Sarah Melvin (1800-1839)

OVERVIEW

Sarah's parents, Joseph Melvin (1765-1817) and Phebe Melvin, moved from Berkely/Jefferson County VA/WV to Greene Co TN just before the turn of the century. Joseph's father died in 1804, and left a bequest of $300 to his son; his will was probated in 1808, and it is at this time that Joseph moves to Madison County OH. It seems likely that this move was enabled by his inheritance. Sarah married James Taylor in 1817. The probably settled near her parents "in the Lower Glade" area of Madison County.

Over the course of their marriage James and Sarah raised thirteen children. Their places of birth, as shown by various families genealogies, but unconfirmed, give us a good idea of their movements through time. The first of their children were born in Madison County Ohio, but later children were born in Parke County Indiana. While there is some inconsistency in the POB's of their children, it seems likely that the family moved to Parke County sometime between 1825 and 1829. It also seems likely that they initially settled in Wabash township, but by 1831 were living in nearby Lyford township. Wabash and Lyford are adjacent townships in the Wabash River Valley, and it is likely the their homes in Wabash and Lyford were only a few miles apart.

Sarah died, probably in Wabash township, in 1839. She is buried in the Hixon Cemetery a few miles outside of Mecca, Parke Co Indiana. James remained in the same area until his death of "fever" in 1850, when he appears in the 1850 Mortality Schedule for Indiana as a "farmer". Sarah was just 40 years of age at her death, At his death James was probably no older than 55.

Historic map of a portion of Parke County Indiana, showing Rockville, and (red dot) the location of the Hixon Cemetery. For a topographic map of showing the location of the Hixon Cemetery, click here

Vita

	Entry	Source/Basis/Commentary
Name, AKA:	Some genealogists list her given name as "Sallie"
DOB:	17 Dec 1799	a DOB of 2 January 1800 is also cited by some authors. Presently there is no basis for supporting one date over the other.
POB:	Washington Co TN
DOD:	13 Nov 1839	Beckwith 1880:320 gives DOD as November 1839
POD:	Wabash Township, Parke Co IN
Burial:	Hixon Cemetery, Mecca IN
Spouse:	James T. Taylor (1794-1850)
DOM:	23 August 1817	Consistent with YOB of eldest child; Sarah would have been between 17 and 18 years of age, which is a plausible age of marriage
POM:	Madison Co, OH	consistent with fact that Sarah's parents were here just before and just after her marriage, and that James appears in the 1820 census for Madison Co OH
Father:	Joseph Melvin (1765-1817)
Mother:	Phebe Van Vacter (1766-1821)

Ancestry

James Melvin (1710-1778)

Susannah

Silas McCarty (1700-1750)

John Melvin (1737-1804)

Elizabeth McCarty (1735-bef1804)

John Taylor (?-?)

Clarissa? (?-?)

Joseph Melvin (1765-1817)

Phebe Van Vacter (1766-1821)

James T. Taylor (1794-1850)

Sarah Melvin (1800-1839)

ChildList

Name	DOB	POB	DOD	POD	Spouse	DOM	POM	Notes
Mary Ann Taylor	29 Sep 1819	Madison Co., OH	Abt. 1820	Madison Co., OH
Phebe Taylor	1 Jan 1821	Madison Co., OH	Abt. 1830	Parke Co., IN.
Nancy Jane Taylor	31 Jan 1823	Madison Co., OH	Abt. 1850	Parke Co., IN	Robert Mahaffy	1845	Parke Co., IN
Robert Taylor (1824-1874)	4 Apr 1824	Madison,OH	7 Dec 1874	Ohiowa, Filmore Co., NE.	Ama Marie Goldizen (1827-1890)	17 April 1849	Rockville, Parke Co Indiana
John L. Taylor	11 Apr 1825	Madison Co., OH	3 Oct 1914	Belvedere, DeKalb Co., IL.
Joseph M. Taylor	11 Mar 1829	Parke Co., IN	26 May 1894	Montezuma, IN
Silas Taylor	28 Nov 1830	Wabash, Parke, IN	2 May 1923	Sullivan,Vigo Co., IN.	Lucinda Davis (-1880)	6 jan 1857	Florida Township	See Beckwith 1880:320 for a biography; gives DOB, DOM, POM, etc.
James Taylor	3 May 1832	Lyford, Parke Co., IN	Abt. 1840	Lyford, Parke Co., IN
Thomas Taylor	3 May 1832	Lyford, Parke Co., IN	Abt. 1840	Lyford, Parke Co., IN
Roxia Ann Taylor	5 Nov 1834	Lyford, Parke Co., IN	2 Mar 1905	Honey Creek, Henry Co., IN				Some give DOB as 1831
Harrison Taylor	8 May 1836	Lyford, Parke Co., IN	22 Feb 1897	Montezuma, IN.	Mary Catherine Shoemaker	6 May 1866	Vigo Co., IN
Amy Taylor	3 May 1838	IN	1840	IN				Note similarity of DOB with brothers James and Thomas; possible confusion

References

1. Beckwith, H.W., 1880. Hiostory of Vigo and Parke Counties. Chicago, HH Hill and N Iddings, Publ.