Biography

Frances (Taylor) Culver is a part of US Black heritage.

Francis was born about 1838. She married Harrison Culver in 1866. She was the sister of Peter Taylor. Francis passed away around October 1908.

Research Notes

• Francis was most likely enslaved but the name of her slave owner has not been identified.
• Francis was living next to Mary Taylor in 1870. Mary Taylor may have been Francis' slave owner.
• Sarah Taylor, b. ca. 1814 and Peter Taylor b. ca. 1842 were living in the same household as Francis Culver in 1870. Land deeds show that Peter was Francis' brother. Sarah Taylor is probably her mother.

Slave Owners

1. unknown

Sources

• 1866 Harrison & Francis Culver marriage. Kentucky, Union County Clerk, Freedmen’s Declaration of Marriage: pp. 227, Harrison & Francis Culver; 26 May 1866, digital image 825 of 866, FamilySearch.org, ([1]: accessed 7 July 2021).
  • Harrison & Francis lived together 5 years before their marriage.

• 1870 U.S. census, Union County, Kentucky, population schedule, Morganfield, p. 36 (penned), dwelling 237, family 237, Francis Culver in the Harrison Culver household, digital image 36 of 64, FamilySearch.org ([2] : accessed 7 July 2021); citing NARA microfilm publication M593, roll 501.
  • Harrison was 52 years old and was born in Kentucky. Francis was 32 years old and was born in Kentucky.

• 1877 John H. & Ida L. Wall Land Deed to Francis Culver. Kentucky, Union County, County Court Clerk, Deeds , Vol. 28, pp. 130, 31 January 1877, digital image 71 of 346, FamilySearch.org ([3]: accessed 26 July 2023)
  • Francis purchased 3 acres on Lost creek in Wall's addition to Morganfield, on the extension of O'Bannon street. It was next to a lots owned by William McElroy, Peter Givens and Henry McFarland,

• 1880 U.S. census, Union County, Kentucky, population schedule, Morganfield, p. 11C (penned), dwelling 86, family 89, Frances Culver in the Harrison Culver household, digital image 11 of 59 FamilySearch.org ([4]: accessed 7 July 2021); citing NARA microfilm publication T9, roll 444.
  • Harrison was 79 years old and was born in Kentucky. Frances was 45 years old and was born in Kentucky.

• 1881-1890 Tax Lists. Kentucky, Union County “Tax Lists 1879-1892”, Union Co. Auditor, Harrison Culver, FamilySearch.org, [5]: accessed 26 July 2023).
  • 1881: Frances owned 3 acres of land. She lived near Wm McElroy.
  • 1887: Mrs. Francis Culver, owned 3 acres of land
  • 1890: Mrs. Francis Culver, owned 3 acres of land in Morganfield

• 1884 Francis Culver Land Deed to Peter Taylor. Kentucky, Union County, County Court Clerk, Deeds , Vol. 35, pp. 288-289, 5 November 1884, digital image 161 of 355, FamilySearch.org ([6]: accessed 26 July 2023)
  • "Peter Taylor has assisted Francis in paying for and improving her home place of three acres of land in Wall's addition to the town of Morganfield and has done her many favors and assisted her in many ways, said parties being brother and sister." Francis gave Peter 1/4 acre of land in the west corner of her 3 acres. Peter's lot included the house he lived in. Peter was to own this plot until his death at which time Francis or her heirs would own the land.

• 1889 Francis Culver Land Deed to Emily Sale. Kentucky, Union County, County Court Clerk, Deeds , Vol. 40, pp. 227-228, 22 April 1889, digital image 129-130 of 364, FamilySearch.org ([7]: accessed 26 July 2023)
  • Francis sold 1/10th of an acre of land in her 3 acre plot to another colored woman named Emily Sale.

• 1889 Francis Culver Land Deed to Peter Taylor. Kentucky, Union County, County Court Clerk, Deeds , Vol. 40, pp. 557, 13 December 1889, digital image 319 of 364, FamilySearch.org ([8]: accessed 26 July 2023)
  • Francis sold additional land to Peter that was next to the land she gave him in 1884.

• 1892 Francis Culver Land Deed to Charles Culver. Kentucky, Union County, County Court Clerk, Deeds , Vol. 43, pp. 409-410, 12 April 1892, digital images 210-211 of 329, FamilySearch.org ([9]: accessed 26 July 2023)
  • Francis gave her son Charles 1/10 of an acre in her 3 acre plot.

• 1896 Francis Culver Land Deed to Bell Hughes. Kentucky, Union County, County Court Clerk, Deeds , Vol. 49, pp. 44-45, 4 April 1896, digital image 27 of 663, FamilySearch.org ([10]: accessed 26 July 2023)
  • Francis gave her daughter Bell Hughes land in Francis' 3 acre plot.

• 1900 U.S. census, Union County, Kentucky, Population schedule, Morganfield, p. 4A (stamped), dwelling 65, family 67, Francis Culver in the Francis Culver household, digital image 7 of 43, FamilySearch.org ([11]: accessed 26 July 2023); citing NARA microfilm publication T623, roll 553
  • Francis was born in Feb 1846 in Kentucky. She was a washerwoman. She was the mother of 11 children, 9 were still living. She was a widow. She owned her home. Her children Charley, Ben and Ann lived with her. Her daughter Lucy lived next to her.

• 1902 Francis Culver Land Deed to Jarrett Hughes. Kentucky, Union County, County Court Clerk, Deeds , Vol. 55, p. 552, 15 January 1902, digital image 322 of 738, FamilySearch.org ([12]: accessed 26 July 2023)
  • Francis sold additional land next to the land she gave to her daughter Bell.

• 1902 Frances Culver Land Deed to Lucy Metcalf. Kentucky, Union County, County Court Clerk, Deeds , Vol. 57, p. 149, 15 January 1902, digital image 89 of 405, FamilySearch.org ([13]: accessed 26 July 2023)
  • Francis gave her daughter Lucy Metcalf, wife of Charley Metcalf, a part of her 3 acre plot.

• 1904 Francis Culver Land Deed to Gip Culver. Kentucky, Union County, County Court Clerk, Deeds , Vol. 59, p. 296, 08 April 1904, digital image 515 of 700, FamilySearch.org ([14]: accessed 26 July 2023)
  • Peter Taylor passed away before 8-May-1905. Frances gave her son Gip some land in her 3 acre plot.

• 1904 Frances Culver Land Deed to Charley Culver. Kentucky, Union County, County Court Clerk, Deeds , Vol. 58, p. 261, 2 June 1904, digital image 149 of 700, FamilySearch.org ([15]: accessed 26 July 2023)
  • Francis gave her son Charley addition land in her 3 acre plot.

• 1904 Frances Culver Land Deed to Charley Culver. Kentucky, Union County, County Court Clerk, Deeds , Vol. 58, pp. 372, 12 August 1904, digital image 209 of 700, FamilySearch.org ([16]: accessed 26 July 2023)
  • Francis gave her son Charley addition land. Charley conveyed his first plot to his brother Gip.

• 1906 Francis Culver Land Deed to Charles Culver. Kentucky, Union County, County Court Clerk, Deeds , Vol. 61, pp. 119, 13 February 1906, digital image 443 of 739, FamilySearch.org ([17]: accessed 26 July 2023)
  • Francis sold some of the land in her 3 acre plot.

• 1908 Francis Culver Will. Kentucky, Union County, Probate Court, Wills, Vol. G, p. 335, 6 February 1908, digital image 458-459 of 615, FamilySearch.org ([18]: accessed 26 July 2023) Will Transcription

• 1908 Francis Culver Land Deed to Nick Culver. Kentucky, Union County, County Court Clerk, Deeds , Vol. 64, pp. 23, 21 July 1908, digital image 17 of 696, FamilySearch.org ([19]: accessed 26 July 2023)
  • Francis gave her son Nick some land in her 3 acre plot.

• 1908 Court Order, Kentucky, Union County, County Court, Book R, p. 151, 2 November 1908, digital image 401 of 654, FamilySearch ([20]: accessed 26 July 2023)
  • "An instrument of writing was offered for probate as last will of Francis Culver, dec'd., upon being probated, was under oath of D. Davis and Alex Garland, attending witnesses thereto, the Court being advised, orders and adjudges that same be & is entered of probate and recorded as the last will and testment of said Francis Culver, Decd."

• Celese Cooper, firsthand knowledge. See the Changes page for the details of edits by Celese and others.