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Below is a family biography included in The History of Dyer County, Tennessee published by Goodspeed 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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William Taylor, a resident and farmer of the Sixth District, was born in Madison County, Tenn., May 23, 1841, and was one of nine children, seven of them still living, born to B. M. and Dicy (Williams) Taylor. Mr. Taylor’s father was born in Smith County, Tenn., December 23, 1811. His parents moved to Madison County when he was eleven years old. He remained there until 1847, when he moved to Gibson County, where he is now farming. Mr. Taylor’s mother was born near Carthage, Smith Co., Tenn., and is still living. Mr. Taylor received his education chiefly at Andrew College at Trenton, Tenn. June, 1861, he enlisted in Company H, Twelfth Tennessee Infantry, Confederate Army, under Capt. Benjamin Sanford, and participated in the battles of Belmont and Shiloh, where he was badly wounded in the hand, and disabled from active service. December, 1864, he married Miss Elizabeth, daughter of John I. and Cynthia McRee. She was born in Carroll County, August 1844, and died June 1, 1870, and left two children: Ben S. and Helen A. Soon after his marriage, Mr. Taylor was in the milling business with his father, then went to Trenton and engaged in the drug business, then moved to Dyer County, and built the mill, at Newbern, that W. G. Parker now owns. He remained there three years, then moved to his farm four and a half miles west of Newbern. October 9, 1872, he married Frances E., daughter of Alfred and Mary Enoch. She was born in Davidson County, February 14, 1844, and they have six children: Elizabeth V., Albert S., Mary D., Joseph W., Francis and Mettie I. In 1876 he was elected magistrate of the district. Mr. Taylor is a Democrat, and a strong advocate of prohibition, and is a very temperate man in all his habits, never having even tasted liquor or tobacco in any form.

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This family biography is one of 128 biographies included in The History of Dyer County, Tennessee published in 1887 by Goodspeed.  The History of Dyer County was included within The History of Gibson, Obion, Dyer, Weakley & Lake Counties of Tennessee. For the complete description, click here: History of Gibson, Obion, Dyer, Weakley, and Lake Counties of Tennessee

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