Yo, John! 1- Have you checked NUCMC for references to either Washington or Taylor or diaries/journals by or referring to them? If not, I'd sure try that.... 2- Who was the "state researcher" and what is the title of the report? I have a contact in Tallahassee who may be able to help on Washington/Taylor, but I missed him and left a phone-mail message. Should hear from him Monday. 3- May I suggest that, since your grandfather and other family were "from here," the Putnam County Archives (PO Box 1976, Palatka, FL 32178-1776) would be anxious to have either the records you mention or--at the least, copies of them? 4- As the CB fanatics used to say, "Come back...." --Brian ****************************************** > John Brown wrote: > > Hi all. > This is a copy of a letter I sent to Brian. I thought I would > put it on the list t see if I could get any comments from all of you > to help me fill he gaps. Thanks to all. John Brown > "In about 1818 my GGF Ephraim Taylor was born in Hempstead, > NY. He supposedly ran away from home at an early age and became a cooks > assistant on a schooner and sailed around the Cape three times (hearsay from my > grand mother Elizabeth Taylor Brown born in Orange Mills in 1865). > I find Ephraim as an election official in "Washington Camp", > Mosquito County, in 1845 state elections in the company of Henry > Washington, surveyor for the State. I suspect this was on the St. Johns River near > Astor. He then appeared in the 1850 census in JAX as a laborer, then > in 1855 he bought land in Duval county on the St. Johns River (BLM Records); > 1860 census he was in Palatka as a raftsman, 1861, age 45 he joined the CSA 2 Florida . Infantry in Jacksonville, was wounded in Battle of Gaines Mill in 1862, mustered > out in July of 1862 at Fredrick City, MD. He next appears in 1870 census in > Orange Mills with wife Mary Charlotte and two daughters age 1 and 5. Wife died > about 1873, He left one daughter with Squire Tenney in Federal Point and the > other with Duncan McBride in Barberville(Volusia County) He supposedly went > to Tick Island near Barberville. He signed land records in 1875 in > Putnam County. His oldest daughter was in apprenticeship as of April 1873, > with Tenney. His other daughter Rebecca Rachael Taylor Atkinson, was in the > 1880 census with Duncan McBride as an adopted daughter. She ended up in Federal Point in the 1885 State census with her sister Elizabeth living in the Tenney household. From then on I think I know their lives quite well. > My Question: How can I trace Ephraim's trail when he was with > Henry Washington. I suspect that they were good friends as there are two > creeks near Tick Island name Eph Creek and Taylor Creek. I suspect that he > lived in that vicinity early in his Florida days. He may have married an > Indian. I think he met Washington in North Florida when Washington surveyed > Amelia Island about 1840. Washington surveyed most of central Florida also. I > have a story of Washington written by a researcher for the state of > Florida, but it doesn't give many details. I would like to find his daily journal or > a diary. Can you make any suggestions on these. > Also I'm curious about the time from 1862 when he left the > army and 1870 when he showed up in Orange Mills census. Any suggestions on any > of this would be appreciated. > I have a copy of the orignal cemetery records (negro and > white) of Federal Point Cemetery, the record books of the Federal Point Literary > and Social Clubs (1906-1929) lots of names, My grandfather Charles W. > Brown's early business records (1890-1929) I would like to put these in some > archives somewhere. Any suggestions? > Well, I've taken enough of your time. Anything I can do for > you, let me know. I will be in Florida from May 23 to June 8. I'm going to > the P.K.Yonge Library in Gainesvile and also the St. Augustine Historical > Society. I'll be staying in St. Augustine, Federal Point and Orlando. > Thanks. John Brown" > Note: Federal Point is located in the North East corner of Putnam > County. If I can help any one with a name from this part of the county let me > know.