Anna Mariah ([Miller] Campbell - Wyatt) Taylor Page 1 of 5

Tama County,
IA
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Anna Mariah Miller, My Great Grandmother

Submitted by Kathi Taylor
kathirosetaylor@earthlink.net

Anna Mariah Miller was born in 1835 in Pennsylvania. She was the daughter of
Jacob G Miller, who was born in 1812 in Germany and Ellen Miller, who was born in
Pennsylvania in 1810. Anna had three brothers: Dave, Mike, and William (a half
brother). Jacob G Miller was married at least twice, his first wife is the mother of
Williams mother who was born in about 1842 in Pennsylvania. The family moved to
Nevada, Story County, Iowa in 1851 when Anna was 15 years old. Of interest in the
1860 Federal Census of Story County Iowa she is recorded as having $2,000 in real
estate and $250 in cash, this is unusual for a young women in Iowa in 1860. At the
time she was married to John Wyatt and all of the family money was listed in Anna's
name.
History of Story County, Iowa

Cheap and productive farm land attracted early settlers to the present area of Story
County around 1846. In 1853 the county was formed and named after the Supreme
Court Justice Joseph Story. Story County grew slower than surrounding areas and
counties. This was due to the large numbers of lowlands, marshes, ponds and slough
areas. These greatly hindered the development of large tracts of farmland and
transportation, such as roads and the railroad. For example, early roads were
sometimes nothing more than furrows created by sod-breaking teams. They were often
muddy and concealed by high grasses, often making travel an adventure.

This is why the railroads played such a big part in the early development of Story
County. With more than 6,700 acres of land donated to the railroad by the county, the
Cedar Rapids and Missouri River Railroad began construction in 1863. By 1864 it had
passed through Nevada, reached Ames and had become the furthest western railway
terminus in the United States. In the 1870s a North-South route was added to the
county by the Des Moines and Minnesota Railroads, later named the Northwestern. It
reached Ames in 1874 and Story City in 1877. This rail line gave birth to the towns of
Gilbert, Kelly, and Sheldahl. By the end of the 1880s and the addition of two more
east-west rail lines, every farmer was within at most six miles of markets and shipping
accommodations.

The first courthouse was built in Nevada in 1856, costing around $1,500. It was a two-
story frame building. Ames was also an early contender for the county seat but in June
of 1859 the Iowa Agricultural College and Farm were located at Nevada, making

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Nevada's claim to the honor more secure. The first courthouse caught fire and burned
on December 31, 1863.

A second similar courthouse was built in its place. The building of a third courthouse
was proposed in 1857. Designed by William Foster and constructed of locally made
bricks the finished cost was $50,000. It is told that the contractor, J. B. Randall, went
bankrupt because of the fine materials, rising cost of labor, and the careful
craftsmanship that went into building the structure. Finished in 1877, the three-story
building was situated on the town square. In the building was a tower in which school
children could climb to see a panoramic view of the landscape. It was later torn down
due to safety reasons.

An old Civil War cannon is present on the front lawn of the current Story County
courthouse. The Story County cannon has been there since 1901. The cannon, the first
built by A. B. Reading and Bro., Vicksburg, Mississippi in 1861, reached Story via the
Rock Island Arsenal on January 29, 1901. It was shipped to Jason D. Ferguson G.A.R.
(Grand Army of the Republic). By 1911 the G.A.R. was not too active, and it is
speculated that the cannon was donated to the county before the G.A.R. expired.

The Miller Family (Anna Mariah Miller Family) in Story County

Source Information on Anna Mariah Miller was from a write up found by Owen
Taylor's wife Alice M Kellogg Taylor at about the time of Owens death in 1947. The
following is a transcript of that document. The Title of the Document was Grandpa
Taylor's family, which leads me to believe it was done by a son or daughter of Owen
Taylor. I suspect it may have been done by Geneva Lavina or Erma Maria. Anna
Mariah was Mrs Anna Mariah WYATT, and most likely known as "Mariah
MILLER" before her marriage to John Campbell, as stated by Owen Taylor.

"Grandpa Taylor's Family"

Nathaniel Franklin Taylor Mar 25, 1824 - May 5, 1883 born in

Eleline (sic) Haskell Kentucky
Aug 1, 1827 - Nov 19, 1866 born in
Indiana

They were married in February 1850. (Not included in original document Feb 28,
1850 in Vevay, Switzerland County, Indiana.)
Their children;
Lucy Ellen Taylor Feb 4, 1851 - Sep 1 1956
John Ellis Dye Taylor Apr 21, 1853 - Sept 27, 1928
Caroline Julia Taylor July 26, 1855
Usillah Jane Taylor Oct 3, 1857
George Elmer Taylor June 27, 1857
Charles Franklin Taylor June 27, 1863
Edgar William Taylor Nov 29, 1866
Edwin Thomas Taylor Nov 29, 1866

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Maria (sic) Miller Wyatt married N.F. Taylor in June or July 1868 (Anna or Ann), she
died Apr 12, 1874.
Their Children;
Walter Llowellyn (sic.) Taylor Apr 3, 1869
Owen Taylor Nov 23, 1870
Arthur Taylor May 23, 1872

A baby born April 10, 1874. It was buried with its mother.

Maria (it should be Anna Mariah) Miller Wyatt had three brothers: Dave, Mike, and
Bill a half brother. She had not (sic) sisters. The children of her first marriage were
Frank Campbell and Mary Campbell. Mary was born in August 1856. The children
by her second marriage were Edith Wyatt and John Wyatt who were born July 4,
1863.

COMMENT ADDED BY KEITH TAYLOR 2009: The contents of this are very odd
with several errors and misspellings. What makes it so unusual for me was the fact
that my Grandfather Walter Llewellyn Taylor, who was the oldest child in that family
knew almost nothing of his father's first family or about his own mother. For example
he thought Anna had been born in Iowa. Arthur Taylor Walter's other brother did not
seem to know much about his mother either, from census records. It is very odd that
his younger brother would be so familiar with the information.

Anna Mariah Miller married John Campbell in 1855, however no record has been
located of a marriage. In the 1856 Iowa Census Anna Mariah Campbell was living
with John Campbell. In the 1856 census of Iowa. He is listed as a land owner, a
member of the militia, and a farmer and a native Iowan. Anna Mariah was probably
pregnant with Mary J Campbell at the time of this census. Anna Mariah Campbell
gave birth to a daughter in August 1856 Mary J. Campbell. She also had a son,
Frank Andrew Campbell on Oct 1, 1858. Both children were born in Nevada, Story
Co., Iowa. There may or may not have been a divorce in 1859, no record has been
located. Anna Mariah and John Campbell separated in 1859. Anna Mariah Campbell
married John Thomas Wyatt on Aug 4, 1859. From the Story County Marriage
Register Volume 1, page 6: the marriage was solemnized on Aug 4, 1859 by G.A.
Kellogg, county judge, license returned Aug 8, 1859. Edith Wyatt was born in 1861.
An interesting fact about these two children was that Edith lived with her grandparent
Jacob G. and Ellen Miller and seems to have taken the surname Miller. John Thomas
Wyatt was born Oct 19, 1840 in Bartholamew, Indiana. He died July 26, 1919 in
Marshalltown, Iowa at the Iowa Soldiers Home. Anna Mariah and John Thomas had a
son, John Wyatt, born on July 4, 1863 in Nevada, Story Co., Iowa. Anna Mariah and
John Thomas Wyatt separated in 1862. John Thomas Wyatt enlisted in the US Army
on Aug 22, 1862 and served in the Civil War.. He entered Regiment D of the 40th
Iowa Infantry on Sept 13, 1862. He was discharged from the Army on Feb 8, 1864 at
Madison, Wisconsin with a disability discharge. John Thomas Wyatt is buried in the
Iowa Soldiers Home Cemetery at Marshalltown, Iowa. In the 1860 Federal Census
John Thomas Wyatt and Anna Mariah Campbell Wyatt; and Anna's and John
Campbell's children, Mary J Campbell and Frank Andrew Campbell were listed as
living in Nevada, Iowa. Interestingly Jacob G. Miller and his wife, Elenore Miller
were also listed (the next family to be counted on that record). This was the second

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marriage for both Jacob G Miller and Eleanore Miller. There were 3 Miller children
living in that family and they were Jacob G. Miller's children from a previous
marriage. Eleanore Miller (Jacob Miller's wife) was born in Penn. as were all of the
Miller Children. In the 1870 Federal Census of the Richland Township, Chelsea,
Tama Co., IA; Anna Mariah Campbell’s children Mary J Campbell age 14 and Frank
Andrew Campbell age 12 were living with their grandparents Jacob G. Miller and
Ellenore Miller.

Anna Mariah Campbell Wyatt moved to Helena, Tama Co., Iowa in 1866, with her
parents Jacob and Ellen Miller. She and Nathanial Franklin Taylor were married Jan
21, 1868. They were married by Newton B. Hiate, a Justice of the Peace in Tama Co.
Iowa. They had 3 sons Walter Llewellyn Taylor born Apr 3, 1869 (AKA Grandpa
Taylor), Owen Taylor born Nov 23, 1870 and Arthur Taylor born May 23, 1872. All
3 sons were born in Helena, Tama Co., IA. A 4th child died at birth on April 12,
1874. Anna Mariah died with the child. The unnamed infant and Anna Mariah were
buried in the same grave on a hill, which would later become the community cemetery
for Helena, Tama Co., IA. Nathaniel Franklin died on May 3, 1883 in Correctionville,
IA., the sons worked on farms mostly for their board and room during the winter
months, then for wages during the rest of the year. During the year of 1887 the
younger brothers lived with the older brother John E.D. Taylor who had bought a
farm of College land in Section 6, Little Sioux Township, Woodbury Co., Iowa known
as College Corners. John E.D Taylor was the son of Evaline Haskell, Nathaniel
Franklin's first wife.

Anna Mariah’s son Frank Andrew Campbell married Anna Keup in 1889 in Tama
Co., Iowa. Anna Keup was born March 21, 1869 and died on Jan 12, 1961; in Tama
Co., Iowa. They had 3 children. John Campbell born in Oct. 1890, Walter Arthur
Campbell born Oct 2, 1892, and Anna M Campbell were born June 1896.

Frank Andrew Campbell’s son Walter Arthur Campbell was born Oct 2, 1892 in Tama
Co. Iowa and died Feb 21, 1986 in Tama Co., Iowa. at the Marshalltown Medical and
Surgical Center. He had resided at the Sunny Hill Care Center, Tama since December
1985. He was the son of Frank Andrew Campbell and grandson of Anna Maria
(Wyatt)(Campbell) Taylor. Walter Arthur Campbell lived with his family near Limon,
Colorado from 1908 until 1914. They returned to Tama in 1914, because of severe
weather and grasshoppers eating their crops. They moved to 1508 Grant St at Tama,
Iowa. On July 31, 1926. He married Mary Prochaska in Tama. They had 2 children.
He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Mary, who died in 1981, a brother
John, and a sister, Mrs. William (Annie) Duggan, and a grandson.

Relatives still living at his death include a daughter, Mrs. Louis (Helen) Kracer, Tama,
IA, a son Ralph Campbell of Tacoma, Washington. Jim Kacer, Cedar Rapids, IA,
Mrs. Paul (Kathryn) Perry, Mrs. Rich (Laurie) Wolfer and Mrs. Thomas (Janet)
Slows, all of Tacoma, Wash. He also had four grandsons.

Frank Andrew Campbell’s son John Campbell born in Oct 1890 died before his
brother Walter Arthur Campbell, noted from Walter Arthur's obituary. Therefore it is
known he died before Feb 1986. No record of a marriage has been found nor has any
other record been located.

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Anna Mariah Campbell’s daughter, Mary J Campbell born in August 1856, at age 14
was living with her grandparents Jacob G. Miller and Ellenore Miller with her brother
Frank Andrew Campbell. Little is known of Mary J Campbell after 1870. She
never married, she lived out her life in Tama Co. IA., and died in 1896 of unknown
causes.

Anna Mariah Campbell’s son, John Wyatt, was born in Jul 4, 1863 in Nevada, Story
Co., Iowa. In 1866 he moved to Tama Co., Iowa with his mother, where his mother
married Nathanial Franklin Taylor. In the 1870 Federal Census of Richland, Tama
Co., Iowa; John Wyatt was living with the Nathanial Franklin Taylor and Anna Maria
(Wyatt) Campbell Taylor household. On Apr 12, 1874 Anna Maria (Wyatt)
Campbell Taylor died in childbirth. She was buried on the family farm, which later
became the community cemetery for Helena. Later Nathaniel Franklin moved with
his seven sons to Woodbury Co. Iowa. These 7 boys included 4 of Elavaline Haskell's
sons, one of Evaline's sons, George Elmer, had died on Feb 10, 1862. The seven
included Anna Mariah's 3 sons. This did not include John Wyatt. John Wyatt may
have been taken in by his grandparents Jacob G. Miller and Ellen, but no record has
been found documenting this. The Nathaniel Franklin Taylor was broken up in 1880,
and after the death of Nathaniel Franklin the sons worked on farms mostly for their
board and room during the winter months then for wages during the rest of the year.
John E.D. Taylor is also known as John Ellis Taylor. During the year of 1887 the
younger brothers lived with the older brother, John E.D. Taylor who had bought a
farm of College land in Section 6, Little Sioux Township, Woodbury Co., Iowa known
as College Corners. According to Nellie Taylor Bailey, Nathaniel Franklin's grand
daughter and Walter Llewellyn Taylor's daughter Walter was "put out to strangers"
and "no Taylor ever helped him". Nellie Taylor Bailey was told this by her father
Walter Llewellyn Taylor. Little is known of Anna Mariah and John Thomas Wyatt s
son - John Wyatt. John Wyatt, except that he married Caroline Reese. She was born
Oct 16, 1859 and died Oct 8, 1935 in Sidney, Iowa. In the 1920 Federal Census he
was living in Council Bluff, Iowa and working as a street car conductor.

Nathaniel Franklin died May 03, 1883 at Correctionville, Woodbury Co., Iowa and is
buried at the Good Hope Cemetery north of Correctionville.

Anna Mariah Miller was my great grandmother was born in 1835 in Pennsylvania, she
and her family moved to Story Co., Iowa in 1850. In 1855 she married John
Campbell, she married John Thomas Wyatt Aug 4, 1859. Both of these marriages
were in Story County, Iowa. In 1866 she moved to Tama County with her parents
Jacob & Ellen Miller. On Jan 21, 1868 she married Nathaniel Franklin Taylor in
Tama County.

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