James Taylor family letters

Archive

-

Saugatuck Douglas Historical Society

Name/Title

James Taylor family letters

Entry/Object ID

2012.28.01

Scope and Content

Family correspondence

Context

Rev. James F. Taylor of the Congregational Church, retired to a farm on the lakeshore. Mary (Porter) Taylor was from the Porter family of Penn Yann, New York, and most of the letters are between the family in Michigan and her parents and sisters in New York. A daughter Grace Taylor ran the farm until the 1930s at least, when you find the letters from a Saugatuck Pastor's wife, you will find all of the autobiographical stuff you need. Mary Taylor died November 19, 1896 of "remittant fever" (possibly typhoid) and the Rev. James Taylor on October 1, 1903. Willie studied horticulture and was head of the Plant Bureau for the U. S Department of Agriculture in Washington, D. C. before his death in 1949. Grace graduated from the Penn Yan Academy in 1884 and then the Philadelphia School of Cookery. She was later assistant principal of the Baltimore Cookery School before returning to the Saugatuck area to take over Lakeridge Farm following the death of her father. She died July 28, 1931. Mabel was a teacher and later worked in the Civil Service examining division at Washington D. C. She died of pneumonia during a visit to her sister November S, 1930. All are buried in Riverside Cemetery, Saugatuck. The house and most of the farm buildings were razed during the 1990s.

Collection

Family History

Cataloged By

Voss, Mary

Acquisition

Accession

2012.28

Source or Donor

Lane, Kit 1939-2024

Acquisition Method

Donation

Archive Details

Creator

assorted

Date(s) of Creation

1828 - 2018

Location

Box

043 James Taylor Porter Family

Condition

Overall Condition

Fair

Relationships

Related Person or Organization

Person or Organization

Taylor, James Franklin 1824-1903 Reverend, Taylor, Mary (Porter) 1827-1896, Taylor, Grace Lillian 1865-1931

General Notes

Note

Notes: Many of the letters between James Taylor, Mary Porter and Grace Porter were printed in the SDHS newsletter. Status: OK Status By: Mary Voss Status Date: 2012-04-30

Create Date

April 30, 2012

Update Date

October 10, 2023