An American Family History

John Taylor was born near Milton, Northumberland County, Pennsylvania on February 18, 1810. His parents were David Taylor and Anna Bolen.

He came to Ohio with his parents when he was a boy. They were early pioneers,

John bought one pocket book, one box irons, scythe and snead, and one set blacksmith tools from his father's estate sale. On August 24, 1835 John Taylor became the guardian of his sisters, Mary Ann and Elizabeth who were 16. 

He married Margaret Jane Staley on December 10, 1835.  Margaret was born on May 3, 1810 in Montgomery County, Ohio. She was the daughter of Jacob Staley and Margaret Covill.

John and Margaret's children included:
Elizabeth Taylor Fridley (1836, married John Monroe Fridley),
Mary Ann Taylor Faler (1838, married George W. Faler),
Margaret Taylor (1840),
David Taylor (1841),
Jacob Taylor (1843),
George Taylor (1844, married Mary E. Smith),
Ann M. Taylor (1847, died age 11),
Amanda Taylor Shellenbarger (1847, married Christian Shellenbarger),
Florence Taylor (1859, died age 7), and
William Taylor (1854, died age 5). 

Christian and Amanda (Taylor) Schellenbarger

The family appeared in the 1860 census of Dinsmore Township, Shelby County, Ohio. John was a farmer.

They were still living in Dinsmore Township in 1880. The household consisted of John age 70, Margaret age 70, Amanda age 27 and Ella Hall a housekeeper from Ireland.

Margaret died on February 26, 1880 and John died on March 16, 1891 in Shelby County, Ohio. He is buried in Wesley Chapel Methodist Episcopal Cemetery in Franklin Township, Shelby County, Ohio with his wife and three children Anna, Florence, and William Taylor who all died in 1858-1859.

A scythe or a sickle is a hand tool for reaping crops. The handle of a scythe is a snead.

Children of David Taylor and Anna Bolen Taylor John Taylor Abraham Taylor Richard Taylor David Taylor Jacob Taylor Mary Ann Taylor Barr Elizabeth Taylor and Mary Bolen Ann Taylor Dill Margaret Taylor Winget Nancy Taylor Cox

Milton is a borough in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, on the Susquehanna River, 50 miles (80 km) north of Harrisberg. It was settled in 1770. Chillisquaque Township is just south of Milton and Turbot Township is just north

Death of John Taylor
John Taylor, a well known old resident of Shelby county, died at his home in Dinsmore township on Saturday of Bright’s disease. He was born near Milton, Pennsylvania, on February 10, 1810 and came to Ohio when nine years old. His parents locating in Greene county. He came to this county in January, 1835 and purchased the 120 acres of land in Dinsmore township upon which he afterward made his home. He added fifty acres to his original purchase, and always kept abreast of the time in other improvements. 

He was united in marriage with Miss Margaret Staley on January 10 1835, and they reared a family of seven children—four daughters and three sons. Mr. Taylor had served as Trustee of Dinsmore township and filled other offices. He was a most worthy man, and in his death Dinsmore township lost a resident whose example in life will profit those who follow it. His remains were buried to-day at 2 o’clock.

Obituary Courtesy of William Huber

Christian Shellenbarger who is one of Jackson township's most respected and reliable citizens, for twenty years, with the exception of an interval of three years, a member of the board of education, is a stock- raiser and farmer, owning 400 acres of fine land. His home farm in Jackson township, contains 160 acres, while his farm in Dinsmore township contains 240 acres, this being the farm on which he was reared. He was born in Wittenberg, Germany, September 9, 1845, and was six years old when his parents settled in Jackson township, where they died. During the great Civil war, John Shellenbarger, father of Christian, served in the l0th Ohio battery. He was an old German military man and his previous army experiences had taught him much about warfare.

From the age of eight years, Christian Shellenbarger lived with strangers, being then bound out to George Reynolds, where he found a good home and kind treatment and remained with Mr. Reynolds until his marriage, when aged twenty-four years. He then located in Dinsmore township, west of Montra, three-fourths miles distant from Mr. Reynolds' farm, purchasing eighty acres, and lived there until after the birth of his fourth child, when he moved to Jackson township and after the birth of another child, his first wife died, aged thirty-seven years.

Mr. Shellenbarger has lived in Jackson township ever since the fall of 1882. His 400 acres of land have all been improved except thirty acres in Jackson and forty acres in Dinsmore township and in large degree the work of improving has all been done by Mr. Shellenbarger. While he carries on general farming very successfully, he has always been more interested in raising thoroughbred cattle and all kinds of stock, giving particular attention to Shorthorn cattle, Chester White hogs, Shropshire sheep and Hambletonian and Percheron draft horses. Mr. Shellenbarger attends to his own farm industries in Jackson township, while his son Arthur operates the farm in Dinsmore township. Mr. Shellenbarger is a stockholder in the Snider-Poole Company store of which he was the owner for one and a half years and then sold to the Snider-Poole Company. He also is a stockholder and a director of the Decatur-Springfield Electric railway. Politically a democrat, he has been loyal to his party and effective as a citizen, and has served on several occasions as road supervisor and three terms as township trustee.

Mr. Shellenbarger was married first to Miss Anna K. Foster, who was born in Clark county, O., but was reared in Jackson township. Her parents were William C. and Mary (Smith) Foster. Five children were born to this marriage: George O., Emma F., Mary C., Arthur C. and William E.

His second marriage was to Miss Amanda Taylor, a daughter of John and Margaret Taylor, the former of whom was horn at Harrisburg, while his wife was a native of North Carolina. They came to Shelby county in 1832 and found one log house representing the settlement of Sidney. Mr. Taylor entered land in Dinsmore township, and found Indians plentiful but they were kindly treated at his log cabin and continued harmless. He died when aged eighty-one years and his wife at the age of seventy-nine years and they were buried in Wesley Chapel cemetery. Of their eleven children, six survive and three live in Shelby county. Mr. Shellenbarger and family belong to the Methodist Episcopal church at Jackson Center and for many years he was a church official. (from the History of Shelby County, Ohio)