My Genealogy Hound

Joseph Taylor was born in Lawrence County, Ark., January 28, 1823, his parents being William and Mary (Fortenberry) Taylor, whose respective places of birth were Tennessee and Virginia. The father was born in East Tennessee, on Clinch River, near Kingston. The grandfather died at an early age, leaving a widow and two children — William and Nancy. His wife married a short time after the death of her husband, and William was compelled to leave home on account of the ill treatment of his stepfather. At this time, being about seventeen years of age and weighing only 104 pounds, he started for the West. He crossed the Mississippi River not far below the mouth of the Ohio, and located in Cape Girardeau County, near the southern line, on a small stream called White Water. He was wholly illiterate, being unable to read, save a little, while to write his own name was an impossibility. He remained in this country until about the age of twenty-two, and having grown to be a reasonable sized man, he married. He was in this country in time of the earth’s shaking and during the War of 1812. During this time his wife presented him two sons — Milledge and John — and about the year 1816 or 1817 he removed with his wife and family to Arkansas, and located in the woods, on the bank of Strawberry River, a very poor man. He succeeded in procuring lands, on which he erected a building and cleared a farm, and, following the occupation of farming and stock-raising through life, he became a well-to-do man. After he settled here his wife bore four other sons James, Wesley, Joseph, and one that died soon after its birth. The mother died at the same time, leaving Joseph a little over two years of age. The father remained a widower about two years, and married a lady named Lear Williams. This wife became the mother of four children, Nancy, William, Eliga and Elie. The father died at about the age of fifty-five or fifty-six, leaving eight sons and one daughter, all of whom became grown, married and had families, save one son, William, who died single at the age of twenty-two. Joseph was about seventeen years old when his father died. He remained with his step-mother one year, and then lived with his brother until twenty years of age. On November 7, 1843, he married Mary J. Hinderson. They lived together about three years, and she died. During this union they had a son born unto them, named William Alexander (after his grandfather). This son (without consent of his father), at the age of sixteen, joined the Southern army in the fall of 1861, and was killed at Atlanta, Ga. After the death of his wife, Mr. Taylor remained a widower about three years, leading a very reckless life, but, under the influence of his brothers, he was persuaded to marry a second wife, Martha A. Findley, November 7, 1850. This lady was a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, and a devoted Christian. Through the influence of his wife, Mr. Taylor made a profession of religion in September, 1853. The next morning he joined the church to which his wife belonged. Shortly after he was elected and ordained to the office of ruling elder of the Strawberry congregation, which office he has held to the present time. Mr. Taylor lived with his second wife about fourteen years, and she died, after having given birth to five children — John W., Margret A., Sarah W., Melissa A., Matilda E. Mr. Taylor again married, a third time, the lady being a sister of his second wife, and the widow of J. M. Barnett. They had three sons, all of whom are living: Joseph G., Benjamin D. and George W. He lived with this wife about eighteen years, when she died, on the 31st of December, 1883. In 1887 he was married to the widow McHenry, who had one little daughter — Allis McHenry, who is now living with them. Mr. Taylor’s present wife’s maiden name was Crits. Her native State is Virginia. Mr. Taylor is the only one of this branch of the family now living. He is in his sixty-sixth year, and lives at the Jacksonport Crossing, on Strawberry, a place within two miles of where he was born.