 a branch of ~ The Stinking Creek Taylors' & Hopkins' ~ DESCENDANTS OF John Thomas Taylor-Hopkins and | |
Martha (Collett) Hopkins |
Martha (Warren) Hopkins |
a branch of ~ The Stinking Creek Taylors' & Hopkins' ~ DESCENDANTS OF John Thomas Taylor-Hopkins and | |
Martha (Collett) Hopkins |
Martha (Warren) Hopkins |
Martha Jane Collett daughter of William &Elizabeth(Jones)Collett b: Abt 1865 prob Clay Co, KY |
Martha Jane Warren m: on 18 Dec 1891, in Bell Co, KY daughter of John &Millie(Gambrel)Warren b: 22 Nov 1872 Knox Co, KY d: 01 Apr 1958 prob Knox Co, KY |
John Taylor-Hopkins killed his first cousin, Silas Taylor, son of Isaac Taylor. From the court case which ensued and the information provided by Ralph Mills, the air was filled with rage on that early fall day of September 7, 1883. There was a "hanging party" made of Isaac Taylor, Milton Jackson, Thomas Warren, James Patterson, Elijah Patterson, William Mills, Steven Jackson and Isaac Mills. The group was led by Isaac Taylor. His son, Silas, had been killed and ol' Ike Taylor was out looking for John Taylor-Hopkins, son of Alexander and Lavinia (Hopkins) Taylor (although the court was not aware of the full family relationships.) Alexander Taylor had learned what his son had done and knew Isaac would be coming. He and Alexander took off for the woods, leaving the smaller son, Isaac Hopkins. They didn't tell him where they were going. In order to get the truth out of the younger Isaac, they threatened him over and over and when he still could not say anything or would not say anything, they strung him up on the nearest limb. They'd let him hang for a while, break him down, question him and upon hearing nothing from him, would string him up again. To the end, Isaac Hopkins held out almost to the last breath - that he didn't know where his brother or Alex Taylor were. A law suit was brought against Isaac Taylor and his "hanging party" by Lavina Hopkins-Taylor, Isaac Hopkins's mother. Since her son was under age, she sued as his next of kin. Lavina stated she and her son's father had never married and that Isaac's "true father" refused to bring suit. Naturally, Isaac Taylor denied all the charges as well as the others involved. The case went on for several years. Each time the case was to be heard, Isaac Taylor's witnesses always disappeared. He always claimed he was not ready for trial because Rachel Warren, a material witness for him, was absent and that he procured a subpoena for her but she was not at trial because she was home sick. Isaac Taylor said that Rachel Warren was present when Isaac Hopkins's claims were done and that she would prove he did not strike, beat or bruise Isaac Hopkins. Also, that he did not tie any rope around the neck of Isaac Hopkins nor did he hang him or hurt him in any way. She would testify that Isaac Taylor only took hold of the rope tied around Isaac Hopkins's neck and called on him to tell where Alex Taylor and John Hopkins were. And, she would say that when Isaac Hopkins said he did not know, then Isaac Taylor let him go. Also, the statements of the witness would make, if they were there, would be true. Another witness that did not show up was John G. Warren. However, Isaac Taylor stated if he had been prresent, he would say that Isaac Hopkins told him a short time after the case commenced that Isaac Taylor did not injure or hurt him or do him any damage but only tried to get him to tell where his brother was. When he would not tell him, he let him alone. It seems that this witness, John G. Warren, had been in town several days but left, Isaac Taylor said he would have him back at the next court term. That Isaac just couldn't get his witnesses to "hang around" long enough to testify. Thomas Warren, another witness, never showed up because he had received a cut with an axe! Isaac Taylor endeavored to convince the court that he tried in good faith to get ready on time and would be ready except for his witnesses not being there. The other defendants also said they were not quilty. Isaac Taylor tried to say he was treated unfairly by the court. He said his son, Silas Taylor, was killed by Isaac Hopkins's brother and Isaac Hopkins was present and aided in the escape of his brother for said killing. Ike Taylor said, "I was attempting in good faith to have the guilty party arrested and brought to trial and without malice or injury to Isaac Hopkins, tried to make him tell where his fugitive brother was." Isaac Taylor even tried the old "statute of limitations", claiming that it had been more than one year since the acts complained of, so he asked to be dismissed for his costs and all proper relief. The jury found for Isaac Hopkins. Isaac Taylor was fined $300. Isaac Mills $300; Thomas Warren $100; James Patterson $100; and Steve Jackson $100. There was a later lawsuit in which Isaac was charged with transferring his property to his wife, Permelia Ann (Hammons) Taylor, in order to prevent him from having any saleable property to satisfy this debt. |
John Taylor-Hopkins, which involves the killing of John's father, Alexander William Taylor. So the story goes, "Alex was plowing a field when Arter/Artor North approached the railing fence and, resting an old rifle on one of the railings, shot Alex in the back. North (according to yet another story source - Nasby Mills) went running down the road with people chasing him, firing at him. Later on, after Artor North had been tried, convicted and had served his time, he was released. John Taylor-Hopkins laid in wait for him along the road and when Artor rode by, John stepped out of the bush and shot Arter from his horse, killing him. John had avenged his father's death. It is said that he spent some time in prison for this killing." |
Mrs. Rosa H. Napier, . . . Main St., Lebanon, Ky. . . The letter is undated. (The letter is in the possession of Ralph Mills.) |
went on up to the home grave yard where he were burred I wrote this from my grand mother tombstone and my father tombstone. Melvina Hopkins Born Feb 1, 1846 Passed on March 27, 1920, on her stone reads Remember our mother she is asleep in Jesus our Lord our Love one this was May 15-1971 when I visit their graves the day of your uncle Lee burring there were Gillis-Lesley Hopkins -I didn't have time to take down what were on Gillis - Lesley stone -on my Father stone wrote Our Father John Hopkins Born May 17 1863 - died Jan 1 1939 In rest they memory shall ever be guiding star to heaven. This is in Knox County on Stinking Creek - Mill Ky is the post office. |
via Hazel (Hopkins)Petrey, daughter of Rosa (Taylor)Taylor: Rosa (Taylor) Taylor had five children born to her by 1930. She was living with her children in the old share cropper's house that was on her mother, Docia (Taylor) Taylor's farm. That was the same year that Docia died still living on her farmland. The William P. &Emily Mills family that had at one time occupied the sharecropper's house had long since moved away from the farm. Per family tradition, Rosa thought that she had bought the share cropper's home and ten acres of land from Docia in exchange for two mules. Rosa's brother, Grant U. Taylor, told Rosa she was mistaken and that this land purchase had never been recorded as being deeded to her. She and her children had to move from the land since Grant had sold the farm. Rosa Taylor died of cancer. |
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(Bobbie Sue) from crops of an illustration in "Voyage Dans L'Amerique Septentrionale," by Victor Collot. Full llustration found online at "Images of the West" | |
