The following e-mail was sent to me a short while ago by Randy Taylor Horton, and unfortunately I was not able to assit him to any great extent; I am therefore posting the e-mail in its entirety with the hope that it will generate some interest and perhaps even help bring about some sort of positive resolution to the situation. Anyone wishing to contact Hr. Horton can reach him at the following address: randyh@heartland.net

"I was looking on the internet for information about my gr-grandfather, William Harvey Taylor. William Harvey Taylor was born June 20, 1845 in Stanstead, Quebec, Canada to George Washington and Loretta Lane Taylor. While a young man, the Taylor family migrated to Grundy County, Iowa, where both parents died in 1858. Two of the older Taylor daughters were married, so the younger children went to live with them. They were the John Young family and the Alexander Thompson families, both of Grundy County. I know William Harvey Taylor served in the 1st Iowa Cavalry, Company G. This is the information on his grave stone, and we have his Uniform medal which includes his Regiment and Company along with his name, his GAR ribbons from attending the GAR encampment in Denver in September of 1905, and the buttons off of his uniform. As well, we have a letter he wrote from Arkansas on December 28, 1863, while camped on the banks of the Arkansas River. The letter was sent back to Iowa to his brother, George Holmes Taylor, who had served in the 6th Cavalry from October 15, 1862 until December 8, 1863. The letter indicates that William was in Arkansas with another brother, Henry Palmer Taylor, who also served in the 1st Iowa Cavalry, Company G. In addition to William and Henry Taylor, also serving in 1st Iowa Cavalry, Company G were the two brother-in-laws I mentioned earlier, John Young and Alexander Thompson. Now, here is my problem. We cannot locate any documentation filed at the State of Federal level which includes my gr-grandfathers enlistment. Therefore, the GAR marker at his headstone has now been removed and there is no longer an American Flag flown to honor his service to the Union. It had been there for 75 years, but recently a "new" administrator for the VA took over and he removed all markers from the men he could not document the enlistment for. My question to you is, since William Harvey Taylor was still 'under age" when he joined the Cavalry, might he be listed as "Canadian" in some of the records you have access to? I know in the case of both brothers, Henry P and George H, they show their birthplace as Canada. If I can find ANY documentation on record that substantiates my claim to his service, they will replace the GAR holder and Flag at his grave, and hopefully give my mother one BIG apology! Thanks in advance for any assistance you may provide."