A few 4th of July tidbits from long ago, surrounded by some summertime pictures!
Martha Cordelia Waller Taylor, my great great grandmother, was a prolific journal writer. She married Daniel Rockwell Taylor and they and their children lived at the family farm, ‘Peace Farm’ or ‘Woodlawn’ in Oakfield, NY.
On the Fourth of July in 1900, Cordelia writes: “A glorious family picnic of all the dear boys and their families and ourselves in this dear old home. Rained in the a.m., but cleared up and gave abundant time for our bountiful dinner under the trees, yes and in a tent constructed by the boys. What a grand good time and then came music and singing, inspiring and heavenly."
Taylor Reunion, 1967
My great grandmother, Emma Jane Carson Taylor, married Cordelia’s son Bryant and also lived at Woodlawn. She too wrote faithfully in her journal. Our Emma Jane died at age 55 in August of 1916; she had a stroke. Just one month before, she wrote:
“We were all invited to Lloyd’s for the 4th. Arrived over there by 11 o’clock a.m. As soon as Lloyd could get off, we all started for Indian Falls for our dinner and had a nice time. We had some fireworks, after that ice cream and cake. Friends from Basom going back took Lloyd and Ethel home. All tumbled into bed about dead. I for one would have liked to have had it all over again next day so as to do all the things we did not but wanted to on the 4th.”
Ethel and Lloyd Taylor on the 4th of July, 36 years (in 1952)
after the Fourth of July described above.
Thinking of all of our family and cousins as we begin our July 2021! Happy Fourth!
Center Lisle, 1958, Adin Baker, Dan and Sue Kinsella
