William Taylor
William Taylor, a representative farmer of Saline Township, Jefferson Couuty, Ohio, resides on the farm on which he was born, October 9, 1870, and has about 100 acres under cultivation. His parents were Wesley and Laura (Runyon) Taylor.
Wesley Taylor, father of William, was born on this farm, 0ctober 9, 1835, a son of Edward Taylor, and died here January 24, 1908. Edward Taylor came to this property from near Brownsville, Pa., just after he married. A heavy growth of timber covered almost all of this land and the work of clearing was done by Edward Taylor and sons. He had nine children and of these Wesley Taylor was the youngest. He remained on the home farm all his life. He married Laura Runyon and they had four children: Elizabeth, Jane, who married Luther Swickard and they reside on the adjoining farm, and have six children; William; Emma, who married John Wilcox, of Toronto, O., and has two children; and Mary, who died when four years old. The mother of this family still survives. Wesley Taylor was one of the prominent and substantial men of this section. During the larger part of his life he was in robust health and was a very active business man, engaging in general farming and making a specialty of raising sheep. His home farm contains 189 acres, nearly twenty acres having been taken off for a camp ground. His son now owns as his heritage about 500 acres. At tbe time of his death, Wesley Taylor was a member of the Sugar Grove Metbodist Church, prior to which he had been a member of tbe Somerset Church. all his life having been identified with this religions body. In politics be was a Republican.
William Taylor has always resided on bis present farm. His motber occupies the a old brick residence built by the grandfather, Edward Taylor, when his son was a boy, but William Taylor built his own handsome modern house soon after his marriage. In addition to extensive farming be devotes much attention to the raisinh of cattle and sheep. Mr. Taylor married Miss Lillie Watts, a native of Knox Township and a daughter of William and Samilda Watts, who reside near Somerset. Two children have been born to this marriage: Thomas, who was born December 11, 1894; and Jay B., who was born January 27, 1897. Mr. and Mrs. Taylor are members of the Sugar Grove Methodist Episcopal Church. Like his late father he is identilied with tbe Republican party but has never been willing to accept public office. In every way, however, he is one of the township's most solid and substantial men.
From 20th Century History of Steubenville and Jefferson County, Ohio, by Joseph B. Doyle. Richmond-Arnold Publishing Co., Chicago, 1910