I am trying to find out what happened to ggggrandfather, James M. Taylor. I have some research passed to me in the 1980's that is the only clue.
Starting at the beginning, James M. Taylor was b. in Dooly Co., GA in 1846. He married Caroline Salina McLEOD. In 1870 they are found in Pike Co., AL, Orian, Beat #2. with children Mary E.age 2 and Thomas F.age 1.
Sometime between 1874 and 1880 he disappeared. On the 1880 Pike Co., AL census Caroline is 27, with children Mary, Thomas, Susan and Luvenia. The last childs birth was approx. 1874. Family story is that he left looking for work, and never returned.
An Aunt said in the 1980's that my great grandfather was working 'on the section' and his foreman, a Mr. Bowman showed him an advertisment in the MONTGOMERY ADVERTISER newspaper that said they were looking for the descendants of James Madison Taylor to settle an estate. She didn't remember the date. She said that Uncle Tom Taylor did reply to the advertisment, and that her mother, Sue, received a check in the mail about that time..around 1914 she thinks.
James Madison Taylor was a son of Joseph Taylor and Kitsey Ann Rhodes who were m. 28 Sept. 1898.
If anyone has access to the newspaper records, or knows how I might locate this information I would deeply appreciate your help! Thanks, Susan