Daviess County, Kentucky - Biographical sketches (4 of 8 so headed), 1883 (part 2 of 2)

Yo'2 History Of Dayiess County

1850, died Aug. 2, 1851; Charles, born Maj' 15, 1852, married Hulda S. Bryant, and has three children ; Mary B., born April 8," 185i, married James M. Mobberly and resides near Long View, Gregg Co., Texas (they had four children, three living - Daisy, Lydia and Jessie); James, born March 18, 1857, married Mary E. Gordon, March 10, 1880, a native of Masonville Precinct, born Aug. 6, 1858, and a daughter of Jackson and Sarah A. (Taylor) Gordon. After his marriage Mr. James Taylor settled on his present farm, three fourths of a mile north of Masonville. He and wife are members of the Baptist church. They have one son - Charles Irwin, born Sept. 20, 1882. Mr. Noel farms 120 acres. In politics he is a Democrat.

Iverson B. Richardson^ born on the farm where he now lives, Oct. 31, 1840, is a son of "William W. Richardson, a native of Maryland, who came with his parents to Shelby County. Ky., when a child. He was married to Sarah M. Ware. In the fall of 1838 he came to Daviess County, and settled in Masonville Precinct. He and wife had seven children, four sons and three daughters. Iverson B. was the second son and third child, and was but fourteen when his father died. He remained on the farm with his mother until her death, when he purchased the old homestead of the heirs, and still resides on this farm, where he has eighty-nine acres, about half under cultivation. In politics he is a Democrat. He is of English descent. He first attended school in a little log school-house.

James Ray was born in Garrett County, Ky., Dec. 24, 1823. His parents were Hezekiah and Malinda (Barker) Ray, both natives of Garrett County. James was the second of ten children. He remained on the farm with his father until seventeen, when be hired out as a drover to go from Garrett County across the mountains to Columbus, Ga. He followed this business until his marriage to America Barker, Nov. 14, 1854. She was born on a farm adjoining that of her husband's father, in Garrett County, and was a daughter of Joseph and Elizabeth (Stone) Barker. After Mr. and Mrs. Ray were married they settled on a farm in Garrett County, until October, 1868, when they bought a farm in Masonville Precinct, Daviess Co., Ky. In 1865 they bought their present farm in Masonville Precinct. Mr. and Mrs. Ray have had nine children, six living - Enoch, born Feb. 6, 1860; Darthula, born Oct. 6, 1864, married Millard Owen, of Ohio County, Ky.; Robert L., born Oct. 2, 1867; James, born May 13, 1870; Rutha, born March 5, 1873; William, born Sept. 3, 1879. Mrs. Eay is a member of the Baptist church. Mr. Ray owns a farm of 138f acres, sixty acres under cultivation. Politically he is a Democrat. William W. Shoemaker WJiS born in Henrico County, Va., June 6, 1822. His father was Thomas M. Shoemaker, born in August, 1796, in Chesterfield County, Va. Three of his brothers were in the war of 1812. He married Miss Elizabeth Patmon at the hermitage in Richmond, Va. After his marriage he settled in Henrico County, Va., where two children were born - Louisa, who married James Lacklin. They had six children. Mr. Lacklin died and she married B. A. Vaughan. They are both dead. They had four children. Mr. William W. Shoemaker was the oldest child and only son of his parents, and when sixteen months old (in the fall of 1823) came with his parents to Shelby County, Ky. ; settled on a farm south of Shelbyville, where they remained until the fall of 1829, when William came'on a visit with his parents to his father's brother, Price Shoemaker, in Daviess County, Ky. He was living near where the Uethabara church now stands, in Masonville Precinct. They remained here some weeks, when they returned to Shelby County, and October, 1832, his parents and five other families came to Daviess County. Obadiah Gordon, unmarried, settled in Masonville Precinct, in the forks of Panther Creek, near Bethabara church. William W. Shoemaker settled with his father on the same farm he now lives, in 1833. His father died here April 23, 1863. He was a member of the Baptist church and was one to help build the log church, in 1833, a little north of where the Bethabara church now stands. His wife (mother of William W. Shoemaker) died in 1838. She was a member of the Baptist church. William W. Shoemaker married Mrs. Mary J. Dawson, widow of James S. Dawson, a Baptist minister, April 14, 1859. She was born in Henry County, Ky., March 26, 1823, and was a daughter of Maples and Mariam (Bright) Moore, natives of Clark and Shelby counties, Ky. Mrs. Shoemaker had eleven children by her first husband, two living - William H. and Joseph T. Dawson (twins), born July 22, 1857. Mr. and Mrs. Shoemaker have had two daughters - Gertrude, born Sept. 14, 1860, died Jan. 3, 1869; Luly, born Feb. 28, 1864, died the same date. Mr. Shoemaker has been a member of the Baptist church since the fall of 1843, and Mrs. Shoemaker since August, 1838. He owns a fine farm of 500 acres, 350 under cultivation. He is one of the few old pioneers of Daviess County that are now living. Mr. Shoemaker and wife are earnest Christians and representative members of the Baptist church. Mr. Shoemaker is a noble representative of the hospitable whole-souled Virginian, and has the confidence and respect of all who know him. His great-grandfather was a Virginian. His grandfather, Thomas Shoemaker, was in the Revolutionary war, and his father also. Mr. Shoemaker's uncle. Price Shoemaker, owned a slave, who lived to be ninety odd years old and was a servant of General Washington during the Revolutionary war, when he was a boy. This negro belonged to Mr. Shoemaker's grandfather, Thomas Shoemaker, and after the Revolutionary war he returned to his master. William H. Dawson, stepson of Mr. Shoemaker, married Katy J. Tyler, Jan. 30, 1877. She died March 2, 1878. He and brother, Joseph T. Dawson, reside on the old homestead farm with their mother and stepfather.

John T. Taylor was born in Oldham County, Ky., Dec. 29, 1860. His parents were Captain William J. Taylor and Martha J. Spears, also natives of Oldham County. They are both living in Masonville Precinct. She is a member of the Christian church. They had four children, three sons and one daughter, John T. being the eldest. He was but two years old when he came with his parents to Daviess County. John T. remained at home until twenty, when he worked for Sairiuel Haynes, M. D., one year. He married Alemetta Dodson, Feb. 15, 1872. She was born in Masonville Precinct, and was a daughter of Thomas and Ophelia (Mortina) Dodson, old settlers of Daviess County. He and wife are members of the Sugar Grove Baptist church. They have three children - Mary S., born May 8, 1873; Thomas W., born April 8, 1875; Ollie D., born June 10, 1877. Mr. Taylor has a fine farm of ninety-five acres, all under cultivation. In politics he is a Democrat. -He is of English and German descent. Mrs. Taylor's great-grandmother was Hannah Boone, a cousin of Daniel Boone.

Joseph, Taylor (deceased) was born in Oldham County, Ky., Jan. 4, 1834. He was a son of Joseph and Mary Taylor. Joseph, Jr., was their oldest son. He was reared in Oldham County, and came to Daviess County with his parents when a young man. They settled on a farm in Masonville. He was married Feb. 17, 1859, to Amadine Barnhill, a native of Masonville Precinct, born March 26, 1840, and a daughter of Jeremiah and Elizabeth (Ware) Barnhill. After Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Taylor were married they settled on the old homestead farm of his father, where Dr. Ellis now lives, at Masonville. Mr. Taylor died here Aug. 6, 1876. He was a member of the Baptist church at Sugar Grove. Mr. and Mrs. Taylor had five children - Laura B., bom Dec. 13, 1859; Luella, born Sept. 5, 1862; Jeremiah E., born March 29, 1867, died Sept. 6, 1868: Katy E., born Oct. 11, 1869; James W., born April 29, 1873. Mrs. Taylor and her eldest daughter are members of the Baptist church. She owns a nice farm of forty-seven and a half acres, all under cultivation.

Thomas B. Iwylor was born eight miles southwest of Shelby ville, Shelby Co., Ky., Feb. 14, 1807, and is a son of John and Mary (Ricks) Taylor. His father was born near Richmond, Ya., and was brought in a basket on a horse to Nelson County, Ky. His mother was born in Pennsylvania; her parents came from Germany. Mr. and Mrs. John Taylor moved soon after their marriage to Shelby County, Ky., where they had a large family; three sons and four daughters lived to be men and women. Thomas K. was the second son. He married Mary E. Shoemaker, March 26, 1829. She was born near Richmond, Ya., March 12, 1812. After his marriage Mr. Taylor settled on a farm in Shelby County until November, 1829, when he came to Daviess County, Ky., and rented the farm where Mrs. Noel now lives, one-half mile north of Masonville, one year; then bought fifty acres of his farm, where he still resides, four miles north of Masonville, in Masonville Precinct. He and wife had twelve children. Ten lived to be men and women and to have families of their own - Cynthia A., born March 26, 1830, married William Harrison; John, born Jan. 26, 1832, married Lou Hickman; Mary F., bom Oct. 26, 1834, married John M. Ware; Price W.^ born Jan. 14, 1838, married Sallie Harrison; William F., born Dec. 12, 1840, married Eunice Harrison; Icyphena, bom May 2, 1843, married Thomas Kirk (she-died in 1868); Josephine, born March 20, 1845, married Samuel H. Harrison; Mildred W., born April 27, 1849, married William Ragner; James M., born April 20, 1853, married Martha Harrison (she died in August, 1880; he then married Ida Rumage); Albert R., born Jan. 9.1858, married Narcissa Karn, Jan. 21, 1874 (she was born in Boston Precinct; they have one daughter - Artymecie, born Nov. 2, 1875). After his marriage Mr. Albert R. Taylor settled on his present farm. Mr. Thomas R. Taylor, subject of this sketch, and wife joined the Baptist church at Bethabara in 1830. She died Sept. 3, 1872. All his children and their husbands and wives and four grandchildren who are married are members of this church. 45 Digitized by Microsoft®

Mr. Taylor is now«in the seventy-seventh year of his age. He came to Daviess County with but limited means, but managed to purchase a few acres of timber, built a cabin, and by hard work and good management accumulated a fine farm of 300 acres, which lie has divided among his children. He has always been an energetic man and always worked and planned for the future prosperity of his children. Politically he was first a Whig, then a Democrat, and is still a supporter of that ))arty. He is of Scotch, German and Irish descent.

William F. Ta.ylor was born within a mile of where he now ives, Dec. 12, 1840. His parents, Thomas B. and Mary (Shoemaker) Taylor, were natives of Kentucky and Virginia. Oct. 13, 1868, lie married Mary E. Harrison, a native of Shelby County, Ky., born Aug. 24, 1852, and adaugliter of Elijah and Nancy (Smith) Harrisoti. After his marriage Mr. Taylor settled on his farm in Masonville, where he has since resided. They have had eight children - Charles E., born July 15, 1869, died Sept. 11, 1869; Harriets., born May 3,1871; Mary, born May 26, 1872; Frank, born Oct. 10, 1873; Luther, born Oct. 19, 1875; Edna P., born Oct. 25, 1879; Bertha, born Dec. 22, 1880, and Henry, born July 14, 1882. Mr. and Mrs. William F. Taylor are both members of the Bethabara church. He owns a fine farm of 231 acres, 150 under cultivation. He is a member of Joseph H. Branham Lodge, No. 436, A. F. & A. M. In politics he is a Democrat.

Captain William J. Taylor was born in Oldham County, Ky., Dec. 12, 1826. His parents were Joseph and Mildred (Hinkle) Taylor. Ilis mother died when he was an infant. His father married Mary Spear. His wife died in 1852, and he then married Mrs. Hinkle. He died in Daviess County in 1862, and his wife in 1880. Captain W. J. Taylor remained on his father's farm until twenty years of age, when the war with Mexico was declared, and he was one of the first to volunteer. He enlisted in Company II, First Kentucky Infantry Volunteers. He was in the battle of Monterey, Mexico. After this Captain Taylor was detailed with a number of others to escort a provision train from Monterey to Comargo, and while on the route they were all captured, and the wagon train was burned. They were stripped of their coats and slices and made to walk 900 miles to the city of Mexico; they could have been tracked by the blood from the prisoner's feet. On their arrival at the city of Mexico the prisoners were thrown into the same prison with the convicts, and had to sleep on stone floors, and that without blankets. Wlien General Scott advanced on the city of Mexico, Captain Taylor and the rest of the prisoners were sent into the mountains, where they remained till the close of tlie war. They were sent to Tampico, and then to New Orleans, La., and while ontlie way they had a storm which lasted nine days. They landed in New Orleans, having lost one sailor. From New Orleans they came up the Mississippi to Louisville, Ky., where liis father met him, and he and his father returned liome. He married Martha J . Speer, Feb. 13, 1850. She was born in Oldham County, Ky., July 12, 1824, and was a daughter of John and Mary (Grove) Speer, natives of North Carolina. January, 1853, they came to Daviess County and settled on a farm in Masonville, within a 100 yards of where he now lives. At the outbreaking of the late war he and Dr. Noel raised Company H, First Kentucky Cavalry, Confederate Yolunteers. Dr. Noel was elected Captain, and Captain Taylor was elected First Lieutenant. Captain Noel was killed at the capture of a railroad bridge in West Tennessee in the fall of 1861. Captain Taylor was then elected Captain of the company. His company was then sent with General Forrest, and they went into the Federal lines, and was at the capture of Murfreesboro, and various other battles. When Bragg's army caine over into Kentucky, Captain Taylor's company was in the advance guard, and was at the fight at Perryville, and covered the retreat of Bragg's army as it went out of Kentucky. Captain Taylor's company was then placed under command of General Wheeler, and made varions raids in Middle Tennessee, and on the trail of Sherman to the sea, and returned in advance of him to the surrender of the army at the close of the war. Captain Taylor was offered the office of Colonel of his regiment, but refused, choosing rather to be with his company. He was wounded five times, and had one horse killed under him. At the close of the war he returned home to his -farm in Masonville Precinct, where he has since been engaged in farming. He and wife are members of the Christian church. They have had four children - John T., who married Almeta Dodson; Joseph S., married Fannie Kirk, who died, and he then married Mary A. Kirk; Henry Y., married Alice Pursell, and Mary C, wife of James F. Camp. Captain Taylor owns a fine farm of 254 acres, 160 under cultivation. He was elected Democratic representative to the Kentucky Legislature in 1875, and held that office two years. He is

James W. Ware was born in Shelby County, Ky., Oct. 25, 1822. His fatlier was James Ware Sr., born in Cnlpeper County, Va. He came with his parents to Mercer County, Ky., when a child. The family afterward moved to Shelby County, Ky., where James married Joanna Garner, a native of Virginia. In October, 1833, the family came to Daviess County, Ky., and the father purchased 1,060 acres of land in one tract in Masonville Precinct. He died in 1868; his wife in 1870. James W. was the third son and seventh child of ten children. He was but eleven years oi age when he came with his parents to Daviess County. Sept. 1, 1852, he married Margaret A. Lanham, a native of Masonville Precinct, born April 5, 1834, and a daughter of John W. andLutitia (Jackson) Lanham, old settlers of Daviess County. After his marriage Mr. Ware settled on a part of the old homestead farm in Masonville Precinct, where he still resides. He and wife have had nine children, three sons and five daughters - Martha A., born May 21,1853, married Henry Duncan; John J., born May 24, 1856, married Mrs. Cordelia Jackson, daughter of George C. Jackson ; Mary F., born July 12, 1858, married Eichard Jackson; Laura A., born Sept. 25, 1859; Ida F., born May 25, 1861; Sophronia E., born Jan. 17, 1863, married Dave Paggans; Susan O., born Oct. 27, 1864; William T., born April 30, 1866; Frank H., born May 15, 1870. Mr. Ware owns a farm ot 200 acres, seventy acres under cultivation. In politics he is a Democrat. He is of English descent.

George A. R. Wilhite was born in Nelson County, near Bardstown, Ky., Jan. 24, 1825. His father, Prestley Wilhite, was born in Culpeper County, Va., in 1790. He married Mrs. Elizabeth Farmer, widow of John Farmer, and daughter of Thomas Roberts. Mr. and Mrs. Wilhite had a family of four children, two living - G. A. R., and Nathaniel M., who resides in McLean County. George A. R. was but nine years old when his mother died. His father then married Malvina Hamilton; they had five children. Dec. 5, 1848 G. A. R. Wilhite married Mrs. Catherine Lashbrook. She was born in Nelson County, Ky., and was a daughter of Thomas and Martha (Yewell) Furman. After Mr. and Mrs. Wilhite's marriage they settled on his present farm. Tiiey had six children, all dead. Mrs. Wilhite had eight children by her first husband, Norris Lashbrook, four living - Martha, Cordelia, William M., and J. B. Lashbrook. Mrs. Wilhite died Oct. 25, 1878. She was a mem- ber of the Baptist church at Macedonia. Mr. Williite then married Miss Susie Jones, Dec. 19, 1880. She was born in Masonville Precinct, Daviess County, and was a daughter of Reuben and Ethelinda (Martin) Jones. Mr. and Mrs. Wilhite are members ot the Bethabara church. Mr. Williite owns a fine farm of 186 acres, 125 acres under cultivation. In politics he is a Democrat. He is of English and German descent. His grandfather, Tobias Wilhite, was in the war of the Revolution; was in the battle of Brandy wine, and remained in the war until its close.

Ralleigh T. Williams was born in Upper Town Precinct, April 18, 1847. His parents are James H. H. and Sarah J. (Bryant) Williams. They had ajfamily of nine children, eight living. Ralleigh was the eldest son and second child. He lived at home with his parents until his marriage to Elizabjth A. Stone, Djc. 21, 1875. She was born in tipper Town Precinct and was a daughter of Sampson and Cinderella (McKay) Stone, old settlers of Daviess County. After his marriage Mr. Williams settled on his present farm in Masonville Precinct. He and wife have two children- Irene, born Aug. 16, 1876, and Robert C, born March 22, 1880. Mr. Williams has a fine far.n of 105 acres, eighty under cultivation. He and wife are both members of the church, he of the Methodist Episcopal and she of the Christian.

Joseph N. WoUmon was born near La Grange, Oldham Co.,Ky., Dec. 8, 181:6. His parents weraTiiomas and Nancy (Long) WoUmon, natives of Kentucky. They had a family of eleven children. Joseph N. was the sixth son and seventh child. He remained on the old homestead in Oldham County, Ky., until sixteen, when he worked for difi'erent parties until twenty-three. He then came to Daviess County and worked on a farm in Masonville Precinct until his marriage to America G. Lashbrook, Feb. 15, 1870. She was born in Masonville Precinct, Daviess County, Feb. 11, 1854, and was a daughter of Achilles and Martha A. (Johnson) Lashbrook, old settlers of Daviess County. In 1874 he bought his present farm. Mr. and Mrs. Wollmon are both members of the Methodist Episcopal church. They liave had a family of six children - Daisy L., born May 21, 1871, died May 24, 1871; Ora B., born July 11, 1872; Sarah K. was born Ddc. 30, 1874, died Jan. 5, 1877; Ann A., born March 3, 1876; Minnie L., born March 26, 1879; Thomas W., born Aug. 18, 1881. Mr. Wollmon owns a fine farm of sixty-two acres and raises tobacco, wheat, hay, corn and stock. In politics he is a Democrat. He, with sixteen others from Oldham

County, Ky., started in November, 1864, with Captain Jentry, for the South as volunteer cavalrymen. They did not get out of the State; had many skirmishes and hardships. They were scattered and all captured except two or three. While they were stopping at a couutry house for breakfast one morning;, in Shelby County, Ky., they did not leave any pickets out, and all at ouce they were surrounded by Captain Bridojewater's company of United States cavalry; two escaped in the bushes and the other, Mr. WoUmon, hid in the chimney of the fire-place. After the soldiers were gone, one of the young men of the house came and told him that the soldiers were gone, so he came down and went to a friend by the name of Foree, in Shelby Count3\ While on the road was compelled to sleep in a shock of corn one night, and came near freezing. The next day he reached the home of Mr. Foree and remained in \his neighborhood some six weeks, until he had a chance to come home, and on the way froze his feet so badly lie was unfit for service and laid up for six months. He had a brother captured, who was sentenced to be shot, but the sentence was revoked. He is now living in Oldham County.

Adam H. Yeiser was born near Yelvington, Daviess County, Ky., Oct. 30, 1840. His parents were Adam and Susan (Walker) Yeiser, natives of Danville, Boyle Co., Ky., and Daviess County. They had a family of ten children. Adam K.. was the youngest son. When four years old he moved with his parents to Adair County, Ky., and lived until sixteen, when his parents returned to Daviess County. Adam remained here until 1861, when he enlisted in Company A, First Kentucky Confederate Cavalry, Sept. 30, 1861, and remained in the service until the close of the war; was in the battle of Perryville, Ky., Bentonville, N. C, and in all the engagements with Morgan on his raid across the Ohio River, and all the engagements of Bragg's advance and retreat in Kentucky; also with Forrest in the summer and fall of 1862 in his raids in Middle Tennessee, and spent one month in " Camp Chase " prison, Ohio, and nineteen months in Camp Douglas prison, at Chicago, III. In April, 1863, he was captured in Ohio County, Ky., and placed in the prison at Hudsontown, Ky. After twenty-four hours he made his escape. At the close of the war he returned home to Daviess County, Ky., and soon after went on a hunting expedition on the Mississippi River for one winter; then began getting out shingles; then removed to Pleasant Ridge, Daviess Co., Ky., and engaged in the dry- goods business some twelve months, when he purchased a sawmill, and followed this business untjl September, 1882, when he settled on his present farm, where he owns 272 acres, 180 under cultivation. Mr. Yeiser married Martha McCormick, May 9, 1867. She was born on the old McCormick farm, near JSTorth Panther bridge, in Maysvillo Township, and is a daughter of Francis and Nancy (Walker) McCormick. Mrs. Yeiser is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and Mr. Yeiser of the' Baptist. They have had seven children, four living - Cora, born April 14, 1868; Ledru, born. Feb. 16, 1870; Clara, born Nov. 2, 1872; Susan, born Nov. 4, 1878. Mr. Yeiser in politics is a Democrat.

Benjamin F. Yewell was born in Daviess County, Ky., Aug. 3, 1843. In 1869 he nioved to McLean County and. lived till the winter of 1875-76, when he returned to Daviess- County. He owns 350 acres of fine land in Masonville Precinct. fl.e has held the office of Constable of Masonville and been School Trustee several terms. He was married in May, 1865, to Martha P. Dawson, a native of Daviess County, born in November, 1847. They have six children - Emma K., Dora A., LuUie B., Joseph A., Horace O. and Mary E. Mr. Yewell is a member of the Baptist church. He belongs to John J. Daveiss Lodge, No. 387, A. F. &

A. M. His father, Albert G. Yewell, was born in Olden County, Ky., and died in Ohio County in 1882. His mother, M!ary M. (Coomes) Yewell, is also a native of Kentucky, and still lives in Ohio County. She has four children - William P., Minerva A.,