An American Family History

Ethel Edith Smith was born on August 20, 1894 in Chariton, Lucas County, Iowa. Her parents were Josiah Smith and Eliza Fox. The Wind in the Willow has some written memories of Ethel.

When the family moved to Minnesota, Ethel stayed in Red Oak and worked and lived in a boarding house. After that she lived with her sister Bertha, in Wyoming for a year and met her future husband, Eil, there.

She married Joseph Eil Taylor on November 22, 1922 in Hot Springs, South Dakota. He was born April 20, 1884 in Arkansas. His parents were Joseph Taylor and Lucinda Tarter.

After their marriage they ranched on his homestead in Arch Creek, east of Moorcroft, Crook County, Wyoming.

Moorcroft, Crook County, Wyoming 1928

They had five children: Doris Dean Taylor Montegna (1924), John Edward Taylor (1925), Marjorie Ann Taylor (1931), James Luther Taylor (1933), and Ruth Louise Taylor McPhillips (1937).

Her niece, Maryon White, wrote

The early years at the ranch were good ones. Plenty of rain, plenty of hard work and good results. Twyla told of the fabulous gardens Ethel raised, their cellar house full of hams and slabs of bacon, and a very rosy future was anticipated . . . and then came the bad years!  grasshoppers, more drought, really bad times for everyone and the Taylors lost the ranch.

They moved to Moorcroft in 1939 and operated the Skelley Station.

Their daughter, Marjorie, died in July, 1946 when she was only 15 years old of a brain tumor.

Eil died in May 1949 of a heart attack. After he died, she operated the gas station on her own until 1954 when she moved to Sheridan and worked at a girl's reformatory.

After she retired she had a small house in Moorcroft and enjoyed traveling to visit relatives.

In 1988 she moved to a nursing home in Sundance.

 Ethel died on August 26, 1998.

Children of Josiah Smith, Jr. and Eliza Fox Mary Grace Smith White Hanley John Elmer Smith Bertha Edna Smith Kimsey Harry William Smith Ethel Edith Smith Taylor Bryan Sewell Smith Augusta Lena Smith Larson Andrew Jack Smith Twyla May Smith White