Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1874-11-25
THE GRAVE OF ZACHARY TAYLOR.
How the Living Forget the Dead.

THE GRAVE OF ZACHARY TAYLOR.
How the Living Forget the Dead.
General Ekin, in letter to a Louis
vile paper, gives the following graphic
description of the grave of ex-President
Taylor:
GA few days since, awaiting myself of
the charming atmosphere of a bright
autumnal afternoon, visited the old
homestead, now occupied by George
McCurdy, Esq, who became the posses
sor of eighty-one acres OF the farm by
purchase some years since. The tract
originally contained about five hundred
acres, but was subdivided when the es-
tate was distributed among the heirs.
It is a beautiful region of country,
diversified by hill and valley, and the
soil is rich and luxuriant About
quarter of a mile from the mansion
house-a plain two STORY building, taste
fully painted in pea green and yellow
colors, with a verandah on three sides
is the family graveyard.
When this portion of the farm was
sold to Mr.. McCurdy, half acre, en-
bracing the old family burial ground,
was reserved for that sacred purpose.
The enclosure, which is about one hun
dred and ten feet square, is surrounded
by dry wall of Kentucky blue lime
stone, and is five feet high, with cop
ing eighteen inches wide. The ground
is covered with dense growth of ivy,
intermingled with weeds and brambles
The pathways are completely hidden by
the rank and noxious growth, rendering
walk through them quite difficult and
very unpleasant. The vault, in which
repose the remains of General Taylor
and his wife (the latter having died only
few months after him) is built on a
gentle slope on the eastern side of the
inclosure, and is in very delapidated
condition.
The material used in it's construction
is Kentucky limestone, the front face of
which is partially trimmed There are
six courses of stone. The entire vault
is covered with ivy and weeds, the front
| alone being discernible, and the ap-
proaches to this are so matted and en-
| tangled with the same growth that they
look as if the foot of human being
had never trodden them. There is an
iron door about five feethigh and thirty
inches wide, and above this is plain
marble slab, about three feet in length
and eighteen inches wide, on which are
inscribed the following words:
e. TAYLOR,
Born November a. 1884;
Died July 8, 1859.
This slab is nowin falling condition,
and is supported in its place only by
decayed fence-rail, about IL feet long,
which was proppsd up against it by
some friendly hand. The vault is liter
ally falling to pieces, and on its sides,
between it's front and inner courses OF
stones, are cracks and openings from
one-fourth to half an inch wide. Near
the eastern side Of the vault are two
venerable blackjack trees, which were
leafess when I gazed upon them, but
from the branches of which were spring
ing green clusters of misletoe, emblem
attic of the life immortal that springs
from death. On the southeast side are
four beautiful pines, planted in row,
which were probably planted there
about the time General Taylor was
buried.
am credibly informed that when
the vault was opened, some three years
since, the casket containing the remains
of the illustrious deceased was found to
be very light, showing that nearly all
that was mortal of the old hero had
mouldered into dust. A single marble
bust of the deceased President was also
found in the vault at the time referred
to, but by whom it was placed there I
could not learn.
In this desolate looking graveyard
there are buried two generations of the
Taylor family. There are about thirty
monuments and headstones, and many
graves wholly unmarked, while a few
have plain wooden head and footboards
uainscribed.
The most conspicuous of the monu-
ments is a granite shaft, fourteen feet
high, erected to the memory of Col
Richard Taylor the father of Gen.
Taylor), who, the inscription tells us,
"was soldier of the Revolution and
native Of Orange county, Virginia; born
April 3, liza; died January 10, 1929"
Also, of "Sarah Strother, consort sc
Colonel Richard Taylor, born Deem
Der IA, 1859; died December 10, 1922. "
AhOAO 10 oAOO t1 l'1c1AL ndL OAO !
eight feet nigh, adorned with SIMPLE
carved flower, inscribed: t'Sarah B.
Gray. born June II, 1899; died Septem-
Der 6, 1851 A plain marble shaft,
four feet nigh, marks the resting place
of Richard Lee Taylor, born December
:, 1868; died April ID, 1886.
At the grave of VIM. r. Jouett is
pain marble headstone which tells that
us that he was 60 a Lieutenant Colonel
inthe u. S. Army, born in Woodford
county, Kentucky, April IL, 1705; died
at louisville, KY, May 1, 1852" and
nea this, in line, are tour headstones
to Denote the graves of other members
of tie Jouett family. There are also
head'tones marking the graves of John
| Richard Taylor, native of Orange
county, Va, who died May 1929, aged
43 Yeas and 4 months; Elizabeth Lee,
daughtsr, Of Col, Richard Taylor, and
wife Of John 6" Taylor, aged So years
and months; very old granite head
stone in memory of Thomas Owens, of
Westmorsland county, Pa, who died
June 27, 1884, in the 29th year Of his
age; marble slab, ornamented with a