YORK RIVER SETTLEMENT

The Taylors

Dan Forest was born and raised in Scotland where he died at age 96. His son John immigrated to Canada in 1820 where he met and married Mary Short(t.) Their daughter, Agnes, married Robinson Taylor, an Irish immigrant. Taylor moved to Little Ireland but “ he didn’t stay too long. He didn’t like picking stones.”

Alex Taylor, Henry’s father, was born at “ White Lake, south-west of Arnprior.”

Following the “ go west young man spirit ,” Robinson Taylor re-located to Portage La Prairie, Manitoba, “ where there aren’t any stones,” quips  Henry Taylor. “ Of course he had to go through the United States to get there. There was no railroad in Canada going there yet.” Robinson Taylor remained there for the rest of his life.

Adventuresome in spirit Alex Taylor tried to settle in Deer Creek Minnesota. He put down a deposit on some land and built a house on it only to discover that “ the fellow who sold it to him didn’t own it.” Discouraged, Alex Taylor “ picked up stakes and came back.” He came back to the old homestead in Raglan and began making square timber for the Conroy Lumber Company.

Alex Taylor and Bill Stringer ( father to “ Bishop Billy,”) were axe men. Joe Stringer ( Bill’s father,) was the hewer. ( Henry’s carvings in the North Hastings Heritage Museum depict the 3 men at work. Bill Stringer is the right handed axeman; Alex Taylor the left handed axeman.)

The following story will be familiar to anyone who knows Henry. For Christmas, December 25, 1879, Joe and Bill Stringer invited Alex Taylor home and, as Henry loves to report: “ It just took Alex from December 25 to the date on the marriage certificate (April 13,1880) to relieve Joe Stringer and Isabella ( ne McAllister ) of their eldest daughter, Marian of a family of 12 – 10 boys and 2 girls. “ As you can see both sides of the house came from the Ottawa Valley.”