peyton, George Robert/Robertson, Araminta Barbara, Joseph B. & Thomas L.

            Benjamin Benton Taylor’s middle name was contained on a sheet in the records of the late Archie B. Chapman.  He married Margaret Van Cleave in Shelby Co., KY on 8 Sep 1825.  By 1826 had moved to Montgomery Co., IN.  The 1850 Montgomery County, IN Census Mortality Schedule records that he died a sudden–accidental death in May 1850, he was age 48, married, born VA, and was a farmer.  His children included William C., Mary A. (m. her 1^st cousin Benjamin Taylor Van Cleave), Matilda J., George P., Lucinda E., Nancy B., Sally E., Bessy P., Basil N. & James A.

            Sally P. Taylor married Jabesh Lewellen in Ohio Co., KY on 22 Oct 1826.  They moved to Missouri, where they were listed in the 1830 census of Ralls County (p366).  They were residents of Monroe County after the its formation out of Ralls in 1831.  The 1840 Monroe County census (p150) lists them as being residents of Indian Creek Township.  She appears in the 1870 census of Monroe County.  Among her children was a son, Thomas, who was born c1832 & was living in Monroe Co., MO in 1860.

            Lucinda Taylor married James A. Johnson on 10 Sep 1829 in Ohio Co., KY.  She was buried in the Bells Run Baptist Church Cemetery in Ohio County.  Her death was on 24 July 1897.  To her were born – Sally Ann, Grant A., Barnett, Thomas L., Hannah H., William Allen, Mary & Aretus C.  Two of her great-grandsons were Zack Terrell & Ray Chapman.  Zack was a noted circus operator, at one time he owned the Cole Brothers Circus, the world’s second largest circus.  Raymond Johnson Chapman has the distinction of being the only player ever killed during a Mayor League Baseball game, he was killed by a pitch in 1920; a segment on him appeared in the celebrated documentary on baseball by Ken Burns.

            Ada Priscilla Taylor married Samuel Jackson in Ohio Co., KY on 24 Feb 1828.  She resided in Daviess County, KY.  The location of her grave is not known.  She may have been buried in the Jackson Cemetery in Daviess County.  Her children were – George Cessna, Mary S., Letitia, Lydia Ann, Sarah, John S., Thomas L., & Margaret.

            Jane S. Taylor married Rev. Joseph Perkins Ellis in Ohio Co., KY on 15 Sep 1835.  He was a noted Baptist minister in Ohio & Daviess Cos., KY and founded several local churches including Whitesville and Zion.  A biography and a picture of him & his wife, Jane, was published in the book, A History of the Daviess – McLean Baptist Association in Kentucky, by Rev. Wendell H. Rone (1943, pp263-6).  She died in Whitesville, Daviess Co., KY on 12 Nov 1889 and was buried in the Ellis Cemetery in Ohio County, near Whitesville.  The Owensboro Daily Messenger of 14 Nov 1889 reported “The wife of Rev. J. P. Ellis, of Whitesville, died Tuesday, the 12^th inst., of pneumonia and was buried Wednesday.”  Their children were – William Peyton, Luther C., Sarah M., Rebecca Ann, Margaret E., Nannie J. & Ada Priscilla.

            John Peyton, Jr. married his 1^st cousin Susan Davis about 1833.  He died in Ohio County on 9 Feb 1895 and was buried in the Bells Run Baptist Church Cemetery, his grave is unmarked.  He married a 2^nd time on 1 Aug 1873 when he wed Mrs. Susannah (Neighbors) Langley in Ohio County.  His children, all by his 1^st wife, were – George Washington, Benjamin B., Nancy A., Presley Davis, Lucinda P., Christopher Columbus, Delilah, Sidney S. & Cordelia.  A 3^rd great-grandson is Rex Chapman, a Kentucky basketball star, who from 1988-2000 played in the NBA.

           

            John Peyton Taylor & Mary Davis also raised another child, William F. Taylor.  He was born in 1821-1822.  The marriage bonds of his children report that he was born in Shelby County, KY.  His relationship to John Peyton Taylor has not been learned.  From early childhood he was reared in the home of John Peyton Taylor.  A child of his age appears in the home of John P. Taylor in the 1830 census.  Shortly after William F. Taylor came of age he was deeded 82½  acres of land for $1.00 by John P. Taylor on 28 Nov 1844 (Ohio Co. deed book I, p389).  In an Ohio County, KY Circuit Court suit (#1077) involving the sale of the John Peyton Taylor slaves, William F., gave testimony, on 31 May 1850.  He said:  “That he is now about 28 or 29 years of age, that he was raised by John P. Taylor and always resided in his family until about two years before his death and during that time he lived within about a mile of his house…”  In the interviews of hundreds of descendants of John Peyton Taylor & William F. Taylor (including his last surviving granddaughter) no additional clues on his relationship to the Taylor family could be learned.  William F. died at Adaburg in Ohio County on 15 March 1891.  He married Elizabeth Jane Pate in Ohio County on 27 Aug 1846.  To them were born – John Peyton, Squire Littlegrove/ “Grove”, William Henry, James M., Samuel Franklin, Sallie Mary, Margaret Priscilla, Jesse Calep, Lee & Joseph Thomas.  Margaret Priscilla Taylor married John Howard Long and they are this writer’s great-grandparents. 

Published:  Kentucky Family Records, Vol.25, West-Central Kentucky Family Research Association (Utica, KY: McDowell Publications, 2001), 33-40.

Addenda by Jerry Long:  Appearing in numerous family tree files published on the Internet there are two fallacies that I would like to draw attention to. One is attributing William F. Taylor (c-1821-1891) with the middle name of Ferdinand. When I first began researching in 1979 I shared with a Taylor cousin a tentative outline (theory) that listed our ancestor possibly as “William Ferdinand Taylor”.  I had thought this possible because I found a Ferdinand Taylor (1877-1950) among the descendants of John Peyton Taylor. After becoming a more experienced researcher I realized that there was far from sufficient evidence to deduct this. It is a too far a leap to make a guess based on only this one instance.  After years of researching the children, grandchildren, great and great-great-grandchildren of John Peyton Taylor (died 1847) nowhere is else is the name of Ferdinand found. Basing a theory only on names beginning with ‘F’ there is more probability for a guess that his middle name is Franklin. I have longed regretted making this error of not differentiating fact from guessing. Many researchers are now listing William F. Taylor (c1821-1891) as the son of John Peyton Taylor & his wife, Mary Davis or of his son, Thomas Littlegrove Taylor (1795-1878) & his wife, Cassandra Van Cleave. These conclusions are totally contradicted by the family bible record published here and by the hundreds of pages that enumerate the children of John Peyton Taylor or of his son, Thomas Littlegrove Taylor, that are to be found in the Ohio County estate files, circuit court suits and deed books.

Source: Jerry Long, Owensboro, KY

John Peyton Taylor Family Record - Part 1

We are very lucky to have this significant research paper contributed to us by Jerry Long, a genealogist from Owensboro.  It is nine pages in total so I will post in in two parts.

                 John Peyton Taylor Family Record

By Jerry Long, Owensboro, KY, c2001

The following family record was copied on 21 May 1980 from records in the possession of the late Lamar Chapman (1921-1990), of Pleasant Ridge, KY & by his widow, Audrey Whitehouse Chapman (1923-1997).  The data was on eight very yellowed and brittle pieces of paper.  The papers had been passed down in Mr. Chapman’s family several generations.  They contained data on the children of his 3^rd great-grandparents, John Peyton Taylor & Mary Davis and 2^nd great-grandparents, Thomas L. Taylor & Sally L. McCrocklin.  Mr. Chapman was the son of Archie Bruce Chapman (1895-1969) & Essie Kate Jeffries, grandson of Joseph F. Chapman & Mary Lou Taylor (1867-1949), and great-grandson of George Warren Taylor (1840-1914) & Susan E. Walker. 

                                    Births                                                              Deaths

John P. Taylor, Sr. was born date unknown               departed this life 28 Sep 1847

                                                                                    supposed to be about 80 years old

Mary Taylor wife of the above was born                    departed this life on 18 April 1861

            26 January 1772                                              3 o’clock A.M.,

      aged 89 years - 2 mos – 22 days

Ann Taylor 1^st daughter of the above was                  departed this life 8 August 1866

            born 27 September 1793                                 age 72 years – 10 mos – 20 days

Thomas L. Taylor 1^st son of the above was                departed this life 18 July 1878

            born 10 August 1795                                      age 82 years – 11 mos – 8 days

Matilda Taylor 2^nd daughter of the above                  

            was born 15 January 1797

Mary B. Taylor 3^rd daughter of the above

            was born 3 July 1798

Elizabeth D. Taylor 4^th daughter of the above            departed this life 11 March 1878

            was born 7 May 1800

Benjamin B. Taylor 2^nd son of the above                    departed this life 26 May 1850

            was born 15 February 1802                            aged 48 years – 3 mos – 11days

Sally P. Taylor 5^th daughter of the above                   departed this life 9 October 1876

            was born 1 October 1804                                aged 73 years – 9 days

Lucinda Taylor 6^th daughter of the above

            was born 23 February 1807

Ady P. Taylor 7^th daughter of the above                    departed this life 16 April 1871

            was born 30 April 1809                                  aged 61 years – 11 mos – 14 days

Jane S. Taylor 8^th daughter of the above

            was born 3 August 1811

John P. Taylor 3^rd son of the above

            was born 25 July 1813

[2^nd generation – family of Thomas L. Taylor:]

John S. Taylor, 1^st son of Thomas, was born

24 September 1821 (by first wife)

Hiram V. Taylor 2^nd son of the above was born         departed this life 27 June 1824

            20 September 1823 (by first wife)

Sally L. Taylor 2^nd wife of the above was born          departed this life 7 March 1881

            5 June 1807                                                     aged 74 years – 8 mos – 23 days

Squire L. Taylor 1^st son of the above was

            born 4 September 1827

Cassandra Taylor 1^st daughter of the above               departed this life on 23 April 1864

            was born 23 May 1829                                   aged 34 years – 11 mos

Jessie Mc Taylor 2^nd son of the above was                 departed this life on 25 Feb 1889

            born 19 May 1831                                           aged 57 years – 9 mos – 6 days

Benjamin W. Taylor 3^rd son of the above was           

            born 26 March 1833

Richard D. Taylor 4^th son of the above was               departed this life on 9 October 1872

            born 24 March 1835                                        aged 37 years – 6 mos – 15 days

Lucinda Taylor 2^nd daughter of the above

            was born 13 April 1837

Mary P. Taylor 3^rd daughter of the above

            was born 15 May 1839

George W. Taylor 5^th son of the above was

            born 12 February 1841

Lydia J. Taylor 4^th daughter of the above

            was born 19 January 1844

James T. Taylor 6^th son of the above was

            born 14 June 1846

Henry P. Taylor 7^th son of the above was

            Born 23 January 1849

                                           Marriage Family Record

John P. Taylor was married to Mary Davis 10 January 1793

Thomas L. Taylor 1st son of the above was married to Cassandra Van Cleave 22 Dec

                  1818 and she departed this life 27 June 1824 and was born 10 Sept 1802

                  and he was married to Sally McCrocklin 12 Oct 1826 , 2nd wife

John S. Taylor was married to Miss Nancy Phillips 12 January 1847

Squire L. Taylor was married to Miss Mary E. Sinnett 9 December 1851

Cassandra Taylor was married to Eli Martin 30 December 1851

Benjamin W. Taylor was married to Miss Matilda Hinton 27 November 1853

Jessie Mc Taylor was married to Miss Susan Mercer 20 April 1854

Loucinda Taylor was married to Mr. Grant Johnson 24 July 1855

Richard D. Taylor was married to Miss Rachael Bozarth 19 December 1855

Mary P. Taylor was married to George M. Martin 28 February 1864

George W. Taylor was married to Miss Susan E. Walker 9 October 1864

James T. Taylor was married to Chloe Martin 8 December 1867

Lydia J. Taylor was married to Mr. Joseph C. Westerfield 21 November 1869

Henry P. Taylor was married to Miss Matilda F. Hinton 6 October 1872

Additional notes from the research of Jerry Long:

        On 14 May 1980 on a visit to the Kentucky Historical Society Library in Frankfort I discovered a manuscript entitled “History of The Van Cleave Family, The McMullen Family, The Taylor Family”.  After 21 years of family research it still ranks as one of the best genealogical gold mines I have found.  Errett Van Cleave of San Francisco, CA compiled it in 1946; he donated a copy to the library two years later.  Most of the manuscript was based on notes left by his uncle, James William Van Cleave (1845-1925), of Montgomery County, IN.  James William was a son of John Peyton Van Cleave & Marjorie Jane McMullen, grandson of Benjamin S. Van Cleave & Matilda B. Taylor, and great-grandson of John Peyton Taylor & Mary Davis.  The manuscript contained an 11-page chapter entitled “History of the Taylor Family”.  The following are some facts contained therein:  John Peyton Taylor was the son of John Taylor & Ada Parker, her mother was Ada Peyton Parker, who was of an English noble family.  His father, John Taylor, had brothers Ben, who lived in Maryland, & Rafel (sic? - may have been Bazel), one of his sisters may have married  an Arnington/Arrington.  “John Payton Taylor had black eyes, his wife had blue eyes, fair skin, sandy hair.”  He lived in Fairfax County, VA, near Alexandria.  He worked as an overseer on several plantations, including that of Governor Fairfax, who had owned 25 slaves.  He had been on hunts with General Washington and served in his army during the Revolution.  He was at the battle of Yorktown, when Cornwallis surrendered and served there as one of the General’s aids-de-camp.  He had also fought in Braddock’s Army when he marched against the Indians and the French.  John Peyton Taylor married twice.  His first wife died soon after their marriage; she had no children.  His son, Tommy, after his service in the War of 1812, went to Kentucky.  He came back and gave a very favorable report of it, describing it as a paradise.  His father soon moved the family to Kentucky.

        John Peyton Taylor is somehow related to a John Taylor, who resided in Prince Georges County, Maryland, where in 1714 he purchased a plantation called “Little Grove”.  The strongest indication of this is the appearance of the unusual name of Littlegrove among the descendants of John Peyton Taylor.  The middle name of his son, Thomas L. Taylor (1795-1878) was “Littlegrove” according to a great-grandson, Henry Protis Taylor (1904-1991), who stated that his father, Ollie Littlegrove Taylor (1880-1957) was named in part for his grandfather Thomas Littlegrove Taylor.  A son of Thomas L. was christened Squire Littlegrove and another member of the family also bore the name Squire Littlegrove Taylor. 

        In the Prince Georges County deeds it is recorded that on 1 Sep 1714 John Taylor, a planter, purchased a tract called Little Grove from Murphy Ward, of the same county.  It consisted of 90 acres and a house on the west side of Pattuxent River.  In Settlers of Maryland, 1679-1700 Murphy Ward, Calvert County, MD, is listed as acquiring a tract called “Little Groves”, 91 acres, on 10 Jan 1696.  Research by Ginger Taylor (no address given) posted on the message board of the Prince Georges County, Maryland “GenWeb” Internet page reports that John Taylor was married to Eunise and moved to “Little Groves” in Prince Georges Co. in 1714 and was previously a resident of Charles County, MD.  She states that John was the son of Thomas Taylor, b.1654, who was married to Annie and who received from his father, John, and his remarried mother Elizabeth Bonner, a 200 acre farm in Charles County, MD called Batchelor’s Delight.  Described as on Petit’s Creek to Taylor’s creek to Weekes branch near land of Rick Smith.  Thomas of Batchelor’s Delight also was the father of Thomas, Jr., who was born 3 March 1694 and who was married to Barbara.

        John Taylor, of Prince Georges County, MD, appears to have resided on Little Grove until his death in 1738.  On 17 Jan 1736 John wrote his will and it was recorded on 29 Nov 1738 (Maryland Calendar of Wills, Vol.VIII, pp29-30).  He bequeathed to his wife, Unice - 30 acres with the dwelling, to son John – 30 acres south of the dwelling, to son James – 30 acres, & to son Thomas & daughters, Mary & Ann – personalty.  Richard Parker, Thomas Blanford Sr. & John Blanford witnessed his will.  Later records have been found in which his sons, John Jr. & Thomas, refer to the Little Grove tract. 

        On 22 March 1763 “John Taylor Junior” of Prince Georges County, MD sold to Thomas Wall (or Hall), 30 acres, part of tract called Little Grove.  His wife, Priscilla, ratified the deed.  James William Van Cleave wrote that John Peyton Taylor was the son of John Taylor & Ada Parker.  Could Priscilla be Ada Parker?  John P. & Mary Taylor named one of their daughters, Ada Priscilla, and several other descendants had the same name.  In the 1790 & 1800 censuses of Prince Georges County, MD a Priscilla Taylor is listed, she possibly could be the widow of John Taylor, Jr.  Thomas Taylor, son of the John Taylor, Sr., who owned Little Grove in Prince Georges County, MD, later lived in Fairfax County, VA.  On 11 June 1777 Thomas Taylor, of Fairfax County, VA wrote a will and it was recorded on 21 July 1777 (Fairfax County Will Book D-1, p14, on p43 of the same book an inventory of his estate is recorded).  To his son, Thomas, he bequeathed his part of a tract of land lying in Prince Georges County, MD, known by the name of Little Grove.  To Thomas, Jr. he also left the plantation that he was living on and appointed him the executor of his estate.  His will named 12 other children, sons – Richard, John, Bazel & Benjamin Bassick/?Basset Taylor; daughters – Barbara Stuart, Mary Ann Club, Sarah, Cloeann, Eunis, Milord, Arrybeckey & Drusilla Taylor.  The names of Bazel, Benjamin B. & Cloeann are found several times in the family of John Peyton Taylor.

        John Peyton Taylor was born between 1760-1765 according to census reports of 1810, 1820, 1830 & 1840.  He appears in the 1810 census of Fairfax County, VA (p221).  In addition to himself and his wife, 9 others were reported to be in his household, their ages correspond exactly to the ages of his first 9 children listed in the preceding family record.  He was also reported to be the owner of 6 slaves.  “John P.” & Mary Taylor on 11 Oct 1814 served as witnesses on the will of Yelverton Reardon, written and recorded in Fairfax County.  About 1817 he moved his family to Shelby County, KY, where 2 of his children were married in 1818.  He lived along Bullskin Creek.  He is listed as John P. Taylor in the 1820 census of Shelby County, KY (p155).  Enumerated near him were his son, Thomas L. Taylor and several members of the Van Cleave family.  Four of his children married Van Cleaves while the family resided in Shelby County.  Three of these, Matilda B., Mary B.& Benjamin B., during the latter part of the 1820’s were among a large contingent of Shelby County families who relocated to Montgomery County, IN.  Many of them were inter-connected through the Van Cleaves.  In addition to the numerous Van Cleave families other family names, which migrated there included – Taylor, Davis, McMullen, Carson, Allen & Kerns.

        In 1823 John P. Taylor moved to Ohio County, KY, were he spent the remainder of his life.  He first appears there in the tax lists in 1823 and is listed in each successive list through 1847 – in all but one year he is identified as “John P.”  In the 1830 (p247) & 1840 (p130) Ohio County censuses he was listed similarly.  When he first arrived in the county he owned four slaves, in 1830 he had four & in 1840 five.  At his death in 1847 he owned seven blacks and 576 acres on Panther Creek.  He left no will, however, in the Ohio County estate files, settlement books & deed books there are a multitude of pages filed in relation to the settlement of his estate.  Several of these documents record the names of his heirs – his widow, Mary, and their 11 children.  Concerning the sale of the 7 slaves owned by his estate a suit was filed in the Ohio County Circuit Court.  This case (file #1077)  names the above 11 children as well as the names and ages of his slaves.

-to be continued-

1879 Visit to Ohio County

I'm not certain about any of this but think the following newspaper article was written by Allen B. Miller. He mentions his brother, A. J., and that would be Andrew Jackson Miller. They have visited their brother, Richard Howard Miller.  Also mentioned is sister Martha (Miller) Wilson and sister Sarah (Miller) Jaminson [sic Jarnagin?]. I think their parents were Andrew Reed Miller (1797-1857) and Mary Jane Howard. This article was published in the Hartford Herald 11 Jun 1879.

Diana/Diannah (Atherton) Howard

Diana/Diannah (Atherton) Howard

Diannah (Atherton) Howard was born about 1775, the daughter of John Atherton, Sr. and Sarah (Sally) Osgood. She died in 1834 in Ohio County, Kentucky, at the age of 59. Diannah first married Robert Howard (1775 – 1809) about 1798 and she had eight children from her first marriage. Her second husband was William B. Leach and they had one child. She married William Brooks Leach on February 16, 1815, in Ohio County, Kentucky.  Diannah had a daughter, Susan, by her marriage to Robert Howard, and Susan Howard is mentioned in her step-father's (Leach) Will.

FIRST MARRIAGE: CHILDREN OF ROBERT HOWARD AND DIANA ATHERTON:

1. THOMAS HOWARD born before 1794 and died about 1850; married SARAH ATHERTON who was the daughter of AARON AHERTON and CHRISTINA. SARAH was born in KY. They are found in the Alexander County, IL census of 1820.

From Pulaski County, IL Genealogy Notes, Volume 1, 1988: SHILOH CHURCH............In Alexander County it was English Baptists who had apparently settled in New York in colonial times, moved to Owensboro, KY, on the Ohio River, lived there for a generation, when the more venturesome followed the lure of the river and of the West and came to Alexander County about on hundred strong. One historian described them as a Church settlement consisting of AARON ATHERTON, 80 years old, his three sons, Aaron, John C. and Samuel, and their sons, Aaron, Nathaniel, and Talbot, and sons-in-law, Giles Whitaker, Martin Atherton, William and Aaron Biggerstaff, Warford, Henry Johnson, Langhame, D. Hollingshead and THOMAS HOWARD, together with other relative and friends. The company was about the size of the Pilgrim Colony as there were nine families of the Athertons and their relatives that came here together, at the same time. Their method of coming here has not been set down in history books, but living descendants from the Atherton line say they came by boat down the river. With settlement so large in number the need for a church was great. Therefore, on October 17, 1817, under the leadership of James P. Edwards and THOMAS HOWARD and Thomas P. Green, the Shiloh Baptist Church was organized. For almost a quarter of a century, this was the only organized church and burying ground of any kind south of Jonesboro, IL. The people met and worshiped in houses until the first log church was built in 1820. As the people grew in number the need for a larger church was felt and thus a larger frame church was erected in 1852. The deed was given to THOMAS HOWARD, Clerk of Shiloh Church and his successors by AARON ATHERTON and his wife CHRISTINA ATHERTON, for the church ground, dated May 13, 1921 and recorded in the Recorder's office of Alexander County, IL, in Book A and B, page 354 and describes the parcel of land.

From History of Families Alexander County, Illinois, Vol. 1, 1989: WILLIAM BIGGERSTAFF was the eldest son of Thomas Biggerstaff and his first wife, born 1796, in KY. ELZABETH ATHERTON was the daughter of Aaron Atherton and Christina Atherton. She was born 1796 in KY. Her sister, Sarah married THOMAS HOWARD.  WILLIAM and ELIZABETH ATHERTON were married Nov. 14, 1811 in Ohio County, KY by the Rev. Lon Jackson. Bondsman was Aaron Atherton. As they were married, they then came to Illinois with the settlement of Aaron Atherton's in the years 1815 and 1816. The Shiloh Baptist Church is located on Rt. 51, two miles West of Villa Ridge. Looking at land records it can be seen that the families were located on both sides of the Cache River, some in Alexander County and some in Pulaski County. SOURCE: Weldon Whiteaker, Schaumburg Illinois Letter on file.

2. NANCY HOWARD born 23 Sept 1798, Ohio County, KY and died 27 Jul 1877, Prentiss, Ohio County, KY; married Joseph Shultz.

3. SARAH "SALLY" HOWARD born after 1800, Ohio County, KY and died about 1870, Ohio County, KY. Married Aaron Biggerstaff who was born in Muhlenberg County, KY.  Aaron was the son of Thomas Biggerstaff and Mary Young. Thomas Biggerstaff lived on land South of the Green River and had it surveyed and claimed Sept. 1795. Aaron's Mother died shortly after his birth. His father remarried in 1903. Aaron's sister Mary married MOSES ATHERTON. The Biggerstaff and Atherton families appear to be closely connected. SOURCE: Ancestry Entry: 1238 Ancestry.com. Date of marriage for Sarah and Aaron Biggerstaff was 20 Jan 1822 in Alexander County, Illinois They are enumerated in the 1820 Alexander County Census between William Biggerstaff and Moses Atherton. It appears that Aaron Atherton, John Atherton, William Biggerstaff, Thomas Howard, Moses Atherton, Samuel Atherton and Martin Atherton are living in the same community.  Sarah and Aaron did a lot of buying and selling of land. They migrated to Arkansas. Their son Aaron Biggerstaff, III was born in Ark. SOURCE: HERZOG, ENTRIES 1239 at ANCESTRY.COM.

4. NATHANIEL HOWARD born about 1800, Ohio County, KY an died about 1865, Ohio County, KY. First married Eliza Steward in Ohio County KY; second married Eliza Fentress, the daughter of John Fentress. They then lived in Muhlenberg County KY.

5. SAMUEL HOWARD born about 1801, Ohio County, KY and died in 1834 after contracting cholera on a flat boat trip to New Orleans. Married Nancy Montgomery who was born 1805 in Maryland and died 1875 in McClean County, KY She was the daughter of Thomas Montgomery. Samuel Howard died in 1834 after contracting Cholera on a flat boat trip to New Orleans leaving Nancy with: Robert, Martin, Nathaniel, John and Samuel. A second marriage for Nancy was recorded to AARON ATHERTON on 7 June 11842 in Daviess County, KY. They had another 6 children: Eliza, Delilah Jane, Susan Ann, James M., William, and Sophia Irene Atherton. SOURCE ATHERTON FAMILY BIBLE. Thomas Howard (probably the first-born child) became guardian of Samuel Howard and his younger brother, Martin Howard.

6. SUSANNA (SUSAN) HOWARD born 15 Feb 1806, Ohio County, KY and died 11 Aug 1870, Ohio County. She is identified in a will written October 9, 1834 and probated March 7, 1853. The will was written by William B. Leach (the second husband of Diana Howard) and son Nathaniel Howard was a witness to this will: "To step-daughter Susan Howard, one second-rate cow and calf, one yearling colt, one bed and furniture, and ewe and lamb." KENTUCKY WILLS, page 171-172. Susan (Susanna) married James W. Wilson (1804-1899). Probably lived in Ohio County, KY.  Ohio County Court records (July 1815) show that William B. Leach was appointed guardian of Susanna and Elizabeth Howard.

7. MARTIN HOWARD born 10 Jan 1807, Ohio County, KY and died 11 Aug 1870, Ohio County.

8. ELIZABETH HOWARD born 15 Feb 1809, Ohio County, KY, died 20 Jan 1886, McLean County, KY; married Erasmus Benton 27 March 1830.

SECOND MARRIAGE: CHILDREN OF WILLIAM BROOKS LEACH AND DIANA ATHERTON HOWARD:

1. WILLIAM HOWARD LEACH born about 1817, Ohio County, KY and died about 1900 in Indian Territory (Oklahoma).  He married Mary Ann Thomas 18 Jun 1840 in Ohio County and they had six children: Nathaniel (1843-1907), Margaret (1849-1907), John Talbert (1852-1941), Florence Ellen (1854- ), David J. (1856-1920), and James R. (1859- ).  William Howard is found living in Ohio County in the 1850 and 1860 census but probably moved during the Civil War era. I found his middle initial on the birth records of his son John T. and daughter Florence Ellen. I found a deed in Ohio County dated 1873 that describes property that “was Willed to Nathaniel by his grandfather, William B. Leach.”

Primary Source: Lucy Howard Strait - 2005