I'm not related to this family, but I hope this is helpful to someone on the list. Biographical Record and Portrait Album of Tippecanoe County, Indiana, pp. 444-445 Lewis Publishing Company, Chicago, Illinois, 1888 SYLVESTER TAYLOR, farmer and grain dealer, Taylor's Station, Union Township. The true province of history is to preserve for future generations something by which they may form an accurate idea of conditions as they existed during the time written of, and the cause which created them, as well as to present a chronicle of events and happenings of importance. Hence the mission of this volume would be but poorly fulfilled, if while recording the trials, hardships and pleasures of the pioneers, and the wonderful progress made by them and their descendants, it failed to make personal mention of the hardy men and brave women who laid the foundation for this prosperous community, in what was then a wilderness. But few family names are so intimately associated with the history of Tippecanoe County as that of TAYLOR, not only in the days of pioneer life, but up to the time of this writing. The man who established this family here was WILLIAM TAYLOR, father of SYLVESTER. Of English ancestry, he owed his nativity to Virginia, the Old Dominion, which once included within its domain the territory now comprise of the State of Indiana. He was born in GREENBRIER COUNTY in 1784, and there was reared to manhood, and in 1808 was married to FLORENCE GRAHAM, who was also a native of Virginia. That State was then sending out many of its most hardy and enterprising citizens to colonize the newer and more remote districts, and along in the '20's the old Northwest Territory began to receive the especial attention of many of those looking for a new home. Thus, in 1828, WILLIAM TAYLOR and family were on their westward way, and October of that year found them in Tippecanoe County, where they had selected a location on section 24 of what is now Union Township. Tippecanoe County at that time offered to her settlers a choice of prairie, timber, or what was known as "barren land," but the Virginians, being accustomed to life in a wooded country, generally chose the timber, and MR. TAYLOR was not one of the exceptions to the rule. His first steps here were naturally toward the erection of a log cabin, and this completed, and the family comfortably housed for the approaching winter, he set about the clearing of his land. The experiences, many and varied, while the process was going on, were of a kind with those of his neighbors, and hence are treated of in the general chapters of this volume. He was known as an active enterprising man, and one always in the van in the matter of improvements. One of his first thoughts, after becoming permanently settled at his new location, was toward the erection of a substantial brick residence, and for this purpose he dug and ground the clay and burnt the brick himself. In 1833 a handsome brick residence was completed, and in June of that year the family occupied it. Here he remained until the time of his death, which occurred in 1839. His widow survived him until May, 1856. Twelve children were born to MR. and MRS. TAYLOR-eight sons and four daughters. Of this family ten grew to maturity, but of these only two survive-MARY the widow of JOHN HEFFNER, and SYLVERSTER, the subject of this sketch. SYLVESTER TAYLOR was born in Union Township, Tippecanoe County, January 14, 1829, and is the eleventh of the children of WILLIAM and FLORENCE TAYLOR. School facilities were not of the best during his boyhood days, but he received the highest advantages the community afforded, and finished his education at the old seminary, in Lafayette. On the 29th of October, 1857, he was united in marriage to MISS SARAH E. BEASLEY, in Bell County, Texas. Her father, REV. A.D. BEASLEY, was then located in Texas, but had formerly been a resident of Tippecanoe County. After his marriage, MR. TAYLOR still continued to reside on the old homestead, where his boyhood days had been spent. He had made of this place a model farm, still retaining a large part of the original homestead of his father. Not far from the old home is a very handsome brick residence, and all the improvements of his place are of the most tasteful and substantial character. For many years MR. TAYLOR has been extensively engaged in the handling of grain at Taylor's Station, on the line of the Louisville, New Albany & Chicago Railroad, and this business, in connection with his large farming interests and livestock transactions, have made his career an active one indeed. He has, however, taken a commendable interest in public affairs, and is the present incumbent of the office of township trustee, to which he was elected in the spring of 1885. To this office he was chosen as a Democrat, though the township is usually safely Republican. MR. and MRS. TAYLOR are members of the Presbyterian church. They are the parents of seven children, of whom two are deceased-FRANK, who died at the age of nine months, and ANNIE, who died at the age of twenty-four years. Those living are-FLORENCE, FANNIE, EDWARD, BENNETT and BLANCHE.