The Death Notice of Mary Jane Priddy Cook

The days I am off work, I go into full genealogy mode. I spend hours and hours going back into my files and seeing which ones I need to be digging more into. A few weeks ago, I decided to look into some old newspapers online. Lo and behold, I dug up Grandma Mary Jane's death notice. It was found in the Greensboro Patriot [now defunct] dated 26 March 1873. Her actual death date was 15 March 1873. It seemed like at the time, obituaries ran about two weeks after the real death date and only prominent citizens or tragic events were published.

Taylor Searcy: Where For Art Thou?

UPDATE: 8/18/2026

I recently found out that Taylor's father was Henry Searcy (1827–1880), and his mother was Susannah Laughter (1829–1884). They were married on July 22, 1848, in Rutherford County, NC.

However, there is still the mystery of what happened to Taylor, and that has never been solved. I have a few theories, and one of them is that he was left for whatever reason, and Julia told everyone that he died in a logging accident so the shame of her husband leaving her destitute with minor children wouldn't make her look bad in the community. I still haven't found any evidence whatsoever of his death, either then or after he possibly left the area.

I found a Taylor Searcy floating around Hendersonville, and I do believe that it was him. Taylor and Julia's son Andy went AWOL and hid out in the mountains for a time during WWI, and I have a theory that he was helping him hide and feeding him, although that has also never been proven.

My Uncle Earl Searcy used to have a photo of Taylor, but a family member had taken it, and he didn't know who. Since Hurricane Helene came through Fairview and basically decimated the town, I count that photo as lost forever. What a sad thing to think about. Thankfully, Earl and his older sister Margaret made it through and are still alive.

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Previously, I posted about Julia, Taylor's wife. I have another brick wall to break through, and this time it is Taylor Searcy himself.

I have seen one census entry where he is listed with his mother, Susanna Searcy, as William T. Searcy in the 1880 US Census, Edneyville-Henderson, NC. She is listed as widowed and has one child, which I assume is Taylor. I do not know his father's name, and I do not know if he has any siblings at this point. Susanna and Taylor are all I know currently. I have a marriage date for Taylor and Julia: 6 October 1891 [Asheville-Buncombe-NC].

Taylor is listed under all of his sons' birth certificates and on a 1900 US Census. I lose him after Joe's birth in 1903.

I have always heard that he was killed in a logging accident. No one could recollect when or where it happened. If this story is true, he died as a young father, leaving his wife Julia with a gaggle of young sons.

I am at a loss as to what happened to Taylor. Did he really get killed? Was there another family secret? Did Julia and Taylor divorce and he remarry? To whom?

I'll update this entry as information comes to me.