The Taylor Genealogy

The surname Taylor is occupational, designating families of English, Scottish, Irish, or Welsh origin who are descended from men who worked as tailors. Our own Taylor family were settlers in Virginia and Kentucky. Unfortunately we know little of our Taylor line, which commences with a certain Kentucky settler named Henry Taylor (1774-1850). The following account of our Taylor ancestors is based on a handful of online family trees, augmented and documented with primary sources that I obtained through my own research.

1. HENRY TAYLOR, parentage and ancestry unknown, born 14 Feb. 1774 in Woodford County, Kentucky (then Virginia), died 27 July 1850 in Jefferson County, Kentucky, buried in the Taylor Family Cemetery in Fisherville, Jefferson County, Kentucky. Nothing is known of where in Virginia Henry had come from, but he had settled in Shelby County, Kentucky (then a part of Virginia), by the early 1790s. Henry apparently married twice. By his first wife, (NN), whom he would have married circa 1792, Henry had a son. Henry's first wife presumably died circa 1795. He then remarried on 7 Aug. 1798 in Woodford County, Kentucky, to FRANCES DALE ("Fanny"), born 3 Oct. 1780 in North Farnham Parish, Richmond County, Virginia, died 27 May 1857 (or Aug. 1857) in Fisherville, Jefferson County, Kentucky, buried in the Taylor Family Cemetery in Fisherville, Jefferson County, Kentucky, daughter of George and Hannah Dale. Henry and Frances had at least two sons and four daughters (and almost certainly other children besides those).

Henry Taylor's signature, from his 6 Aug. 1798 marriage license. Henry miswrote his signature, perhaps not being accustomed to the use of cursive, so that his name (elsewhere written on the license as "Henry") looks something like "Hadley."

Old records give four different (but similar) dates for the marriage of Henry and Frances. The Kentucky Compiled Marriages Index says "Henry Taylor" and "Fanny Dale" married 6 June 1798 in Woodford County, Kentucky, but that date is clearly a misreading of the date(s) found in early records. A contemporary handwritten index of Woodford County marriages says Henry and Fanny were married by Carter Tarrant on 1 Aug. 1798. That index entry also misstates their date of marriage, because the printed record of the issuance of their marriage license says their license was issued on 6 Aug. 1798, which means they could not have married before then. (It is probably the date of their marriage license, 6-8-1798, that was misread as 6-6-1798, resulting in the erroneous date in the Kentucky Compiled Marriages Index.) Finally, "A list of Marriages celebrated by me Since the 10th. day of February 1798" drawn up by Carter Tarrant says he married Henry Taylor and Fanny Dale on "7th. August 1798," which was the day after the marriage license was issued.

The original marriage record of Henry Taylor and Fanny Dale shows that they were married by Carter Tarrant on 7 Aug. 1798. That was one day after Henry obtained license to marry. A later registry page, however, misstates the date of marriage as 1 Aug. 1798, obviously a misreading of Carter Tarrant's "7."

Information on the births of their children indicate that Henry and Fanny lived in the Kentucky counties of Shelby, Woodford, and Jefferson. Henry does not appear in the 1800 U.S. Census, and there are six Henry Taylors listed in the 1810 U.S. Census for Kentucky: two of them were in Ohio, Ohio County, two of them were in Flemingsburg, Fleming County, one was in Lancaster, Garrard County, and one was in Washington County. Presumably our Henry is one of those six. Our Henry Taylor and his family are certainly enumerated in the 1820 U.S. Census, when they were living in Shelby County -- at that time, Henry's household consisted of one free white male aged 10-15 (probably Henry's son George), one free white male aged 16-18 (probably Henry's son Allen), one free white male aged 16-25 (perhaps Henry's son Vincent, or a hired farmhand), one free white male aged 45 and over (Henry himself), two free white females aged under 10 (Henry's daughters Mary Ann and Ellen), and one free white female aged 26-44 (Henry's wife Fanny), for a total of six free white persons. Henry's daughter Phebe was not enumerated in his household that year because she had married in 1819. Another fascinating detail of the 1820 enumeration of Henry's household is that just 10 lines down the same page is the enumeration of the household of "George Pomroy," whose sister Elizabeth was the mother of Margaret Boyle, who was in turn the mother of Samuel Queary Reaugh (below), husband of Henry Taylor's daughter Phebe.

Ten years later, in the 1830 U.S. Census for Shelby County, Henry's household consisted of one free white male aged 50-59 (Henry himself), one free white female aged 5-9 (probably Henry's daughter Jane), one free white female aged 10-14 (probably Henry's daughter Ellen), one free white female aged 15-19 (probably Henry's daughter Mary Ann), and one free white female aged 40-49 (Fanny), for a total of five free white persons. Henry and his household was last enumerated in the 1840 U.S. Census for Shelby County, when his household consisted of only one free white male aged 60-69 (Henry), one free white female aged 10-14 (Jane), and one free white female aged 40-49 (Fanny).

Henry is not enumerated in the 1850 U.S. Census, for he died on 27 July 1850 in Jefferson County, Kentucky, being interred in the Taylor Family Cemetery in Fisherville, near Louisville in Jefferson County. His widow Frances appears in the 1850 U.S. Census (dated 28 Sept. 1850) living in the household of her son Allen Taylor in Jefferson County, Kentucky -- the census gives her age as 73 and says she was born in Virginia. Frances survived Henry by about seven years, dying in the summer of 1857 in Fisherville and being buried next to her husband in the Taylor Family Cemetery. Her gravestone shows her death date as 27 May 1857, but Jefferson County death records for 1857 (for the North District of Jefferson County) show "Francis Taylor," white, aged 78, female, died in August of dropsy, father "William Dale (Taylor)," born in Woodford County, Kentucky, residence Floyd's Fork. Fishervile, where the Taylor farm was located, is situated near Floyd's Fork river. The discrepancy between the gravestone inscription and death records could be due to a mistake on the gravestone, or may be due to the deaths having been recorded later. This record also misidentifies Frances' father, which is a rather common kind of error in death records, as the informants often may not know or may have forgotten the names of the deceased person's parents.

Frances "Fanny" (Dale) Taylor's death record, from a list of 1857 deaths in the North District of Jefferson County, Kentucky, misidentifies her father as William Dale. The surname "Taylor" is added in parentheses after the father's name, presumably to make clear that the second half of the death record on the righthand page of the death register referred to Frances "Taylor."

The gravestone of Henry Taylor and his wife Frances "Fanny" (Dale) Taylor in the Taylor Family Cemetery, Fisherville, Jefferson County, Kentucky. Photo courtesy of Keith Taylor.

The known children of Henry Taylor were:

     --  VINCENT TAYLOR, born 1793 in Shelby County, Kentucky, died 4 Aug. 1869 in Jefferson County, Kentucky, married Ann Shryock.
     2.  PHEBE TAYLOR ("Phoebe"), born 24 Nov. 1800 in Kentucky.
     --  ROBERT ALLEN TAYLOR ("Allen"), born 25 Dec. 1802 in Woodford County, Kentucky, died 15 June 1874 in Jefferson County, Illinois, married Mary Ellen Gilleland.
     --  GEORGE Z. TAYLOR SR., born 20 July 1805 in Jefferson County, Kentucky, died 23 Sept. 1886 in Morgan County, Illinois, married Mary E. "Polly" Tucker.
     --  MARY ANN TAYLOR, born 4 March 1816 in Jefferson County, Kentucky, died 13 April 1903 in McLean County, Kentucky, married George Washington Bryant.
     --  ELLEN TAYLOR, born 1817 in Woodford County, Kentucky, died 1849.
     --  JANE DIMMETT TAYLOR, born 1821 in Woodford County, Kentucky.

2. PHEBE TAYLOR ("Phoebe"), daughter of Henry and Frances Taylor, born 24 Nov. 1800 in Kentucky, died 21 March 1881 in Morgan County, Illinois, buried in Anderson/Sooy Cemetery, rural Murrayville, Illinois. On 19 Sept. 1819 in Shelby County, Kentucky, Phebe married SAMUEL QUEARY REAUGH, son of John and Margaret Reaugh, born 15 Dec. 1798 in Henry County, Kentucky, died 1 Dec. 1845 in Morgan County, Illinois, buried in Anderson/Sooy Cemetery, rural Murrayville, Illinois. There is a degree of uncertainty regarding Samuel's middle name. In several records it is given as "Queary," "Query," or "Querry," but in other records it is given as "Quincy." Most likely "Quincy" is an error and "Queary" is correct, because "Queary" was the maiden name of his paternal grandmother Eleanor. Samuel and Phebe had six sons and four daughters. (In Benjamin J. Gunn's Descendants of Reuben Gunn, Bernard Sweeney, Samuel Reaugh, Rev. James Dunn (1891), Phebe and her husband Samuel Q. Reaugh are recorded on pages 74 and 86, with their 10 children being listed on page 86.)

This marriage record of Shelby County, Kentucky, dated 4 Sept. 1819, shows that Henry Taylor gave written consent for the marriage of his daughter Phebe to Samuel Q. Reaugh. The record was signed by Samuel Q. Reaugh and Allen Taylor. Significantly, Samuel and Phebe gave their first two sons the middle names of Henry and Allen.

Benjamin J. Gunn's 1891 Descendants of Reuben Gunn, Bernard Sweeney, Samuel Reaugh, Rev. James Dunn, page 74, reports that, "It might be interesting to note that the three [Reaugh] brothers -- Charles, John, and Samuel Q. -- were of the same size and weight, often wearing one another's clothes, while the three made a profession of religion and united with the Presbyterian church the same afternoon."

Phebe's husband Samuel was born and raised in Kentucky, and there he married and had several children. In 1829, Samuel moved with his wife and children to Illinois, buying land for a farm in the general area of Murrayville in Morgan County. (Phebe's younger brother George Taylor moved to Morgan County about the same time). "Illinois Land Purchase Records 1813-1909" show that on 6 Feb. 1833, Samuel bought 40 acres of land for $50 (at a price of $1.25 per acre) in Section 11, Township 13N, Range 10W, Meridian 3. He bought another 40 acres of land for $50 (again, at $1.25 per acre) on 5 March 1834 in Section 10, Township 13N, Range 10W, Meridian 3 -- in that land purchase record, his name is given as "Samuel Quincy Reagh." Samuel obtained federal Letters Patent for his land purchases on 22 April 1835 and 18 Sept. 1835 (both signed by President Andrew Jackson) and again on 1 Jan. 1840 (signed by President Martin Van Buren). The Letters Patent of 22 April 1835 describes his land purchase as "the North East quarter of the South East quarter of section Ten in Township Thirteen, North of Range Ten, West, in the district of lands subject to sale Edwardsville Illinois, containing Forty Acres," and gives his name as "Samuel Quirey Reaugh." (No doubt "Quirey" was misread by other clerks and copyists as "Quincy," whereas it actually represents the name "Queary" or "Querry.") Again, in the Letters Patent of 1 Jan. 1840, Samuel's land purchase is described as "the South West quarter of the North East quarter of Section Seven, in Township thirteen North, of Range ten West of the third principle Meridian, in the District of lands subject to sale at Edwardsville, Illinois, containing forty acres," and his name is given as "Samuel Querry Reaugh, of Morgan County Illinois."

Samuel and his family were enumerated in the 1840 U.S. Census of Morgan County, Illinois, which lists "Samuel Ray" (sic), engaged in agriculture, the head of a household of 11 free white persons, consisting of one free white male aged 40-49 (Samuel), one free white female aged 30-39 (Phebe, who was 39 when the registrar visited), one free white male aged 20-29 (William), one free white male aged 15-19 (John), one free white female aged 15-19 (Mariah), two free white males aged 10-14 (Oliver and George), one free white female aged 5-9 (Mary), one free white male aged 5-9 (David), one free white male under the age of 5 (Charles), and one free white female under the age of 5 (Margaret). Samuel and Phebe had also had a daughter, Martha, who died at the age of 2 in 1835.

A couple of years later, Samuel was elected to the office of county coroner, as indicated in Charles M. Eames' book, Historic Morgan and Classic Jacksonville (1885), page 97, which says "Samuel Reaugh" served as Morgan County Coroner from 1842 to 1844. Samuel is also known to have served as a Justice of the Peace, and it is said that none of his rulings were ever appealed. Samuel was not counted in any further U.S. Censuses after 1840, because he died in Dec. 1845 at the age of 46, just 14 days before his 47th birthday. His widow Phebe and children, however, appear in the 1850, 1860, 1870, and 1880 censuses for Morgan County.

About a week before his death, on 24 Nov. 1845, Samuel made his last will and testament, which was signed and witnessed by Samuel's brother Charles Reaugh and Samuel's friend Thomas A. Spillman. Samuel appointed his widow Phebe and their second son, John Allen Reaugh, as his executors. Here is the complete text of Samuel's will:

I Samuel Q Reaugh of the County of Morgan in the State of Illinois do Make and publish my last Will and testament in Manner and form following that is to say

First it is My Will that my funeral Expenses and all my Just debts be fully paid.

Second in relation to the goods and property which God in his providence his (sic - has) Kindly bestowed on me and in the disposition of which I fell (sic - feel) bound to regard his gracious will I give devise and bequeath to My beloved wife, Phebe Reaugh the plantation On which we now reside, Situate in the County of Morgan and State of Illinois aforesaid, and being the East half of the North West quarter of Section eleven in Township thirteen North and Range ten West of the third principal Meridian and containing about Eighty acres during her Natural life, and all tho live Stock horses Cattel Sheep hogs etc by me now owned and kept thereon also the household furniture and other Items not particularly named and otherwise disposed of in this will during her Natural life as aforesaid the Executors having a discretionary power to Make a general Sale or not as they may Judge to be best,

Third, I hereby give devise and bequeath to My son William Henry Reaugh, a Certain tract of land for which I paid five hundred dollars Situate in the County of Morgan and State of Illinois aforesaid and discribed as follows viz The West half of North East quarter of Section Two in Township thirteen North and Range Ten West of the Third principal Meridian The design of this bequest is Such that if in the final division Said Land Should appear to exceed in value his equitable proportion Said William is required to refund So much to the Estate as the rule of Equity may demand.

Fourth, to My Son John Allen Reaugh I hereby give and bequeath One hundred Dollars More than to any of the rest of My Children.

Fifth I hereby require and ordain that in the final division of My property Equal distribution be Made to All My Children Not Named and provided for above Viz Maria Katharine Reaugh, Oliver Perry Reaugh, George Washington Reaugh, Mary Ellen Reaugh, David King Reaugh, Charles Reaugh, Margaret Frances Reaugh, and I further Ordain that the portions herein bequeathed to My daughters above named be Secured to their heirs respectively

And lastly I hereby Constitute and appoint my Said wife Phebe Reaugh and My Said Son John Allen Reaugh to be the Executors for this My last Will and Testament revoking and anulling all former wills by Me Made and ratifying and Confirming this and no other to be My last will and Testament

In testimony Whereof I have hereunto Set my hand and seal this twenty fourth day of November A D One thousand eight hundred and forty five

Samuel Q Reaugh (Seal)

Signed published and declared by the above named Samuel Q Reaugh as and for his last Will and Testament in prefense of us who at his request have Signed as Witnefses to the Same --

Charles Reaugh

Thomas A Spillman

Samuel's will was proved 14 Dec. 1845 in Morgan County Court of Probate, and Phebe and John were duly appointed by the court as executors of Samuel's estate.

The children of Phebe and Samuel were:

     --  WILLIAM HENRY REAUGH, born 8 July 1820 in Kentucky, died 15 July 1868 in Morgan County, Illinois, married twice.
     --  JOHN ALLEN REAUGH, born 19 Dec. 1821 in Kentucky, died 4 June 1875 in Morgan County, Illinois, married Permelia Lindsay.
     --  MARIAH KATHERINE REAUGH, born 25 July 1823 in Kentucky, died 29 Sept. 1858 in Morgan County, Illinois, married David Sooy.
     --  OLIVER PERRY REAUGH, born 5 June 1825 in Henry County, Kentucky, died 1 Aug. 1876 in Murrayville, Morgan County, Illinois, married Julia Ann Anderson.
     --  GEORGE WASHINGTON REAUGH, born 25 Jan. 1827 or 9 Aug. 1828, died 24 Oct. 1907 in Dallas, Texas, married Clarinda Morton Spillman.
     --  MARY ELLEN REAUGH, born 25 Jan. 1827 or 9 Aug. 1828, died 24 Oct. 1919 in Morgan County, Illinois, married Silas G. Slaughter.
     --  DAVID KING REAUGH, born 10 Oct. 1830, died 19 Feb. 1848 in Morgan County, Illinois.
     --  MARTHA J. REAUGH, born 3 May 1833, died 20 Aug. 1835 in Morgan County, Illinois.
     --  CHARLES REAUGH, born 3 March 1835, died 28 Dec. 1854 in Morgan County, Illinois.
     --  MARGARET FRANCES REAUGH, born 4 May 1837 in Morgan County, Illinois.

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