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Note: . He was commonly known as Henry “Lee,” but Henry “C.” appears on his military papers and on his tombstone, and Henry Clay on his Death Certificate. He was the oldest confirmed child of farmers Nelson R. Taylor and Louisa. Henry’s siblings recorded in the censuses of 1860 and 1880 were Thomas (b: abt 1847), Isaac (b: abt 1850), George (b: abt 1851), Polly (b: abt 1854), John W. (b: abt 1857), and Andy (b: abt 1860). Confirmation that this is the correct family for Henry is based on: a) his military paperwork lists birth in Whitley County to father Nelson Taylor, b) Thomas and Henry served in the same unit during the Civil War, c) Thomas vouched for the wound his brother Henry had received in a June 20, 1865 affidavit, and d) brother John W. lived with Henry and his wife Florence in Pulaski County during the 1880 census. No birth record or other specific documentation have been found.
At age 18, on November 1, 1861 at Williamsburg, Henry enlisted in the Union Army, Kentucky Volunteers, 16th Regiment, Company F, Infantry. Details of his military career and pension were obtained from the National Archives. Henry served as a private for two enlistments, until November 1864. He was mustered in at Louisville on January 1, 1862. At Lebanon Kentucky he deserted from February 18 to April 1, 1863, but returned and was restored to duty by Col. Guddock. He was honorably discharged at Mossy Creek, Tennessee, on December 31, 1863. The amount due Henry then was $103.88. He immediately re-enlisted and received $60 of his $400 bounty (incentive). At that time his Regiment Commander was Col. Marshall and his Company Commander was Captain E. F. Ring. His unit was on furlough from February 11 to March 11, 1864.
Movements and battles of Henry’s unit are summarized on the National Park Service website (www.itd.nps.gov <http://www.itd.nps.gov>) and in other Civil War histories. Action included: Burnside’s march over the Cumberland Mountains and action in eastern Tennessee; Loudon; siege of Knoxville; Campbell’s Station; and joining Sherman’s campaign at Rocky Face Ridge. His last action was in the battle of Resaca, Georgia, where on May 14, 1864, he was wounded while changing position with 60-80 other sharpshooters. The next night the Confederates retreated. In the battle of Resaca the estimated total casualties were 2,747 US and 2,800 CS. For the entire Civil War, the 16th Kentucky Infantry lost 2 Officers and 50 Enlisted men to wounds, and 5 Officers and 131 Enlisted men to disease.
Henry was sent to a hospital to recover. A ball had pierced his left shoulder, passed through a lobe of his left lung, just missed his heart, and destroyed a 3-inch piece of his collarbone (it never mended). He received a Certificate of Medical Disability Discharge on November 9, 1864 for the permanent loss of use of his left arm. Eventually both arm and hand atrophied.
Henry returned to the Williamsburg area (Rockholds, 7 miles north) and began a series of pension claims (No. 47828) and medical exams, which continued for 60 years, to have his pension increased from partial to full. In a long affidavit on June 20, 1865 Henry stated he had no education, was raised as a farmer was now unable to do manual labor, and was unable to make a living. The statement was written for him by Judge Creekmore, who added Henry was “uneducated and illiterate.” Henry made his mark (X). Two character witnesses were present. Also present was brother Thomas (himself with a recent disability discharge) who vouched for Henry’s character, disability, and story.
Henry received monthly disability pensions of $8 beginning on 11/10/1864; $15 beginning on 6/6/1864; $18 beginning on 6/4/1872; $24 beginning on 3/3/1883; $36 beginning on 8/4/1886; $46 beginning on 3/3/1903; $65 beginning on 5/5/1920; and $72 beginning on 8/4/1920.
The last claim, in 1922, was bolstered by the intervention of US Representative John Robison who stated “I know this old soldier is helpless.” For several years Henry was not only crippled, but blind in the left eye and nearly blind in the right and required nearly fulltime care from Rosalie Jasper and Sibbie Wilson. Florence, his wife, had died June 3, 1919 and he had to move in with daughter Rosalie.
Henry’s last illness began on April 5 and ended with his death on April 30, 1923 at 9:30 PM in the house of Dr. G. E. Jasper. Official cause of death was listed as influenza. He was buried in Somerset Cemetery. Dr. and Rosalie Jasper filed a report to the Pensions Board that Henry had $513.36 in the bank and that by Court Order it was all used to pay Henry’s debts. The Jasper’s were reportedly left some property, to the consternation of the other children who received no inheritance.
Despite his disability, Henry lived to the age of 79 years, farmed, raised a fine family of eight children, and was able to help his five sons purchase their own farms. He married Florence Vespucius Tye (1849-1919) on January 11, 1870, in Campbell County, Tennessee, officiated by Magistrate Samuel Douglas. This county is adjacent to Whitley County, so perhaps they had eloped across the state line. Florence was from a well-known family and it is said that she was a school teacher in Mount Vernon. The newly weds moved to Pulaski County that year. Farm addresses there included Gaines District (1870), Waterloo (1872), Precinct 3 (1880), Faubush (1883-86), Nancy (1890) and Oak Hill (about 1905-1919)--all several miles west and south of Somerset. The last farm was believed to have been along Patterson Branch Road, approximately 84 39’ 17” 37 03’ 26”. Possibly, the family briefly moved to Texas in the late 1880s because, according to a family story, this temporarily disrupted a budding romance between Rosalie and Galen Jasper (she married him in 1888).
Researched and written by James C. Schneider, great grandson of Henry, December 1, 2007,
with recollections and some dates provided by Aline (Taylor) Schneider, daughter of Carl Lee.
Note: Henry Clay Taylor was born on September 24, 1843 near Williamsburg, Whitley County, Kentucky
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