TAFF FAMILY:
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The main Taff of record in Maries County was Peter Taff. He settled land on the lower?(Little) Maries River and lived there all his life. Dr. King's book the history of Maries County states that he had 5 daughters and two sons. One of the girls Malinda was my great-grandmother. She married Henry Burns. One girl Minerva married Ben Eads Sr. Mahala married John Boone. Elizabeth married William Copeland. Mary married Alvis Goss. One son, Solomon died single. He is believed to be the youngest. The remaining son, James, married Mary Martin. I will try to find these people in the census, marriage records etc. James & Mary Taff (Martin) had the following children: David N. Taff married Mary Ellen Copeland. They had 6 children, (1.) Richard A. Taff died single. (2.) William Anvil Taff married Effie Kaiser and had two children, Virgie Juanita (deceased). Della Mae married Edward Butler. (3.) Harry Everett Taff married Alma Inez Candler and had 3 children, Alice Virginia, William Howard, and Walter Robert Taff. They had a girl Nola Ellen Taff who is dead. (4.) John Way Taff married Nina Helen Baker and had 2 children, Nina Helen & Richard Thomas Taff. (5.) Thomas Gratt Taff married Grace E. Sneeringer and had 3 children, Mary Elizabeth, Thomas Gratt Jr., Carole Jean. (6.) Virgie Ellen married Reno Carter and had 2 children, Virgir Ellen June, and Reno David Carter. 1880 census: (Boone Twp) (Maries County) William S. Taff age 28 (Mo) both parents (Tn) Mattie E. age 24 (Va) both parents (Va) R. Elmer age 4 (Mo) Samuel Emory age 22 (workhand) (Mo) (William S. Taff married Mary Bryan and Richard Elmer was their only child.William was born 4/27/1854 and died 2/9/1881. He was the son of John & Mahala Taff (Anderson). 1880 census: (Jackson Twp) John Taff age 60 (Tn) both parents (Tn) Mahala (Anderson) age 48 (Tn) both parents (Tn) Minnie L. age 10 (Mo) John Anderson age 18 (servant) (Mo) both parents (Tn) 1900 census: (Jackson Twp) Mahala Taff (Anderson) age 66? (68) Minnie L. Johnson (daug) 29 or 30 (Minnie L. Taff married Alfred B. Johnson, 12/9/1888) 1880 census: (Jackson Twp) David Taff age 29 (Mo) living with James & Nancy Briggs. (I believe this is James & Mary Taff's (Martin) son). 1880 census: (Jackson Twp) Weldon Taff married Henry Smith, 2/9/1879. Weldon Taff age 22 (Mo) (female) (wd) living with J. M. & Nancy Anderson. (Weldon married Jacob Schmidt. They had one daughter Ella, who married John Hart. Weldon was the daughter of James & Mary Taff (Martin). 1880 census: (Jackson Twp) J. H. Taff age 31 (Mo) both parents (Tn) with Robert & Nancy Rowden. John H. Taff age 51 (Mo) living with Thomas & Allen Branson. (I believe this was John Henry Taff, son of James & Mary Taff (Martin). He never married. Died in 1910 at about 65 yrs.) 1900 census: (Jackson Twp) David N. Taff married Mary E. Copeland, 3/9/1882. David N. Taff age 48 (Mo) Mary E. age 38 (Mo) William A. age 16 Harry E. age 13 John W. age 11 Thomas G. age 6 Virgie E. age 4 (David married Mary Ellen Copeland. David was James & Mary Taff 's son) Nettie Taff married Benjamin Crismon, 8/13/1879. The area that these Taffs settled was close to Brunes Store at the junction of Hwy. 42 & Hwy 133 west of Vienna, Mo. Where these two Hwys make a (T) junction at Brunes Store, if you turn to the left on 133 and go just a little ways, you will see a one room cabin along side the highway on the right side. This is the Taff School. It used to be on the left side of the road, but the people who owned the land, took it down log by log and put it up exactly the way it was, on the right side of the road. There used to be what was called the "New Taff" School but it's gone. Before you get to Brunes Store, Hwy 42 crosses the Little Maries River, this is the area where the I believe the Taffs settled. Dr. King says the "lower' Maries but I believe he meant "Little" Maries. The Taffs are buried in thr Crismon Cemetery. You can hit the Taff School with a rock from the cemetery, just about. DeVere |