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The Taylor Family Part 1 – Working the Land
For this month’s family history we owe a great deal of thanks to several people who generously shared information on their ancestors from the Taylor family including Michael Taylor, Janice (Taylor) Harris, Kim Elliott, Veronica Cobb, Alden Taylor, Renard Taylor, Tamara Muise, Allen E. Walls and a child of Phyllis Taylor who wrote their mother’s obituary. Our focus is the family line of James Taylor and the generations that followed him. James Taylor was from Louisville, Kentucky and was born in the state circa 1835 and was the son of James Taylor and Mary Jones (the daughter of Henry Jones). According to the book New Canaan James is listed in the 1861 Census as living in Anderdon Township, likely in the Marble Village area of Anderdon, where they lived in a log cabin.
Have you ever heard of Marble Village in Essex County? It was a small Black settlement on Texas Road in Amherstburg. This settlement was established by a white Anderdon resident, Rowland Windfield, who was opposed to slavery, but it was inhabited by freedom seekers. Many residents worked as farmers, but a significant number of residents also worked at the local stone quarries. Within this settlement there was a small rural school called the Quarry school or the Marble Village School, which included teachers such as John Alexander, who taught there in the early 1900s. The Marble Village School was in operation until 1917.
According to Kim Elliott, James George “Isaac” Taylor’s daughter Sarah Taylor Chase and her family stated that John Taylor was a “Civil War hero who was married to Hute [N]ative ‘Kitty Cloud’ Taylor (see the book Black Indians), and William George TAYLOR whose log cabin is now situated at the Freedom Museum were in all likelihood brothers. As they all came to Amherstburg as Black Loyalist from Kentucky and settled in Marble Town near Anderdon to be near Ft. Malden [,a]s well as to live in and amongst the CanAm Cherokee-Wyandotte (USA) / Chippewa-Wyndet (Canadian) that also lived in the Anderdon village.”
If you look at the 1861 Census you get a rough idea of when James, his wife Martha and their daughter Mary came to Canada because it shows that Mary was born in the United States in 1856. James and Martha’s second daughter Frances was born in Canada in 1859 and she is two years old at that point. This means that James and Martha must have come to Anderdon Township (Canada) sometime between 1856 and 1859.
According to the next Census in 1871, James was residing in Colchester South. James married twice. His first marriage was to Martha Harris and the couple had at least three children: Mary, Francis and Amanda. Sadly, Francis passed away on March 30, 1879 at the age of 17 years old due to consumption, while it is believed that Mary passed away before 1871 based on Census records and Amanda does not appear on the Census after 1871, meaning she must have passed sometime between 1871 and the following Census in 1881.
James Taylor’s second wife was Dolly Melvina Green and they married in 1863. Dolly was the daughter of Joseph Green and Elizabeth Hutchins. Before we move forward, we want to share a bit about the Green family. Joseph Green was a successful farmer in Colchester, having arrived in Essex County before 1835 from Hardin, Tennessee. He and Elizabeth Hutchins married circa 1837 and Joseph fought for the Essex Colored Militia in the 1837-38 Upper Canada Rebellion. The 1837-38 Rebellions occurred in Upper and Lower Canada and was a result of political unrest that developed soon after the War of 1812. This caused resistance against the British Crown, which ruled the colonies of Upper and Lower Canada.
There were numerous Black soldiers who were loyalists and they assisted in defending against rebel attacks. According to Irene Moore Davis’ article “Canadian Black Settlements in the Detroit River Region”, found in the book A Fluid Frontier: Slavery, Resistance and the Underground Railroad in the Detroit River Borderland, “In December 1837, during the 1837-38 Mackenzie Rebellion, the Reverend Josiah Henson’s company of black volunteers attached to the Essex Militia was part of the group that captured the rebel schooner Anne and made prisoners of its crew … Josiah Henson’s unit defended Fort Malden [in Amherstburg] from Christmas 1837 to May 1838, and another company of 123 black volunteers, Captain Caldwell’s Coloured Corps, was subsequently stationed there for two months.”
According to the 1861 Census, Joseph Green’s children included Rutha/Ruth, Eliza, Dolly and Elijah. He also had another daughter named Elizabeth who was married to Nathaniel Jacobs and, therefore, is not listed in the Census with the Green family. Elizabeth and Nathaniel had a daughter named Elizabeth (Eliza). Following Nathaniel’s passing, Elizabeth married a second time to Charles Curran in 1864 and the couple had five children: Charles (1866), William J. (1875), Jessie A. (1877), Mary M. (1881), and Melinda (1872).
Elizabeth’s sister Mary Eliza married William Grayer circa 1862 and they had nine children: William Joseph (1863), George Albert (1867-1910), Maria (Moriah) (1868), Nesseler (1871), James Hatfield (1871), Charles Augusta (1872), Emnily (1876), Wylie (1881), and John (1885). Mary Eliza’s sister Ruth married William ‘Henry’ Graham in 1864 and they had six children: Elijah, Henry (1866), Thomas (1867), Alvin (1868), Amanda (1870), Alzora (1873), and Francis (1876), in addition to Ruth’s son Elijah from a previous relationship.
When Dolly’s father Joseph Green passed away, he willed her 40 acres of property that was located on Concession 2, Lot 4. The road was Highway 18, but is now Highway 20. When you look at the Land Registry it shows the first entry as Francois Marchand who was granted 200 acres on Concession 2, Lot 4 from the Crown in 1807. The record also reveals that on May 15, 1833 Francois Marchand transferred land to Joseph Green for $400. Several years later in 1841, more land was transferred to Joseph Green for $100.
According to the 1851 census it shows that, at that point, Joseph Green had 70 acres of land. At that point, 30 acres were under cultivation, 25 were under crop and 5 were under pasture. Additionally, the Agricultural Census shows that Green devoted land for the production of wheat, oats, corn, hay and tobacco. This was in addition to producing wool and raising cows, horses, sheep and pigs. Ten years later, the 1861 Agricultural Census reveals that Joseph now owned 150 acres of land on Concession 2, Lot 4 and 5, with 40 acres under cultivation, 20 acres under crop and 30 under pasture. Impressively, the 1861 Agricultural Census states that the cash value of Joseph Green’s farm was $3,000. At this point Joseph is still growing wheat, oats, corn and potatoes. Also revealed is that the Greens lived in a log home.
The Land Registry also shows the transfer of land to Dolly and James, their children and grandchildren. James and Dolly, as mentioned had 40 acres, of which 25 acres was in pasture and what appears to be ½ an acre in garden or orchards. They also grew wheat, oats, corn, potatoes, apples and hay. This was in addition to raising horses, milk cows, other horned cattle, sheep and pigs. They also produced butter, wool, and home-made cloth and flannel. When James and Dolly passed away, they transferred land ownership to their two living children, Martha and James George, but Martha later transferred her portion of land to her brother James. When James passed, the land went to his wife Jessie Walls Taylor, then to Wellington (James and Jessie’s son). Each of these land owners will be discussed in the following pages.
What we publish is not a complete history of any family and is based on the documents that are available. We welcome photos and information to fill in the gaps. See you next week for part 2.
The Taylor Family Part 2 – A Pioneer
Now that we have discussed Dolly Green’s family, we will move on by discussing Dolly and her husband James Taylor who passed away in 1904. His obituary says “We are pained to record the death of James Taylor one of the pioneers of the township who passed away on Sunday evening, Jan. 17th, about 6 o’clock, in the 70th year of his age. He came from Louisville, Kentucky, when quite a young man, he first lived in Anderdon with his grandfather. After he lived a long time with the late Dr. Reynolds, of Malden. He was married twice, his first wife was Martha Harris, the sister of John Harris, of Sandwich. By this union were born to him two daughters, Frances and Amanda both deceased. Some years after his first wife died he was again married to Dolly Melvina, youngest daughter of the late Joseph Green. By this union there were born to him four children, Melissa (deceased) James at home, Eliza (deceased) Martha at home. His last wife predeceased him about five years ago. He was converted about 14 or 15 years ago under the Rev. Thorton Moriss and attached himself to the first Baptist church of Colchester, soon after his conversion, in which church he lived a consistent Christian. Mr. Taylor was sick about three months and bore his affliction with patience. He was a good husband, kind parent and a good neighbor. He leaves his children besides real estate something greater, namely a legacy of good character.”
James and Dolly had at least four children: Melissa Jane, James George “Isaac”, Sarah Eliza (some documents say Eliza Melvina) and Martha. According to her birth record, Melissa (spelt Malissa on the birth record) was born on May 12, 1873. Sadly, Melissa Jane passed away in 1881 at eight years old and Sarah Eliza passed away shortly after, in 1883, at the age of 3. The last daughter, Martha, was born on May 20, 1883. On August 30, 1905, she married Jesse Freeman who, according to their marriage record, was the son of Bryant Freeman and Elizabeth Garl. The couple had at least five children: Jesse, Russell, Virgil, James and Kathleen.
Martha, Melissa Jane and Sarah Eliza’s brother, James George “Isaac”, according to his birth record, was born on February 25, 1876. He later married Mary E. Matthews, the daughter of Edmund Matthews and Sarah Mary Mason, on April 16, 1894 in Detroit. James George and Mary Matthews had at least four children named Henry/Harry Augustus (1894), Sarah (1896), James Henry (1898), and John Guy (1899).
According to his birth record, Harry Augustus was born on April 17, 1894. Sadly, Harry Augustus passed away at 6 months old in 1894. Harry’s sister Sarah Beatrice was born in 1896. She married Prince Chase on February 14, 1912, and according to their marriage record, Prince Chase was the son of William H. and Rebecca Chase. If you look at the 1911 Census you will see Prince living with his parents (listed as Henry and Rebecca) and his siblings William, Stella and John. According to her Border Crossing form, Sarah moved to Hamtramck, Michigan in July 1912 to live there permanently with her husband. Prince and Sarah had several children. The 1921 Census lists a few of their children: Charles, Beatrice, Arytia and Leroy. According to the records, Prince and Sarah also had two other daughters named Georgetta Warreatta and Betty Ozalla, but they sadly passed away at young ages. Kim Elliott adds that their children also included Vivian, Effie and Warren.
James George “Isaac” and Mary’s son John Guy lived in Detroit where he worked as a cook. He also married Mary Lockhart who was the daughter of John Lockhart and Eva Allen. Guy and Mary married in July 1921. There is also a WWI Draft Registration Card for Guy which says that he was 5 feet six inches and 170 pounds. This document confirms that he was a cook but was not working at the time. James and Mary’s first son James Henry was born on June 6, 1898. James Henry married Myrtle Lucretia Walls, who was the daughter of John Henry and Parthenia Hannah Perry-Walls (daughter of Henry Perry and Kizzior Thomas Perry, who was the daughter of Thomas ‘Chief White Cloud’ Hopkins of the Cherokee Nation in Virginia), on April 12, 1922 in Detroit. The couple had thirteen children: Mildred (Donald) Harris, Eunice (Grenville Brood) Harris, Carl James Jr., Ethelda (John) Richardson, Wilbert (Eleanore Browning), Delores (Jack) Robinson, Donna (Elmer, Lloyd Mulder) Elliot, Anne (Robert) Davis, Lois (Clyde) Lewis, Paul (Lydia Olbey), Sheldon (Lucille Davis), Robert (Elizabeth Thompson), Daryl (Rose Marie, Jackie).
Kim Elliott, James and Myrtle’s grandson and the son of their daughter Donna Delaine Taylor, would like to give credit to Tamara Muise and himself for the following information on the Walls family. Myrtle was the granddaughter of John Freeman and Jane (King) Walls whose story which includes the escape of John, who was enslaved, and Jane (a former owner’s wife) from a plantation in North Carolina, in addition to their marriage in 1856, are documented in the book The Road That Lead To Somewhere by Dr. Bryan Walls. Kim adds that the couple settled “on a homestead in Puce – Maidstone, on the outskirts of WINDSOR, ON which they purchased from the Refugee Home Society lead by abolitionists Henry and Mary Bibb. Although, John Freeman and Jane married [in] Detroit before crossing over into Canada with three of her British American children, Myrtle was the daughter and youngest child of their eldest mixed race child John Henry. Perhaps this is why Myrtle inherited the family homestead on East Puce Road, before her and her husband James Henry Taylor (who maintained the taxes on the property) donated it to the Walls family heritage committee. The private property is now a National Heritage Site and the burial ground of John Freeman, his wife Jane and a few other relatives.”
Kim also mentioned that “Across the street and down the road from their enduring homestead, is the Puce Baptist Church which also had its beginnings in the original cabin built by John Freeman and Jane Walls. It too is now a provincially designated heritage site. Myrtle’s siblings from youngest to eldest were Frank, Harding, Joseph, Jessie, John, Gertrude, Eva and Lydia.”
Kim would like to credit Allen E. Walls, who authored the audio book “Timberland” that tells the story of William Perry’s relationship with Henry Ford for the following information. “It’s also notable that Mytrle’s maternal uncle William Perry (a bricklayer by trade), saved the life of Henry Ford when he was hired to help the founder of the Ford Motor Company clear land in Michigan for the first automotive research/production plant. Because of his life saving heroic’s Henry Ford not only guaranteed William a job for life as a custodian in one of his plants, he became the first automaker to hire [Black persons] en masse [,w]hich was a pivotal factor in causing the great migration of African Americans from the South to Northern urban areas like Detroit, Cleveland and Chicago. Not only did Myrtle’s husband James Henry and her brother-in-law Orville benefit from Ford’ Motor Company’s non-prejudicial hiring practices in Canada, a few of her son’s, many of her grandchildren, and distant relatives have also been benefactors of her uncle’s good deed [,e]specially since Chrysler Canada and General Motors followed suit.”
Kim ends by saying “the ultimate legacy of James Henry and Myrtle Lucretia Taylor was the fruitfulness of their marriage. Not only did they have 13 children, 100 grandchildren and hundreds more great grandchildren, their descendants continue to celebrate their lives with the Taylor Family Reunion which marks its 40th consecutive year at MicMac Park on the West Side of Windsor. Fortunately, members of the families of James Taylor and Myrtle Walls’ siblings also attend this unifying event annually. With up to 500 hundred direct descendants they are among the largest close knit families in Canada and North America.”
Now we will return to discussing James George “Isaac” Taylor who also married Jessie Belle Walls. Jessie was the daughter of John Henry Walls and Parthenia Hannah Perry. On their marriage record from February 14, 1912, James’ occupation is listed as “Huckster.” That being said, James’ primary occupation was a farmer, as discussed previously. James’ children (Lloyd, Wellington, and others) would also help him work the land and they grew crops such as tobacco, corn, other vegetables and red and white grapes. According to Michael Taylor, there were also large walnut and cherry trees on the property, and the family also raised pigs and cows, in addition to selling milk to the Dairy.
Michael was lucky enough to speak with the late Fred Johnson who was a respected local farmer and keeper of his own family’s history. Fred shared his memories of the Taylor family and said (paraphrased by Michael) “when James Jr. ran the farm, he was a very aggressive and successful farmer. James was one of the first farmers in the area to take his products over to the Detroit market. It wasn’t until the other local farmers [saw] how successful James Jr. was working the Detroit market that they decided to give it a try.” Advertisements in the Amherstburg Echo during the late 1920s and 1930s also describe transactions for James Taylor & Sons including the selling of spinach to the Toronto Market, the purchasing of “poultry for Christmas trade,” and ice delivery. Interestingly, Taylor & Sons used to deliver ice to people’s homes for their ice boxes or to businesses that needed to keep their products cold. Michael adds that mechanical refrigerators in homes didn’t become widely available until later and because they were expensive, not everyone had that luxury. This meant that there was “a good dollar to be made selling ice to homes and businesses that needed it.”
What we publish is not a complete history of any family and is based on the documents that are available. We welcome photos and information to fill in the gaps. See you next week for part 3.
The Taylor Family Part 3 – “Opportunity”
At the age of 18, Jessie Walls wrote and gave a speech titled “Opportunity” to the members and friends of the Baptist Sunday School Convention held from September 15-18, 1910 at the First Baptist Church in Buxton (Document generously provided to Taylor family member by Tamara Muise). In Jessie’s speech she says “To the Members and Friends of the Baptist Sunday School Convention” –“DEAR FRIENDS: – The subject which I have chosen for my paper is ‘Opportunity,’ and while I feel my inability to do justice to the subject, yet I can say in the words of a Biblical character, that ‘The spirit is willing though the flesh is weak.’ Life is full of opportunities for all, and especially to us who are engaged in Church and Sunday School work. To every human being whom God has made, He has given the opportunity to make the best of himself or herself. There is not one of us but has dreams of success in life. Not one of us is willing to live a life of uselessness, and to go down to death with no one to regret that we have died. And by grasping our opportunities we can all leave behind us a record of good deeds well done, of little acts of kindness that have done good to our friends, as well as ourselves, giving those who know us cause to remember us gratefully.”
Her speech continues with “But unfortunately all of us do not recognize our opportunities when they appear before us. Many of us fail to take advantage of the propitious hour when it presents itself. Many of us let the golden moments for improvements pass unheeded, and mourn for them when it is too late. Dame Fortune is a sensitive lady, and if you don’t receive her cordially when she calls she is very likely not to call again, but to send her daughter, Miss Fortune, to see you instead. She is also a modest guest, and will not linger and sue for welcome if we treat her coldly.”
“Many of us make the mistake of waiting for great opportunities let the little ones slip by. We should not forget that he that is faithful over a few things may expect to be made ruler over many. The use that we can make of our future opportunities will be largely determined by the ability we show in managing the affairs of the present. Grand chances of progress will come by and by to many of us, and perhaps to all, and our manner of meeting them depends upon the way in which we have met the little everyday tests that seem so unimportant. There is an old saying that the bird in the hand is worth two in the bush, and a small opportunity at hand is worth many larger ones that may never come.”
“The question comes – how shall we know our opportunities when we meet them. First of all we must let the guiding hand of God be the chief factor in all our undertakings. In everything we do and in all our methods we should seek wisdom from the Eternal Fountain of knowledge. Everything that is worth doing is worth doing well, and in everything worth doing well there lies an opportunity. We should prepare ourselves faithfully to meet the future and the demands it will impose upon us. In the church and Sunday School, in our homes, and at our work whatever our occupation may be, we should learn the lessons of life thoroughly, and train ourselves into a habit of readiness and skillfulness in putting our knowledge into use. Opportunity is after all little more than a thorough knowledge of existing conditions, and a capacity our knowledge to to [sic] good advantage. If we endeavor to obtain useful knowledge of the things that we encounter, and train ourselves to apply that knowledge quickly and readily, we cannot fail to take advantage of our opportunities whenever they present themselves.” What a talented writer and wise woman Jessie was.
Michael Taylor also shared the following comments about his grandmother and how her message is so representative of the Taylor family. He says “When I read Grandma Jessie Walls-Taylor’s speech “Opportunity”, it gave me a whole new perspective on her. As a young boy, I found her kind, approachable, and fun to be with. I remember when she came to stay with us in Sarnia for a few months just before she passed in 1969. I was 11 years old and attending public school. My school was a 5-minute walk from home, and I used to come home for lunch every day. Grandma would make lunch and we sat down and ate together. She would talk, tell me stories, and ask questions. After which, we would both end up laughing. Then I got up gave her a hug and kiss on the cheek to thank her for the nice lunch and went back to school. At other times, I would walk by her room on the first floor of our home. She saw me and said come in and sit down beside me. We would talk. I do not remember all the conversations, but I remember enjoying the time she spent with us. My sister Ann told me, recently, that she loved grandma’s long straight hair and asked grandma if she could curl her hair. Grandma said sure. So, Ann went ahead and curled grandma’s hair. Both were laughing and enjoying each other’s company. Everyone in our home enjoyed having her there. Unfortunately, she passed later that year on October 3, 1969 at Mount Sinai Hospital in Detroit. After reading Grandma’s speech on “Opportunity”, I find it showed her views on the value of work, respect for the Lord, caring for others, and being wise enough to recognize and take advantage of opportunities. From what I have seen doing research, I believe Grandma and Grandpa Taylor passed those values on to their children. Grandpa James George Isaac was an entrepreneur. He involved his sons in the farm business and other entrepreneurial endeavors he was involved in. He showed them how they should approach their lives and business. Once the boys were old enough, he called his business James Taylor & Sons. I found several ads in the Amherstburg Echo advertising James Taylor & Sons and the services or goods they were providing. Grandma Jessie Taylor used her life to help her family and others. She was guided by the word of the Lord, her Christian values, and beliefs. She showed application of those values by helping others. I have seen postings in the Amherstburg Echo of her attending Baptist Association Convention in Toronto, her attending a prayer meeting at Central Grove Church, and Christian women conventions. One notice was posted on August 16, 1929 in the Amherstburg Echo page 5 stating, “The Harrow branch of the W.C.T.U. (Women’s Christian Temperance Union) will meet at the home of Mrs. James Taylor on Tuesday afternoon, August 20th. A good attendance is requested as there are several items of importance to be dealt with among which, is the Provincial Convention, which is to be held in Windsor the first of October, the South Essex Union will take part in this.” There is no doubt that she spent her life spreading her knowledge and a helping hand to others. Grandma and Grandpa’s male children all had their own businesses at some point on their journey. Whether it be in farming, or in other industries or endeavors such as being a minister. Their son’s Orville and Lloyd were members of the Prince Hall Masonic Lodge, Harrow. The Masonic Order, one of the oldest fraternities in the world, allowed men to associate with other men of honour and integrity who set high personal and moral standards. Their son Warden had his own successful businesses as did their son Wellington. He later became a minister and founded his own church. I understand where the things my parents taught my sibling and me came from.” The Amherstburg Freedom Museum is grateful to Michael for sharing these personal stories which are rarely documented. It is memories like these that further help us learn about the amazing pioneers who settled in this area.
James and Jessie Taylor had at least ten children: Orville Isaac, Lloyd, Jessie Freed, Gwendolyn Mae, Warden C., Phyllis Parthenia, Wallace Henry, Juanita Hellen, Maria Noumi or “Mitzie,” and Wellington. Sadly, a few of the children passed away at young ages including Jessie Freed Taylor who was born on August 5, 1917, but sadly passed a few days later on August 14, 1917. A similar tragedy happened for Gwendolyn who was born on June 2, 1918, but sadly passed a few days later on June 8th. Wallace Henry Taylor was born on November 5, 1922 and also sadly passed on January 22, 1923.
What we publish is not a complete history of any family and is based on the documents that are available. We welcome photos and information to fill in the gaps. See you next week for part 4 where we will discuss the rest of Jessie and James’ children.
The Taylor Family Part 4 – The Next Generation
The next child of James and Jessie, Orville Isaac Taylor, was born on November 7, 1912. He married Margaret Johnson, the daughter of Harland Johnson and Harriet Holland. Harland and Harriet Johnson’s children include Margaret, Enda, Betty (cofounder of the Amherstburg Freedom Museum with her husband Mac Simpson), Lloyd and Harland. Margaret Johnson also had a half-sister named Charlotte. Margaret and Orville’s children include Len (deceased), Shirley Pulley, Ron (Judy), Linda (Wayne) Logan and Janice (Donald) Taylor-Harris who kindly shared information on the Taylor family with us. According to Janice she and her late husband, Donald Harris, were married on May 27, 2000 in the Nazrey AME Church (located on the Museum’s property) and it was Janice’s son Cory who officiated the wedding. Janice’s mother Margaret Johnson Taylor Hurst and Donald’s son Blair were witnesses to the happy day.
Orville’s brother Lloyd married Greta Hurst, the daughter of Wiley and Martha Hurst on December 24, 1936 and the wedding took place at the residence of the Reverend Edwards in Windsor. Lloyd’s best man was his brother Warden Chester, while Greta’s maid of honor was Zella Talbert. According to the Amherstburg Echo, “Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd Taylor were guests of honor at a miscellaneous shower Wednesday evening, February 3. Mrs. Taylor was before her marriage Miss Greta Hurst. They were the recipients of many lovely and useful gifts for which they expressed their thanks in a few well chosen words. Among the guests were Elder and Mrs. Morton. A tasty lunch was served after which the guests departed after having had a very pleasant time.”
As mentioned, James Taylor was a very successful farmer who sold what he produced. Lloyd’s son Michael adds that this is something that his father did as well. He purchased a farm on Walker Road circa 1941, farmed the land and sold his produce in front of the farm during harvest time, in addition to taking his products to market. Additionally, Lloyd also worked at the foundry and sold ice to residents in Colchester South. In 1949, Lloyd moved to Sarnia to open a wholesale produce business. During the summertime Lloyd would make weekly trips to Harrow to buy produce from his brother Orville and his cousins Fred and Marcellus Johnson’s farms to sell to his customers in Sarnia. Additionally, Lloyd purchased produce from other wholesalers and sold it to restaurants and food markets in Sarnia. Lloyd’s wife Greta also had a cleaning business. Greta and Lloyd also had six children: Marvyn, Anne, Wallace, Rick, Wesley and Michael.
Lloyd’s sibling Warden Chester married Priscilla Jane Matthews, the daughter of Forest Matthews. On August 19, 1941, The Amherstburg Echo printed a wedding announcement for Warden and Priscilla. It says “Taylor – Matthews Wedding – A quiet ceremony was performed at the B.M.E. parsonage Windsor, Saturday by the Rev. T.H. Jackson when Miss Priscilla Jane Matthews, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Forest Matthews was joined in holy matrimony with Warden Chester Taylor, son of Mr. and Mrs. James Taylor. The bride was lovely in queen’s blue crepe and wore navy accessories and a corsage of white gardenias. The bridesmaid, Miss Martha Matthews sister of the bride, chose forest green taffeta with black accessories and a corsage of pink gardenias. Mr. Kenneth Grayer attended the groom as best man. The two left immediately after the ceremony to spend the weekend in Ferndale with the former’s sister and brother-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Maurice Carter.”
Warden and Priscilla had five children: Warden Jr., Carrol, Charlotte, Anthony and Tim. Michael added that Warden moved to Sarnia before Lloyd and opened a successful car detailing business, but later moved to Combermere, Ontario (east of Algonquin Park) and opened a camping and trailer resort.
Next are Phyllis Parthenia and “Mitzie.” Phyllis Parthenia Taylor was named after her grandmother Parthenia Perry-Walls and Phyllis married Jerome Jackson. They had several children including Jeannie, Stanley, Sharron, Alice, Valarie, Gregory and Jerry.
According to her obituary, Mitzie was born on May 24, 1926 in Harrow. After moving to the US, she met and married Ottis Glen Treece of Morristown, Tennessee. The couple resided in Detroit. Additionally, “As a young woman, Mitzie was always active in the church. She attended Burnette Baptist Church, under the leadership of Rev. Caldwell. Mitzie later joined United Baptist Church, under the leadership of Rev. Valmon Stotts, where she was a member of the choir and a long standing member of the usher board.” Her obituary continues to say “Mitzie was a fashion icon and loved music, good food and coffee … She was small in stature but had an infectious personality. She definitely made her mark on the world.” She was also known for her unique sayings including “Howdy doody,” “Great gilder-sleeves,” and “Everything is copasetic,” in addition to messages to her family such as “Y’all know you’re all mine” and “I love you and that will never change.”
The next child of James and Jessie Taylor is Juanita who married Wilbur Howard Mulder, the son of Harvey Mulder Sr. Wilbur Howard and Juanita had several children including Rodney, Howard, Diane, Juanita, Joanne, Michelle, Wilbur, Marva, Brian, Everet, Christel, Dorothy and Oscar.
Juanita’s brother, Wellington Mark, married Nettie Deborah Wilson, the daughter of Neil Wilson and Viola Bowe. Nettie and Wellington had ten children including Veronica, Glenn, Marguerite, Melvin, Rita, Renard, Pamela, Cheryl, Alden and Monica. Wellington also owned Taylor and Sons Scrap Metal and became a minister, founding the Community Gospel Tabernacle (now Endurance Ministries) in Harrow. Wellington’s son Alden is now in charge of the church and is responsible for starting Endurance Ministries.
We would like to, again, thank everyone who contributed to this family history. We are truly grateful.
What we publish is not a complete history of any family and is based on the documents that are available. We welcome photos and information to fill in the gaps. See you next week where we will celebrate another amazing family.
REFERENCES for Part 1 by Michael Taylor (1 to 7) & Kim Elliott (8 to 14)
1) The 1851 Agricultural Census, Canada West for The Joseph Green Family Pages 85, 86,
and 87, line 28
The 1851 Canada West Census for The Joseph Green Family, Page 5, Lines 43 to 47
2) The 1861 Agricultural Census, Canada West for The Joseph Green Family page 609, Line 25
The 1861 Canada West Census for The Joseph Green Family, Page 120, Lines 18 to 22
3) The 1861 Canada West Census for James Taylor Sr’s Family in Essex County, page 93,
lines 36 to 40.
4) The 1871 Canadian Census, Essex County, Colchester for James Taylor Sr’s Family, Page
46, lines 18 to 20 and Page 47, line 1
5) MARBLE VILLAGE, A Fluid Frontier, Slavery, Resistance and The Underground Railroad in
the Detroit River Boarder Land: pages 87 & 88.
6) Service Ontario Land Registry in Windsor: Joseph Green, Concession 2 Lot 4, Page 1, Lines
1, 2, 3, 4, and 13
7) James Taylor Sr’s and Dolly Melvina Green’s Marriage Document @ Ontario, Canada
Marriage Archives at York University in Toronto. MS246 Reel 6.
8) The conclusion that James Taylor Sr, John Taylor, and George William Taylor was derived
from a comparative study of various Census Records in the Marsh Collection in Amherstburg.
9) The claim that John Taylor was a Civil War hero and was married to the Hute native
American woman, Kitty Cloud Taylor is documented in the book “Black Indians” published in the
USA.
1) http://williamlkatz.com/books/ (2) https://pinerivertimes.com/articles/90421
10) The claim that the Taylors in particular settle in Anderdon among the “panis”, AfricanIndians mixed peoples is documentary novel Sandwich published in Windsor and distributed
by the Baby House Museum in downtown Windsor.
11) The research concerning Indian land surrenders to British Loyalists, related to the Anderdon
and Amherstburg region, also corroborates this evidence in the documentary novel The
Western District.
12) Other supportive evidence to the above can be found in a search of Windsor Star microfilm,
Amherstburg Echo microfilm.
13) For supportive narratives Kim Elliott references two books written ARMBA historian by
Dorothy Shads Shreve-Suggee The Pathfinder and AfriCanadian Church A Stabilizer.
14) The information concerning Elizabeth Hutchins heritage, as the grandmother of James
George Issac Taylor was provided directly to Kim Elliott in an interview with historian Mrs.
Dorothy Shadd Shreve-Suggee (who lived to be 100 years old).
REFERENCES for Part 2 by Michael Taylor (1 to 18) & Kim Elliott (19 to 22)
1) James Taylor Sr’s (born circa 1834 in Kentucky) obituary was published in The Amherstburg Echo on February 5, 1904. It was on page 5. I first became aware of this obituary, when Renard Taylor sent me a copy. It was from this obituary, that I received from Renard, I was able to piece together the early years of James Taylor Sr’s timeline in Canada West using ancestry.ca.
2) Melissa Jane’s Taylor’s birth May 12, 1873; Detail: Series: MS929; Reel: 13; Title: Ontario, Canada Births, 1869 to 1913 Archives of Ontario; Ancestry.ca
3) Melissa Taylor passed July 20, 1881; Detail: Archives of Ontario; Series: MS935; Reel: 27; Title: Ontario, Canada, Deaths, 1869-1938 and Deaths Overseas, 1939-1947; Ancestry.ca
4) James George Isaac Taylor’s birth February 25, 1876; Detail: Series: MS929; Reel: 22; Title: Ontario, Canada Births,1869 to 1913 Archives of Ontario; Ancestry.ca
5) Sarah Eliza Taylor’s birth February 17, 1880; Detail: Series: MS929; Reel 42; Title: Ontario, Canada Births, 1869 to 1913, Archives of Ontario; Ancestry.ca
6) Sarah Eliza Taylor passed on February 5, 1883; Detail: Archives of Ontario; Series: MS935; Reel: 33; Title: Ontario, Canada, Deaths, 1869-1938 and Deaths Overseas, 1939-1947; Ancestry.ca
7) Martha A. Taylor’s birth May 20, 1883/ Source: Ancestry.ca 1901 Canadian Census, Page 38, Line 6
8) James George Isaac Taylor’s marriage to Mary Mathews on April 16, 1894 in Wayne, Michigan; Title: Michigan, County Marriages, 1822 to 1940, Record Number: 15901, Ancestry.com
9) Harry Augustus Taylor Birth April 17, 1894; Detail: Series: MS929; Reel: 120; Title: Ontario, Canada Births, 1869 to 1913 Archives of Ontario; Ancestry.ca
10) Harry Augustus Taylor passed October 30, 1894; Detail: Archives of Ontario; Series: MS935; Reel: 71; Title: Ontario, Canada, Deaths, 1869-1938 and Deaths Overseas, 1939-1947; Ancestry.ca
11) Sarah Beatrice Taylor’s birth September 1896 in Harrow/ Source: Ancestry.ca 1911 Canadian Census, Essex County, Colchester, page 3, line 28; Ancestry.ca
12) Dolly Melvina Green Taylor passed away on March 3, 1899 (of Bright’s Disease). She was 51 years old; Detail: Archives of Ontario; Series: MS935; Reel: 91; Title: Ontario, Canada, Deaths, 1869-1938 and Deaths Overseas, 1939-1947, line 7; Ancestry.ca
13) Guy Taylor born September 8, 1899, Source: Ancestry.ca 1901 Canada Census, Colchester South, Essex County, page 38, line 10. i) Guy Taylor married Mary Lockhart July 1921 in Wayne Michigan, Title: Michigan, Marriage Records 1867-1952; Record Number: 216190; Ancestry.com
14) Mary Mathews Taylor passed on September 13, 1901 (cancer of the womb) She was 24 years old; Detail: Archives of Ontario; Series: ms935; Reel: 100; Title: Ontario, Canada, Deaths, 1869-1938 and Deaths Overseas, 1939-1947; Ancestry.ca
15) Martha A. Taylor’s marriage to Jesse Freeman, August 30, 1905 in Detroit, Michigan; Title: Michigan County Marriages 1822 to 1940, Record Number: 47168, Ancestry.com i) Martha & Jesse Freeman’s children: Jesse, Russell, Virgil, James and Kathleen. Title: 1910 United States Federal Census; Detail: Hamtramck, Wayne, Michigan; Roll: T624_678; Page: 29A; Enumeration District: 0292; FHL microfilm: 1374691; Ancestry.com page 57, lines 22 to 55. Title: 1920 United States Federal Census; Detail: Hamtramck, Wayne, Michigan; Roll: T625_820; Page: 10B; Enumeration District: 744; Image: 324, Ancestry.com page 20, lines 56 to 60 Title: 1930 United States Federal Census; Detail: Hamtramck, Wayne, Michigan; Roll: 1073; Page: 1B; Enumeration District: 0963; Image: 319.0 FHL microfilm: 2340808, Ancestry.com page 2, lines 89 to 92.
16) James George Isaac Taylor married Jessie Belle Walls on February 14, 1912 in Detroit, Michigan; Title: Michigan, Marriage Records, 1867-1952; Detail: Record Number: 83262, Ancestry.com
17) The information describing business activity on James George Isaac & Jessie Taylor’s farm were provided by Marvyn Taylor, who was born on the Taylor Farm, and Fred Johnson, who was James cousin. I had several conversations with both. i) The reference to James George Isaac Taylor and Sons delivering ice to Colchester residence was in The Amherstburg Echo on May 27, 1932 page 5.
ii) The reference to news stating that James George Isaac Taylor was shipping spinach to the Toronto Market was in The Amherstburg Echo on May 16, 1930 page 4.
iii) The reference to James George Isaac Taylor and Sons were selling poultry for Christmas trade was in The Amherstburg Echo December 13, 1929 page 10.
18) Sarah Beatrice Taylor’s married Prince Chase on February 14, 1912; Detail: Series: MS932; Reel: 199; Title: Ontario, Canada, Marriages, 1801 to 1928, Archives of Ontario; Ancestry.ca i) Sarah & Prince Chase children: Beatrice, Arytia, Vivian, Effie, Louise, Charles, Leroy, and Warren. Source: February 20, 1941 Obituary in the Windsor Star of Sarah Taylor Chase.
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45367409/obituary-for-sarah-beatrice-chase-aged/
19) The information regarding the parents, siblings and children of Kim Elliott’s maternal grandparents James Henry & Myrtle Lucretia (Walls) Taylor comes from their respective obituaries. That information was supported by Kim’s discussions with his mother Donna Elliott (James & Myrtle Taylors 7th child) and Cousin Renard Taylor (Wellington & Nettie Taylors 2nd youngest son).
20) The account of John Freeman Walls marrying his former slave owner Jane King (the former spouse of slave master Daniel King), is well documented in documentary novel The Road That Lead to Somewhere by Dr. Bryan Walls. A novel which was based upon historical government documents in Canada and the U.S.A, as well as the eyewitness account of our aunt Stella Butler who knew our grandparents John Freeman and Jane (King) Walls personally.
21) The information concerning the founding of Puce Baptist Church is supportive by historical documents in the Puce Baptist Church Archives as well the novel The Road That Lead To Somewhere by Dr. Bryan Walls.
22) The information presented about William Perry’s relationship with Henry Ford comes from the audio book series “Timberland”. It was written and narrated by Allen E. Walls.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGLVLFOlzU0&ab_channel=OrganicSOLMusic
REFERENCES for Part 3 by Michael Taylor
1)W.T.C.U meeting held by Jessie Walls-Taylor on Tuesday afternoon; August 20, 1929 was posted in the Amherstburg Echo August 16, 1929 on page 5.
2) James George Isaac & Jessie Walls-Taylor attended the Baptist Association Convention was posted in the Amherstburg Echo on September 5, 1941 on page 3
3) Jessie Taylor attended a prayer meeting at the Central Grove Church was posted in the Amherstburg Echo on March 6, 1936 on page 2.
4) The dates of the births and passing of Jessie Freed Taylor, Gwendolyn Mae Taylor, and Wallace Henry Taylor come from the personal Birth and Death records that Jessie Walls-Taylor kept. I received a copy of the records from Renard Taylor.
