Little Gardner Girl--Not Forgotten

There's a story to record about Alonzo Grant Taylor that warms hearts.  In Liberty Grove Baptist Cemetery there is a special memorial placed to honor a little girl and Alonzo's kindness. The girl's last name was Gardner.  Her first name is unknown.

The Little Gardner girl died in 1898.  She is buried next to Alonzo's first wife, Emma (Elliott) Taylor who also died in March of the same year. A small primitive tombstone was placed at the little girl's grave, most likely by her family.  Shortly after the little girls' death, her family moved on to live elsewhere.  No details about the Gardner family are known.

For the next 50 years, during the church's annual decoration day, Alonzo would always bring flowers to place on the little girl's grave.   She was never forgotten.

In 2007, members of Alonzo's family arranged for a permanent memorial to be erected on her grave, to commemorate the Taylors always remembering ...what Alonzo never forgot.

Memorial ready for placement at her grave in Liberty Grove Baptist Cemetery

May we all show long lasting acts of kindness and respect, as Alonzo displayed for over 50 years.

Patience Taylor, 2nd Child of John & Eliza

Patience Taylor, born in November of 1831, was the second daughter of John and Eliza (Cagle) Taylor.  Her name first appears on the 1850 Federal Census in the northern district of Hancock County, (earlier name for Winston) Alabama.  She and her husband, Elijah Sutherland, were living next door to her parents.  On the other side of her household were her older sister Caroline and husband, Giles Simmons.

Elijah Sutherland was born in Pikeville, Bledsoe County, Tennessee on March 27, 1827.  His place of birth and date were listed on the 1907 Winston County, Alabama Census of Confederate Soldiers.  Elijah stated in the record that he first entered Roddy's Command (Confederate) on August 26, 1864 at Mt. Hope, Alabama.   He continued his service until they were scattered by Wilson's Army--a reference to General James Wilson's Raid that swept through Winston County, Alabama in March of 1865.

Patience and Elijah were married in 1849, according to the information recorded by the federal census taken in 1900. In addition, the census shows they were the parents of 9 children. Known names of eight children are (Reverend) John Homer, Nancy, Louisa, Eliza Artemissa, Mary, Thomas Pink, James D., and Martha. In 1900, Elijah owned his farm, free of mortgage. The census record stated Elijah was 73 years old and Patience was 68.  They had been married 51 years.

Patience Sutherland is listed on the roll of church members of Liberty Grove Baptist Church near Ashridge.  Her name is second on the list of early members, recorded below Eliza Taylor (her mother).

Two of Patience's sons were early ministers of Macdeonia Baptist Church.  John Homer began preaching about 1885.  John Homer married Sarah Isabelle Tittle, daughter of James Wyatt and Mary Elizabeth (Dodd) Tittle.  T. P. (Thomas Pink) was listed as minister for Macedonia from 1891 to1895. Thomas Pink married Mary Wilson.

Both Patience and husband, Elijah, are buried at Macedonia Baptist Cemetery.  The date of death on her tombstone is circa 1901. 

Buried at Macdeonia Baptist Church Cemetery, Winston, Alabama

Surrounded By A Cloud of Witnesses........ Liberty Grove Baptist Church

This Oct the 8^th 1881:
State of Alabama
Winston County

We the brethren and sisters met in convention Sept 20^th 1881 and agreed to petition the following named minister Charles A. Taylor; Deacons J.R. Whitmire, Calvin Miles, Steaphin McCollum, John W. Curtis and J.N. Curtis met by request of brethren at school house near George Wilsons on Saturday before the second Sabath in Oct 1881 and formed themselves in to a presbah organised by electing Charles A. Taylor Mod., John W. Curtis Clerk, and finding the brethren and sisters sound in the faith constituted them in to a church which was named Liberty Grove.

Liberty Grove Baptist Church, Winston County, Alabama

The words written above were recorded by a group of Christian men and women when they began a church over 130 years ago---Liberty Grove Baptist.  Located near Ashridge, the church still thrives today. 

The first minister was Charles Alexander Taylor, first son of John and Eliza Taylor.  He was 47 years old at the time.  Charles and his wife, Louisa Jane (Curtis), were the parents of eight children: George Washington, Amelia, Thomas P., Martha Jane, John Frank, James Jackson, William Verpo, and Lewis Monroe Taylor.  All but the last son were born when Charles became minister.

Early church rolls show many Taylor family members.  Men listed were James Knox Polk Taylor, William C. Taylor, William C. Taylor, Jr., Alonzo G. Taylor, Francis Marion Taylor, and Carel Taylor,  Women listed were Eliza Taylor, Patience (Taylor) Sutherland, A A Taylor, Georgeann Taylor, Nancy M. Taylor, Francis Taylor, Servaner V Taylor, and Emma Taylor.

There are two photographs in the collection of Newman "Wayne" Taylor that reveal early events in the life of the church family.

Singing class at Liberty Grove Baptist Church, in Winston County, July 1919. Verdie Davis with the song book was the teacher. 2nd row third from right is Lucinda Taylor. She and Verdie married later in life as second spouse for each.

Photo taken about 1921 in Winston County, Alabama. Some of the known individuals are as follows: The Rev. Tom Kelly (hands raised) officiating, Alonzo Grant Taylor in the water with hands folded, Hardin Taylor (a son of Tom Taylor and grandson of Charles Alexander Taylor) with crutches. Right to left standing in the water to be baptized: Iren Roland (next to Alonzo) then Ida Brown, then an unknown girl, then Dovey Taylor (later Dovey married George Pulliam), then an unknown girl, then Dessa Crittenden. Right to left on the bank: crippled man being held by the arm is Johnny Harris (he was a school teacher), holding Johnny is Glenn Cauthen, next person unknown, then Wallace Taylor son of Alonzo, next is Howard Lovett, next is Bob Cauthen, behind Rev. Kelly's hand is Murphy Lovett, behind Hardin Taylors' left shoulder is Fayette Burns, behind Fayette is Newman 0. Taylor(a son of Alonzo), beside Newman to the right is Lucinda Taylor (a daughter of Alonzo), further to right is Thurlo Taylor (youngest son of Alonzo), and then Margaret Stevens Taylor (wife of Alonzo) with her hand on Thurlo's head. These persons were identified to Wayne Taylor by his father Newman and his Aunt Lucinda Taylor in 1978.

Taylors Buried at Liberty Grove Baptist Cemetery

Taylor, Alma F., 18 Feb 1902- 9 Jun 1982

Taylor, Alonzo G., 20 Jun 1869 – 6 Mar 1949 [Husband of 1^st Emma L. Elliott, 2^nd  Margaret Derusha Stevens, daughter of John Benjamin and Lucinda Brown Stevens]

Taylor, Alta I., 15 Nov 1913 – 11 Nov 1995 (single stone Theodore R. Taylor)

Taylor, Amery W., 30 Jun 1907 – 15 Aug 2000 (single stone Mary S. “Tom” Taylor)

Taylor, Antha E., 22 Jan 1898 – 3 Nov 1976

Taylor, Carol F., 26 Apr 1921 – 23 Jul 2001 (single stone Cecil Taylor)

Taylor, Cecil, 4 Aug 1920 – 6 Aug 1978; GM3 US Navy, WWII, (single stone Carol F. Taylor)

Taylor, Charles A., 28 Dec 1882 – 13 Aug 1949

Taylor, Charles T., 19 May 1918 – 19 Dec 1966; Alabama PFC 903 Ord Ham Co, WWII

Taylor, Charley, 1 Dec 1877 – 1 Mar 1937 (single stone Susie Taylor)

Taylor, Emmer L., wife of A. G. Taylor, 20 Jun 1868 – 20 Mar 1898

Taylor, F. M., 1 Jan 1843 – 2 Mar 1919 (next to W C Taylor) Note:  Served as Winston County Probate Judge from 1878-1886. [son of John and Eliza Cagle Taylor]

Taylor, George Washington, 7 Aug 1881 – 5 Jul 1960 (single stone Sally Rebecca Taylor)

Taylor, Infant, daughter of Ophelia and Hollis Taylor, born and died 19 Mar 1932

Taylor, Infant, son of Charlie and Susie Taylor, born and died 1903

Taylor, James K. P., Rev., 12 Jan 1845 – 28 Feb 1933 (single stone Mandy Taylor) [son of John and Eliza Cagle Taylor]

Taylor, James Voit, 3 Mar 1908 – 1 Feb 1944

Taylor, L. Gene, 2 Oct 1939 – 6 Jan 1940

Taylor, Lenward, 23 Jan 1928 – 30 Jun 1950; Alabama F2 US Navy, WWII

Taylor, Louanna, 26 Jul 1890 – 25 Nov 1922

Taylor, Lula, 21 Jul 1909 – 1 Aug 2003

Taylor, Luna, wife of C. A. Taylor, 9 Jul 1884 – 12 Apr 1917

Taylor, Mandy, 4 Dec 1847 – 8 Dec 1933 (single stone Rev. James K. P. Taylor) [Amanda Byrd, wife of Rev. James Knox Polk Taylor, daughter of John and Nancy Sutherland Bird]

Taylor, Margaret D., 25 Nov 1876 – 27 Mar 1956 [Margaret Derusha Stevens, 2^nd Wife of Alonzo Grant Taylor and daughter of John Benjamin and Lucinda Brown Stevens]

Taylor, Mary S. “Tom” 27 Jul 1908- 10 Apr 1976 (single stone Amery W. Taylor)

Taylor, Sally Rebecca, 10 Sep 1886 – 4 Dec 1974 (single stone George Washington Taylor)

Taylor, Sarah S., 9 May 1855 – 19 Dec 1947 [Sarah Sephronia Evans, wife of William Carroll Taylor and daughter of Leverett Hudson and Sarah Brown Evans]

Taylor, Sprot Arnold, 21 Apr 1921 – 3 Sep 1922

Taylor, Susie, 11 Nov 1880 – 25 Feb 1974 (single stone Charley Taylor)

Taylor, Theodore R., 30 May 1913 – 7 Oct 2001 (single stone Alta I. Taylor)

Taylor, W. C., 8 Feb 1847 – 24 Jan 1922 (next to F. M. Taylor) [William Carroll Taylor, youngest son of John and Eliza Cagle Taylor, Husband of Sarah S. Taylor]

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses,

let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles.

And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,

fixing our eyes on Jesus,

the pioneer and perfecter of faith.

Hebrews 12:1-2