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Below is a family biography included in the Biographical Review Volume of Biographical Sketches of The Leading Citizens of Hampshire County, Massachusetts published by Biographical Review Publishing Company in 1896.  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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HIRAM TAYLOR, who is a well-to-do farmer of Middlefield, was born in this county, December 16, 1818, son of Worcester and Phoebe (Loveland) Taylor. The father, who was a native of the county, throughout his life was engaged in farming, in which he was unusually successful. He was Captain of a military company; and he died on June 6, 1826. His wife, also born in the county, died on the same day and month, but fifty-nine years later, having attained the age of eighty-nine. Their union was made happy by the birth of four sons and a daughter: Worcester, Hiram, Lewis, Caroline, and Royal. Both parents were members of the Congregational church, in which they were zealous workers.

Hiram Taylor, who at his father’s death was but eight years old, was then put out with the family of Deacon Gamwell, with whom he lived until he was twenty-one years of age. At that time he got possession of the old homestead by purchasing the rights of the other heirs, and with his mother he has resided there since. He deals quite extensively in stock, and makes a specialty of fattening and shipping cattle to market. His stock is mostly short-horn and Hereford. He now owns about seven hundred acres of land, the larger part of which is divided between pasturage and meadow. Not until after his mother’s death and he was well advanced in years did Mr. Taylor seek a wife. On November 1, 1889, he was married to Miss Carrie Porter. She was born on September 17, 1853, and is a daughter of Theodore Porter, a native of Hatfield, Mass., who is now residing in Florence, where he is profitably engaged in farming.

Mr. Taylor is a loyal Republican and an ardent advocate of the principles of his party. Among the offices of trust and responsibility which he has filled may be mentioned those of Constable and Collector for eight years. Assessor for six years; and for three years he has served as a delegate to the State Board of Agriculture. In 1893 he was sent by his district as a Representative to the State legislature. For upward of fifty years Mr. Taylor has been a communicant of the Congregational church, which for a long time he has served as Deacon and Trustee, and has always been one of its most liberal supporters.

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This family biography is one of the numerous biographies included in the Biographical Review Volume of Biographical Sketches of The Leading Citizens of Hampshire County, Massachusetts published in 1896. 

View additional Hampshire County, Massachusetts family biographies here: Hampshire County, Massachusetts Biographies

View a map of 1901 Hampshire County, Massachusetts here: Hampshire County Massachusetts Map

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