The Taylor Family in Pocahontas County

 

 

The Taylor Family in Pocahontas County: An Ethnohistorical and Genealogical Analysis

Executive Summary

The history of the Taylor family in Pocahontas County, West Virginia, serves as a microcosm of the Appalachian pioneer experience, tracing a trajectory from eighteenth-century frontier survival to modern civic and agricultural leadership. Settlement in the Greenbrier Valley was dictated by the region's rugged topography, which required an adaptable class of pioneers capable of navigating dense forests and limestone valleys.

Key takeaways from the family's historical record include:

• Early Settlement: The Taylor surname appeared in the region decades before the formal creation of Pocahontas County in 1821. Pioneers like William and Oldham Taylor established themselves in strategic districts (Dunmore and Hillsboro) prior to 1800.
• Military Service: The family has a consistent record of military engagement, ranging from Daniel Taylor’s service in the Battle of Point Pleasant (1774) and the Revolutionary War to extensive participation in Confederate units during the Civil War, most notably the 31st Virginia Infantry.
• Political Ascent: In the 20th century, the family transitioned from subsistence farming to state-level political and media influence, exemplified by James Alfred Taylor, who served as Speaker of the West Virginia House and a U.S. Congressman.
• Agricultural Continuity: The family maintains a multi-century connection to the land, evidenced by contemporary recognition such as the 2023 Women in Agriculture Award presented to Rachel Taylor of Frostmore Farms.

Geographic and Territorial Context

The settlement patterns of the Taylor family were deeply influenced by the "wilderness paradise" of what is now Pocahontas County. Formed in 1821 from portions of Bath, Randolph, and Pendleton counties, the region is defined by high average elevation, low population density, and the headwaters of the Greenbrier, Gauley, and Elk rivers.

Territorial Evolution of the Settlement Region

Year	Event	Resulting Administrative Unit
1749	Arrival of Marlin and Sewell	First European habitation near Marlinton
1753	Files/Tygart Settlement	Brief occupation of Randolph County area
1788	Formation of Pendleton County	Created from Augusta, Rockingham, and Hardy
1791	Formation of Bath County	Territory included parts of southern Pocahontas
1821	Formation of Pocahontas County	Created from Bath, Randolph, and Pendleton

The environment provided both resources (timber, fish, and game) and significant barriers (rugged ridges and dense forests inhabited by wolves and panthers), necessitating a "simple life" focused on self-governance and ecological adaptation.

Frontier Origins and Early Pioneers

The Taylor presence in the Virginia backcountry predates the 19th century. Early records indicate family members were involved in essential infrastructure, such as Samuel Taylor operating a ferry at Harpers Ferry as early as 1734.

By the late 1700s, two distinct branches were established in the region:

• William Taylor: Settled in the Dunmore - Green Bank area, near the headwaters of the Greenbrier River and defensive forts.
• Oldham Taylor: Settled in the Hillsboro - Mill Point area to the south.

These pioneers utilized local fortifications, such as Fort Warwick and the Fort at Clover Lick, to defend against Shawnee and Mingo resistance during the era of border warfare. While some theories suggest a connection to Tuscarora Indian leadership, evidence largely points to Scotch-Irish and English migration streams.

The Revolutionary Generation: Daniel Taylor (1748–1840)

Daniel Taylor represents the transient and perilous nature of the 18th-century frontier. Born in New Jersey, his life in the Greenbrier Valley was defined by significant military service:

• Dunmore’s War: Served under Captain John Stuart; present at the Battle of Point Pleasant (1774).
• Revolutionary War: Served in the Virginia troops under Captain John Cook; assisted in constructing Fort Defiance in 1776.
• Land Grants: In 1780, he was entitled to 200 acres in the Swago-Millpoint area.

His subsequent migration to Kentucky and Missouri illustrates the restlessness of the pioneer generation. A notable legal record from 1791 indicates his wife, Mary Taylor, was indicted for intermarrying with William Ewing under the mistaken belief that Daniel had died during his long absence in the wilderness.

19th-Century Development and the Civil War

As the frontier stabilized, the Taylor family integrated into the social and economic fabric of the county, intermarrying with prominent families like the Poages, Moores, and Sharps. By the 1850 census, Taylors were established as farmers, millers, and craftsmen.

The Civil War Crisis

Pocahontas County held a strategic border position, and the Taylor family’s loyalties were divided, though many leaned toward the Confederacy. Local men served in units that were often poorly equipped, requiring them to provide their own squirrel rifles and gear.

Key Military Units with Local Involvement:

• 31st VA Infantry, Company G ("Pocahontas Reserves"): Commanded by Captain James C. Arbogast; active in Jackson’s Valley operations and the Battle of Allegheny Mountain.
• 31st VA Infantry, Company E ("The Highlanders"): Commanded by Captain Felix H. Hull.
• 25th VA Infantry, Company I ("Pocahontas Rescuers"): Commanded by Captain Daniel A. Stofer.
• 11th VA Cavalry, Company F ("Bath Squadron"): Commanded by Dr. A. G. McChesney and A. G. McNeel.

While the southern part of the county was predominantly Confederate, some intermarried kin, such as the Curry and Wanless families, served in Union regiments like the 3rd West Virginia Cavalry.

20th-Century Political and Professional Leadership

The post-war era saw the Taylor family rise to prominence in the state’s governing and professional classes.

James Alfred (J. Alfred) Taylor (1878–1956)

J. Alfred Taylor became one of the most significant political figures in West Virginia history. His career began in newspaper publishing, which he used as a platform for political mobilization.

Political Career Highlights:

• WV House of Delegates: Served terms between 1916 and 1922; elected Speaker of the House (1931–1933).
• U.S. House of Representatives: Represented the 6th District as a Democrat (1923–1927).
• Gubernatorial Candidate: Democratic nominee for Governor of West Virginia in 1928.

William Taylor (1895–1950s)

A veteran of World War I, William Taylor bridged the gap between agriculture and civic duty. He was a livestock raiser and feed dealer who served as the Mayor of Lewisburg (1944–1946) and a member of the West Virginia State House of Delegates (1947–1950).

Modern Legacy and Agricultural Stewardship

In the contemporary era, the Taylor family continues to influence the region through sustainable agriculture and business development.

• Agricultural Recognition: Rachel Taylor, co-owner of Frostmore Farms in the Frost area, received the 2023 Women in Agriculture Award. This highlights the family’s enduring commitment to land preservation.
• Industrial Development: Other branches, such as Jay and Dalton Taylor, transitioned into construction and real estate, developing over 400 houses in the Teays Valley.

Genealogical and Historical Resources

The physical landscape of Pocahontas County serves as a primary repository for Taylor family history. Key sites and resources include:

• Taylor-Townsend Cemetery: Located near Frost; contains remains of early pioneers and Civil War veterans.
• McClintic Library (Marlinton): Houses the Heritage Room, containing birth/death microfilms and historical sketches.
• Pocahontas County Historical Society: Maintains surname vertical files and genealogy books.

The Taylor family legacy is characterized by four pillars: frontier fortitude in defending contested borderlands, a consistent record of military commitment, a successful transition to civic and professional leadership, and an multi-generational dedication to agricultural stewardship in the Allegheny Highlands.

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The Living Dead and Wilderness Thrones: 5 Surprising Truths About the Taylor Family’s Appalachian Legacy

1. The Rugged Roots of the Mountaineer Spirit

In the high-altitude silence of the 18th-century Allegheny Highlands, the territory that would become Pocahontas County was less a landscape and more a limestone-ribbed fortress. It was a "wilderness paradise" where the air was thin and the margin for error thinner. To settle here was to enter a world of "western waters"—the land sitting on the rugged western side of the Atlantic watershed—where every sunrise was a negotiation with a volatile frontier. The Taylor family’s arrival in the Greenbrier Valley provides a gritty microcosm of this era, serving as a lens through which we can see the transformation of the Appalachian identity from raw, defensive survivalism to the sophisticated halls of the State House.

2. The Case of the "Living Dead" Husband

In 1791, the court of Bath County wrestled with a legal entanglement that sounds more like a gothic novel than a genealogical record. Mary Taylor was indicted for "intermarrying" with William Ewing while her husband, Daniel Taylor, was supposedly still among the living. The indictment remains a haunting artifact of frontier isolation, describing Daniel as:

"not yet being dead that we know of."

This wasn't a case of simple betrayal; it was a symptom of a world where communication was severed by miles of impenetrable forest. Daniel Taylor was a man of the frontier—a veteran of the 1774 Battle of Point Pleasant and a builder of Fort Defiance. His restlessness eventually pulled him toward the Kentucky wilderness and later Missouri. In an era where the Appalachian divide could swallow a traveler whole, a two-year silence from the woods was often treated as a death certificate. While the case was eventually dismissed in 1793, it reveals the "living dead" status of many pioneers: men and women who existed in a state of social limbo, lost to their families by the sheer geography of the wilderness.

3. Coexisting with "Fabulous Profusion": Life in the Wild Allegheny

The early Taylors—William, Oldham, and Daniel—did not merely inhabit the Greenbrier Valley; they shared it with a primordial symphony of predators and prey. This was a "solitary forest scene" where the howl of wolves and the scream of panthers were as common as the wind. The records describe a "fabulous profusion" of bison, elk, and deer, a landscape that required a specific brand of stoicism to navigate.

Thriving here meant more than just hunting; it required strategic paranoia. Because the valley remained a contested hunting ground for the Shawnee and Mingo, the Taylors lived in the shadow of defensive fortifications. Their survival was tethered to sites like Fort Warwick and the Fort at Clover Lick. To these pioneers, the crack of a squirrel rifle was often the only thing standing between a successful harvest and a vanishing legacy.

4. A Family Split by the "Western Waters"

As the administrative lines of the Virginia backcountry were carved out of Randolph, Pendleton, and Bath counties, the Taylor family bifurcated, creating two distinct regional spheres within the "western waters."

• The Northern Branch: William Taylor anchored the family in the Dunmore, Green Bank, and Bartow areas, positioning himself near the headwaters of the Greenbrier River.
• The Southern Branch: Oldham Taylor established roots in the Hillsboro and Mill Point region, settling among the Poages and Beards.

While the prevailing evidence points toward a Scotch-Irish and English migration stream, an investigative look into the family’s lore reveals a competing narrative: the "Tuscarora Theory." This theory suggests a potential connection to a Tuscarora Indian leader also named William Taylor. Though the cultural homogeneity of the early Taylor settlers aligns with the Scotch-Irish cohort, this alternative thread of indigenous identity adds a layer of mystery to the family’s true origins on the western frontier.

5. From Frontier Forts to the State House: The Rise of J. Alfred Taylor

The transition from the 18th-century frontier to 20th-century leadership was forged in the fire of the American Civil War. The family’s continuity was tested during the 1860s, a period of "divided loyalties" where the Taylors leaned predominantly toward the Confederate cause. Men from the family served in the 31st Virginia Infantry, specifically Company G, known as the "Pocahontas Reserves." These soldiers defended their own farmlands at the Battle of Allegheny Mountain, often carrying their own squirrel rifles and "pepper box" revolvers into the fray.

Emerging from this period of crisis, the family pivoted from physical combat to civic influence. James Alfred Taylor (1878–1956) epitomized this evolution:

• Media Influence: He utilized the press as a weapon for public discourse, starting in Alderson and eventually moving to Fayette County.
• Legislative Leadership: He served as the Speaker of the West Virginia House of Delegates during the crushing years of the Great Depression (1931–1933).
• National Reach: He represented the state’s 6th District in the U.S. House of Representatives and was the Democratic nominee for Governor in 1928.

J. Alfred Taylor’s rise represents a modernization of the Taylor legacy—the shift from defending a fort to presiding over a legislature.

6. The 250-Year Continuity: Rachel Taylor and the Soil

While much of the family modernized, a core branch remained anchored to the land. In 1780, Daniel Taylor was granted 200 acres at Swago-Millpoint. More than two centuries later, that same agricultural spirit persists, though the tools have changed.

In 2023, Rachel Taylor, co-owner of Frostmore Farms, was honored with the "Women in Agriculture Award" at the West Virginia State Fair. This achievement marks the peak of a 250-year journey from subsistence survival to sustainable, award-winning agriculture. Whether it was Daniel clearing timber in the 1780s or Rachel managing a modern farm in the 2020s, the Taylor identity remains fundamentally defined by the soil of Pocahontas County.

7. Conclusion: The Simple Life on a Great Stage

The Taylor legacy is a foundational chapter in the "History of the English People" within Appalachia. They have performed their roles on a great stage, moving from the terrifying isolation of the 1700s to the structured governance of the modern state.

Their story forces us to look inward. In our hyper-connected world of instant communication and digital certainty, have we lost the rugged self-reliance that allowed Mary Taylor to survive years of silence from the Kentucky woods? As we contemplate the Taylors’ 250-year journey, we must ask: do we still possess the radical autonomy required to carve a life out of a wilderness where the only certainty is the land beneath our feet?