BIO: Curtin C. TAYLOR, Centre County, Pennsylvania Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Judy Banja & Carolyn Wilkinson Copyright 2005. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/centre/ _______________________________________________ Commemorative Biographical Record of Central Pennsylvania: Including the Counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion: Containing Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens, Etc. Chicago: J. H. Beers, 1898. _______________________________________________ COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD, pages 115-116 CURTIN C. TAYLOR. Among the highly respected and honored citizens of Spring township, Centre county, no one is more worthy of consideration than the gentleman whose name opens this sketch. Here his entire life has been passed, his home having always been within a half mile of his present residence at Pleasant Gap. In that village he was born October 24, 1824, but in the years that have since come and gone he has witnessed many changes in the surrounding country, which was then but sparsely settled and few improvements made. George Taylor, father of our subject, was also a native of Centre county, born in Half Moon township, whence at an early day he removed from Bellefonte, to the foot of the mountain, locating at the place now known as Pleasant Gap, where he kept the toll-gate and conducted a hotel in which our subject was born. He died at Unionville, Penn., twelve miles west of Pleasant Gap, at the ripe old age of eighty-seven years. He was by birth a Friend, and always adhered to the faith of that society. By his wife, Mary Dunlap, he had two children: George (our subject), and Thomas, now a resident of Unionville, Centre county. In the old tavern at Pleasant Gap, Curtin C. Taylor spent the days of his boyhood and youth, and his educational privileges were very limited as the school house nearest to his home was two miles distant. In 1844 he was united in mar- COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD - 136 riage with Miss Harriet Noll, who was born in Dauphin county, Penn., November 26, 1824, a daughter of George and Mary (Smith) Noll, natives of Lebanon and Berks counties, Penn., respectively. Her father lived to the age of seventy- five years, while her mother was sixty-nine years of age at the time of her death. In their family were four children: Harriet, the wife of our subject; John, deceased; Sallie, wife of Henry Harman, of Ross county, Ohio; and Emmanuel, a resident of Sunbury, Penn. Four children - two sons and two daughters - grace the union of Mr. and Mrs. Taylor, as follows: (1) George, an iron molder, living in Bellefonte, Centre county, married Kate Wian, and has four children - Jennie, Hallie, Willie and Mary. (2) Mary is the wife of John Griffith, of Pleasant Gap, by whom she has four children - Hallie, Walter, Harry and Millie. (3) Irvin, also a resident of Bellefonte, married Jessie Gross, and has three children - Harry, Curtin and Charley. (4) Carrie is the wife of Abner Armstrong, and has one son - Curtin. After his marriage, Mr. Taylor worked by the month for a time, and was then for thirty-six years employed on the turnpike. On April 1, 1896, he was appointed toll-gate keeper, which position he is now acceptably filling. He has never cared to travel, and has never yet been on a railroad train. He is an earnest Democrat in politics, while his wife is a member of the Methodist Church. They are quietly passing down the hill of life, enjoying the esteem and confidence of their neighbors and the affection of their children and many friends.