Notes for: William Taylor Bodine
William Bodine, known as "Taylor," was born in Tennessee on February 1 of 1849 and went to Georgia with his parents in 1850. He returned to Roane County, Tennessee with his mother and sister. There he was placed under the care of his grandfather, William Jones, upon the marriage of his mother to Jasper Clowers. His grandfather Jones died in January of 1868. On August 13, 1874, he married Mary Jane East with the knot being tied by Sewell Phillips, a minister of the Gospel. They stayed in Roane County, Tennessee until about 1877 when they moved to Meigs County, Tennessee. There he purchased a 20-acre tract from J. F. Myers for 75 dollars and added another 44 acres. On May 31, 1889, he purchased another 61 acres from John and Hudley Wasson. Taylor was an honest, law-abiding man, never getting involved in politics. He was content working his farm. He died of tuberculosis at the age of 42 in 1891. They were the parents of nine children.
From Ronny Bodine:
William Bodine was born 1 Feb 1849 (Clower Family Bible Record), although he was recorded in the 1850 census as aged 7 months. His birthplace was in Tennessee, likely in Sevier County, home of his father, or in Roane County, home of his mother. He travelled with his parents to Murray County, Georgia where the family was living in 1850 and following his father's death returned to Tennessee where in 1860 he was living with his maternal grandfather, William Jones, in Roane County.
William Jones died in 1866 and Taylor Bodine, as he was commonly known, appears to have been entirely overlooked by the census takers of 1870. He was married to Mary Jane East, daughter of Alonzo W. and Emeline C. (Jordan) East, of Roane County. Taylor Bodine remained in Roane County only a few more years, being last taxed there in 1876 and from 1879 was taxed in neighboring Meigs County where he was to remain until his death.
All deed records for Meigs County were lost in a courthouse fire in 1903, but the county probate records show Taylor Bodine purchasing 20 acres from J. F. Myers for $75.00 on 7 June 1880 (Meigs Co. Probate Book, 1870-1883, p. 348). Taxed in 1880 on 20 acres, Taylor Bodine acquired additional land and was taxed in 1882 on 64 acres. In subsequent years the amount of his taxable land tended to fluctuate.
On 3 Jan 1888, Taylor Bodine was released from paying poll tax and working on the public roads for the ensuing year and again in January 1889 for that year, an indication that his health was in decline (Meigs Co. Court Minutes, 9: 438, 10: 5). His 1890 tax was paid on 5 Feb 1891, but on the 1891 tax list he was noted as being dead. Family members recall Taylor's son, John, remarking that his father had died of tuberculosis. It is believed he was buried, in a now unmarked grave, in Hornsby Chapel Cemetery, in Meigs County.
Mary (East) Bodine married 2ndly, Matthew Allen, on 17 Dec 1895 in Roane County and survived his death in 1900-1910 as well. Mary Allen was buried in Hornsby Chapel Cemetery.