JOHN B. TAYLOR

Sacramento County

Biographies

JOHN B. TAYLOR

JOHN B. TAYLOR--Another pioneer whom Californians will recall with natural and sincere gratitude, both on account of his rare character and also because of the value of his labors, was the late John Brown Taylor, who was born on August 30, 1826, and died in September, 1889. He first saw light in Baltimore County, Maryland, and he was eighteen years old when he removed to Ohio. His parents were Benjamin and Margaret Brown Taylor, and both were natives of that county. Benjamin Taylor removed to Ohio in 1844, and farmed there until his death, in 1865.

John Taylor worked at the carpenter trade until he joined a party of fifteen young men at Tiffin, Ohio, coming overland with mule-teams to California. At Independence, Mo., they bought their supplies, and from there they set out on May 2, 1849. They crossed the backbone of the continent at the Southern Pass, and camped at Fort Hall, in what is now Idaho, 600 miles from Sacramento. While there, a party of Mormons came along on their way to Salt Lake, and they exhibited bags of gold dust they had picked up in California. The travelers feared that the gold would be all gone before they reached the Land of Promise, and they took a vote as to whether to abandon their wagons or not. The result of the balloting was in favor of leaving their wagons, so they abandoned the uncomfortable and clumsy vehicles and hurried on, on mule-back, making about forty miles a day. They reached Sacramento on August 15, 1849, when the "city" consisted of only one frame building, and a large number of tents. The party now divided, and went to the mines. Mr. Taylor went to Beale's Bar, on the north fork of the American River, and engaged in mining; and then he went to Kelsey's, in Eldorado County, and wintered there. In the spring of 1850, he went to Yuba, Nevada County, and took up some mining claims; but being sick, he was not able to work there. He sold out, determining to return East; but on coming to Sacramento, he met John N. Goetschius, a merchant from Cold Springs, Eldorado County, who offered to make him a partner. Mr. Taylor accepted the offer, and remained with him until the autumn of 1852; and then he sold out and returned to Tiffin, the following February. Buying a herd of horses and cattle, he returned to Tiffin and married, March 17, 1853, Miss Ann E. Goetschius.

Shortly afterward, accompanied by his wife, Mr. Taylor took a train for Cincinnati, and from there a steamer up to St. Joseph, Mo., completed his outfit with the cattle and horses he had purchased, and on May 3 started again across the plains and mountains for the West, arriving in Placerville in 120 days. He settled on the Coloma Road, fourteen miles from Sacramento, on September 20, 1853; and from that time until his death, he followed agriculture. In 1857-1858, he engaged in mining on his own property, on the border of the river, and found that it paid. During that time, he was a member of the county board of supervisors. His farm consisted of 488 acres, and it was always well cultivated. He was a member of the Pioneer Society, and was also a Mason. Mrs. Taylor passed away in February, 1917, leaving a blessed memory. Three children had been granted this worthy couple. Alice Amelia is Mrs. M. L. Wise. Anna Florence is Mrs. Charles Studarus; and the third daughter is Margaret Isabella. Mr. Taylor died September 3, 1889.

Transcribed by: Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.

Source: Reed, G. Walter, History of Sacramento County, California With Biographical Sketches, Page 710. Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, CA. 1923.