Notes for Tillman D Taylor

Family Group Sheet

Notes for Tillman D Taylor

Notes for TILLMAN D TAYLOR:
Tilman D. Taylor, ex-sheriff of Umatilla County, was born near Silverton, Marion County, Oregon on the 19th day of September 1866, son of David and Sarah Ann (Gerking) Taylor. Sheriff Taylor's boyhood was spent on the old homestead, three miles east of Athena. He received his education in the public schools of the county and later attended A.P. Armstrong Business College of Portland, Oregon. He returned to Athena and clerked in the dry goods store of Holter and Cleve there. He then engaged in the hardware business in which connection he remained for a number of years, later selling his interest to Mr. Barret and then accepted a position with the Handford Hardware Co. In 1898 he was appointed deputy sheriff under William Blakely and served four years in that capacity, then was elected sheriff, which later office he was holding at the time he was shot. During the years in which he was sheriff he made it a point never to shoot a man. Bancroft (sic - Hart) the bandit whose bullet snuffed out the life of Sheriff Taylor had been saved by the sheriff only a few days before being captured. At that time Hart fired at Taylor and tried to kill him. A jail break was planned for Sunday morning, July 25, 1920, when Hart with four others, attempted to escape. Sheriff Taylor was sitting in his office at the courthouse in Pendleton when the bullet came crashing through the window. Hart was executed in punishment for the crime. Two others have been sentenced to hang while the other two are serving life sentences.
Sheriff Taylor was one of the organizers of the Pendleton Round-Up and its president for eleven years. He was a fine horseman and sportsman. Mr. Taylor was married twice. In 1889 he wed Miss Sadie Smith and her death occurred at Athena five years later. One son, Sheldon, was born to this union. In 1898 he married to Miss Claire Moussu, a daughter of H. O. Moussu. In politics he was a Democrat. He was a 32nd degree Mason and a member of the Elks and of the Woodmen of the World.
Carey, History of Oregon, Vol. III, 1922; p. 200.
Information Provided by: Janelle Jackson jlorenej@aol.com

Notes for SARAH ANN GERKING:
Ann married Dave Taylor in the Willamette Valley where Til and Jinks were born. Later the family moved to Athena and settled on Gerking Flat near Grandfather Gerking. a daughter, Ione, died of whooping cough after the family came to Athena. Til, who was sheriff of Umatilla Co. for several years, was shot in a jail break in Pendleton. Jinks finished Till's term as sheriff and he was later killed when his horse fell with him. Dave Taylor's death preceded Ann.
Bowe, Florence Chappell; The Gerking Family in America, 3rd Edition Revised 1990; p. 272.

!Source: -----Original Message-----
From: Janelle L Jackson [mailto:enerol@juno.com]
Sent: Thursday, September 07, 2000 12:39 AM
To: dan@danhebert.com
Subject: Re: Gerking Reunion

Hi Dan!

It was good to hear from you. I made a copy of the information that I
have for you. Before I go to bed tonight I will check on what is in it
on your ancestor.

My grandmother was the daughter of Benjamin Franklin Gerking. His
sister, Sarah Ann Gerking, married David Taylor. They had a son named
Tillman Taylor. Till Taylor was a famous sheriff in Pendleton, Oregon.
He was murdered in 1920, and as a result, it brought about the biggest
man hunt in Oregon's history. The best lawmen in the country came to
join the posse to search for the killers and they caught them. I don't
know the history behind his first name, but it does sound like a surname.
There is a book about him. It is called The Murder of Till Taylor. You
would probably have to find it in a second hand book store as it was
published in the 1970's. I can't remember the name of the author.

I have highlighted your ancestor, my family and the Taylor family. That
way you can see how we all tie together. John E. L. Gerking was the
brother of Benjamin Franklin Gerking (my great grandfather) and Sarah Ann
Gerking (Till Taylor's mother).
I will get this off to you tomorrow.

I think the information I am sending will help fill in some of the gaps
for you.

Janelle