1904 - The 1st Church
The history of churches in Taylorville began in 1904 when six families cleared land in what was then called Taylorville to build the first church.
Known as the Union Church, it was located near today's Greenwood Cemetery.
Several faiths, including Methodists, worshipped at the Union Church in alternating services for 15 years.
1904 - The 2nd Schoolhouse
In 1899, the original settlers, the Brown, Daniels, and Duke familes, came together to build the first school in the area.
The Brown's Ford Schoolhouse had been built between their homesteads near today's Bible Camp Road.
Around 1904, as Taylorville began to grow, a larger schoolhouse was needed to house the increased number of children.
With new homes appearing further south, closer to the train tracks and the center of Taylorville, the powers that be decided to build the new school closer to town and their children.
The Brown's Ford Schoolhouse was replaced by a new two-story wood schoolhouse that was constructed in the vicinity of today's Greenwood Cemetery.
Several classrooms were on the first floor and a large auditorium was on the top floor, complete with a stage.
The school boasted two teachers; one teaching grades one through four and the other grades five through eight.
The following is a list of students who attended this school.
They were representative of most of the families living here at that time.
Reading through the list you may recognize the names of some of your ancestors:
Ada Averitt,
Agnes Averitt,
Maude Averitt,
Audrey Beach (Lake Audrey was named after her),
Hubert Beach,
Annie Mae Brown,
Ber Brown,
Bessie Brown,
Carrie Brown,
William Brown,
Annie Buckhalt,
Wilhemina Buckhalt,
Oscar Cashwell,
Cora Collins,
Edna Collins,
Hill Collins,
Ogrietta Diebold,
Pansy Dyson,
Rassie Dyson,
Cora Edge,
Pearl Edge,
Charles Ingalls.
Nellie Ingalls,
Raymond Jay,
Mary Lovell,
Jean Lyons,
Anna O'Neal,
Eva Mae Pate,
Gladys Pate,
Grace Patterson,
Marcus Patterson,
Theo Pert,
Jennie Phelps,
Raymond Prasuhn,
Garland Rice,
Horace Rice,
Annie Sampey,
Junior Sampey,
Hazel Severance,
Azel Stewart,
Eunice Strickland,
Clayton Weir,
Clifton Weir,
Hazel Weir,
Ruth Weir,
Clyde Wilson,
Della Wilson,
[Contributors: Mary Helen Myers, Jason Brown]