| Portrait and biographical record of Christian County, Illinois : containing biographical
sketches of prominent and representative citizens, together with biographies of all the Governors of the
state, and of the Presidents of the United States. Chicago, Ill. : Lake City Pub. Co., 1893, p223.
Transcribed by Judy Rosella Edwards, 2007. |
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ANDREW J. TAYLOR is a native Virginian, and from his earliest years has been engaged in agricultural pursuits.
He has a well-improved farm on section 23, Greenwood Township, where in addition to general farming he devotes
considerable attention to stock raising. He has seen much of the development of this county, to which he came when
only seventeen years of age.
Our subject was born in the eastern part
of Virginia, in Rockbridge County, June 3, 1850, being a son of Gabriel and Catherine (Smith) Taylor. The former was a son of Sinclair
Taylor, who was a farmer and was also a native of the Old Dominion. John Smith, our subject's maternal grandfather,
was probably born in Germany, as he spoke very broken English. He was also a farmer in Virginia,
and lived to be about eighty-five years of age. Gabriel Taylor owned and operated a farm in his native county,
and was called from this life in early manhood. He and his wife were members of the United Brethren Church. They were the parents of five children, only two of whom are now living: Mary, wife of John Sutherland,
of Brownsburg,
Va.; and Andrew J., whose name heads this sketch.
The boyhood and youth of
our subject were passed on his father's farm in Virginia. He remained on the old
homestead until seventeen years of age, when he started out to make his own way in the world. He came directly
to Christian County, arriving here when Taylorville
was a very small town, having no railroads. For four years he lived five miles west of Edinburgh,
after which, in the spring of 1871, he moved into Greenwood Township, where he rented and operated a farm for six
years. By carefully husbanding his means, he acquired enough money to purchase a farm of eighty acres, which is
located on section 23. He has made substantial improvements and has thus materially increased its value. For a
number of years he has raised horses, sheep and hogs extensively, and is now one of the leading farmers of the
township.
In this county, Mr. Taylor was united in
marriage with Miss Elmira V. Orr, on the 1st of December, 1870. She is a daughter of Thomas and Caroline (Suddith)
Orr, who are well known in Christian County. Seven children have been born to our subject and his estimable wife.
They are as follows: Rena C., William A., Thomas O., John W., Charles A., Jesse and a baby boy.
Mr. Taylor is a member of the Modern
Woodmen of America and is identified with the
Farmers' Mutual Benefit Association.
The cause of education finds in him a warm friend, and for a period of three years he served as a School Director.
At the present time he is acting in the capacity of Supervisor of the township. In politics he supports the men
and measures of the People's party. Whatever fortune he now possesses is the result of his industry and untiring energy, for be started
out in the battle of life without a dollar capital, and has made his way unassisted by the money or influence of
others. He is therefore deserving of great respect, and is held in high regard by his friends and neighbors.
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