Benjamin Coleman Taliaferro was the second of ten children, all born in King William County, Virginia. The Taliaferro's were a well-known and influential family, having been in this country since the mid-1600's. Benjamin followed in his ancestors' steps of practicing law and being policitians. His parents were Robert Brooke Taliaferro and Cecelia A nee Ellett; they brought their family from Virginia to what was then Warren County (but became Henderson County) in 1834, one of the pioneers of the area. Most of his siblings stayed in the area, but four of them including my great-great grandmother Mary Robinette continued west into Kansas and Colorado. Robert Brooke Taliaferro died on September 29, 1837 and Cecelia or Cicily died February 13, 1859. They were both buried on the family farm, but were removed for reburial in a public cemetery (perhaps Rozetta) in 1880 when the farm was sold and the owner requested that the graveyard be removed.
Benjamin married Mary Ann Pepper, born in England, on March 15, 1852 at Oquawka, Illiois. They had four children: Cora Belle (12 Feb 1854-23 Feb 1906; married John William Edwards); Frank E; Ralph E (Aug 1858-5 May 1907), and Robert Brooke (22 Feb 1859-30 Oct 1936 who married Lizzie Felix). He partnered in law with his son Robert in abstract titles; those abstract books would later be sold by his grandson Francis Sinnett (who had dropped his "Taliaferro" last name) for around $600.
The following biographical sketch was found on p. 731 of "The History of Mercer County":
BENJAMIN COLEMAN TALIAFERRO, (deceased), a pioneer lawyer, legislator and man of affairs, was born in King William County, Virginia, son of Robert B. and Cecelia H. [Ellett] Taliaferro. He was reared on a farm in Virginia, completing his education after his removal to Henderson (then Warren) County in 1836. Read law with Hon. Charles M. Harris of Oquawka; admitted to the bar in 1845 and began practice in Keithsburg, and in 1880 removed to Aledo and formed a partnership with Hon. James H. Connell in the law and abstract business, from 1882 to the time of his death, March 2, 1887, his son Robert B. was his partner. He served as Master in Chancery for Mercer County nine consecutive years and represented the Twenty-second District in the State Senate in the Thirtieth and Thirty-first General Assemblies 1876-80. He presented and championed the celebrated "home-protection" petition in the Senate and prepared and caused to be enacted the farm-drainage law, now in force in Illinois. He was a staunch Republican and an man of his public spirit and unimpeachable integrity.
He was a member of Aledo Lodge No. 252, A.F.&A.M. and Keithsburg Chapter, Royal Arch Masons. March 15, 1852, he was married to Mary Ann, daughter of Charles Armstrong Pepper of Utica, N. Y., and their children are: Cora Belle, wife of J. W. Edwards; Frank E., Ralph E. and Robert B."
His obituary:
Hon. B. C. Taliaferro, ex-state senator, and one of the prominent and best known attorneys in western Illinois, died at his residence in Aledo yesterday afternoon, after an illness of about three months, brought on by constant over-work. As a lawyer, he had an extended practice in the circuit, appellate, supreme and United States courts, and was particularly successful in carrying cases to the higher courts.
Mr. Taliaferro was born in Virginia in 1822, and was in his 65th year. He settled in Keithsburg, Mercer county, in 1848, and removed to Aledo about eight years ago. He has always been identified with the best interests of the county, and no man perhaps in the county could boast of a wider acquaintance, or more or warmer friends. During his senatorial career he gained a state reputation by his pronounced temperance views, and his able advocacy of all laws bearing upon that question or that favored in any degree, the suppression of the rum traffic. He was the author of the drainage law, and of several minor measures. He will be missed especially by the bar, and by the Old Settlers' association, in both of which he was active and prominent.
The funeral will take place tomorrow (Friday) at 3 p. m.
(The Evening Gazette, Monmouth, Illinois - March 3, 1887)
Benjamin married Mary Ann Pepper, born in England, on March 15, 1852 at Oquawka, Illiois. They had four children: Cora Belle (12 Feb 1854-23 Feb 1906; married John William Edwards); Frank E; Ralph E (Aug 1858-5 May 1907), and Robert Brooke (22 Feb 1859-30 Oct 1936 who married Lizzie Felix). He partnered in law with his son Robert in abstract titles; those abstract books would later be sold by his grandson Francis Sinnett (who had dropped his "Taliaferro" last name) for around $600.
The following biographical sketch was found on p. 731 of "The History of Mercer County":
BENJAMIN COLEMAN TALIAFERRO, (deceased), a pioneer lawyer, legislator and man of affairs, was born in King William County, Virginia, son of Robert B. and Cecelia H. [Ellett] Taliaferro. He was reared on a farm in Virginia, completing his education after his removal to Henderson (then Warren) County in 1836. Read law with Hon. Charles M. Harris of Oquawka; admitted to the bar in 1845 and began practice in Keithsburg, and in 1880 removed to Aledo and formed a partnership with Hon. James H. Connell in the law and abstract business, from 1882 to the time of his death, March 2, 1887, his son Robert B. was his partner. He served as Master in Chancery for Mercer County nine consecutive years and represented the Twenty-second District in the State Senate in the Thirtieth and Thirty-first General Assemblies 1876-80. He presented and championed the celebrated "home-protection" petition in the Senate and prepared and caused to be enacted the farm-drainage law, now in force in Illinois. He was a staunch Republican and an man of his public spirit and unimpeachable integrity.
He was a member of Aledo Lodge No. 252, A.F.&A.M. and Keithsburg Chapter, Royal Arch Masons. March 15, 1852, he was married to Mary Ann, daughter of Charles Armstrong Pepper of Utica, N. Y., and their children are: Cora Belle, wife of J. W. Edwards; Frank E., Ralph E. and Robert B."
His obituary:
Hon. B. C. Taliaferro, ex-state senator, and one of the prominent and best known attorneys in western Illinois, died at his residence in Aledo yesterday afternoon, after an illness of about three months, brought on by constant over-work. As a lawyer, he had an extended practice in the circuit, appellate, supreme and United States courts, and was particularly successful in carrying cases to the higher courts.
Mr. Taliaferro was born in Virginia in 1822, and was in his 65th year. He settled in Keithsburg, Mercer county, in 1848, and removed to Aledo about eight years ago. He has always been identified with the best interests of the county, and no man perhaps in the county could boast of a wider acquaintance, or more or warmer friends. During his senatorial career he gained a state reputation by his pronounced temperance views, and his able advocacy of all laws bearing upon that question or that favored in any degree, the suppression of the rum traffic. He was the author of the drainage law, and of several minor measures. He will be missed especially by the bar, and by the Old Settlers' association, in both of which he was active and prominent.
The funeral will take place tomorrow (Friday) at 3 p. m.
(The Evening Gazette, Monmouth, Illinois - March 3, 1887)
Benjamin Coleman Taliaferro was the second of ten children, all born in King William County, Virginia. The Taliaferro's were a well-known and influential family, having been in this country since the mid-1600's. Benjamin followed in his ancestors' steps of practicing law and being policitians. His parents were Robert Brooke Taliaferro and Cecelia A nee Ellett; they brought their family from Virginia to what was then Warren County (but became Henderson County) in 1834, one of the pioneers of the area. Most of his siblings stayed in the area, but four of them including my great-great grandmother Mary Robinette continued west into Kansas and Colorado. Robert Brooke Taliaferro died on September 29, 1837 and Cecelia or Cicily died February 13, 1859. They were both buried on the family farm, but were removed for reburial in a public cemetery (perhaps Rozetta) in 1880 when the farm was sold and the owner requested that the graveyard be removed.
Benjamin married Mary Ann Pepper, born in England, on March 15, 1852 at Oquawka, Illiois. They had four children: Cora Belle (12 Feb 1854-23 Feb 1906; married John William Edwards); Frank E; Ralph E (Aug 1858-5 May 1907), and Robert Brooke (22 Feb 1859-30 Oct 1936 who married Lizzie Felix). He partnered in law with his son Robert in abstract titles; those abstract books would later be sold by his grandson Francis Sinnett (who had dropped his "Taliaferro" last name) for around $600.
The following biographical sketch was found on p. 731 of "The History of Mercer County":
BENJAMIN COLEMAN TALIAFERRO, (deceased), a pioneer lawyer, legislator and man of affairs, was born in King William County, Virginia, son of Robert B. and Cecelia H. [Ellett] Taliaferro. He was reared on a farm in Virginia, completing his education after his removal to Henderson (then Warren) County in 1836. Read law with Hon. Charles M. Harris of Oquawka; admitted to the bar in 1845 and began practice in Keithsburg, and in 1880 removed to Aledo and formed a partnership with Hon. James H. Connell in the law and abstract business, from 1882 to the time of his death, March 2, 1887, his son Robert B. was his partner. He served as Master in Chancery for Mercer County nine consecutive years and represented the Twenty-second District in the State Senate in the Thirtieth and Thirty-first General Assemblies 1876-80. He presented and championed the celebrated "home-protection" petition in the Senate and prepared and caused to be enacted the farm-drainage law, now in force in Illinois. He was a staunch Republican and an man of his public spirit and unimpeachable integrity.
He was a member of Aledo Lodge No. 252, A.F.&A.M. and Keithsburg Chapter, Royal Arch Masons. March 15, 1852, he was married to Mary Ann, daughter of Charles Armstrong Pepper of Utica, N. Y., and their children are: Cora Belle, wife of J. W. Edwards; Frank E., Ralph E. and Robert B."
His obituary:
Hon. B. C. Taliaferro, ex-state senator, and one of the prominent and best known attorneys in western Illinois, died at his residence in Aledo yesterday afternoon, after an illness of about three months, brought on by constant over-work. As a lawyer, he had an extended practice in the circuit, appellate, supreme and United States courts, and was particularly successful in carrying cases to the higher courts.
Mr. Taliaferro was born in Virginia in 1822, and was in his 65th year. He settled in Keithsburg, Mercer county, in 1848, and removed to Aledo about eight years ago. He has always been identified with the best interests of the county, and no man perhaps in the county could boast of a wider acquaintance, or more or warmer friends. During his senatorial career he gained a state reputation by his pronounced temperance views, and his able advocacy of all laws bearing upon that question or that favored in any degree, the suppression of the rum traffic. He was the author of the drainage law, and of several minor measures. He will be missed especially by the bar, and by the Old Settlers' association, in both of which he was active and prominent.
The funeral will take place tomorrow (Friday) at 3 p. m.
(The Evening Gazette, Monmouth, Illinois - March 3, 1887)
Benjamin married Mary Ann Pepper, born in England, on March 15, 1852 at Oquawka, Illiois. They had four children: Cora Belle (12 Feb 1854-23 Feb 1906; married John William Edwards); Frank E; Ralph E (Aug 1858-5 May 1907), and Robert Brooke (22 Feb 1859-30 Oct 1936 who married Lizzie Felix). He partnered in law with his son Robert in abstract titles; those abstract books would later be sold by his grandson Francis Sinnett (who had dropped his "Taliaferro" last name) for around $600.
The following biographical sketch was found on p. 731 of "The History of Mercer County":
BENJAMIN COLEMAN TALIAFERRO, (deceased), a pioneer lawyer, legislator and man of affairs, was born in King William County, Virginia, son of Robert B. and Cecelia H. [Ellett] Taliaferro. He was reared on a farm in Virginia, completing his education after his removal to Henderson (then Warren) County in 1836. Read law with Hon. Charles M. Harris of Oquawka; admitted to the bar in 1845 and began practice in Keithsburg, and in 1880 removed to Aledo and formed a partnership with Hon. James H. Connell in the law and abstract business, from 1882 to the time of his death, March 2, 1887, his son Robert B. was his partner. He served as Master in Chancery for Mercer County nine consecutive years and represented the Twenty-second District in the State Senate in the Thirtieth and Thirty-first General Assemblies 1876-80. He presented and championed the celebrated "home-protection" petition in the Senate and prepared and caused to be enacted the farm-drainage law, now in force in Illinois. He was a staunch Republican and an man of his public spirit and unimpeachable integrity.
He was a member of Aledo Lodge No. 252, A.F.&A.M. and Keithsburg Chapter, Royal Arch Masons. March 15, 1852, he was married to Mary Ann, daughter of Charles Armstrong Pepper of Utica, N. Y., and their children are: Cora Belle, wife of J. W. Edwards; Frank E., Ralph E. and Robert B."
His obituary:
Hon. B. C. Taliaferro, ex-state senator, and one of the prominent and best known attorneys in western Illinois, died at his residence in Aledo yesterday afternoon, after an illness of about three months, brought on by constant over-work. As a lawyer, he had an extended practice in the circuit, appellate, supreme and United States courts, and was particularly successful in carrying cases to the higher courts.
Mr. Taliaferro was born in Virginia in 1822, and was in his 65th year. He settled in Keithsburg, Mercer county, in 1848, and removed to Aledo about eight years ago. He has always been identified with the best interests of the county, and no man perhaps in the county could boast of a wider acquaintance, or more or warmer friends. During his senatorial career he gained a state reputation by his pronounced temperance views, and his able advocacy of all laws bearing upon that question or that favored in any degree, the suppression of the rum traffic. He was the author of the drainage law, and of several minor measures. He will be missed especially by the bar, and by the Old Settlers' association, in both of which he was active and prominent.
The funeral will take place tomorrow (Friday) at 3 p. m.
(The Evening Gazette, Monmouth, Illinois - March 3, 1887)
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