Watauga Democrat. [volume] (Boone, Watauga County, N.C.) 1888-current, 1925-08-06
James H. Taylor
Dead at Age of 80
Highly Esteemed Veteran Of the Con-
federacy Passes Away Sunday
Afternoon

/ friend, passed to his reward, at the
home of his son, L. L. Taylor, near
Boone, Sunday afternoon, August 2.
Born May 25, 1926, Mr.. Taylor's
99th birthday had been celebrated
more than two months ago His last
illness covered period of four weeks
Deceased is survived by eigh children
l.. l.. Taylor of Watauga county, A.
j. Taylor, Wilkes County; Attorney
/. Taylor, Grangeville, Idaho; Rev.
Seymour Taylor, presiding elder of
North Wilkesboro Methodist District
R. A. Taylor, Watauga county; Mrs.
J. S. Stanbury, Boone; Mrs. j. L.
Lewis, Watauga; Mrs. Joseph War
din, Charlotte, two children having
died in infancy. Mr.. Taylor had been
resident of Watauga county for Sc
years, Wilkes being the county of his
nativity. Mrs. Taylor has preceded
him to the grave 25 years. No bro
theirs or sisters survive. He leaves
in all 103 descendants (grand chill
dren and great grandchildren
Rev. M B. Woosley, pastor of the
Boone Methodist church conducted
the funeral, which was held at the
Fairview church near Boone Monday
afternoon. "How Firm Foundation"
and "Nearer Ny God to Thee" two
favorite songs of the lamented vet
eran were used in the service. DR..
J. D. Rankin assisted the pastor in
the service and Professor B. B. Dou-
gherty made short address extoll-
ing some of the many virtuous char
acteristics of the great and good man.
The grave in the church cemetery
was afterwards, bank of lovely flow
ers, placed there by the throngs of
friends and admirers in attendance
and sent by those who were unable
to be present.
Born before the constitution of
the great State of North Carolina
wasaframed, at which time there was
not railroad system in the State,
Mr.. Taylor was too lod at the begin
ming of the Civil war to be drafted
into service, but feeling it his duty
to assist in the defense of the South
land, he enlisted as volunteer in
the fifty-third regiment if North Car
olina troops in Company K, which
was composed chiefly of Wilkes coun
ty men. Not so long afte he went
into active service a Yankee bullet
known as "minnie ball" in those
days, and weighing one ounce, tore,
its jagged way through one of the
brave soldiers lungs. As soon as he
was able to leave the hospital he was
granted a short furlough and return
ed home until he recovered. He went
back to the fray, and had been there
very short time, when another mis-
sile Of the same size and kind, rent
his other lung. Again he returned
home, again he miraculously recov-
cred, and again undaunted he return
ed to the fray. This time fortune was
more kindly and he served until the
end of the conflict without further
wounds. Mr.. Taylor has often said
that yankee lead was never run to
kill me-" and surely fate was with
him against such overwhelming odds.
Deceased was a member of the
Methodist church for seventy-nine
years, and always had the keenest
interest in all affairs tending to a
better and higher life. His Cody in
fluence is reflected in the fact that
one son is Presiding Elder, power
full man; and his grandson the
Reverend Walter A. Stanbury is the
pastor of the largest Methodist church
in the state, Edenton Street, Raleigh.
Mr.. Taylor was highly cultured
Christian gentleman, close observer
and a great student. Always prosper
Gus he always proffered his means
to those in dire circumstances. His
was great and good heart, and
while future generations may see the
good things he has wrought, no one
has known of his doing anything in
his long span that would be termed
meanly. His friends are numberless,
for who could know this noble old
patriarch and fail to love him? Be-
fore he became ill, he had often re-
marked that death held no terrors
for him-merely change from a
good world, to one so much better
comparison would be sacrilege. "He
has fought a good fight, he has fin
lshed his course, he has kept the
faith" We shall miss him greatly,
but his works live after him and
may the worthy examples he set be-
fore a sinful world be emulated by
those yet unborn.