Biographical and genealogical history of Appanoose and Monroe counties, Iowa
New York, Chicago: Lewis publishing Co., S. Thompson Lewis, editor. 1903
Transcribed by Renee Rimmert. A complete copy of this book is available on-line at archive.org.
T - V
 Lewis L. Taylor |
LEWIS LEROY TAYLOR - Grandfather John Taylor was a native of the Old North state, and the family had established themselves there at a time when the history of America had hardly begun. His son John M. was also a native of North Carolina, but came west to Kentucky, where he was married to Nancy A. Wilson, a native of that state and the daughter of William Wilson, who came of an old Virginia family. After their marriage the parents of our subject lived on a farm in Kentucky for fourteen years, but in 1849 settled on a farm in Washington township, Appanoose county, Iowa, and there spent the remainder of their days; he passed away in 1889, aged nearly eighty-five, and his wife in 1899, also aged eighty-five; had he lived one day more they would have lived together as husband and wife for fifty-four years. By occupation he was a farmer and carpenter and gained a moderate success in business. In religious faith they were Baptists, and he was a Democrat. To their marriage were born nine children, one of whom died in infancy, and one at the age of thirteen; the others were as follows: William J., a farmer of Appanoose county: Holland P., who died in 1860; the subject of this sketch; Isaac W., of Harrison county, Missouri; James N., who died in 1901; Mary Jane, the wife of W. S. Beggs, of this county; Nancy A., who died in 1897. |
Lewis Leroy Taylor was ushered into this world in Hart county, Kentucky, March 27, 1838. Since 1849 he has resided in this county and his early life was spent on a farm. He devoted himself to farming and teaching school up to 1879; in that year he located in Centerville to serve as clerk of the courts, to which office he was elected for four terms, eight years in all. After severing his official connection with the county, he was teller and bookkeeper in the First National Bank of Centerville for twelve years. In January, 1903, he accepted the position of cashier in the new bank of Unionville, known as the Unionville Savings Bank. While living in Washington township Mr. Taylor served eight years as assessor and the same time as justice of the peace; also was secretary of the school district, township of Washington, for fifteen successive years, serving in that office from 1864 until 1879.
In 1864 Mr. Taylor was united in marriage to Miss Miriam Siler, a native of Illinois, and she became the mother of two children. Henrietta, who died in 1900, and a son, John B., who is now in the drug business in Centerville. Mr. Taylor has been an active member of the Democratic party, and he and his family are devoted members of the Christian church, in which he holds an official position. He has gained a highly respectable position in society and is esteemed for his many excellent qualities of heart and mind.
WILLIAM J. TAYLOR - For forty years William Joseph Taylor has resided upon the farm which is now his home, in Washington township, Appanoose county. He was born in Hart county, Kentucky, January 23, 1836, and was a youth of thirteen years when with his parents he came to Iowa, since which time he has lived in this state, and the work of the home farm early received his attention and energy. To the public schools of the neighborhood he is indebted for the educational privileges he enjoyed. After arriving at years of maturity he chose as a companion and helpmeet on life's journey Miss Mary E. Rucker, their wedding being celebrated October 25, 1860. The lady is a daughter of Milton and Margaret (Asby) Rucker, natives of Clark county, Kentucky, whence they came to Iowa. Mrs. Taylor was born in Sangamon county, Illinois, on the 18th of November, 1839, and for twelve years she proved a devoted companion to her husband, but on the 28th of October, 1872, was called to her final rest. There were three children born of this marriage: Emma Lourenna, now the wife of Frank Hughes, a farmer living in Washington township; Mildred, the wife of John S. Linden, who carries on agricultural pursuits in Washington township; and Lillian V., the wife of Irvin Richardson, who makes his home in Missouri.
After his marriage Mr. Taylor took up his abode on a farm in Washington township, and in December,1863, he came to his present farm, which is located on section 34. This has been his home almost continuously since, covering forty years. He has here one hundred and twenty acres of rich land and his efforts have transformed it into a valuable tract, neat and thrifty in appearance, having all the evidence of careful supervision and progressive cultivation. Mr. Taylor votes with the Democracy. He has had no desire for public office, having always preferred to give his attention to his business affairs, in which he has met with creditable and well merited success, so that he is now the owner of a rich and valuable farm which annually returns to him a good income.
ALSON E. TUCKER , is living on section 21, Taylor township, and is one of the representative agriculturists and leading citizens of Appanoose county, serving at the present time as a member of the board of supervisors. He was born in Henry county, Iowa, July 24, 1848, and is a son of John Tucker, who came to this county when Iowa was a territory. His birth occurred in Forsyth county, North Carolina, on the 31st of August 1815. His father, Francis Tucker, was born in Maryland and was of English descent. He married Millie Cruse, a native of North Carolina, in which state her entire life was passed. After her demise Francis Tucker came west to Iowa and died in Appanoose county, at the advanced age of eighty-four years. John Tucker was reared in the state of his nativity and after arriving at years of maturity wedded Sarah Swaim. In 1844 they started westward with one horse and a wagon, thus traveling across the country to Iowa, where they arrived in 1844, settling in Henry county. The state had not then been admitted to the Union and much of the territory was still in its primitive condition, the work of civilization and progress having scarcely been begun. In 1849 the Tucker family came to Douglas township, Appanoose county, and the father built a log house and made a home for his family, carrying on agricultural pursuits until his life's labors were ended in death. He voted with the Republican party and both he and his wife were Methodists in religious faith. Mrs. Tucker passed away at the age of sixty-five years. They were the parents of nine children, namely: Andrew J., a resident of Douglas township, Appanoose county; Alson E.. whose name introduces this record; Mrs. Nancy J. Hiatt; Eli F.; Mrs. Rachel C. Hicks, deceased: Mary E., deceased; Lementine H., and Mrs. Cynthia E. Rose, deceased. One child, Susanna, died in Henry county, Iowa, at the age of eighteen months.
A. E. Tucker was reared in the usual manner of farmer lads of the period. He pursued his education in a log school house, which was seated with slab benches, while the other furniture was equally primitive. However, his knowledge has been supplemented by reading and observation since leaving the schoolroom. His training at farm work was not meager, and in field and meadow he received practical experience to prepare him for life's responsible duties. He remained upon the home farm with his father until twenty-seven years of age, when he was united in marriage to Miss Izora T. Andrews, who was born upon the farm where she is now living. Her father, Silas Milton Andrews, was one of the prominent early settlers of Appanoose county, but has now passed away. He was born in Giles county, Tennessee, in 1808, and was a son of James Andrews, whose birth occurred in North Carolina and who wedded Nancy McCorkle. Both James Andrews and his wife died in Tennessee, and it was in that state that Silas M. Andrews was reared and married, the lady of his choice being Miss Nancy Woods, who was born in Giles county in 1812. She is now living with our subject at the advanced age of ninety years and is the oldest settler of the county. Mr. and Mrs. Andrews came to the county in 1851, taking up their abode upon the farm which is now the home of Mr. and Mrs. Tucker. With characteristic energy the father began the development of the fields and continued his farm work up to the time of his death, which occurred when he was seventy-seven years of age. By trade he was a saddler and followed that pursuit in connection with farming in Tennessee. His political allegiance was given the Democracy and in religious faith he was a Protestant. In the family were seven children, of whom three are now living, namely: George, a resident of Juniata, Nebraska; Harvey M., of Livingston, Iowa; and Mrs. Izora T. Tucker. Four of the number have passed away, namely : James, Marilla, John M. and C. P. The last named was a soldier of the Civil war and enlisted in the Eighteenth Iowa Infantry and died in a rebel prison at Tyler, Texas.
To our subject and his wife have been born four children: Louisa S., the wife of Thomas Long, of Appanoose county; John M., who wedded Chloe Z. Clancy, of Taylor township, and Cephas E., who resides at home and is one of the successful school teachers of the county. They also lost one son, Frank W., who died at the age of four years. Mr. Tucker gives his earnest support to the Republican party, for he believes that its platform contains the best elements of good government. He is a leader in Republican ranks in this locality, has served as township trustee and assessor and for three years has been a member of the board of supervisors. His wife belongs to the Presbyterian church and both are people deserving the high regard in which they are uniformly held. Mr. Tucker has always been true and loyal to the official duties entrusted to his care and at the same time he has carefully conducted his agricultural interests. He owns one hundred and sixty acres, constituting one of the fine farms of Taylor township. Everything upon the place is in keeping with the progressive spirit of the times, and no modern improvement is lacking, the latest improved machinery being used in caring for his fields, which are now under a high state of cultivation. He also has upon his place an excellent orchard and good grades of stock, in fact, he is one of the successful farmers of Taylor township, Appanoose county.
C. W. VERMILION , the son of William F. and Mary (Kemper) Vermilion, and a sketch of whose father appears above, has followed in the profession of his father. He was born in Centerville, Iowa, on the 6th day of November,1866, and was reared and educated in his native town his higher education was received in DePauw University in Indiana, and in 1889 he graduated in the law department of the University of Michigan. In October of the same year he was admitted to the Iowa bar and began practice in Centerville. Mr. Vermilion has also given some attention to politics, being a member of the Republican party. In 1892 he was made county attorney and was re-elected two years later. In 1901 Governor Shaw appointed him judge of the second judicial district court to fill the unexpired term caused by the resignation of Judge T. M. Fee, and at the election of the following year he was elected for the ensuing full term. In 1897 Mr. Vermillion was married to Clare Eloise Biddle, who is the youngest daughter of William M. Biddle, a pioneer of Appanoose county.
WILLIAM F. VERMILION - Among the men of Appanoose county who have gone, leaving the impress of their lives on the institutions and welfare of their community, is William F. Vermilion. The parents of this gentleman were Joel and Nancy (Shaw) Vermilion, natives of old Kentucky; the father was a minister in the Baptist church and about 1840 removed from Kentucky and settled in Putnam county, Indiana, where he continued in his ministration until his death.
William was also a native of Kentucky, born there on October 18, 1830; coming with his parents to Indiana he obtained his mental training in the primitive schools of that state and grew up to healthy and vigorous manhood. He then went to Illinois, and having made medicine his choice of the professions began the study of that science and later attended the Rush Medical College in Chicago. The date of his arrival in Appanoose county, Iowa, was about 1857. He had accompanied an invalid brother to Texas and drove from there to this county, where he remained; he was united in marriage to Mary Kemper, whose father, Valentine Kemper, had settled in Monroe county from Putnam county, Indiana. At Iconium, Appanoose county, Mr. Vermilion began the practice of medicine and continued until the Civil war threw all peaceful pursuits into confusion. In 1861 he organized a company which was known as Company F, Thirty-sixth Iowa Infantry; of this he was commissioned captain and serving loyally through the struggle was mustered out in September, 1865.
On his return from the war he devoted himself to thc study of law, was admitted to the bar, and thereafter continued the practice of this profession in Centerville. On the Republican ticket he was elected and served one session in the state senate, but outside of this held no public office. His wife, Mary Kemper Vermilion, having died, he was in 1894 united in marriage with Mrs. Kate B. Day of Centerville, who survived him. When in his sixty-fifth year he passed away in his home at Centerville, on December 28, 1894.