I am seeking inforamtion on John Taylor and his wife Sarah Barton. John Taylor and Sarah came to Bureau County, Illinois from Tuscarawas County, Ohio about 1855. John died in Dover in 1874; his obituary in the Bureau County Republican refers to him as a "professor of religion." Their surviving children were Mary (Shaw), Matthew, John, Martin, Henry, and Levi. Civil War service of sons: Henry L., 1847-1913, Private, Co I, 7th Illinois Cavalry; Martin V., 1840-1913, Sergeant, Co. I, 12th Illinois Volunteer Infantry.

While I can't really help you much on John Taylor and Sarah Barton, I have some information on George HENSEL and Susan (Taylor) HENSEL. They were married in Arlington, IL November 30, 1856. They had 12 kids, most of whom seemed to live and die in Bureau Co. I have dates from a HENSEL Family Log and possibly a little biographical information too. I am descended from one of George's uncles.

Also, your Sarah Barton was a sister of Rachel Barton who married John HENSEL, the brother of my ggggrandfather James HENSEL. I have Rachel as being born March 23, 1801 in PA and her parents as Eli and Mary Roberts Barton.

Let me know if you are interested in more information on the above.

The Hensel's came to Bureau County in 1853 with the Forney's, the Frease's, and the Wiley's and also settled near Dover.

I grew up in Bureau County but now live on the west coast.

Do by chance either of you have a Ralph Hensel? He married Darlene Sabin in March 1907 Illinois. Darlene was born January 14, 1889 and married first to James Vickery. The Sabins were all born in Bureau County (present day Princeton). The only information I have on Ralph Hensel is his name and marriage date to Darlene. I don't believe they had any children. Darlene is the sister of my great grandfather. The Sabins located in Bureau County about 1840-50 and all of the following generations were born on the farm there. (The farm is still in the family).

Please let me know if you have run across this couple. Thank you!

Linda --

Thank you so much for the information about George Hensel and Susan Taylor. It helps to fill out the picture.

Where were the Hensel's located before coming to Bureau County? Maybe it is a coincidence and maybe not, but John Taylor's brother Abraham married Lydia Stamm in Stark County, Ohio in 1851. Also in 1851, Lydia Stamm's sister Sarah married Peter Hensel in Stark County. Maybe there are some stronger connections between the Hensel and Taylor lines.

The Stark County, Ohio county history says that Peter Hensel, who married Sarah Stamm, was the son of John Hensel, "a native of Pennsylvania."

Linda ~

That's great! Thank you for the info and I'm looking forward to reading more about Ralph. I would be forever in your debt if you do have a newspaper clipping on him. I began putting together a scrapbook of all articles, birth certificates, obituaries, etc. I have quite a collection and would love to add something on my great-grand uncle! I have Darlene's family back to 1609 in England. And am more than willing to give you any information I have on Darlene if you would like it.

Are you directly related to Ralph?

And I guess I goofed and typed my info wrong. My records show Darlene and Ralph being married on November 1, 1934. She was married to her first husband, James Vickery, in March 1907. Do you have the names of Ralph's parents and or siblings too?

Thanks once again! I have extensive access to Illinois records through the Dallas library, so if you need anything looked up, don't hesitate to ask.

~ Allison

According to a Hensel family log, Ralph Hoyt Hensel was born April 4, 1881 in Bureau Co., IL and died February 25, 1970. Darlene Sabin was his second wife and no, I don't have any children recorded for Ralph and Darlene either. According to my information, he was married November 1, 1934 to Darlene rather than 1907. This makes sense because his first wife died in 1930.

I have a handwritten page on Ralph and mostly Cora (his first wife) written by a great aunt. I'll transcribe that and e-mail that to you separately later this weekend. I might possibly have newspaper clippings in an unsorted stack. I'll check that out too.

I was doing a little hunting for the Taylors as my Uncle Harold Morton's grandmother was Lottie S. Taylor, daughter of John and Catherine Smith Taylor. I have not seen the 1770 census, but she is the one that looks like Salliann, aged 9. In the 1880, census she is clearly herself as Lottie S. aged 19. Her brother John L.Taylor married into our family as well. Lottie S. Taylor was the wife of Sherman Wade Morton, Matthew Taylor Morton, a DR, married first an Ann Taylor who died pregnant during the Spanish Influenza of 1918. He married secondly Nellie Mae Zerley Townsend when her husband Hal died of the flu the same year, they had one son Harold Wade Morton who was born in 1924. They lived in Newton and Estherville Iowa. John Lealand Taylor was a Dr. in Monroe and he married Mayme Townsend, sister of Hal Townnsend and children of Harrison Townsend and Amy Thompson of Morgan Co., OH and then Monroe Iowa. I can furnish you with more information if you are interested. Michelle

I am looking for information on the Monroe family in Bureau County, IL. My grandmother's birth certificate lists her father as Charles Leroy Monroe and states that he was born in Buda abt. 1886. Bureau County was unable to provide me with a birth certificate for him. I am hoping to make connections with others with the Monroe line in this area.

Craig Harrison Taylor (b. 5/7/1940) son of Matthew Harrison Taylor (B. 12/24/1906) son of Dr. J. Lealand Taylor and Mayme Townsend

Hi Craig, I was hoping some of the kids would pop up! I have the Townsends back into the 1600's. Would love to share pictures and have more information on John and Mayme. Was John John Lea or Lealand? Michelle

Michelle - I am new to this. My dad, M. (Matthew) Harrison Taylor (12-24-1906 to October 28, 1978) never liked his given name and didn't use it. He was always known as M. Harrison or "Doc." Shortly before his death in 1978 I found out from him that his father had a similar aversion to his name. I had always heard him referred to as J. Lea Taylor - my brother's middle name was Lea - but Dad told me that grandpa's name was really Lealand. I thought I knew it all, but always thought J. was for James. I just learned this week that it was John. To complicate the matter further, Mayme or Mame was really Mary but had changed that herself. Last year I googled J. Lea Taylor and came up with the obituary of Harrison Townsend, the father of Mrs. J. Lea Taylor. (This was the first time I had known that my middle name, Harrison, was a family name.) It is a fascinating document as it reprints a large part of the history of the 72nd Ohio Volunteer regiment (the History is available on line). They covered 9,000 miles and went from Shiloh and Vicksburg with Grant on to the sea with Sherman. When we were in Ohio (1952-58) we were about one county from where Townsends lived and where the regiment mustered, but I don't think my father was ever aware of any of that. After the war Harrison returned to Ohio and married his brother-in-law's daughter. (He was an orphan and they had been raised together) and moved to Monroe, Iowa. You may already know all of this, but it was new to me. I am going to Ohio for a H.S. reunion in June and will do some research while there.
Best wishes - Craig Harrison Taylor

Michelle - I do have a photo of Harrison Townsend somewhere. I don't know the best way to get a copy to you. J. Lea Taylor died the month before I was born. There are pictures of him in our things. When Any Kathryn, my father's sister, died in Florida all of her belongings came here and much is still in boxes. Craig

Craig, this is just coinsodential that I ran across your reply to cousin Michelle. My husband is Harry Taylor Townsend, great grandson to Harrison, his grandfather was Hal Townsend and son of Merritt Townsend (Merritts stepfather was Matthew Taylor Morton) The "Taylor" name continues in our family with it as a middle name...Just wanted to say hello from California...we have a slew of Townsends and Mortons here. Michelle is our family geneologist...she know everything