Biography of William Taylor, St Francis County, AR

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Submitted by: Paul V Isbell
        Date: 22 Jan 2009
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
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William Taylor, in his association with the affairs of this county, has come to
be recognized as one of the prominent farmers. Born in Alabama, in 1830, he is a
son of Joseph and Susan (Levesque) Taylor, and growing up was reared principally
in Alabama, receiving a good education, for the times, in the common schools. At
the age of twenty he commenced farming for himself of rented land, and in 1852,
removed with his father to Western Tennessee, where he remained for only one
year, then going to Panola County, Mississippi. He worked at the carpenter trade
for a few years in that county, and in 1859, came to Cross County (then Poinsett
County), Arkansas, locating in what is now Mitchell Township. At first renting
land until 1866, he then bought 80 acres on Crowley's Ridge, but in 1871, he
sold this place and bought his present estate, consisting of 160 acres, with
twenty five under cultivation. He has also cleared up some seventy-five acres of
fine bottom land, and has a spendid frame house close to the village of Cherry
Valley. Besides his farming interests he is in the carpentering trade. In 1861,
Mr. Taylor enlisted on the side of the Confederacy, in the Thirteenth Arkansas
Infantry, serving in the Tennessee Division. He acted as wagon master for some
time, and took part in the battles of Murfreesboro, Chickamauga, Missionary
Ridge and Dalton, Ga. After the last battle, he came west and joined Gen.
Price's command as first lieutenant in a cavalry regiment, remaining with him on
his raid through Missouri, in 1864 and 1865. Mr. Taylor has been married twice;
first in 1851, to Mary C. Murphy, a native of Alabama, who died in 1871, leaving
five children (three now living): Julia O. (wife of P. C. Crumpton), Frederick
P. (deceased), W. C. (deceased), John M. (clerk in the Commercial Hotel in St.
Louis, Mo. ), and James P. (deceased, who was killed in a storm while riding
through the woods, and having a tree fall on and killing him). Mr. Taylor was
married the second time, in 1872, to Mrs. Emma C. Brinkley (nee Stevens),
daughter of James and Rachel (Stovall) Stevens, of Tennessee nativity. By this
union are five children, (four living): Robert N., Charles (deceased), Rachel,
Maud and Lillie (twins). Mr. & Mrs. Taylor are members of the Methodist
Episcopal Church, as was also his first wife. He is a Royal Arch Mason, and
belongs to Arcada Lodge No. 183, in which he holds the office of Senior Warden.
Mr. Taylor is also connected with the I. O. O. F. . and the K. of H. A strong
Democrat, he is a liberal donator to all church, educational, and charitable
objects. 

Goodspeed Memoirs and Biograhies-1890