Anderson-Vriese Family Ties

OUR TAYLOR FAMILY HISTORY

compiled by Staci Anderson, December, 2003

JOHN B TAYLOR

(Drawing above of John's wife Elizabeth Jane Taylor of Ireland taken from "Cherished Memories" account. Looks like drawing was made from a photograph but unknown if photo still exists.)

1823 John Taylor was born in Antrim County (Belfast), Ireland.

30 September 1849 in Ireland he married Elizabeth Jane ( b.17Oct 1826 in Antrim County, Ireland. d. 3July1904 in Ashland, Oregon- her death certificate states that her maiden name was also Taylor.)

Around 1850 they emigrated to the US, and settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It took them 6 weeks and 3 days to cross the ocean. (See "Cherished Memories" by Dorothy Vore, Southern Oregon Historical Society.) "Grandfather (John) worked for 9 years in Philadelphia at a carpet weaving establishment to save enough money to take his family by boat to San Francisco (around the Horn). He wanted to come to Jackson County where his brother William had a large ranch of 300 acres west of Neil Creek on Highway 66." They came to Oregon around 1859, crossing the Siskiyou mountains on muleback. Elizabeth Jane carried one child in front of her, and John managed the other children. It is very likely she was pregnant at this time with Lizzie, she was born on December 20th, 1859. The Taylors took up a donation claim of 320 acres on Emigrant Creek 5 miles from Ashland. Here they remained until their death. John and Elizabeth had in total 8 children together: James, Mary, Andrew, Lizzie(see below), Ellen, John A., and William R., and another child who died too early in life.

1860 Census in Jackson County, Oregon in Ashland with 5 children (including Elizabeth, a baby).

01 May 1869 BLM patent cash sale entry in Jackson County for 40 acres for a John B Taylor

1870 Census in Jackson County, Oregon with 7 children.

25 Oct 1872 Homestead Entry in Jackson County for 167.97 acres for John B Taylor

20 May 1873 BLM patent cash sale entry in Jackson County for 31.86 acres for John B Taylor

1880 Census in Jackson County, Oregon with now 5 children.

John died on 8 March 1898 in Ashland, Oregon and is buried at the Dunn Hill Cemetery, next to Emigrant Lake. His tombstone reads: "Earth has no sorrow that Heaven Cannot Heal." Next to him lies his wife, her headstone reads: "The Lord is my Shepherd, I Shall not Want."

(29 Dec 1904 BLM patent cash sale entry in Jackson County for 120 acres for a John B Taylor. Our John died in 1898 so I am not sure if this is done by Elizabeth to settle accounts. However, Elizabeth died on 3 July 1904 so perhaps their estate was being settled....)

ELIZABETH JANE TAYLOR "LIZZIE"

(Elizabeth Jane Taylor bottom right next to brother William Taylor. Top row siblings left to right: Mary, Andrew and Ellen?)

Elizabeth Taylor was born on 20 Dec 1859 just south of Ashland, Oregon on the "Taylor place", near Emigrant Lake. She married Martin Eugene Spencer on 21 Nov, 1881 in Jackson, County, Oregon at the home of John McCalister (her brother-in-law). They had 5 children together: Mona, William, Bertha, Nellie, and M. E. Her husband, Eugene Spencer was a farmer, and together they operated the "Spencer Station" stagecoach stop between Ashland and Linkville (Klamath Falls). Elizabeth was a member of the Presbyterian Church. "Lizzie" as she was called, died on 13 Oct 1943 in Ashland, Oregon, having lived her entire life in Southern Oregon and is buried in Mountain View Cemetery in Ashland. Her last address of residence at her time of death was 263 Seventh Street in Ashland. The cause of death on her death certificate was listed as "chronic myocarditis."