JACOBS, MRS. ELLIS (BUNNY TAYLOR)

by Berneice (Bunny) Jacobs

Entry F216 from the History of Hooker County Nebraska
with permission of the Hooker County Historical Society

          Family Background

Starts with G. Grandfather Edward Henry
Taylor born in New York 1835, died in 1907.
Family moved to Wisc. from N.Y. in Nov. of
1855, then in 1860 to Minn.. The family
moved to Nebr. in the fall of 1876, staying the
first winter at Calomess, the trading post
adjoining Ft. Hartsuff on the southeast. He
was married to Eliza O'Bryan in 1855. 5
children were born to this union. The Village
of Taylor was named for him.

Bunny's Grandfather, Jay P. Taylor born
Oct. 28, 1864, died Sept. 13, 1944. He left the
Taylor area at age 18 and went to work near
Seneca, Nebr. for Dave Santin of Tarkio, Mo.
He later moved to the Whitman, Nebr. area
in 1883 and took up ranching. He was married
to Sarah Elizabeth Phipps in 1888. Seven
children were born to this union. Jay was one
of the early speculators of the area dealing in
southern steers. He shipped his first load of
cows to Omaha, NEbr. for 2 cents a pound.
In 1890 he bought a load to bring home at 1
cent a pound to 1 1/2 to 2 cents. They cost $9.15
delivered to Whitman, the next year, sold
them for $25.00 a head. Jay Taylor sold his
Grant County ranch to Elmer Gudmunson
and moved his operation southeast Hooker
County, Nebr. in 1940. The place he sold is
the present day University of Nebr. Gud-
munson Research Center. Jay was killed by
a troop train at Whitman rail crossing in
1944. He was married in 1912 to Lois Lynn
Bump.

Bunny's father, William Edward Taylor
was born Aug. 14, 1894 at the Whitman
rahch. He married Myrtle Matilta Castereson
on Oct. 24, 1915. To this union there were 5
children born. Woodrow Wilson born Sept.
30, 1916 and died Nov. 18, 1919 at the ranch
home, of Pneumonia. June Eloise born June
10, 1920. Joy Ellen born Sept. 30, 1922 and
twins Billy Edward & Berneice (Bunny)
Elvira born July 17, 1924.

Myrtle was born May 8, 1897 at Council
Bluffs, Iowa to Mickel Charles Castereson
and Matilta Irene Holdli. Myrtle's mother
died when she was 5 years old & she and her
little brother who was 3 years old lived with
their sister. Her father came to the Sand Hills
and took up homesteading. It was in the
Hecla, Nebr. area (10 miles north). At the age
of 14 years Myrtle came to keep house for her
father and brothers. She taught herself to
cook and sew. She was known for her
excellent cooking. Myrtle's father and broth-
ers played for country dances.

Bill and Myrtle met at a St. Patrick's dance
and were married Oct. 24, 1915 at her sister's,
Mr. & Mrs. John Lorenzon (Clara) home in
Whitman, Nebr. They moved to the south
ranch of Jay Taylor's and lived there until
1941 when they purchased the ranch where
Jake and Bunny live. The family saw the hard
time of the great depression, the drouth, the
grasshopper plague during the 1930's.

Myrtle died of heart failure on May 22,
1955 and Bill died of heart failure Jan. 14,
1965. June married Don Magnuson. They
have two sons, Steve & John. Joy married
Don Carpenter and have one daughter,
Tonchita. Don died Oct. 1986. Billy married
Carol Simonson, they have three children,
Carolyn, Diane & Willis. Diane was killed in
a car accident. Bunny married Ellis (Jake)
Jacobs and have four children, Jeffery (Jeff) ,
Philip (Phil), Kirk and Heidi.