Put on your parachute and join me in huge jump to conclusions! If this is too hard to read, email me at BettieWaddle@hotmail.com and I'll send a Word document.

For years I've been working on a brick wall. Rachel Bethania Taylor born TN, married in Hardeman County in 1848 - my great great grandmother. I think I can place her with this family living in McNairy County (next to Hardeman) in 1850.

1 Unknown Taylor b: Bet. 1795 - 1810 d or disappeared Abt. 1844
.. +Nancy Maybe Ann Unknown b: Bet. 1798 - 1812 in Tennessee or Georgia
... 2 Rachel Bethania Taylor b: Bet. 1826 - 1833 in Tennessee d: April 12, 1916 in Blackwell, Nolan County, Texas
....... +John Simpson McKaughan b: 1811 in Giles County, Tennessee d: 1888 in Hunt County, Texas m: January 23, 1848 in Hardeman County, Tennessee
... 2 John Wesley Taylor b: February 22, 1835 in Tennessee d: October 01, 1903 in Fayette County, Texas
....... +Celia Elizabeth Chew b: December 31, 1836 in Virginia m: May 28, 1857 in Fayette County, Texas
... *2nd Wife of John Wesley Taylor: +Laura Lowd m: Abt. 1876
... *3rd Wife of John Wesley Taylor:
....... +Annie L. Lewis m: 1883
... *4th Wife of John Wesley Taylor:
....... +Harriet Pope m: Abt. 1888
... 2 Nathaniel H. Taylor b: 1836 in Tennessee +Nannie A. Maybe Roberts b: 1846 in Arkansas m: February 07, 1861 in Fayette County, Texas
... 2 Nancy Evaline Taylor b: March 15, 1839 in Tennessee d: 1922 in Castell, Llano County, Texas
....... +George Oliver Chew b: 1832 in West Virginia m: 1854
... 2 Mary Taylor b: 1840
... 2 Ann Taylor b 1841
... 2 Minerva Angeline Taylor b: 1843
....... +Shadrack D. Bardin b: March 1833 in Alabama m: June 12, 1859 in Brazos County, Texas

I also think I can place this Taylor daughter with this family:
Descendants of Elizabeth Ellen Catherine Taylor

1 Elizabeth Ellen Catherine Taylor b: June 24, 1833 in Tennessee or Kentucky d: January 11, 1902 in Ochiltree or Comanche County, Texas
.. +Ephraim Callie Preston b: January 25, 1825 in probably Franklin or McNairy County, Tennessee d: April 23, 1906 in Bibb, Comanche County, Texas m: July 23, 1849 in McNairy County, Tennessee
... 2 John W. Preston b: March 1849 d: Unknown
... 2 Elizabeth Catherine Preston b: May 04, 1852 d: Unknown
... 2 Thomas Green Preston b: December 07, 1855 d: Unknown
... 2 Saphronia Ann Preston b: January 23, 1857 d: Unknown
....... +James P. Green b: November 04, 1844 in Georgia or Tenn.d: May 19, 1911 in Ira, Scurry County, Texas m: March 12, 1874 in Blackjack Grove, Cumby, Hopkins County, Texas
... 2 Ephraim Callie Preston b: June 30, 1860 d: Unknown
....... +Mary Ann (Mollie) Downing b: October 19, 1860 in Itawamba Co., Ms d: October 26, 1962 in Ft Worth Tx m: August 18, 1881 in Hopkins Co., Tx
... 2 Mattie Bell Preston b: September 14, 1864 d: Unknown
... 2 Palmetta Preston b: Bet. 1866 - 1868 d: Unknown
... 2 (twin of Alice Izora) Preston b: February 04, 1872 d: Unknown
... 2 Alice Izora (Zora) Preston b: February 04, 1872 in Hopkins Co., Tx d: 1963 in Ralls, Tx
....... +James Thomas (Bud) Downing b: June 17, 1863 in Tupelo, Ms. d: April 15, 1940 in Childress, Tx. m: January 12, 1888 in Hopkin Co., Tx.
... 2 Mary Bell Preston b: September 23, 1875 d: Unknown

Here's a list of Rachel Taylor McKaughan's children. Note the names that are a repeat from the Nancy Taylor family:
Children of RACHEL TAYLOR and JOHN MCKAUGHAN are:
2. i. WILLIAM WESLEY3 MCKAUGHAN, b. March 13, 1849, Tennessee or Texas; d. November 22, 1891, Somervell County, Texas.
ii. ANN MCKAUGHAN, b. May 13, 1850, Tennessee; d. August 17, 1850.
3. iii. JOHN FORRESTER MCKAUGHAN, b. July 12, 1851, Texas; d. Bef. 1930.
iv. EDWARD MCKAUGHAN, b. November 08, 1852; d. November 19, 1853.
4. v. NATHANIAL TAYLOR MCKAUGHAN, b. June 30, 1855, Tennessee or Texas; d. March 17, 1917.
5. vi. MARY ALICE ANGELINE MCKAUGHAN, b. July 10, 1857, Texas.
6. vii. JAMES SIMPSON MCKAUGHAN, b. October 09, 1859, Florence, Texas; d. Bef. 1930, Blackwell, Nolan, Texas.
viii. NEEDHAM INGRAM MCKAUGHAN, b. December 22, 1861, Texas; d. California; m. KATIE PERNER; b. Abt. 1860.

7. ix. MOLINDA JANE MCKAUGHAN, b. April 13, 1864, Glen Rose, Somervell, Texas; d. August 13, 1931, Hunt County, Texas.
8. x. ISAIAH HUDSON MCKAUGHAN, b. October 11, 1866, Glenrose, Somervell, Texas; d. 1954, Anson, Jones, Texas. [my line]
xi. TWIN MCKAUGHAN, b. August 16, 1868; d. Abt. August 16, 1868.
9. xii. AMANDA EVELYN MCKAUGHAN, b. August 16, 1868.
10. xiii. BETHANIA CATHERINE MCKAUGHAN, b. November 12, 1872, Glenrose, Somervell, Texas; d. August 27, 1962, Big Springs, Howard, Texas.

Now for the leap of faith. I believe the unknown Taylor who was married to Nancy Unknown in McNairy County might be John David Brown Taylor. The last child born to Nancy Unknown Taylor was Minerva Angeline born 1843. The war with Mexico started soon after, and I've seen several references to JDB's participation. I believe Rachel Taylor's groom-to-be was also in Texas at that time.

Another researcher has an old picture of his Taylors (the Catherine Elizabeth Ellen Taylor Preston family) and there is a gentleman identified as a Bourland. I cannot locate JDB until 1853 when he married Harriet in Saline County, Illinois - if then. There is also a Harriet Bourland in Arkansas about that time who might be the right Harriet.

Throw in family legends about an Indian connection and one about a riverboat captain, JDB's child named Creed F. H. Taylor and the reference to James P (Preston?) born in DeWitt County - where Josiah Taylor and his son Creed were involved in the Sutton-Taylor feud. Does anyone know what F. H. stands for?

Whaddayathink?