"The Leavenworth Times," Leavenworth, Kansas, Monday, 5 May 1975: Stub Taylor ROSSVILLE — The funeral was at Ottawa today for William E. "Stub" Tylor, 73, Rossville, who died Friday in a Topeka hospital. He was born Nov. 1, 1901, at Marysville, the son of Jesse R. and Rhoda Houston Taylor. He lived at Lane 30 years and moved to Rossville three years ago. He was a farmer and stockman. He was married May 11, 1921, to Erva Carpenter at Kiowa, Colo. She survives. Other survivors include four sons [and] six daughters; 25 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by four sons and a daughter. Burial will be in Richmond Cemetery at Richmond.

He and Erva had 13 kids not necessarily in this order: Alice M., Blanche E., Carl, Garlen, Betty J., Vera, Bud, Rita Ann, Wanda, Roy, Ralph, Ray and Darroll Taylor.

Notes from his grandson Jeff Taylor:

"William Everett Taylor, was known around Lane as "Stub". I remember going with him into Lane, from the farm, for groceries or supplies and when we walked in the store Grandpa was greeted by several people who all called him "Stub". I was probably about 7 or 8 at the time but I still remember.

Grandpa & Grandma lived for a time in Rose Hill Mo., where my dad was born. I think the reason they moved to the farm near Lane, Kansas is because the house in Rose Hill burned down. They lost everything.

I am pretty sure at the time they were living in Rose Hill, Grandpa was farming, but played guitar around the area. I will have to ask some of my Aunts if they remember how, but Grandpa played Guitar on Harry & Bess Truman's radio program in Kansas City.

Aunt Alice who may have been around 15 or 16 even got to sing live with the band on the radio. She was supposed to sing a duet with Harry & Bess' daughter Margaret, but Margaret froze when the song started so Alice just sang solo. Grandpa said it was a good thing, because Margaret couldn't sing a lick.

Grandpa wasn't too fond of Harry's cigar smoking either. Harry played piano and would set his ashtray to the right hand side of the keys, which is near where Grandpa had to set. Grandpa hated cigar smoke and was always having to set in it while Harry played.

I never saw Grandpa play, but Uncle Carl and my dad (Buddy) picked it up some. Dad must have passed it on to me and my brother Buddy, we both have played for years. We sort of self taught ourselves and have played together in a band in the 80's. Buddy still does a few gigs a year but I have settled in to playing and singing Sundays at church here in Topeka, Ks.

Grandpa & Grandma stayed with the farm until about 1971. Darroll Leon, their youngest drowned in the Delaware river in 1969. He was supposed to take the farm over from Grandpa, being the only son left in the area at the time. In 1971 they sold the farm and moved to Rossville, Kansas. Rossville is where I and my siblings were raised. It is about 30 miles west of Topeka. They lived there until they passed. They are buried in the Richmond Cemetery along with several of their children."

They called him Stub because he was quite short.