Taylorw
Transcribed from "History of North Washington, an illustrated history
of Stevens, Ferry, Okanogan and Chelan counties", published by Western
Historical Publishing Co., 1904.
WILSON M. TAYLOR. A seventeen
years' residence in the territory now occupied by Okanogan county entitles
the subject of this article to be classed as one of the pioneers.
During this period of time he has been engaged in steady labor in various
lines of industry, all tending to upbuild and develop the country and make
himself one of the well to do citizens. His residence is four and
one half miles west of Riverside, where he has three hundred and twenty
acres of land. Two hundred acres of this are fine meadow, raising
timothy and red top hay. The balance contains about one and one-half
million feet of saw timber.
Wilson M. Taylor was born in Taylorville,
Fayette county, Iowa, on June 14, 1852. His father, Dr. Silas Taylor,
married Miss Mary Carnehan, a native of Pennsylvania, who died in Michigan
in 1889. The doctor was a native of the State of New York, born in
1796, and the youngest of a large family. His father, John M., and
two brothers, fought in the Revolution. The doctor commenced practice
in Grand Rapids, Michigan, then came west to Iowa and located on land where
Taylorsville now stands. In 1855 he went to Fillmore county, Minnesota.
In 1861 he went to New Ulm, Minnesota, and was there during the awful massacre
of August, 1862. For seven days they fought off the murderous Sioux
and finally help came. In the fall of that year Doctor Taylor went
to Fillmore county and there died in October. Four children were
born to this worthy couple, William H., Mrs. Louisa Willman, the subject
of this article, and Mrs. Elizabeth Winchel. In 1877 our subject
left home and went to Omaha and engaged in the Union Pacific shops.
He soon became an engineer and drove an engine in that region for several
years. In 1882 he came to Portland and engaged on the California
railroad. It was in the fall of 1886 that he came to Okanogan and
located on a ranch in Spring coulee. Later he sold this. Having
become an expert sawyer in younger years he went into the sawmill business.
At this time he sold the ranch in Spring coulee and in 1900 took one hundred
and sixty acres, where his place now is, and also bought as much more.
The farm is well improved, has good buildings, fine orchard, and is one
of the valuable estates of the country.
In February, 1874, Mr. Taylor married Miss
Irene M. Burdine, who was born in Fayette county, Indiana, in 1857.
She died on May 22, 1877, leaving one child, Mabel A. Their
wedding occurred in Fillmore county, Minnesota.