John Wesley Weeks and Isabella Josephine Taylor

1 Oct 1841 - 12 Dec 1915 .................... 28 Apr 1846 - 14 Nov 1886

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~1865 Isabella Josephine Taylor Weeks and John Wesley Weeks		John Wesley Weeks Family Back row standing: Nellie Josephine Weeks, Adelbert Wesley Weeks, Ina Rosella Weeks, Bob Knox, Mary A. (Mamie) Akers. Front row: Lewis Albert Weeks, Eva Gwendolyn Weeks, Isabella, Josephine Taylor Weeks holding Coral Belle McHenry, Wesley Orton McHenry, John Wesley Weeks, Mary Belle (Mamie) Weeks, and Winifred Faye McHenry.

John Wesley Weeks

John Wesley WEEKS was born 1 Oct 1841 in Meadville, Crawford County, Pennsylvania and died 12 Dec 1915. He was married on 24 Mar 1867, Morgan County, Missouri to Isabella Josephine TAYLOR, who was born 28 Apr 1846 and diet 14 Nov 1886 in Fort Collins, Colorado


~1881 John Wesley Weeks		~1900 John Wesley Weeks

In August of 1861, John Wesley Weeks enlisted with the 7th Vermont Infantry, Company I at age 21.

Discharged as disabled...7th Vermont Infantry, Company I

Weeks, John W., Brownington, VT, 21, 5th Sergeant, Co. D, enl 8/31/61, m/i 9/21/62, dis/dsb 12/23/62

Re-enlisted at age 24.

Weeks, John W., Barton, VT, 24, Private, Co. I, enl 9/3/64, m/i 9/3/64, m/o 7/14/65

After serving practically four years in the Union Army from the State of Vermont, shortly before Lee's surrender at Appomattox, John Wesley Weeks was ordered under General Sheridan to the place which is now Brownsville, Texas, on the north bank of the Rio Grande River in an "Army of Observation" to watch the French troups just across the river, under Maxmillian, where he was held until July 14, 1865—over three months after the war was over—when the French Government recalled their troops from Mexico at the demand of our Government.

Upon the expiration of its veteran furlough in Vermont, the regiment was ordered back to New Orleans, where it was stationed until February, 1865, when it was ordered to Mobile Point, to take part in the siege of Mobile. The Seventh was attached to the Thirteenth Corps, commanded by Gen. Gordon Granger. This Corps, with the Sixteenth and Steele's Division, and a Cavalry force, comprised the army of General Canby in his attack upon Mobile. Had the war lasted, this army would have been called upon for very important service, akin to that performed by General Sherman in his operations in Alabama and Georgia. The Seventh took a prominent part in the siege of Spanish Fort, which was the main and strongest outlying fortification in the approach to Mobile on its eastern side. The siege lasted 13 continuous days.

The regiment held important and dangerous positions, and was highly commended for its efficiency and courage. Several of its officers and men were specially mentioned for gallantry, performing, as they did, some of the red letter achievements of the siege. The regiment participated in all the subsequent operations and skirmishes of the campaign in and around Mobile, and received, among other notices, very favorable mention for its part in an affair at Whistler, which resulted, after a sharp fight, in saving from destruction the repair and machine shops of the Mobile and Ohio railway at that point. On the surrender of Gen. Richard Taylor's army, the Seventh was ordered to Clarksville, and subsequently to Brownsville, Texas, where it composed a part of the "Army of Observation," on the Rio Grande, maintained by our Government, under Gen. Philip H. Sheridan, to observe and wait the development of the operations of Maximilian and his French allies, then in Mexico.

On the 14th of March, 1866, the regiment was mustered out of the service of the United States at Brownsville, Texas, but proceeded in a body to Brattleboro, Vt., where it was formally disbanded April 6, 1866.

The Seventh, although serving in the main alone, or with detached organizations, or in detached parts, was a different times connected with the Thirteenth and Nineteenth Army Corps. The regiment served longer, lost more men from disease, and more of its members re-enlisted "for the war" than was the case with any other single Vermont organization.

The following is a list of the sieges and battles in which the regiment, as a body, was mentioned by General Sheridan in general orders, as having borne a "meritorious part," and which were ordered inscribed upon its colors: Siege of Vicksburg, Miss.; Baton Rouge, La., Gonzales Stations, Fla; Siege of Spanish Fort, Ala., and Whistler, Ala.

The following is a list of the skirmishes and combats, not inscribed upon its colors, in which detached portions of the regiment bore honorable part, and in most of which, members thereof were killed or wounded: Pearlington, Miss., June 28, 1862; Grand Gulf, Miss., July 7, 1862; Attack on Mortar Boats, Vicksburg, Miss., July 8, 1862; Attack on Transport Cars, Warrington, Miss., Jul 22, 1862; Oakfield, Fla., Feb. 17, 1863; Donaldsonville, La., June 27-28, 1863; Jackson's Bridge, Fla., Jan. 25, 1864; Point Washington, Fla., Feb. 1, 1864; Nix's Clearing, Fla., April 2, 1864; Marianna, Fla., Sept. 27, 1864; Fish River, Ala., March 22, 1865, and Blakely, Ala., April 9, 1865.

He then returned to Vermont, his old home, and in the following November (1865) with his brother, George Riley Weeks and his family, came West and settled near the David Preston Taylor home, where he subsequently met Isabella Josephine Taylor, and they were married March 24, 1867 - a beautiful romance - the union of the Blue and the Gray - the spirit of the great reconstruction outlined by the immortal Lincoln.

His wife's father was Peter Taylor, a Civil War Confederate soldier, and the granddaughter of David Preston Taylor who also fought for the Confederacy. John Wesley Weeks fought for the Union. It was a remarkable marriage. In 1898, John Wesley Weeks was Postmaster in Collins, Scotts Bluff County, Nebraska, near present location of Morrill.

In the fall of 1885 he removed his family to Larimer County, Colorado, where his wife and eldest daughter died. Two years later, he with his children, located in Nebraska on a farm near Scottsbluff, and remained in Nebraska until 1900, then he moved to Denver, Colorado where for many years he was in the employ of the Denver Tramway Company, in charge of the Information booth at the Loop. John W. Weeks was a member of Farragut Post No. 46, Department of Colorado and Wyoming, Grand Army of the Republic, and Harmony Lodge No. 61, A. F. and A. M He held public offices as Justice of the Peace, Police Judge and Deputy Sheriff. He died in Denver, December 12, 1915 and was buried at Fort Collins, Colorado.

Isabella Josephine Taylor Weeks


Isabella Josephine Taylor Weeks and family. Left to right: Mary Belle (Mame) Weeks, Adlebert Wesley Weeks, Ernest Albert Weeks, Isabella Josephine Taylor Weeks, holding Ina Rosella Weeks, Carrie L. Weeks, and Nellie Josephine Weeks.

Isabella Josephine Taylor's father was Peter Taylor, a Civil War Confederate soldier, and the granddaughter of David Preston Taylor who also fought for the Confederacy.

In the small town library of Eldon, Missouri, Lyle D. Bonney came across the grave inventory of the Taylor Family Cemetery. The librarian was able to direct him to the farm on which the burial ground is located. He located the Taylor Family Cemetey a few miles from Eldon. The city of Eldon is about 25 miles south of Jefferson City, the capitol of the state.

The Taylor family cemetery is located on the farm now owned by Walter Mooney. The farm is the land originially granted by the U.S. Governemnt to David Preston Taylor for his service in the War of 1812. Mr. Mooney was kind enough to furnish Lyle Bonney with an abstract of the land. David Preston lived on the farm for many years, and died there at an age of nearly 100 years.

The cemetery was used as burial ground for the family for a number of years. There are some graves that appear to have been for other than the family (perhaps neighbors). Outside of the grave yard, there are some field stone markers said to be for some of the slaves who belonged to the Taylor family, before abolition.

The cemetery is on a knoll, has many old trees, and is completely surrounded by pasture land. The graveyard was in bad repair, the large trees on the grounds are the only shade in the field. At one time there was a barbed wire fence around theh perimeter of the grounds, but it has long been no impairment to the cattle. They have broken through the fence -- now completely down-- and their bumping and rubbing against the stones has knocked down every monument. The underbrush has grown over the entire area. Fallen branches and vines are over all.

Lyle Bonney was able to find some of the stones of those listed on the inventory, David Preston's for one. Of course to completely inspect all of the stones, much clearing work has to be done.