BIO: John C. TAYLOR, Huntingdon County, PA

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Commemorative Biographical Encyclopedia of the Juniata Valley: 
Comprising the Counties of Huntingdon, Mifflin, Juniata and Perry, 
Pennsylvania, Containing Sketches of Prominent and Representative 
Citizens and Many of the Early Settlers.  Chambersburg, Pa.: J. M. 
Runk & Co., 1897, pages 171-172.
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  JOHN C. TAYLOR, Shade Gap, Huntingdon county, Pa., was born April 24, 
1853, near Fostoria, Blair county, Pa., son of John and Ann Eliza 
(Appleby) Taylor. His grandfather, Matthew Taylor, was a farmer, a 
native and for many years a resident of Chester county, Pa. With his 
wife and family, he removed to Dublin township, Huntingdon county, 
where he settled on the farm now owned by Frank Jones. His wife's 
maiden name was Anderson. Their children were: John; Elizabeth, married 
Silas Drake, both deceased; Nancy, married Squire Gaver, both deceased; 
Matthew, of Hot Springs, Ark.; George, late Judge Taylor, of Huntingdon 
county; and Isaac, of Mount Union, Pa. The grandfather died on the 
homestead, and his wife within a mile of it, at the home of her 
daughter.
  Their eldest son, John Taylor, was born in 1808, in Chester county, 
Pa., and was a boy when his parents removed to Huntingdon county. He 
was brought up to the business of farming, but afterwards learned the 
blacksmith's trade, which vocation he followed first in Huntingdon 
county, and later in Iowa. He was twice married; first, in Dublin 
township, to Mary Ellen Likely, by whom he had one daughter, Amanda. 
Amanda Taylor was married to Johnson Graham, and resided at 
Springfield, Ohio; he enlisted in the Union army during the war of the 
Rebellion, and died during the war. She was again married to Mr. 
Reeves, who had been in the Confederate army, and they now reside in 
Hot Springs, Ark. Ann Eliza Appleby was the second wife of Mr. Taylor; 
they were married and removed to the neighborhood of Fostoria, Blair 
county, Pa., where Mr. Taylor was engaged in the lumber business. In 
1856, John Taylor removed with his wife and family to Ottumwa, Iowa, 
and carried on the same business; he died there in 1865. in the same 
year Mrs. Taylor returned with her children to Huntingdon county, and 
resided near the borough of Huntingdon until 1870, when she removed to 
Shade Gap, in the spring. Some years later Mrs. Taylor removed to Mount 
Union, where she resided until her death; after the first two years of 
her stay there, she made her home with her daughter for the remainder 
of her life. The children of this family are: Matthew, died an infant, 
in Blair county; Mary E., married Dr. A. R. McCarthy, of Mount Union; 
John C.; George A., died in Ottumwa, Ia.; William H., also died in 
Iowa; and Isaac Newton, and employee of the P. R. R. at Mt. Union. Mrs. 
Taylor's death occurred in April, 1891.
   John C. Taylor was educated in the common schools of Huntingdon 
county. His opportunities for acquiring an education were very slender; 
the most of his school training he owes to Milnwood Academy, Shade Gap, 
which he attended for two years. His mother kept a dairy, and he had to 
assist her by driving a milk wagon, when he was only twelve years of 
age. During the summer of 1870, he worked on a farm, and in the spring 
of the following year, went to work in his uncle's saw-mill, at 
Osceola, Clearfield county, Pa. he continued there until 1875, when he 
returned home. About this time, he taught school during the winter and 
worked for his uncle between the terms. He taught at Shade Gap and 
elsewhere in Dublin and Cromwell townships for five terms. The occasion 
of his coming home in 1875 was a conflagration in Osceola, by which he 
was thrown out of employment. In the summer of 1876, he was employed in 
a saw-mill near Tyrone, Blair county, owned by his uncle Isaac Taylor. 
In the spring of 1877, he went to Robertsdale, and taught a two months' 
term of school, and then entered the store of Lewis Royer as clerk, in 
which position he remained for four years. Mr. Taylor then went into 
the lumber business with his uncle, Isaac Taylor, four miles above 
Tyrone, and continued there for four years. He then entered into 
partnership with the Royers, father and son, at Shade Gap, under the 
firm name of Royers & Taylor, in the general mercantile business. They 
erected a large store room, and have carried on a thriving trade ever 
since. He is a Republican, and has held the office of school director 
for one term.
  John C. Taylor was married at Shade Gap, April 2, 1889, to Amanda C., 
daughter of William C. and Elizabeth (Seibert) Swan. The children of 
this marriage are: Warren S.; Isaac C.; John S. Mr. Taylor is a member 
of the Presbyterian church, and is on its board of trustees.