William’s relationship to John THOMAS of Farmington Twp., Oakland Co., Michigan, was reported in the record of the reading of Oakwood Cemetery, as “unmarried nephew of John Thomas” who it turns out was buried in the same plot as William. [5359] This is consistent with the findings that he lived with John’s family in 1860 and that Charles A. Taylor moved to Lansing, Michigan, shortly after John Thomas moved from there to Farmington. [5358] And in 1853, William was a witness at the marriage of Ann THOMAS, to Augustus F. WELLER, in Farmington, Michigan. [5361] So if John was his uncle, Ann was his first cousin. [5361] Comparing the birth years, we see that William’s mother, Elizabeth Thomas, would have been an older sister of John. It is unknown how the compilers of the cemetery reading determined that John was William’s uncle; it is not stated in the census or on either of their gravestones.

In his role as a money lender, in 1876 he financed a mortgage for his sister and brother-in-law, Margaret & Thomas ALLEN. [1378] On 20 May 1880, William appeared in person at the Sauk County court to release a portion of the Allen’s property from the mortgage. [3744] Then, in 1883, William acknowledged payment in full on the mortgage, in the presence of witnesses in Farmington. [3745] Obviously that date conflicts with the date of death indicated by the inscription on his gravestone.

The instructions in the 1880 census state “Members of Families who have DIED SINCE June 1, 1880, will be INCLUDED.” Thus, William’s appearance in the 1880 census could be valid, even if he died on 21 Jun 1880, as stated on the gravestone. But it would also make sense if he did not die until after 10 Mar 1883, when he signed off on the Satisfaction of Mortgage. [1796], [3745] The discovery of his name on the Farmington Township tax rolls from 1853-1888, followed by entries referencing his estate in 1891 & 1892, make it clear that he died closer to 1890 than 1880. [5379]

William’s gravestone displays the Freemasonry symbol. Possibly associated with lodge Farmington No. 151 (chartered in 1865).

July 2014: Requested a copy of William’s death record from the Oakland County (Michigan) Clerk’s office (by mail). They returned the request stating: “A record of death is not on file in this office for: William TAYLOR - the only Wm TAYLOR we have died in 1887 in Brandon Twp - not close.” (that record, which spans 2 film images, is online at https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/N3XT-821 )

Also failed to find the record in the Michigan Genealogical Death Indexing System, http://www.mdch.state.mi.us/pha/osr/gendisx/search2.htm

05-OCT-2016: searched but did not find William in the book, “Portrait and Biographical Album of Oakland County, Michigan” call # 977.438 O. Chicago: Chapman Bros., 1891. Copy found at Farmington Community Library, Farmington Hills, Michigan 48334. Search was assisted by “Portrait and Biographical Album Index” (same call number and library), compiled by Robert B. and Mildred Cook, 1976.