Margaret BLAKEMORE TAYLOR

June 27, 1835 - January 12, 1929

*Obituary
Fayetteville Democrat
Saturday, January 12, 1929

TAYLOR, Margaret BLAKEMORE - Mrs. Isaac Taylor Succumbs At 4:05; Funeral Sunday - Mrs. Margaret Byrnside Taylor, wife of the late Isaac Taylor and Fayetteville's oldest native-born citizen, succumbed to pneumonia from which she had been suffering for some time, this afternoon at 4:05. Funeral services will be held from the home at 3 p.m. tomorrow.

Mrs. Taylor was 93 years of age last June and in July was a prominent and honored personage about whom centered much of Fayetteville's centennial celebration.

The deceased was the daughter of James Byrnside of Virginia who came to Fayetteville in 1830.

*Obituary
Fayetteville Democrat
Monday, January 14, 1929

Fayetteville's Oldest Native-Born Citizen Is Laid To Rest - (PHOTO) Fayetteville's oldest native-born resident, was laid to rest Sunday afternoon in Evergreen cemetery by the side of her husband, Isaac Taylor, who died about 16 years ago.

Funeral services were held from the residence on N. College Avenue at 3:30 o'clock, conducted by Rev. S.H. Rainey, Rector of the St. Paul's Episcopal Church. Active pallbearers were J.H. McIlroy, Watt Coffey, Will Yates, Hal Cravens, Homer Jackson, Ab Stone, Dr. Dave Walker,, Elsa Davies, Leland Bryan, M.W. McRoy, Roy Nix and Dr. Clarence Luther.

Honorary pallbearers selected were R.J. Wilson, J. Vol Walker, Will Crouch, Dr. A.S, Gregg, Dr. E.F. Ellis, Moses Baum, Hugh A. Dinsmore, B.R. Davidson, W.T. Barry, L.B. Stone, C.R. Gilbreath, Dr. A.I. Moore, H.K. Wade, J.C. Massie and W.D. Wilkinson, a number of whom were unable to be present.

"Asleep In Jesus" and "Abide With Me" were hymns sung by Mrs. Mary Bateman and Miss Lillian Gregson.

Daughter Ill, Unable to Attend

The deceased is survived by two daughters and two sons; Mrs. Bryan King, Fayetteville; Mrs. A.A. McDonald of Fort Smith; D.B. Taylor of Fayetteville and Will Taylor of Fort Smith.

Mr. and Mrs. McDonald and Mr. Taylor, all of Fort Smith, and Mr. King and D.B. Taylor attended the funeral, but Mrs. King, who is ill of influenza at the hospital was unable to be present. Two granddaughters, Mrs. Louise McDonald Finney, Pampa, Texas, and Mrs. Margaret McDonald Harper of Fort Worth, Texas, also were unable to attend funeral services. All were present at a recent birthday reunion.

Mrs. Taylor was born in a log cabin June 27, 1835, while Arkansas was still a territory. She spent her entire life here except 11 years during which she resided in Tennessee and she witnessed not only the forming of the State, but the progress of Fayetteville during the more interesting three-quarters of its century of life.

Of Virginia Ancestry

Her grandfather, James Byrnside, a veteran of the War of 1812, came here by ox-wagon in 1830 with his family to Batesville, after having left his native Virginia and trekked to St. Louis and down the Mississippi. Her mother, Sallie Byrnside, was then 15 years old. Her father, Lee Taylor Blakemore, came here from Tennessee in 1830. He was a veteran of the Mexican War and the War Between the States in the Confederate Army.

Mrs. Taylor's remembrance of Fayetteville in her childhood was a village of a few log houses widely separated, a school, her grandfather's tavern, and one store and bakeshop.

What is now College Avenue, on which paved thoroughfare she lived during the last years of her life, was then a muddy or dusty road, according to the weather, and was called the Missouri Road, a part of the famous old Butterfield stagecoach trail which turned at Maple and out of town by way of the Gunter place, later birth place of Governor Gunter of Colorado.

Was Taken To School By Slave

At six years Mrs. Taylor, accompanied by a Negro slave, who carried her in a straight back chair to school, entered school in a large brick building located on the same block where the high school now stands and said to have been Fayetteville's first school.

At nine years she attended the Female Seminary under direction of Miss Sawyer of Massachusetts and at the age of 12 returned to Tennessee, from which place she returned here as a bride.

Of the deceased Miss Sue Walker today wrote the following tribute:

Tribute Is Paid

"On yesterday, January 13th, the last charter member of the Women's Guild of St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Mrs. Margaret Blakemore Taylor, was laid to rest in beautiful Evergreen cemetery, after impressive services at the home by her Rector, Rev. Samuel H. Rainey. For years failing health had kept her from the attendance at Guild meetings and church services, but her interest in the work was unfailing."

"Fragrant roses, emblematic of sweet memories of the long ago, when she was an active worker, were sent by the Guild, as also the Southern Memorial Association's wreath of Confederate colors, of which organization she was also a charter member and a most active worker in its earlier days."

"The D.A.R., of which she was an honorary member, and numerous friends sent beautiful flowers of memory."

"Mrs. Taylor was one of the few survivors of the Sawyer school of the early days of Fayetteville, entering this school when nine years old. When she was 12 her father moved to Lebanon, Tennessee. In 1856 she was married to Isaac Taylor and came back to Fayetteville on her wedding trip, where she had lived continuously since then. She celebrated her 93rd birthday on June 27, 1928, surrounded by her children and grandchildren, who have the sympathy of many friends in their loss."

"Full of years and good works, she has gone to her reward - one of the last links binding the Fayetteville of today with the Fayetteville of pioneer days. 'May light perpetual shine upon her.'

*Obituary
Benton County Record & Democrat & Sun
Thursday, January 17, 1929

Fayetteville's oldest native-born resident died last week and was laid to rest Sunday. She was Mrs. Margaret Blackmore Taylor and was born in a log cabin June 27, 1835 while Arkansas was still a territory. Her entire life was lived in this state with the exception of 11 years spent in Tennessee. Her grandfather, James Byrnside, a veteran of the War of 1812, came to Arkansas in an ox-wagon in 1830, having left his native Virginia and trekked to St. Louis and down the Mississippi. Mrs. Taylor's remembrance of Fayetteville in her childhood was a village of a few log houses, widely scattered, a school, one store, bakeshop and her grandfather's tavern. When six years of age she attended what is said to have been Fayetteville's first school, carried in a straight backed chair by a slave.

Contributed on 10/22/22 by judyfrog
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