James Kearney Taaffe (1830 - 1901)

Born 14 Aug 1830 in Paraclifta, Sevier, Arkansas, United States

Husband of Mary Bezora (Bell) Taaffee — married about 1879 in Dalby Springs, Bowie, Texas, United States

Descendants

Died 5 Mar 1901 at age 70 in Little River, Arkansas, United States

Biography

James was born in 1830. He passed away in 1901. From article "Water Bound in Arkansas" ^[1] JAMES K. TAAFFE

Jim Taaffe was from a family of early settlers in Arkansas Territory. I think he was the son of George Taaffe. I know that he conveyed land as an heir of George Taaffe. My impression is that the Taaffe families were probably the very first families to settle in the Rocky Comfort section.

I think his first wife was a Miss Payne, and they had two boys, George and Joe Taaffe (7). George married an Indian woman, and I think Joe married a Miss Belt (This should be Bell). He married an orphan girl named Mary the second time. (Mary's father John Z. Bell died during the Civil War) I think possibly his second wife was raised by the Layne family. (Mary's Uncle George Thomas Bell, Jr. was living John G. Layne in Rockfish, Virginia when he enlisted in the Confederate Army.)

Joe Taaffe died some fifteen years or more ago. George Taaffe was murdered by some Negro cow thieves about 1888. His Indian neighbors trailed the Negroes, caught them, killed and burned them. _______________________ 7. James K. Taaffe's first wife was Jane (Lemons) Smith, whom he married in 1858. She died in 1878. Their children were George, James, Joseph, John and Fanny. (Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Southern Arkansas. Chicago, Nashville and St. Louis: The Goodspeed Publishing Company, 1891. p. 548.)

Jim Taaffe had several children by his second wife, I think two boys and about four girls, Jesse, the older boy, died about the time he was grown. His other son, Jimmie, lives at Foreman. The girls grew up to be fine women.

I think Jim Taaffe died about 1905. The last time I saw him he was an old man, and was on the streets of Foreman so drunk he couldn't hit the ground with his hat. I've been told that when he went home drunk, business picked up in a big way.

The Methodist ladies had a Missionary Society. After one of their meetings, they went by to visit with Mrs. Taaffe, who was always glad for them to come. On this occasion they were spending a very pleasant afternoon when Mr. Taaffe barged into the room and said, "Mary! Have you hoed out that garden like I told you to?" She said, "No, not yet." Then he said. "Goddam you, get out there and get at it right now." This broke up the party, and Mrs. Taaffe grabbed a hoe and went to the garden.

Jesse Taaffe and I were about the same age, and we played together. When the old man was around, we kept out of his sight.

He had two half sisters, Mrs. Payne and Mrs. Wilson. When Mrs. Payne died, she left two boys, George and Tom. Jim Taaffe took George, the older boy, and Mrs. Wilson took Tom to raise. Jim Taaffe worked George like he was a slave, was mean to him, and never allowed him to go to school or dressed him properly. Mrs. Wilson was very poor, but she managed to send Tom Payne to school with her own children. As soon as George Payne got big enough, he ran away and never came back. Tom married a fine girl, Miss Andrews, and moved out west.

Mrs. Taaffe was a good woman, and she raised a good family. After her husband's death, her children provided well for her. Jim Taaffe made a will leaving all his property to the Catholic church, and left nothing to his family.

US Census 1880 Little River AR. HH with wife Mary aged 21 with no small children, James' sons James 26, John 24, and Joseph Taaffee 23:

US Census 1900 Little River AR HH with wife Mary B aged 41.:

Vitals

Sources

1. ↑ H. M. Mclver. The Arkansas Historical Quarterly Vol. 14, No. 3 (Autumn, 1955), pp. 225-251

• Family information

Little River Arkansas Family Biographies US Census