Colonel Clay Taylor and wife Louisa Marie Pratte
Campbranch, Warren Co., MO
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During the Civil War there were three types of parties involved in the war. The Union men were loyal to America and tended to be mostly Germans.
The Rebels were secessionists loyal to the South, mainly Virginians.. The third party, were so-called Union men, who joined the rebels in raids damaging
Railroad property.
KEY PERSONS INVOLVED IN LETTERS
Colonel Clay Taylor was an officer in the C. S. A. He wrote the cartel for the release of prisoners at
the end of the Civil war. Married to Louisa Marie Pratte, daughter of Bernard Pratte, (1803-1886) ex-mayor of St. Louis, Missouri and Mary Louise Chenie. (See below for more family details).
General McFadden, was in charge of the Union State Militia Calvary Company stationed at Warrenton, Warren Co, Missouri. This unit was not called into service.
General Sterling Price Was a Confederate in charge of the Missouri State Guard. After the end of the Civil War General Sterling Price set up a Colony of ex-confederates in Cordova, Mexico.
Brig Gen Schofield was given the Medal of Honor, 2 July 1892. Major 1st Missouri Infantry at Wilson's Creek, Missouri 10 August 1861. Entered service at St. Louis, Missouri. Born 29 Sept 1831 Gerry, New York. "Was conspicuously gallant in leading a regiment in a successful charge against the enemy."
St. Louis Dec 27, 1861
General Hallock,
Mr. Clay Taylor is a Director in the North Missouri Railroad Company of which I am President and has always borne an unblemished respect in his relations to society and humanity. For a man forbid the idea that he could have been connected with the damages on the North railroad.
I would not save any guilty man. But I would ask in him as in any other like case that the testimony against him and will coincident to the action of parties, looked into. I could (would?) by to suggest that there should be corroborating testimony of any charges against him.
General W. Taylor
St. Louis Dec 30th 1861
Clay Taylor has learned that during his absence of self and family from his farm in Warren County that the man who was officer in charge has been arrested. One of his Negroes wounded. Beds, clothing and c. destroyed by the U.S. troops. _______weapons for Military ______ having been founded in House and asks an investigation of the matter so that he may take his family home.
Was appointed _______ by Joseph Pope and offers to _____ ______ to ____ honorable for any _____ concerning himself.
G. Taylor
St. Louis, Missouri
January 1, 1862
To:
Major Gen Hallock
Com. Of Dept. of the West
Sir,
On reaching home yesterday I learned from Clay Taylor my brother-in-law, the misfortune that had befallen him by the depositions of the U.S. troops. I have seen the statements he submitted to you in which he refers to make as _________ as to the manners in which the clothing found in his house came into his possession. I can only say that his statement is correct. The clothing was _____clothing which had Gun ____________. Mr. Taylor thought he _______be ________ To him for his negroes _____ ____ to _______ to him.
Very Respectively
Jno H. Dickerson
Capt. & A 2nd Inf.
3 January 1862
Clay Taylor
Vs On claim for damages sustained by claimant
The United States Inf
James W. McFadden of lawful age being duly sworn disposes and says that I have known Clay Taylor ever since he came to Warren County, which was about three or four years ago. He moved into and resides now on the Campbranch farm.
About midsummer Mr. Taylor proposed to me to make a treaty of peace in our neighborhood and submitted to me an oath which was drawn up by him and was ____ _____ Conditional oath, in the County, which I agreed to signed & abide by. He thus invited me to bring my Company into the Gatn(?) neighborhood where his company was to meet and we would there submit this proposition to them.
I Sundance (?) with the promise I took my company there consisting 75 mounted men and coming into the field. I found Mr. Taylor’s company drawn up under the moors numbering about 50 men. I advanced and called Captain Taylor out and asked him whether he had submitted that proposition to his company. He said so far not but that he would and report to his th ? s____t in a few days. We retired.
A few days afterwards Taylor and all proposed to me to have a meeting in my pasture, to arrange an agreement for the protection of life & property in our neighborhood. The meeting took place and Taylor & a good many others signed to disband our companies & drill no more until the 1st Saturday in September, then following my own company was a Union company. Carrying the U.S. flag. Taylors company had a flag but their wagons & vehicles carried secession flags. Such men as George Dyer, Warren V. Steward, Frank Skinner & other leading secessionist belong to Taylor’s company.
James W. McFadden
Subscribed & sworn to before me this 3rd day of January 1862,
A. S. Kickel, Provost Marshall
PHILIP LEE of lawful age being produced & sworn according to law deposes & says. That: I know Clay Taylor and have known him ever since he came to Warren County. I know that Clay Taylor invited McFadden to bring his company to the place where Taylor was going to ______his Company. I saw Clay Taylor Company & know most of the men composing it and those I know were all secessionists & when we road up were Geo. Taylor’s men by chanting Mur___, for the Black republican company.
I have heard Clay Taylor say that he was drilling the Company. The day I speak of there were from 40 to 50 men in Taylor’s company. It was said that Taylor gave a free pass on the Rail Road to David Price and Thos. Cerder and to go to Price’s army, but this was rumor and I have no knowledge of the fact further than that the persons named went off and all said to have gone to Price’s army.
A couple of men, strangers in the neighborhood stayed at Clay Taylor’s until after the bridges were burned the last time and they left when the soldiers came. I have heard the men aforesaid talk intensively and know them from their own statements to be secessionist. The ___ ___ were at Taylor’s for about 10 days. About two months ago Mr. Taylor told me that any man was a fool who was a Union man. I said that there was no Union.
Philip Lee
Partial Transcription of Colonel Clay Taylors Response
......to the full satisfaction of General Pope. I verily believe that I have done as much to preserve peace and protect the citizens of Warren County, as any man in it, and upon further inquiry, you will become satisfied of the truth of what I now state. This is to request you to make inquiry as soon as possible.
Let there be a thorough investigation. If after this investigation you satisfied that I have not in nay manner been disloyal, I do ho0pe that you will cause my property to be returned to me, the soldiers to be withdrawn from my farm, so that I may again return home with my family and receive from the General Government that protection of lie and property as is due to every peaceful citizen.
When the late outrages, in the way of bridge burning and were perpetuated in the line of the North Missouri Railroad. I and my family were all here in the city and of course I could not in any manner have prevented them. In fact I know no one connected with the above mentioned acts.
The six pairs of boots fund in found in my house were a part of a case sent me last October by my brother-in-law Mr. Tracy- the balance I had given to my negroes.
I am very anxious to return home with my family, let me once more entreat you to impart your attention to my case at your earliest convenience.
Gov. Gamble, who known me from boyhood has authorized me to refer you to him for any information which you may desire concerning my acts.
I am Sir,
Very Respectively
Your Obedient Servant
Clay Taylor
Colonel Nathaniel P. Taylor, St. Louis
Colonel Nathaniel P. Taylor, b. Orange Co., VA, came to St. Louis, Missouri in 1832 where he held the office of U.S. Register of Lands, a position he held until his death in 1848. Colonel Nathaniel P. Taylor, officer in the War of 1812, was married three times. Nathaniel first married Elizabeth Catherine Martin in 1816 in Clark County, Kentucky. They had two girls Laura Taylor (b. 1817), and Eliza Catherine Martin Lewis Taylor (b. 1819) Wife Elizabeth died in Kentucky in 1819. (Ref: "History of St. Charles, Montgomery, & Warren County," National Historical Company, St. Louis, MO. 1885. pages 1116-1117).
Nathaniel in 1825 secondly married in Clark Co., Kentucky, Eleanor Hart Clay, the daughter of Reverend Porter Clay and Sophia Grosch. Reverend Porter Clay was a pioneer settler of Kentucky and an able minister who did missionary work in the West. It is believed Rev. Porter Clay gave the first sermon ever preached in the English language west of the Mississippi. Three children were born to Nathaniel and Eleanor: Clay Taylor, (b. May 1826-KY), Ellen Medora Taylor, (b. 1827-KY), and Sophia Grosch Taylor, (b. 1829-KY-d. April 1838-buried North St. Louis Cemetery).
Colonel Nathaniel P. Taylor thirdly married Matilda Nicholas Christy in 1832. Six children, all born in St. Louis: Martha Taylor, (b1833); Mary Taylor (b.1837); James Christy Taylor (b.1838-d. 11 Oct. 1845); Julia Wash Taylor (b. 1839-d. April 1844-buried Episcopal Cemetery); Matilda Taylor (b. 1841); and Mary E. Taylor (b. 1843).
Colonel Clay Taylor & Marie Louise Pratte, Warren County
Colonel Clay Taylor, b. May 1826-KY-d. after 1900, and wife, Marie Louise Pratte, b. 1833-St. Louis, MO, moved to a 600-acre farm in Campbranch, in 1856. They were married in 1853 in St. Louis. Four children were living as of the 1870 census: Richard, b. 1855; Porter C, b. 1858; Laura b. 1860 and Dora, b. 1866. Three deceased children are Nathaniel P, Robert W., and Tulie G. Taylor. Colonel Clay Taylor was the son of Colonel Nathaniel P. Taylor, Orange Co., VA, and Eleanor Hart Clay, Clark Co., Kentucky. Marie Louise Pratte was the daughter of Sergeant Bernard Pratte, ex-mayor of St. Louis and president of the Missouri Bank.
Colonel Clay Taylor served in the Mexican War and was a member of Captain Weightman's company of Missouri light artillery, in which he served for about a year. He was on Kearney's expedition to New Mexico, and was with Colonel Doniphan on the latter's march to join General Zachary Taylor at Buena Vista. Colonel Clay Taylor served in the Civil War under the Confederate army. Colonel Clay Taylor wrote out the "cartel" for the exchange of prisoners between the Confederate States of America and the United States March 15, 1862. (Ref: "History of St. Charles, Montgomery, & Warren County," National Historical Company, St. Louis, MO. 1885. pages 1116-1117).
Colonel Clay Taylor, at age 74, is living with his son Porter C. Taylor, b. Jan 1858, in Elkhorn Township, Warren County, Missouri in 1900 Federal census. . Porter C. and wife Georgie B. have six children: Porter C., Jr., b. 1881; Thomas B, b.1885; Celeste P, b. 1887; Medora, b. 1889; Foreman, b.1893; and Bernard, b. 1897.