The Caylors

PROLOGUE: This is a story about Jacob Caylor and Nancy Chitwood McClung Caylor of Wayne County, Kentucky and their descendants. Not all of these descendants started their life's journey in Wayne County,Kentucky. In fact, the descendants of Jacob and Nancy were, and are, spread over all of the United States. On this website, we will attempt to create a virtual family reunion and, while doing so, we will celebrate the lives of all our ancestors while inviting the living descendants to join us in compiling our family history and to challenge us on our errors.


The Caylors have been a part of Wayne County, Kentucky history since the mid 1800s, but the exact date is unknown. The story began with the migration of Jacob Caylor, son of John Caylor and Mary Keaphart, from Abingdon in Washington County, Virginia to Monroe County, Indiana. Information about Jacob's life during his early years in Indiana and Kentucky is very sparse, practically non-existent.

Research evidence suggests that Jacob had a child, possibly illegitimate and presumed to be a daughter named Sarah, before leaving Virginia. The mother of Jacob's child is believed to be Mary "Polly" Kaylor, his cousin and the daughter of Daniel Kaylor and Elizabeth Weeks. We also believe that Jacob, with Mary and Sarah, migrated first to Monroe County, Indiana between 1820 and 1830. It is known that Jacob was acquainted with Charles McClung of Monroe County, Indiana as Jacob was appointed as a co-administrator of Charles estate following Charles' death in 1834. It is also believed that Sarah, Jacob and Mary's daughter, married Nicholas Fleenor of Monroe Co., a member of a very influential Virginia family during the founding of this nation, and eventually migrated with him to Floyd Co. Iowa. Possibly Jacob and Mary were never formally married and Mary returned to her parent's home in Washington Co.,Virginia to live the remainder of her life. Although much of the foregoing is conjecture about Jacob and Mary, we do know that Mary and Jacob were both absent from Virginia during the same time period and that Mary eventually reappeared on her father's 1850 census enumeration. In addition, there are several land transaction records in the Monroe County archives that contain the names of Jacob Caylor/Calor and either a 'Mary' or a 'Polly' as a co-owner implying that they were married although no evidence of a marriage has been found. Apparently Nancy Chitwood McClung returned to her father's birthplace, Pulaski Co. Ky. following her husband Charle's death and Jacob either followed or accompanied her. We know from records in Whitley Co. that Jacob and Nancy Chitwood McClung, widow of Charles McClung, eventually married in Whitley County, Kentucky May 19,1844. We also know that Jacob was in Wayne Co. in 1848 from a land transaction record. From this marriage came three children, Jacob Caylor Jr., Mary Ellen(Elleanor) Caylor, and Pleasant(Ped) Caylor.

Following Jacob Sr.'s death in 1852, his widow, Nancy, married Jacob Bell in 1861. It is believed that Nancy died in either 1874 or 1875, but her burial site is unknown.

Jacob Jr. married Lucinda Emetine Mounce, Mary Ellen married Silas Bell, and Pleasant married Tamsey Jane Bell. Jacob Jr. & Lucinda eventually moved to Sumner Co.,Kansas & lived the remainder of their lives there. Mary Ellen & Silas remained in Kentucky and they are buried in the Bell Family Cemetery, Wayne County. Pleasant and Tamsey, our great grandparents also remained in Kentucky and they are buried together in the Alexander Cemetery, Monticello, Kentucky.

About Jacob Caylor Jr.:
Jacob Caylor Jr., the first child of Jacob & Nancy Caylor, was the older brother of our great grandfather, Pleasant Caylor. On June 10,1859, at the age of 19, Jacob married Lucinda Emetine Mounce of Wayne County, KY. Sometime between 1863 and 1865, Jacob and Lucinda, with family left Kentucky for Indiana never to return to Kentucky. In 1870, the family moved on to Kansas to settle in South Haven, Sumner County. Although there was some contact with the Kentucky relatives through the postal mail, there was never any personal face to face contact again. Naturally, with the passage of time memories dim and, as each generation passes the mantle, even more so. When we started our quest, we were only vaguely aware of a family legend about a long lost family member who "went West" to never to be heard from again. However, as our research progressed, we began to uncover more and more clues concerning this lost family member until finally we were able to reassemble the picture much like a jigsaw puzzle with only a few missing pieces. What follows is that picture:

The children of Jacob Jr. & Lucinda are Jacob Jr. II, Andy, & Sarah Ellen who were born in Kentucky, Elizabeth, John, & William who were born in Indiana, Katie,& Haley Burr Caylor who were born in Kansas.

On October 31,1877, oldest son, Jacob Jr. II, married Eveline(Eva) H. Hayes of Indiana. Jacob and Eva had three daughters;Estella(Stella), Fannie, and Dona(or Dora). On December 24,1895, 16 year old Stella married Everett Jones of Missouri in Payne Co.,OK.
NOTE: Recent evidence suggests that the above mentioned Jacob may not be the son of Jacob and Lucinda Caylor. Instead, this Jacob may be an immigrant to Kansas from Bartholomew County, Indiana. We are still searching for confirmation.

Son Andy married Sarah M. Criger on November 22,1882 in Sumner Co., Kansas. However, on the 1885 Kansas census, Andy is living with another family although still married, presumably to Sarah. Apparently this marriage did not survive the test of time because Sarah remarried to James E. Garlick December 7,1897.

Daughter Sarah Ellen married John E. Sharp on July 12,1880 in Sumner Co., Kansas. Sarah and John Sharp had a daughter named Maud born 1881. Sarah died on May 11,1955 and is buried with her parents in the Caldwell Cemetery,Sumner Co., Kansas.

Haley Burr, the youngest of Jacob & Lucinda's children, married a woman named Minnie R. Moore. Minnie had two previous marriages, the first to a man named Maynard which produced two children, a daughter named Erma and a son named Henry. Her second marriage was to William H. Moore and her final marriage was to Haley B. Caylor.

Son William never married as he died before his 17th birthday.

Jacob died Oct. 5,1906, Lucinda died Sep. 17,1912, Sarah Ellen Sharp, & William died Oct 3,1886, are buried in the Caldwell Cemetery, Sumner Co., Kansas. Haley Burr,died 21,1956 & his wife, Minnie,died April 22,1957, are buried in the Arlington Municipal cemetery in Snohomish Co. Washington.

About Elizabeth Caylor:


Another daughter of Jacob & Lucinda, Elizabeth(Lizzie) married Robert Francis Ball on January 29,1884 in Sumner Co.,Kansas. Elizabeth and Robert had five children; Mable, born 1884, Minnie, born June 14,1886, Charles Everett, born November 16,1887,Lily, born 1892, and Arthur, born September 1894. Eventually Elizabeth and Robert divorced and Elizabeth married Andrew J. Vancleef of Nebraska while Robert Ball married Sarah Emma Choisser. Elizabeth and Andrew lived in California for the remainder of their lives and Elizabeth died in Santa Cruz, CA April 7, 1956 one day past her 91st birthday. From her marriage to Robert Ball, Elizabeth had a grand-daughter named Goldie Cloyd, born October 25,1912 in Fresno,California. Goldie was living with her grandparents, Andrew & Elizabeth VanCleef on the 1920 census and on the 1930 census Goldie is living alone with her grandmother Elizabeth, Andrew being now deceased. In 1930 Goldie was employed as a bookkeeper by a California utility company. At this time, Goldie's parents are unknown.

At the moment very little is known about daughter Lily. She can be found on the 1900 & 1910 census living with her father, Robert Francis Ball, in Fresno County, California. Recently some evidence has been found that suggests that Lily married Earl Cloyd sometime between 1910 to 1912 ,the year Goldie Cloyd was born. Also, on Earl's 1917 draft registration, he states that he is married with one child. However, no other evidence has been found that confirms that either Earl or Lily was alive at the time of the 1920 census and Goldie was living with her grandmother Elizabeth Caylor Ball Vancleef on the 1920 and the 1930 census leads us to speculate that perhaps Earl and Lily were victims of the 1918-1919 Spanish Flu epidemic. The connection between Earl & Lily is suggested by the 1914-1918 California Voter Registration where they are shown as living with Earl's parents, Hamilton & Sallie Cloyd. In addition, we believe that Goldie Cloyd married a Harry Carmichael sometime in either 1930 or 1931 and from this marriage came two daughters, Alice Betty Jean Carmichael born 1931 and Ruth Harriet Carmichael born 1936. The Social Security Death Index indicates that Goldie died October 15, 1999 in Seasside, Clatsop Co., Oregon.

Son Arthur was born September 6, 1894. There is some indication that, during 1910, he was living & working on a dairy farm in Fresno,California at the age of 15. We believe that Arthur married Rosalea Howard born March 14,1899 in Missouri. Rosalea died January 18,1994 in Fresno,California. Arthur died in Kings County, California on January 19,1967

Mable Ball, daughter of Robert and Elizabeth Caylor Ball died at a early age.

Daughter Minnie Ball married Walter "Bud" Choisser on October 7,1902. Walter & Minnie had two children; Walter Jr, born March 24,1903 and died April 23,1907 and Evert August "Hal" Choisser born September 24,1906 and died June 5,1953.

Son of Walter & Minnie, Evert Choisser married Helen Eloise Lewellyn and they had two sons;James Evert and Robert Lewellyn "Bob" Choisser. James married Betty and they had three children;Stephen Laurance, Christopher, and Debrah Choisser. Robert married Anita Louise and they had two children;Jeffrey Clark and Jill Cherie Choisser.

Elizabeth & Robert's son, Charles Everett married Julia Hope Watson on December 2,1907. From this marriage came three children; Merle(Patti's grandfather), Agnes, and William.

Merle Ball married Margaret Jean Dunn on July 3,1937. From this marriage came two children;Roberta Elizabeth(Patti's mother) and Richard Charles Ball. Richard married Betty Ann Souza and they have two children;Steven and Melinda.

Patti's mother, Roberta Elizabeth Ball married Delwin Thompson and they had five children;Kimberlee, Eric,Daniel, Patti, and Michael.

Kimberlee married Jeff which produced two children,Korrina and Jeremy. Then Kimberlee married Chris which produced two children;Corey and Kalee.

Korrina married Rob and they have four children;Thad, Kianna, Dakota, and Harley.

Daniel married Sharon and they have have six children;Joshua, Jacob, Jessica, Jordan, Janie, and Jenna(died shortly after birth).

Patti married Ronald and they have four children;Ronald Jr.(Ronnie),Braden, Janae, and Kayla.

Sons Eric and Michael never married.

A Special Note: Patti, our 3rd cousin, and a descendant of Jacob Caylor and Lucinda Mounts and our common ancestors, Jacob Caylor Sr. and Nancy Chitwood McClung, has been a tremendous help in compiling this family history and for which we are very grateful.



About Sarah Calor:
Although a definitive connection proving that Jacob Caylor was Sarah Calor's father has thus far proven elusive, the circumstantial evidence is quite strong. The early Washington Co., Va. census of 1820 indicates that there was a female child of the correct age living in Jacob's household as well as a female of the correct age for Mary 'Polly' Kaylor and again in the 1830 census for Monroe Co. In., the same females appear. We know from official records that Sarah Calor married Nicholas Fleenor on December 20,1835 in Monroe Co.,Indiana. We also know that from official records that Jacob Caylor and Nicholas Fleenor engaged in several land transactions with each other and that Nicholas Fleenor co-signed as bond surety for Jacob Caylor as guardian of Daniel McClung, the infant heir of Charles McClung. Although we are unable to find a 1840 census for Jacob Caylor, we also cannot find any other reference that would tie Sarah and Jacob together after 1835. Based upon these facts, it does not, in our estimation, require a great leap of faith to conclude that Jacob was most likely the father of Sarah and the father-in-law of Nicholas Fleenor. Although enumerated in several census as a farmer, we believe that Nicholas Fleenor was also a successful land speculator based upon the sheer quantity of transaction records contained in the Monroe County archives. Nicholas and Sarah continued to live in Indiana for a number of years before migrating to Rock Grove, Floyd County, Iowa. Nicholas also farmed in Iowa as well as being a Justice of the Peace and at one time a coroner.The children of Sarah and Nicholas are: Isaac Milton, George, Margaret, Mary Jane, Martha, Nancy, Robert, John Reece, Luella, and James Fleenor. Sarah died on July 27,1886 in Floyd County,Iowa. Nicholas died February 14,1896 and is buried with Sarah in the Rock Grove Cemetery,Nora Springs, in Floyd County,Iowa.



About the Kentucky Caylors:
The children of Mary Ellen Caylor & Silas Bell are Matthew Corder, Rosa Emily, Preston Rice, James Leonard, Eliza, Fanny, Richard Jones, Ethel & George E. Bell.

Our great grandparents, Pleasant and Tamsey Jane, had a large family. The children of this family were Nancy Emma Caylor, James Cowan Caylor, Savannah Belle Caylor, George W. Caylor, Martha Ellen Caylor, Lenory(Nora) Caylor, Andrew Silas Caylor, Leander Sherman Caylor, Sarah Jane Caylor, and Will Haywood Caylor. Our lineage is through Leander Sherman Caylor, our grandfather.

Our grandfather, Leander Sherman Caylor, courted and eventually married our grandmother, Joey Frances Alexander. The marriage occurred on July 4, 1905 at the home of our great grandparents, Ayers Alexander and Mary "Molly" Thornton. This marriage produced four children; Howard Alexander Caylor, Maude and Thelma Caylor, and George Stanley Caylor. Although our grandparents lived in several Wayne County homes, my memories primarily consist of the Alexander homestead on Cooper Road outside of Monticello, Ky. This is the house in which I was born. Our grandfather Sherman died Feb 8, 1964 and our grandmother Frances died Oct 15, 1970. They are buried together in the Elk Springs Cemetery, Monticello, Ky.

About George Caylor:
On June 10, 1939 in Columbia,Ky, my father, George Stanley Caylor, married my mother, Billie Maxine Boone of Somerset, Ky. From this marriage I, George Thomas Caylor, was born April 29,1940. I was followed by my brothers Robert Boone Caylor born June 23,1942 and Joel Alan Caylor born July 13,1943. About the time that I was five years old, my parents moved to Ohio where we lived in several locations, but eventually settled in Loveland, about 20 miles north-east of Cincinnati. Later in life my parents adopted a baby girl, Dorothy Glynis Caylor. Although my parents lived practically all of my life in Ohio, upon my father's retirement they purchased a small farm in Liberty, Casey Co,. Ky. In spite of being originally from Wayne and Pulaski counties, my parents chose Casey County because my father had worked with many people from Casey Co. during his many years of employment in Cincinnati,Ohio and he simply believed that there were more people in Casey Co. that he had something in-common with than any other place. My mother died July 26,1994 and my father died April 4,1996. They are buried together in the Glenwood Cemetery, Liberty, Casey County, Ky.

On August 27, 1960 George Thomas Caylor, born April 29,1940 married Deanna Carol Ward, born February 14,1939. George and Deanna had three children;Tracy Lynn born June 2,1961, Paige Allison born December 24,1964, and George Todd Caylor born October 8,1967.

Tracy Lynn married Todd Matthew Williams, born November 19,1960, of Portsmouth,Ohio on October 17, 1981. Tracy and Todd have two children;Samantha Lynn born September 1,1984 and Sydney Paige Williams born October 27,1996. Samantha Lynn has two children, a daughter Meighan Lynn born January 27,2007 and a son David Matthew born February 12,2008.

George & Deanna were divorced in May, 1988. On September 13,1997, George married Linda Lou Nagelhout(nee Tucker), born March 26,1941. Linda has a daughter from a previous marriage, LaVonna Renee Champion born March 7,1961. LaVonna is married to William Schoen Champion.

Joel Alan, born July 13,1943, married Mary Elizabeth Shivley born August 19,1945, of Loveland,Ohio. Sadly, Mary died from a stroke on February 20,2002. Joel & Mary had four children;Mark Adam born November 24, 1963, Christopher Alan born April 20, 1970, Sally Ann born July 23,1967, and Mary Jo(Joey) Ellen born August 12,1975.

On September 12,1992, Sally married John Thomas Schuler born June 3,1966. Sally and John have four children, two sets of twins. Their children are Jacob Thomas and Elizabeth Marie, born March 26,2002 and Nathan Joel and Nicholas John born December 2,2004

On August 13,2005 Joey married Larry Wayne Spencer born Sept 15,1962. Larry has two sons from an earlier marriage, Justin Lee and Adam Nicholas and Larry and Joey have a son together named Riley Joseph born January 22,2006 and another baby is due in August, 2008.



About Howard Caylor:
My Uncle Howard Alexander Caylor, Dad's older brother and father of Janice, was born in Wayne Co., Ky on May 13,1914. On January 20, 1938, he married Tella McCutchen, who was born August 30,1920. Sadly, Tella passed away on July 16, 1939. Uncle Howard then lived an eleven year period of bachelorhood until he married my Aunt Betty Shearer Caylor, born July 18, 1927 the daughter of Obie Francis and Maggie Lee Shearer, on August 10, 1950, at Scottsville, Ky. Uncle Howard died on March 14, 1999 and he is buried in the Elk Springs Cemetery in Monticello, Ky. Uncle Howard and Aunt Betty had four children; my cousins Joyce Lee, Howard Stephen, Janice Frances, and Duard Douglas. Sadly, Howard Stephen, born on September 28, 1952, died on July 16, 1953 during his first year of life at the St. Joseph's Hospital in Lexington, Ky.

On December 27, 1971, Joyce Lee Caylor married Gary Lafayette Dunagan, who was born on August 3, 1951 in Somerset, Ky., the son of Harold and Irene Dunagan. On May 4, 1976 in Nashville,Tn, Joyce and Gary became the proud parents of a son, Jared Lafayette Dunagan. On August 4, 2000 in Brownsville,Ky, Jared Dunagan married Nekayah(Nickey) Cole, born July 24, 1980 in Bowling Green Ky. Jared and Nickey gave Aunt Betty her first great grandson, Weston Lafayette Dunagan, on July 27, 2001 in Bowling Green, Ky.

On August 31, 1973, Janice Frances Caylor, born August 7,1954, married William(Willie) Francis Ramsey, born September 21,1954 in Somerset, Ky, the son of Obie and Maggie Ramsey. On March 31, 1976 in Louisville, Ky, Janice and Willie became the proud parents of a daughter, Amy Frances. On October 16, 2004, Amy Frances Ramsey married Joseph Frank Bates, born December 11,1961 in Monterey,Ca.

Duard Douglas Caylor, born March 9,1959 in Wayne Co., Ky, married Devina Pene on November 8,2004. Devina, who was born March 14, 1972 in the Philippine Islands, unfortunately passed away suddenly February 28, 2007, due to a brain tumor.



About Maude Caylor:
Our Aunt Maude Marie Caylor, sister of Thelma, Howard and George, was born in Wayne Co., Ky on Sept. 29,1908. She married George Vanderworker Davis, born June 27, 1907. From this marriage came four children; our cousins Joan Davis, Terry(Jeepie) Davis, George McMullen(Mac) Davis, and Mike Sherman Davis. Aunt Maude died May 3,1984.

Mac, born on August 18,1941 married Barbara Fields, born on July 15, 1942. Mac and Barbara had two children, Pamela Jane Davis, born March 3,1967 and Elizabeth Marie Davis, born April 2,1971.

On June 24,1989 Pamela married Scott Stanford, born March 30,1966. Pamela and Scott have four children;Craig McMullen, born August 19,1992, Jeffrey Sheaffer, born October 12,1993, Michael Allen, born December 12,1996, and Jonathan Davis, born April 23,1998.

On October 22, 1994 Elizabeth married Stephen Ankenbrandt, born May 6, 1965. The children of Elizabeth and Stephen are Stephen Joseph, born December 18, 1995, Elizabeth Lucille, born September 8, 1999, and William Fields, born November 27, 2001.

Mike, born November 19, 1947, married on February 22,1968 to Doris Marie Gray of Rising Fawn, Georgia, born April 2,1950. Mike and Doris had three children; Sherri Michelle born June 13,1969, Michael Louis born November 15,1972, and Christopher Joseph Davis born July 31,1975. After 22 years of service in the U.S. Army, Mike took a well-earned retirement in 1993.

On June 29,1991, Sherri married Mark Jason Dean of Trenton, Georgia who was born on December 8,1968. Sherri and Mark have three children;Dakota Christian born February 5,1994, Hunter Ryan born June 21,1995, & Noah Brannon Dean born May 12,1998. In year 2008, Sherri, Mark and family have lived in Wildwood, Georgia for thirteen years.

On June 26,1999, Michael married Christina Renee Case, born June 1, 1977, of South Pittsburg, Tennessee. Michael and Christina have three children;Phoenix Michael born June 11,2001, Bailey Christine Marie born March 14,2003, and Delaynee Breanna Davis born September 8,2004.


About Thelma Caylor:
Our Aunt Thelma, sister of Maude, Howard, and George, was born in Wayne County, Kentucky on August 9,1906. On February 4,1928 she married Prent Stearns who was born on November 10,1904. From this marriage two children were born; our cousins June Stearns, born January 22,1929 and Boyd Stearns, born November 8,1929.

On December 27, 1952 June married Glen Massengale, born on December 18, 1926. Glen and June had two children; Mark, born February 6,1959 and Jill, born March 7,1961.

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CAUTION:The information contained on these pages has been verified as much as possible, but not 100 percent. You should perform your own independent verification.

To quote from Elizabeth Shown Mills', EVIDENCE! CITATION & ANALYSIS FOR THE FAMILY HISTORIAN. "THE CASE IS NEVER CLOSED ON A GENEALOGICAL CONCLUSION The reliable analysis of any piece of historical evidence is a complex process. As good genealogists, we must repeat this process endlessly, applying the principles discussed in this chapter to every piece of evidence that we find. We also recognize that no decision regarding identity, parentage, origin, or other genealogical detail can be considered definitive. Just as scientists revise their theories in the wake of new discoveries, so do genealogists and historians. Any decision we make today could be changed tomorrow by the discovery of a new record. In sum: As careful genealogists, we cannot apply an easy, generic label -reliable or unreliable- to any document on a fact-by-fact, circumstance-by-circumstance basis, considering all the factors outlined in this chapter. As we acquire a historical and social perspective of an ancestor's place and time, as we accumulate experience in evaluating the evidence we find, this phase of research becomes a less perplexing and a more fascinating and stimulating challenge."
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