Is Rose Watkins my 4th Great Grandmother?

1880 U.S. Census- 2nd Ward, Catahoula Parish, Louisiana

Previously, I mentioned that I may have uncovered evidence that suggest that at least one of my 3rd Great-grandfather's parents was still living well after emancipation. Unable to locate Paradise's parents, Louis & Rose Taylor in 1870, I assumed that both had died while enslaved. Recently, while looking at the 1880 U.S. Census I noticed an elderly couple named Lem & Rose Watkins who lived near the Taylors. The name of Lem's wife, her age, place of birth, and close proximity to my family suggested a probable family relationship based on what is known about Paradise's mother.

The following six (6) points lead me to believe that Rose Watkins is the mother Paradise.

1. We know from the death record of Paradise Taylor that his mother was named Rose and that she was born in Kentucky.

2. Naming patterns were evidently of great importance to Paradise & Cynthia as they named one of their daughter Rose, and two of their sons Lemuel and Louis. Lemuel may have been named for both Cynthia's father and Paradise's suspected step-father.

3. According to the Census, Rose Watkins stated that she as well as her parents were born in Kentucky. Paradise consistently reported his mother's place of birth as Kentucky in 1880, 1900, and 1920.

Paradise Taylor, 1880-1920

4. Paradise and his family moved from Catahoula Parish to the neighboring Franklin Parish [where his wife was from] sometime after 1880 as he and Cynthia officially married there in 1887.

Louisiana Parish Map

5. The Louisiana marriage index, shows that Godfrey Neal [a neighbor of Cynthia's parents Lemuel & Ann] married Rose "Wadkins" on December 14, 1890 in Franklin Parish, Louisiana. It would appear that after Lemuel Watkins death Rose followed her son to Franklin Parish.

6. A copy of the marriage license of Godfrey Neal & Rose Wadkins. Two of the witnesses to the marriage Brit Buie [Older brother of my ancestor Jesse Buie] and Rev. Monroe L. Richardson were former residents of Catahoula Parish.

1890 Marriage License

More research is being done in order to verify that Rose Watkins is the mother of Paradise Taylor.

Terrence A. Garnett
[August 16, 2014]

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 Source Citations

1. 1880 United States Census, index and images, FamilySearch, Rose Watkins (Age: 50), 2nd Ward, Catahoula, Louisiana, United States; sheet 105C, (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MD6K-CKH : accessed 16 Jul 2014), NARA microfilm publication T9. 
2. Louisiana, Marriages, 1718-1925 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004.
3. Neal, Godfrey & Rose Wadkins [December 14, 1890]: Franklin Parish Marriages; Clerk of Court, Winnsboro, Louisiana.

Paradise Taylor of Catahoula & Franklin Parish

Paradise Taylor was born circa 1848 in Sicily Island, Catahoula Parish, Louisiana. In 1870, Paradise was living in Ward 7, Catahoula Parish, Louisiana; I suspect that the individuals [Lucy & Wes Adams] living in his household are his sister and brother-in-law, respectively. The family lives near Dr. Henry John Peck the former slave owner of my other ancestors James & Dina Buie [Dina died during slavery & James later married Rosa]. It's quite possible that Paradise was enslaved on the same plantation but more research needs to be done in order to determine if it's true or not.

1870 U.S. Federal Census - Ward 7, Catahoula Parish, Louisiana

According to marriage records Paradise was married twice during his lifetime:

1. Alice Lane, daughter of William & Edith Lane--1st Wife [November, 18 1870, Catahoula Parish, Louisiana]. They were married at the residence of Thomas Jefferson "T.J." Peniston, Alice's former Owner.
2. Cynthia Davis, daughter of Lemuel & Ann Davis--2nd Wife [October 2, 1887, Franklin Parish, Louisiana].

I'm not certain what became of Alice after her marriage to Paradise, but they don't appear to have had any children together. In 1880, Paradise and Cynthia are living together with their children and niece Matilda "Tilda" [daughter of Cynthia's half-sister Caroline Spencer Oliver] in Catahoula Parish [Ward 2].

1880 U.S. Federal Census - Ward 2, Catahoula Parish, Louisiana

Paradise and Cynthia had the twelve (12) children together, with ten (10) of them who reached adulthood.

• Lemuel "Lem" Taylor [b. circa 1876 - d. July 13, 1951, Franklin Parish, Louisiana] 
• Spouse: Louise Taylor
• Walter Taylor [b. circa 1879]
• Rose Taylor [b. circa 1880 - d.October 20, 1944, Franklin Parish, Louisiana] 
• Spouse: Will Ferguson
• Louvine Taylor [b. circa 1882]
• Isaiah Taylor [b. December 25, 1887 - d. September 3, 1947] 
• Spouse: Addie Taylor 
• Non-Marital Liaison: Edie Buie
• Lewis Taylor [b. circa 1888]
• Julia Taylor [b. circa 1890]
• Cynthia Taylor [b. June 1, 1892 - d. May 28, 1984, Franklin Parish, Louisiana]
• Spouse: Anderson Watkins
• Minta Taylor [b. circa 1894]
• Carrie Taylor [b. circa 1901]
• Non Marital-Liaison: George Caston

His Death

His death certificate states he died on April 16, 1926 in Gilbert, Franklin Parish, Louisiana. The cause of death was Brights Disease [Kidney problems]. His parents are listed as Louis & Rose Taylor both of Kentucky; the informant was his son Lem Taylor. I had previously assumed that both of Paradise's parents died before 1870, but I may have uncovered information that suggest otherwise [I'll discuss my theory in a future blog post].

Death Certificate of Paradise Taylor 

Distant Cousin Connection 

Recently a distant cousin named W. Lowe contacted me through Ancestry.com, stating that she descends from Cynthia Taylor Watkins, daughter of Paradise & Cynthia. Cousin W.L. went on to state that her grandmother [the last living grandchild of Paradise & Cynthia] is still living. She mentioned that her grandmother was coming to visit and that she would ask her for more information about the family.

According to cousin W.L.'s grandmother, Paradise was the Pastor of a church in Franklin Parish called Oakley Baptist Church. Though the church no longer stands, the cemetery appears to still be active. The Taylor's were also Sharecroppers on the Hope Estate Plantation.

A Google search for Oakley Baptist Church lead me to a post on the Genforum message boards by a user named L.P. Jenkins. According to Ms Jenkins "From my family's oral history there was an Oakley Baptist Church for African Americans there as well as a school. I am not sure whether or not the church and the school were one in the same building. The church building was destroyed by fire about twenty or so years ago, if that long."

Terrence A. Garnett

[August 12, 2014]

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 Source Citations

1. Jenkins, L.P. "Was there ever a church at Oakley Cemetery?", Franklin Parish Genforum, posted 2002 March 6 (http://genforum.genealogy.com/la/franklin/messages/78.html : accessed 15 July 2014)
2. 1870 United States Census, index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/M8QY-6LG : accessed 15 Jul 2014), Paradis Taylor (Age: 22), Louisiana, United States; citing p. 14, dwelling 112, family 121, NARA microfilm publication M593, FHL microfilm 000552008.
3. 1880 United States Census, index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MD6K-CKH : accessed 16 Jul 2014), Paradise Taylor (Age: 27), 2nd Ward, Catahoula, Louisiana, United States; citing sheet 105C, NARA microfilm publication T9.
4. Death Certificate of Paradise Taylor - [Volume 11, p. 4677] Louisiana State Archives; Baton Rouge, Louisiana. (Acquired record in 2007)