General James Taylor
Covington Journal, Friday, July 28, 1848, page 2
Sketch of Gen. Taylor's Life
The family of which General Taylor is so distinguished a
representative, originated from James Taylor, who emigrated from England in 1692
and settled in the eastern part of Virginia.
It is a singular circumstance that in this Taylor family, in no case has a son died before the father and to the present time the eldest male member of the family has borne the names of James. General James Taylor, of Newport, Ky. (quartermaster in the U. S. army in 1812) now eighty years of age, being the present head of the family. Connections of the family are spread over nearly all the southern and western States, and from it have arisen many of our eminent men including James Madison, Richard Henry Lee, John Taylor of Carolina, James Barbour, Judge Pendleton of Virginia, General Temucair Hunt and others.
Gen. Taylor's father was Col. Richard, brother of James of Newport. After serving with patriotic devotion though the Revolution, he emigrated with James and a younger brother (Hubbard), to the "dark and bloody ground" in the days of Boone and was one of the bravest of the little band who with their rifles in their hands, laid the foundation of the chivalrous State of Kentucky.
Richard was looked upon by Governor Scott (no mean judge of such qualities) as honorable, brave, generous and devoted in a remarkable degree. About 1785 he married Sarah Strother, by whom he had five sons, Hancock, Zachary, George, William and Joseph; and three daughters Elizabeth, Sarah and Emily. He was a presidential elector in Kentucky for man years, voting for Jefferson, Monroe and Clay. He died near Lexington, February 19, 1826.
"Rough and Ready" Zachary was born in 1790. His early life was spent in the rough exercises of the frontier, which inured his fame and mind to the hardships peculiar to the leaders of armies, and stamped his character with determination and cautious bravery.
In person, General Taylor, is about five feet ten inches in height, and is remarkable for the shortness of his legs in proportion to his body. He is stout though not corpulent and his frame is straight, vigorous and muscular. His eyes are grey, hair black, with a mixture of grey, and the expression of his features remarkably placid.
He is very negligent about his dress and many amusing anecdotes are told of the awkward mistakes which have occurred from his careless attire. During the Florida campaign, a certain young officer, after receiving his commission, was ordered to join the army in that quarter. His first duty was of course, to report himself to Colonel Taylor. After a tedious journey, however, through the woods, our officer arrived at a small shanty, called a tavern, about fifty miles from headquarters, where he thought proper to stay three days. There were only two visitors besides himself. One of them, an elderly, shabby looking man, with a black hat, minus part of the crown, and a piece of twine for a riband, was very inquisitive, and among other things asked our officer what excuse he intended to make for his delay in reporting himself to the Colonel.
"Oh" said the officer, "they say Taylor is a very easy old man, and I can conveniently make up an excuse." On going to bed that night, the officer asked the landlord who that inquisitive old fellow was. "Why" said the landlord, "don't you know Col Taylor?"
About an hour afterwards at midnight, the tramp
of a horse's feet was heard making large tracks towards headquarters.