William Taylor (1799-1867)

This is part 2 of the paper Betty Hamby West presented at the North Alabama Conference Historical Society.

William, the oldest of the three brothers, was licensed to preach by the quarterly conference of the Tuscaloosa Circuit on recommendation from the society at Cedar Mountain around 1820 (West 288). Sometime after 1832, "Parson Billy" took up the charge of the Jones Valley Circuit, which was a smaller one created from the Tuscaloosa Circuit in 1823. He preached, held Sunday School, and even taught elementary school classes for the scattered children in the area when they could make it through the woods to attend (Bryant 2). He had a long and fruitful ministry in this area.

He was active in the building of the new church in Sweeney Hollow. Begun just before the War Between the States broke out, it was not completed until the end of the war. This new church, now known as Taylor Memorial, was named Taylor's Chapel in honor of William Taylor (Bryant 4). He is buried in the cemetery there. His gravestone reads "Rev. William Taylor, born Aug. 3, 1799, embraced religion at twenty-one years of age, soon thereafter commenced to preach the unsearchable riches of Christ, and continued to do so until his decease which took place December 14, 1867."

Anson West described him as "an able preacher, a man of more than ordinary powers of intellect and through all the country round about the section in which he lived, he preached much and well. He maintained a good name and was loved by the people among whom he exercised his ministry" (288).

Click "Newer Post" underneath this post to continue reading ...