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E.E. Taliaferro, Jeweler
Diamonds, watches & gold jewelry
Jackson Tenn |
Though the box is empty it was saved by a Moran. Was it a gift from family or friend? What special memory did it hold? We'll never know which Moran it belonged to or what it might have held but it meant enough to a member of the family to keep it.
What we do know for certain is the box came from the E.E. Taliaferro Jewelry store in Jackson, Tennessee. That actually might be a clue because Ida Moran Timberlake lived in Jackson. It may have been a gift to her from her husband William G. Timberlake or it may have been a present for another Moran from Ida and William.
Who was E.E. Taliaferro? The following information comes from History of Colorado, volume 3. Edited by Wilbur Fiske Stone and published in 1918 by The S.J. Clarke Publishing Company.
"Edward Ellett Taliaferro, vice president of the Hamilton Jewelry Company and thus actively connected with the leading jewelry establishment of Colorado Springs, was born in Trenton, Tennessee, in 1875, a son of Lewis W. and Sallie (James) Taliaferro, who were married in Kentucky. The father was born in Virginia and represented one of the old and distinguished families of that state. Lewis W. Taliaferro was a Confederate Captain of the Civil War, enlisting for service with the troops from Tennessee. Throughout the period of hostilities he was at the front under General N.B. Forrest. He passed away at Trenton, Tennessee, in 1881, while his wife survives and is now a resident of Colorado Springs.
Edward E. Taliaferro is indebted to the public school system of his native city for the early educational advantages which which he enjoyed. he attended school there until he reached the age of thirteen years and then went to Jackson, Tennessee, where he secured employment in a jewelry store. After remaining in that city for a decade he removed to New York, where he resided for a year and a half, and in 1903 he arrived in Colorado Springs. Through the intervening period he has been identified with the jewelry trade of this city and is now vice president of the Hamilton Jewelry Company of Colorado Springs, owning the leading store in this line in the city. He carries a very extensive stock of jewelry of domestic and foreign manufacture and his store, neat, tasteful and attractive in arrangement, has brought to him a large patronage which he is able to hold by reason of his progressive and straightforward methods, the policy of the house being such as will always bear the closest investigation and scrutiny.
On the 16th of April, 1901, in Jackson, Tennessee, Mr. Taliaferro was married to Miss De Lana White. They hold to the Baptist faith and Mr. Taliaferro gives his political allegiance to the Democratic party. He is essentially a business man, alert and energetic, actuated by a progressive spirit and never stopping short of the successful attainment of his purpose."
Although Lewis W. Taliaferro was reported to have died in 1881 he actually died September 4 1883 which was reported in the Milan Exchange on September 8 1883.
Lewis Taliaferro is buried at Oakland Cemetery in Trenton Tennessee. He married Sallie James on February 7 1871 in Gibson County Tennessee rather than Kentucky.
"Capt. Lewis W. Taliaferro died at his home in Trenton last Tuesday. He was a talented, noble specimen of an Old Virginia gentleman, and will be sadly missed in the community."
Their son Edward was first married to De Lana White. After her death he married Lucy Dion McKenzie on July 15 1944 in Madison County TN. His WWI registration card shows he was living in Colorado Springs in 1918. He was born August 19 1875 and was the owner of his own jewelry store. He and wife De Lana lived at 1730 Wood Ave. He was of medium height, slender build with blue eyes and black hair. He had no exemptions.
De Lana is buried next to
Edward in Hollywood Cemetery while
Lucy is at Mt. Calvary, both cemeteries are in Jackson TN.
In his will, dated July 12 1956, Edward indicated he instructed his wife Lucy M. Taliaferro that he wanted his debts to be paid including his funeral expenses and any expenses incurred due to his last illness. He appointed Mrs. Nancy M. Duffey to help his wife in closing his estate and whatever else was necessary and to be his executrix. His wish was to have all of the bequests carried out that had been part of his first wife's will. He made the following bequests:
1. $500.00 to James Talbot Jr.. $1000.00 to each of his three nephews, Russell, Evans and Lewis Taliaferro.
2. $650.00 "To Mamie Currie my faithful cook". To his beloved wife Lucy M. Taliaferro "all the rest, residue and remainder of the property real, personal and mixed...to be hers absolutely subject however to the following exceptions and provisions as to my personal effects. To Russell Taliaferro, my crest finger ring. To Evans Taliaferro, my pocket Crest watch. To Lewis Taliaferro, my collection of Scarf pins. The diamond engagement ring given by me to De Lana when we married has been given to Russell, being the first of the boys to marry."
I was able to locate the nephews in Census records:
1930 Census for Kansas City Missouri
George J. Taliaferro, head, age 48, born in Tennessee, accountant. George was the brother E.E. Taliaferro. He died in 1931 and is buried at
Forest Hill Cemetery in Kansas City Missouri.
Ethel Taliaferro, wife, age 35, born in Maryland
Russell G. Taliaferro, son, age 11, Missouri
Evans Taliaferro, age 9, Missouri
Lewis E. Taliaferro, age 3 months, Missouri
1940 Census for Los Angeles California
Ethel Taliaferro, age 45, widow, born in Maryland. Here is the link to her
findagrave memorial.
Russell G. Taliaferro, age 21, born in Missouri, Store Clerk, motion picture industry The SSI index says he was born in 1919 and died in 2006. Here is the link to his memorial on
findagrave.
Evans Taliaferro, age 19, born in Missouri, Cartoonist, motion picture industry. Here is his
findagrave memorial.
Lewis Taliaferro, age 14, born in Missouri.
It is interesting to note that there is a Taliaferro connection in the Moran family tree through J.W. Moran's wife, Sophia Riley Gunn. Sophia's mother was Caroline Matilda Morehead, daughter of Turner Morehead and Mary "Polly" Ann Hewitt Hooe. Polly's parents were Harris Hooe Sr and Catherine Taliaferro of Virginia. Edward Ellett Taliaferro's father hailed from Virginia as well.
Updated Feb. 8 2018
I came across E.E. Taliaferro's obituary in The Jackson Sun, Jan 11 1957.
E. E. Taliaferro
Jeweler, Inventor Dies at Home Here; Rites to be Saturday
Edward Ellett Taliaferro, 80, died at 5:20 o'clock this morning at his residence at 119 Allen avenue.
While his health had not been good for the past several years, he was critically ill for only two weeks.
Mr. Taliaferro was born in Trenton on August 19, 1876, the son of Capt. Lewis and Mrs. Sally James Taliaferro.
He became interested in watchmaking and engraving in his early teens and received his first training from R.O. Crump, jeweler at Trenton.
He later moved to Jackson and was in business on Main street for several years before entering Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, N.Y., for a complete course in jewelry designing.
He completed his course there two years later in 1911 and was awarded a gold medal for the execution of the best original design of a jeweled ornament in the Pratt Institute jewelry course.
Ludwig Nissen made the award.
His exhibits while at the institute, won for him ofers of employment from such famed firms as Tiffany's of New York.
Mr. Taliaferro decided to locate in Colorado Springs, Colo., where he spent 20 years as vice president of the Hamilton Jewelry Co.
After that time he was for several years connected with
B.F. Stief Co. in Nashville where he was a designer.
He decided in 1924 to move to Jackson where he opened his own jewelry store, remaining in business here until his retirement in 1955.
Mr. Taliaferro was one of the few jewelry graduate designers in Tennessee.
He also was well known for his numerous inventions, especially those pertaining to time-keeping instruments.
In 1901 he was married to Miss Delana White of Jackson, who died in August, 1941.
On July 15, 1944, he was married to Miss Lucy McKenzie, who survives. He is survived also by three nephews, all of Escondida, Calif., Russell, Evans and Lewis Taliaferro.
He was a member of the First Baptist Church and Jackson Lodge 192, B.P.O. Elks.
The body will be at the residence until time for the services which will be held at 2:30 p.m., Saturday from Griffin Funeral Home Chapel. Burial in Hollywood.
Honorary pallbearers will be Hugh W. Hicks, Paul Russell, Frank Caldwell, Simpsin Russell, Dr. W.T. Fitts, Dr. George Harvey, Will Holland, Dr. R.B. White, James Diffee.
Active pallbearers will be Robert Spragins, Sid Spragins, Lamar Spragins Jr., James G. Joyner, James E. Whitaker Jr., James Talbo, Robert W. McKenzie, Bernard Sullivan.
