J. R. Taylor

JOHN ROBIXSON TAYLOR.

The Taylor family, which is worthily represented by John Robinson Taylor, of Marysville. Ohio, have been residents of Union county since 1849, and during all of these years the family have been prominent in the various phases of the county's development. Mr. Taylor was reared in this county and farmer until iSqj, since which time he has been engaged in the insurance business in Marysville. His son-in-law, L. J. Zwerner, became associated with him in the insurance business in 191 1 and the firm, known as Tavlor & Zwerner, has a large business in fire insurance in Marysville and throughout the county. Mr. Taylor is fast approaching the age of three score and ten, and all of his life has been spent within this county with the exception of two years. He has seen it emerge from pioneer times until it now ranks among the most progressive counties of the state.

John R. Taylor, the son of William H. and Eliza Ellen (Robinson) Taylor, was born in Champaign county, Ohio, August 15, 1847. His parents, who were natives of Ohio, reared a family of three children: Jane Ann, the wife of Samuel Carson, of Jerome township); John R.. of Marys- Aille, and David Madison, who died in early childhood.

William H. Taylor was reared in Champaign county, Ohio, at Kingston, a village sometimes known as Taylorstown. In young manhood he was a wagoner and hauled goods for the railroads in this section of the state. Later he Idcatetl in Jerome township, in this county, where he bought two hundred and twenty- acres of land. Here he and his good wife reared their children and on this farm he died in 1857 at the early age of forty. His widow survived him forty-two years and ne\er married again, passing awav at the advanced age of eighty-two. Both were niem1)ers of the United Presbyterian church.

The paternal grandparents of Mr. Taylor were John and Ann (Hendricks) Taylor, who were Southerners and slave owners. They were earlypioneers in Champaign county, Ohio, and later came to Union county and died in Jerome township, Ann Taylor living to the advanced age of ninety-two years. Both John Taylor and his wife were twice married. By his first marriage there were two children, Andrew and Washington. By her first marriage there were also two children, William H., the father of John R. Taylor, with whom this narrative deals, and Susanna. The grandmother was married luth times to men by the name of Taylor although they were no relation to each other. The second husband was John Taylor, and to this union were born two children, David and Daniel.

The maternal grandparents of John R. Taylor were John Robinson and wife, pioneers in Darby township. She died in this county and his death occurred in Champaign county, Ohio. Four children were born to John Robinson and wife, Mitchell, Eliza, Ellen, Sarah Jane and John.

John R. Taylor was reared in Jerome township on his father's farm and lived at home until he was twenty-five years of age. He attended the district schools until he Avas ten and then began working on the home farm. After his marriage he bought a farm of one hundred and fifty acres in Leesburg township and farmer it until 1892, when he rented his farm and moved to Marysville. On locating in the county seat he engaged in the insurance business and has followed this line of activity for the past twenty-three years. He has three good homes in the city, having invested in city property after selling his farm in 1901. He continued alone in the insurance business from 1892 until 191 1, when he associated with him in the business his son-in-law, L. J. Zwerner.

yir. Taylor was married Decenil)er 19, 1872, to Emma Bowen. the daughter of Edward and Julia Ann ( Deisert) Bowen, and to this union six children have been born,.Ada, Effa, Wayne, Mabel, Opal and one who died in infancy, the second in order of birth. Ada is the wife of Dr. L. E. Baker, of Mechanicsburg, Ohio, and has two children, Fontabelle and Robert. Efifa is the wife of Milton Snuthard, a farmer living in Paris township, and has four children, Mildred,.Monzo. John W. and.Anna. Wavne married Anna Xewlove and has three children, Pauline, Nellie and John, Wayne is employed by the Jewell Tea Company, of Alarysville. Afabel is the wife of L. J. Zwerner and has two children, John Lewis and Eleanor. Opal is the wife of Walter Scott, of Lancaster, Ohio. She has a national reputation as a vocalist and has traveled for the past two years, singing in different cities of the United States.

Mrs. Taylor was born in Dover township in this county, in October, 1852. Her parents were both natives of Ohio and early settlers in Union county, where her father died when a young man. Nine children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Bowen, Euphemia, Hiram, Martha, Frank, Emma, Charles, and three who died in childhood. Mrs. Taylor is now the only one of the family who is living.

Mr. Taylor and his wife are active workers in the Methodist Episcopal church and he is a member of the ])oard of stewards at the present time. Fraternally, he is a member of the Free and Accepted Masons, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Knights of Pythias. He gave his hearty support to the Republican party until 19 12, when he, with thousands of other voters, joined the new Progressive party. He has always been active in civic life and was justice of the peace for fifteen years and married no less than forty-five couples during his first term of office. He has been in the council of Marysville for six years and was chairman of the committee when the streets of Marysville were paved.

As printed in History of Union County, Ohio; its people, industries and institutions (1915). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.