Lillie McCrory Taylor (1839-1914): What was Her Relationship to Joseph Greenwood?

James "Joseph" Greenwood is my 2nd great-grandfather.  He was born in Ballymena, County Antrim, Northern Ireland in February 1823 and emigrated during the Great Starvation to the United States about November 1848. He lived in Steubenville, Ohio at "The Grove" which was the home and property of the intermarried members of the Stokely, Wilson and Lloyd clan.  

Joseph moved to Dubuque, Iowa in 1853 with Judge Thomas Wilson from "The Grove" and was still living in the home of Thomas Wilson in the summer of 1856 as a servant.  He met his wife, Mary Delahunty, who was also a servant in the Wilson home, and they married 3 Sep 1858 at St. Raphael's Cathedral.  They lived out their married life farming in rural Dubuque county.  

Mary died 21 Feb 1894 and is buried in St. Joseph's Catholic cemetery in Farley, Iowa.  Joseph lived with his son, James, from then until his death in 1902.  From 1894, Joseph made several trips back to visit old friends in Steubenville, spending the summer of 1899 there.

When Joseph died in April 1902, there was not a funeral held for him in Iowa and he is not buried there with his wife of nearly 40 years.  His remains were sent on to Steubenville, Ohio, accompanied by his sons. Joseph's funeral was held in the home of Mrs. Lillie (McCrory) Taylor.  He is buried at Union Cemetery with his brother, Hugh Greenwood who died in 1895.  The grave immediately beside theirs is that of Lillie (McCrory) Taylor.  On the other side of Lillie are the graves of her husband Thomas B. Taylor and his first wife, Margaretta (Workman) Taylor.

Lillie McCrory was born in 1839 in Ireland and was the daughter of Samuel McCrory and Mary Moorehead.  She emigrated to the US and arrived at the port of New York on 7 Oct 1857 with Mary Kidd.  Lillie is not found in the 1860 US Census but was living in Steubenville, Ohio by 4 Jun 1863.  Lillie married Thomas B. Taylor in Jefferson County, Ohio on 25 April 1867.

The 1870 census shows Lillie and Thomas living at "The Grove" with the family of William R. and Jane (Stokely) Lloyd.   Also living at "The Grove" as a separate household is Elizabeth (Stokely) Wood, current owner of the property.

Lillie is listed in 1880 census with Thomas in Steubenville. Thomas died 1 July 1891 and was buried at Union Cemetery.  Lillie continued to live in Steubenville through the 1900 and 1910 censuses.  She moved to the United Presbyterian (UP) Home in Wilkinsburg, Allegheny Co, Pennsylvania and lived there from 1912 until she died 23 Mar 1914.  Lillie is buried in Union Cemetery.  Her grave marker lies between that of Joseph Greenwood's and a single stone shared by her husband Thomas B. Taylor and his first wife, Margaretta Workman.

Maria (Kidd) Guildford, born Jan 1840 in Ireland who emigrated with Lillie McCrory, was the daughter of James and Esther "Bettie" (Greenwood) Kidd.  It is believed that Esther Greenwood is the sister of Joseph Greenwood, and that Maria is his niece.  I have DNA matches connecting me to Benjamin Greenwood KIDD, the brother of Maria Kidd Guildford.

KEY ITEMS OF INTEREST:

Joseph Greenwood lived at "The Grove" with Judge Thomas Wilson, son of Peter and Francis (Stokely) Wilson for several years and moved with Judge Wilson to Dubuque, Iowa in 1853.

Lillie McCrory emigrated with the niece of Joseph Greenwood in 1857 to the United States.

Lillie and her husband, Thomas, lived at "The Grove" in 1870 with William R and Jane (Stokely) Lloyd and adjacent to Elizabeth (Stokely) Wood.

All the Stokely families are closely related but no marriages to anyone with the surnames of McCrory, Greenwood or Taylor are found. None of the Stokely clan appears to have ancestry in Ireland.

Joseph's only funeral was held in the home of Lillie McCrory Taylor in 1902.

Lillie McCrory Taylor and Joseph Greenwood are buried side by side and Joseph's wife is buried in Iowa.   It is believed that Hugh Greenwood never married.

Both Joseph Greenwood and his brother, Hugh, were brought back to Steubenville to be buried after their deaths.

Joseph Greenwood is from Ballymena, Antrim, Ireland.

Lillie (McCrory) Taylor had a living nephew, John Watt, who lived in Ballymena at the time of Lillie's death in 1914.

Lillie left a significant bequest from her estate to Maria (Kidd) Guilford, Joseph's niece in 1914.   

Maria named one of her daughters, Lillian, and one of Joseph's granddaughters was named Lillian.

The entire remainder of Lillie's estate was left to Mountford L. Lloyd in trust for William L. Lloyd to be kept safely invested, and the net income to be paid to the said William L. Lloyd during his natural life. 

At the death of said William L. Lloyd the residue became the absolute property of Mountford L. Lloyd, or his heirs.   Mountford L. Lloyd and William L. Lloyd are the sons of William and Jane (Stokely) Lloyd that Lillie and Thomas were living with at "The Grove" in 1870.

Lillie appointed Mary Wood as Executrix of estate.  Mary Wood was the daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth (Stokely) Wood.

My direct line connection to Joseph Greenwood:

Karla Von Fumetti, daughter of

Cyril Von Fumetti, son of

Sadie (Greenwood) Von Fumetti Bush, daughter of

Joseph Greenwood, son of

Joseph Greenwood, 1823-1902

Pictured:  Bob Greene and Viki Von Fumetti, 1966.

My grandmother, Sadie (Greenwood) Bush was trying to solve this mystery as far back as 1966 when she made the trip from Dubuque to Steubenville to visit Joseph Greenwood's grave.

This is the grave of Lillie McCrory's husband, Thomas B. Taylor's, 

first wife, Margaretta (Workman) Taylor

This is a 55-year research mystery, and I welcome any input, questions, or suggestions.

© Karla Von Fumetti Staudt

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