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Below is a family biography from the book, History of Kentucky, Edition 7 by J. H. Battle, W. H. Perrin and G. C. Kniffin and published by F. A. Battey Publishing Company in 1887.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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REV. T. F. TALIAFERRO was born in Campbell County, Ky., March 1, 1847, and is the youngest of three children of W. R. and Harriet (McGrew) Taliaferro, the others being W. R., Jr., and Lydia B. Southgate. His father was born in Caroline County, Va., a son of Robert, and his mother was a Miss Taylor, sister of Gen. Taylor, of Virginia. W. R. Taliaferro was always engaged in agricultural pursuits. He moved to Kentucky with his mother in 1814, and settled near Newport, where he still lives, and where the subject of this sketch was born. His mother was born in Kentucky, a daughter of Thomas McGrew, who came to Kentucky at quite an early day. Our subject was educated at the Kentucky Wesleyan College, Mollersburg. In 1870 he commenced to preach the gospel in the Methodist Episcopal Church South, and his first work was the Independence Circuit, of Kenton County, Ky., where he labored in 1871-72; then labored in Owen County in 1872-73; in Bracken County in 1873-74; Petersburg, Boone County, in 1874-75, and then in Perryville, Boyle County. Up to this period he was an undergraduate in conference, and they usually stay but one year in each place. In 1875 Mr. Taliaferro graduated, but remained in Perryville, Boyle County, until 1878. He was then sent to Oldham County, on the Floydsburg Circuit, where he remained until 1881. He next went to Falmouth, the county seat of Pendleton County, where he remained until 1885; thence to Hillsboro, Fleming County, and in 1886 was sent to New Castle, his present field of labor. Mr. Taliaferro is identified with all enterprises looking to the advancement of the material prosperity of the community in which he lives, and in the many places in which he has labored has always been held in the highest esteem. October 30, 1872, he married Miss Mary J. Summers, of Newport, Ky., an educated and accomplished lady, a daughter of George W. Summers, of Nicholas County, Ky. Two children have blessed their union: Maud M. and Hallie B. History is now being made for the future, and, as prohibition is soon to become the great question in Kentucky, and in the Nation, Mr. Taliaferro would like to be put upon record in this sketch on that subject. He has for years been an earnest advocate of the prohibition of, the manufacture and sale of ardent spirits as a beverage, or rather a submission of that question to the vote of the people, believing it to be the curse of our land, and the rock upon which the “ship of State” will finally wreck, unless it is gotten out of the way. He has earnestly advocated this doctrine from pulpit and platform.

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This family biography is one of 55 biographies included in the Owen County, Kentucky section of the book, The History of Kentucky, Edition 7 published in 1887 by F. A. Battey Publishing Company.  For the complete description, click here: History of Kentucky, Edition 7

View additional Owen County, Kentucky family biographies here: Owen County, Kentucky Biographies

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