Hello, John.

It took awhile to get permission to use the Thomas Taylor letter from a
family member.  You have permission to use the letter, and I will try
sending you Thomas Jefferson Taylor's photo via e-mail.  Your website is
great.
We believe T. J. Taylor is one of six children to George (b. VA) and Mariah Mc Glauthern (b. PA) Taylor.  The children: David, Charles, T. J., Sarrina, Eli, and Elizabeth were probably all born in Ohio.

Per 1860 Census T. J. Taylor (b OH) married one R. M. (b MO) and had a son John Taylor born in IA.
It appears that David Taylor (b OH) served in the 9th Cavalry Co. E from
1863 to 1864.  The 1870 Census shows David and Frances (b VA) Taylor had 3 children - John, Eli, and Maria.  One Mary A. BOWMAN (b OH) age 23 and Allen BOWMAN age 1 are possibly living with, or visiting, the David Taylor family.

Eli Taylor served in Companies D and E from 1862-1864.  Eli and Minerva
Taylor and his family were in California from 1890 on.  Eli Taylor's 1890's
letter to his brother Charles Taylor asks about their brother David Taylor.

Charles Taylor (b OH) 1827 is my great grandfather.  Charles suffered poor
health, taught school, and moved to KS for the drier climate.  He and his
wife Harriet Marney Taylor were parents to six sons, and two daughters.
Their children were: George, Mary, Jonathan, Eli, T. Jeff., Ann Mariah,
Marion, and Elias Taylor   Mary the daughter of Wm. and Polly Taylor was
"adopted" by Charles and Harriet Taylor.  Charles Taylor homesteaded in
Norton County, KS.  Some of Charles and Harriet Taylor's sons later ranched in Sherman County, KS.   Charles and Harriet Taylor's youngest son Elias was my grandfather and keeper of the old family letters.

Taylor is a common name, and I appreciate the chance that your website may help us connect to other Taylor relatives.  I hope the Bowman information proves helpful to someone searching the Bowman line. 
Regards,
Claudia

typed from a photocopy of original
May 18, 1862
Sulphus Rock, Independence County, Arkansas

Dear Bro.  Having a little leisure today I thought I would write you a short epistle to let you know where we are and how we do.  We are at the above named place it being about one hundred miles South of the Arkansas line (North line) and two hundred and fifty miles South of Rolla, MO.  and three hundred and fifty miles from St. Louis by way of Rolla.  The country from St. Louis until you get about thirty miles from here is one of the hardest looking countries that a white man ever saw being nothing but mountain knobs, rocks, etc. with now and then a garden spot along the small streams.
A man may travel for days along the ridges without seeing a house and from the general appearances one would think that the country was entirely without inhabitants, but if you traverse the small streams (which are numerous and as clear as crystal) you can find a great many natives and as a general thing they are very ignorant and almost entirely illiterate not averaging one school to a township.  But at each County Seat they generally have one good school at which the few planters (as they call them here- a man who owns darkies) school their children and any man who is not able to board his children from home and pay at the rate of twelve dollars per quarter per scholar can not school his children.  Consequently they remain uneducated and almost as ignorant as the natives of the Western Territories and you can see them scaling the knobs and hills in every direction at the
approach of the Union troop but the scene has changed considerable we have tolerable good country now and a good class of citizens who are fun to converse with and proud of the old flag which the majority of them are always ready to cheer at its first appearance.  It is a fact-undeniable the majority of the citizens of this frontier of Arkansas are as big as the citizens of Iowa, but perhaps you may be puzzled to know how it happened that those men have not come out on the side of the Union ere this truth is that the state was taken out of the Union by intrigue and that on the heels of the election which gave a large majority to remain in the Union.  Then they assumed the right to compel them into the state service for the protection of the states and then by fever of the Texans they were compelled to join the Confederate Service and then by aid of rebel Electors ( no other
kind being allowed to publish a paper).  They succeeded in making the people believe that we were negro thieves and that it was our avowed intention to free the negro and make him their equal.  Another device was that we were sending no troops by lop-eared Dutch (as they call them) and that the Northern men were too big cowards to fight and consequently all they had to do was to clean out the Dutch and all would be safe.  They have awakened up after a long sleep and find that in courage we are their equals and in physical strength and equipment we are their superiors.  Things are perfectly quiet here now.  The boys are all well with the exception of Isaac Duvall who has the Ague  George’s Charles Taylor is as big as his father.
William Bowiman (or Bowman per CE), James Johnson and all the other boys are in fine health and good spirits.  I was not able to leave you the money which I owe you but will send it to you as soon as I have an opportunity to do so.  Give my respects to Harriett and the children tell them that when I return that I will bring them some presents.  My respects to all inquiring friends.  Your Bro. T. J. Taylor.
Third Regiment of Iowa Volunteers -  Company I - Line Officer 3rd Calvary- Captain Thomas J. Taylor, with Thomas H. McDannal 1st Lieutenant, Edward F. Horton 2nd Lieutenant.  T. J. Taylor (1833-24 July 1862) enlisted for three years from Keokuk  died of disease while in service.  His letter is written to his brother Charles Taylor, a  teacher, and uses all writing  space available.

        Cwp9798@uswest.net