Sacred Harp Singing--Fasola and our Taylors

Haunting, fierce and lovely harmonies, beautiful, sacred, uplifting, soul soothing, all-day singing .... these are words that have been used to describe Sacred Harp singing.  Our Taylor ancestors living in Alabama surely knew about Sacred Harp, and many sang it.  The tradition lives on today as well!

The lyrics to one of the favorite songs of many Sacred Harp singings is written below. The words speak for themselves.

Wondrous Love

What wondrous love is this, O my soul, O my soul!
What wondrous love is this, O my soul!
What wondrous love is this
That caused the Lord of bliss
To bear the dreadful curse for my soul, for my soul,
To bear the dreadful curse for my soul!

When I was sinking down, sinking down, sinking down,
When I was sinking down, sinking down,
When I was sinking down
Beneath God’s righteous frown,
Christ laid aside His crown for my soul for my soul,
Christ laid aside His crown for my soul.

To God and to the Lamb I will sing, I will sing;
To God and to the Lamb I will sing;
To God and to the Lamb,
Who is the great I AM,
While millions join the theme, I will sing, I will sing,
While millions join the theme, I will sing.

And when from death I’m free, I’ll sing on, I’ll sing on;
And when from death I’m free, I’ll sing on.
And when from death I’m free
I’ll sing His love for me,
And through eternity I’ll sing on, I’ll sing on,
And through eternity I’ll sing on.

The singings brought rural country folks together, who often lived miles apart.  Both adults and young people attended Singing Schools where they learned the rudiments of music and practiced the songs.  

The human voice, the instrument we were given at birth, is the only instrument used in Sacred Harp singing, also known as Fasola singing.  A tradition that dates back to colonial times in America, Sacred Harp singings are still alive and prosper today around the country. 

Singers sit facing each other, forming a hollow square, with each singing part--treble, alto, tenor and bass--sitting in the four sections.  Singers take turns leading the group.  Standing in the middle of the square, the leader calls the song by page number as the Sacred Harp book is held in one hand, and the beat is kept with the other hand.  The singers begin by singing the appropriate notes using Fa So La Me.  Then they immediately begin singing the song using the words.

Also known as shape note singing, the music is written in the books using shapes to help the singer easily identify the tone:  Triangle is the shape for "Fa," oval is the shape for "Sol," rectangle is the shape for "La," and diamond is the shape for "Me."

From "Original Sacred Harp" (Denson Revision) Standard Melodies, Page 1, Rudiments of Music,
Published by Sacred Harp Publishing Company, Inc., Haleyville, Alabama

Singing Conventions were annual gatherings of singers.  In Winston County,  conventions date back to the The Clear Creek Mountain Home Singing Association of Winston County, formed in 1874. Then in 1896, the Bear Creek Sacred Harp Memorial Singings of Winston County was organized.  Neighboring Alabama counties also held conventions. 

The following accounts of family links to Sacred Harp singing have been shared by Taylor descendants:

I remember my grandmother, Sarah Elizabeth (James) Taylor, saying that my grandfather, William Verpo Taylor, loved fasola singing.  He became a Christian and began attending church regularly later in his life.  I'm not sure how long he did this or exactly where, but they lived near the Hopewell community between Ashville and Gadsten Alabama for many years and I always assumed it was there.

William Alexander (Bill) Taylor

Kyle, Texas

In the Minutes of the Sacred Harp Centennial Celebration held in Double Springs, Alabama September 18-24, 1944, several Taylors are listed as singers: Mr. and Mrs. J. F. Taylor, Columbus Taylor, Helen Taylor, Sulu Taylor, Theodore Taylor, Mrs. O. H. (Oscar Harrison) Taylor, Mr. and Mrs. Lonnie Taylor, Harrison Taylor, W. M. Taylor and Eugene Taylor.  At this same centennial celebration, the monument that sits on the grounds of the Winston County courthouse to honor Seaborn M. Denson and Thomas J. Denson was dedicated. The talented Denson brothers were well known for their work in writing Sacred Harp music, singing and teaching others to sing.

Memorial to Seaborn M. Denson and Thomas J. Denson,
Erected Summer 1944 during  the Centennial Celebration of Sacred Harp music
Winston County Courthouse, Double Springs, Alabama

Ada Taylor Godsey, daughter of George Washington and Lucinda (Swims) Taylor, was highlighted in an issue of Country Home magazine, June 1995, Page 58: 

Ada Godsey, 87, also of Double Springs, remembers going to all-day singings in a horse and buggy around 1919.  More often, she walked the mile from her home to the Pleasant Ridge (Hill)  Primitive Baptist Church.

"My family couldn't all fit in the buggy," she explains.  Her father once organized a singing school at the church and brought in Tom Denson, one of the best teachers the tradition has ever produced."

"Papa hitched Molly to the buggy and drove twenty miles to Haleyville to meet him at the train," Ada says.  When the 10-day singing school ended, Denson taught another one 5 miles away in the community of Posey's Mill. "For ten days we walked there (Posey's Mill) through the woods, sang all day, and then walked home again,"  Ada recalls.

Shared by Kay Wojack,

Descendant of Columbus Taylor

Daddy used to talk about fasola singing when we were growing up.  He liked it.  I don't know if he sang it or not, but he talked about it.  (Daddy is Hosey Stevens, oldest son of Pachie Taylor Stevens.  This family moved from Winston to Lawrence County, Tennessee in 1920).

Ann Stevens Rohling

Lawrenceburg, Tennessee

 .

At the close of the Centennial Celebration of Sacred Harp music held in 1944, the minutes of the event denoted a special song that is still often chosen to end each gathering of singers:

"The great body of singers and listeners joined in singing page 62, "Parting Hand" and mid smiles and tears, they bade each other a loving farewell; some to meet again soon, to sing again these songs of Zion; some to meet in that Land where there'll be no sad parting; where we'll sing, forever, a song of Moses and the Lamb, with our loved ones who are watching and waiting for us." Page 24 

L.O. Odem President

Ruth Denson Edwards, Secretary 

Page 62, "Parting Hand"
From "Original Sacred Harp" (Denson Revision) Standard Melodies,
Published by Sacred Harp Publishing Company, Inc., Haleyville, Alabama

George Washington Taylor, son of Charles Alexander

George Washington Taylor, first child of Charles Alexander and Louisa Jane (Curtis) Taylor, was born March 24, 1858 in Winston County.  His name is first found on the 1860 Federal Census as a two year old, living with his parents and newborn sister, Amelia, in Township 10, Range 9 of Winston. 

At the age of 19, George married Lucinda Caroline Swims in 1877.  Lucinda was the daughter of Aaron H. and Elizabeth Caroline (Long) Swims.  Both fathers of George and Lucinda were soldiers in the 1st Regiment, Alabama Calvary, Union Army during the Civil War.

George's wife was orphaned as a child when she was about 8 years old.   Her father had died of typhoid fever in a civil war hospital.  Her mother died the following year.  Guardianship of Lucinda and her siblings was granted to her uncle, William Riley Long. 

George and Lucinda had the following children:

• Charles Aaron Taylor, named after their fathers, married Scottie May Lyle
• Frank Marion Taylor
• Andrew J. Taylor
• Columbus Washington Taylor, married Arsula "Suler" Posey
• David Lincoln Taylor, married Lula Belle Posey (sister of Columbus' wife, Suler Posey)
• Rhoda Bell Taylor, married (1) William Houston Guttery and (2) Pinkney Jackson Woodall
• Ada Louise Taylor, married Richard Sherman Godsey
• Ida Taylor, twin to Ada, died at birth
• Ella "Eller" Ruth Taylor, married John W. Kidd

George was sometimes listed as George Washington Taylor, Sr. in records.  Unlike today's naming pattern practices, George did not have a son named "Junior."  However, George's uncle, James Knox Polk Taylor also named his son George Washington Taylor, who was referred to as "Junior."

George and Lucinda lived all of their lives in the Ashridge community.  He died on March 25, 1926 at the age of 68.  His occupation was listed as retired farmer on the death certificate.  Lucinda died on December 21, 1940 at the age of 83. They are both buried at Rock Creek Baptist Church, Winston County.

George Washington and Lucinda Caroline (Swims) Taylor,
Photo in collection of descendant Kay Wojack

Charles Alexander Taylor, 3rd Child of John & Eliza

Charles Alexander Taylor,
Son of John & Eliza (Cagle) Taylor

Charles Alexander Taylor, third child of John and Eliza (Cagle) Taylor, was born in Hardin County, Tennessee on January 24, 1834.  His birth place is recorded on Union soldier pension documents and provides proof that the Taylor family lived in Hardin County, Tennessee before settling in Winston County, Alabama.

His name first appears on a federal census for Hancock County, Alabama (later known as Winston). Listed as Charles Taylor, age 16, he is the oldest child living in the household of 10 people.  At the age of 23, Charles married Louisa Jane "Sis" Curtis on February 19, 1857 at the home of the bride's father, Solomon Curtis.   Two brothers of Louisa Jane also married Taylor sisters.

Charles Alexander and Louisa Jane (Curtis) Taylor,
Photo in collection of Bill Taylor

Charles and Louisa were the parents of eight children:

• George Washington Taylor, married Lucinda Caroline Swims, buried at Rock Creek Cemetery, Winston
• Amelia Taylor
• Thomas Pinkney Taylor, married Cordelia J. Swims, buried at Rock Creek Cemetery, Winston
• Martha Jane Taylor, married Albert Randolph Shipman, buried at Fairview Cemetery, Winston
• John Frank Taylor
• James Jackson Taylor, married Lou Ella Penn
• William Verpo Taylor, married Sarah Elizabeth James, buried at Hopewell Cemetery, Ashville, St. Clair County, Alabama
• Lewis Monroe Taylor, married Lula M. Alexander, buried at Curtis Cemetery, Winston

On October 12, 1863, Charles Alexander went to Glendale, Mississippi and enlisted in the Union troops of the 1st Alabama Volunteer Calvary, Company L.  He and his brother, Andrew Jackson Taylor, served in the same unit.  Many Winston County men joined the Union troops to show their opposition to War of the Rebellion.  Their father, John, was a leader in Winston County who boldly spoke about his loyalty to the United States government. 

Later in Charles' life, he filed for a pension which he was eligible to receive for his military service.  In those pension files can be found information regarding his family and life in the war.  One eventful story unfolds through the documents Charles submitted.  Following orders given by Colonel Dodge to recruit new members for the company, Charles and a few other men set out on Christmas Day of 1863.  When they were near Jacinto, Mississippi, the men were shot by bushwhackers causing their horses to stampede.  Charles' horse made a quick bolt to the left and caused him to be thrown into the pommel of the saddle causing a painful rupture to his groin. This injury which gradually grew worse troubled him for the remainder of his life. 

Charles was separated from his unit and unable to return, according to documents in the pension file.  He recorded that he hid out in the bushes to keep from being shot at by rebels.  After a few months, Charles was able to return to his unit.  He was treated by the Regimental Sergeant for his injury.  His file also revealed that a march from Glendale, Mississippi to Jasper Alabama led his troop of soldiers within ten miles of Charles' home in Ellaville. His captain advised him to go home and take to the woods to prevent capture by the Rebels. Charles recorded that he was treated in the woods by Doctor Bird and DeGraffenreid.  His discharge date for his service was May 1, 1864.

At the age of 47, Charles was named first minister of Liberty Grove Baptist on October 8, 1881.  He was very active in the Clear Creek Baptist Association. Another brother, James Knox Polk Taylor, also became a Baptist preacher.

On January 7, 1916, Charles died at the age of 81.  In his last days he was cared for by sons, John Frank and Lewis Monroe Taylor.  Charles is buried in Curtis Cemetery, along with his wife Louisa Jane.

CHAS A. TAYLOR, CO. L, 1 ALA. CAV.
Curtis Cemetery, Winston County, Alabama