Monday, March 15, 2010

Another Source for Genetic Matching Information

Hello,

I've come across another site that has information on genetic matching statistics. While this is not exactly how I would have presented it, it is easily understood and may be more accessible to you than what was presented here in earlier blogs.

To use these tables you will need to know the number of markers you have tested and the number that are different, if any, from a likely relative.

http://www.huxford.com/Genetic_Distance.htm

Please let me know your interesting stories.

Lalia Wilson for the Taylor Surname Project

Saturday, March 6, 2010

The Anniversary of the Alamo Defeat

Hello Taylors and Friends,

Today is the anniversary of the day that the Alamo fell. The Alamo, for those who haven't seen the movies, read the books or had Texas history, is a fortress in modern-day San Antonio. Four Taylors were known to have served as defenders. Three were the Taylor brothers James, George and Edward, all born in Tennessee to Anson and Elizabeth Maley Taylor. The fourth was a William Taylor, about whom I have no more information. I do not know when William was born, who his family were, or whether he died at the Alamo or not. The first three Taylors are known to have died at the Alamo. Some Alamo defenders were transferred out, or sent as messengers, and thus did not die at the Alamo.

Among the 50 US states, Texas has a unique and proud history. The Alamo is part of that history. The final defense of the Alamo, in which 115 defended the Alamo against a Mexican force of 1500, killing 400 or more of them before dying themselves, is an example of bravery even today.

See the quote below from Wikipedia:

"James Taylor (ca. 1814-March 6, 1836) was a defender of the Alamo and the brother of George Taylor and Edward Taylor.

Taylor and his brothers were born in Tennessee, to Anson and Elizabeth Maley Taylor. At the outbreak of the Texas Revolution, the three brothers were employed picking cotton in Liberty, Texas. They soon left that job to join the Army of the Republic of Texas, and served under the command of Col. William Travis at the Alamo. All three were killed when, on March 6th, 1836, the Mexican army breached the Alamo walls, overwhelming the defenders. There have been some who have suggested that the brothers were killed in the massacre following the Battle of Goliad, but instead they were killed at the Alamo. Taylor County, Texas is named for the Taylor brothers."

Lalia Wilson for the Taylor Surname Project

Monday, March 1, 2010

A Decorated Taylor from WWII

Hi,

I was looking up some material about Mannheim, Germany, when I came across this interesting bit of Taylor news. One of the US Army's military facilities in Mannheim is named for a Taylor hero of WWII.

You can see more about this at Wikipedia.

The barracks was named after Pvt. 1st Class Cecil V. Taylor who posthumously received a Silver Star for courage in the face of the enemy. Taylor continued to fire his machinegun, though mortally wounded, fighting off an enemy counterattack in Beilstein, Germany, on 18 April 1945. Taylor was assigned to 399th Inf Reg, 100th Infantry Division.

Lalia Wilson for the Taylor DNA Project