The Taylor family first came to Missouri in the fall of 1867. Erastus Taylor moved his family from East Elba, Genesee County, New York to the farm where J. P. Taylor now lives, which is located at the north city limits on Highway 5. Here he lived and raised his family until 1885 when his father passed away in New York. He then took his wife and youngest son, William, and went back to his old home, leaving two sons, M. H. and W. S. on the farm here in Missouri.
In February 1887, M. H., the oldest son, was married to Bertha E. Phillips and continued to live on the old farm until 1895 when he moved three-fourths of a mile west to the home of his father-in-law, which is now the home of M. H. (Slick) Taylor. In the summer of 1896 he fitted a covered wagon and went to Oklahoma with the thought of homesteading there, but after driving over much of the state, he came back to Missouri and in the fall of 1896, he bought a half interest in the hardware business with Henry Brown. Here he remained until the spring of 1920 when he sold his share of the business back to Mr. Brown and retired to the old Phillips farm until his death on March 15, 1940.
M. H. and Bertha Taylor were the parents of five children, all of whom are living at this time. J. P., Don B., and M. H. (Slick), all of Marceline; Kenneth C. of Oklahoma City; and Mrs. C. B. McAllister of Marceline. It’s interesting to note that on what is known as Broadway, north city limits, of Marceline, the Taylor boys have been living for 96 years, a period which comprises three generations.