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File contributed to the Fulton County ILGenWeb Project
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Source: Portrait and Biographical Album of Fulton County
Biographical Publishing Co., Chicago, 1890

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The Biography of John B. BAYLOR 

Pages 390 and 393, transcribed in full by Danni Hopkins 

[Surnames: BAYLOR, HILES, JONES, LYDIA, NELSON] 

    
JOHN B. BAYLOR. There is no one trait of human nature that endears a man more to the community in which he resides than does a heartfelt interest in the success and prosperity of his State, county, and immediate place of residence. A patriotic man, one fond alike of his family and of the incidents connected with the success of his home, is always well liked. And such is the case of John B. Baylor, who coming to Fulton County, when a boy of only ten years of age, in the spring of 1846, ranks as one of the old pioneers and has witnessed the rapid and long strides that progress has made. 
    
Our subject's parents settled in Buckheart Township, where he grew to manhood. He attended the log schoolhouse, which was merely a rickety old building standing alone in a large space of uncultivated ground, indeed such a schoolhouse as Lowell has beautifully pictured in one of his noted poems, and which he terms "a ragged beggar by the way-side sunning." 
    
Mr. Baylor's father was born in Washington, N. J., and his mother, who previous to her marriage was Miss Annie Lydia, was born in Warren County, N. J. They were married in the latter named place, and to their marriage were born eleven children: viz., Margaret, Isaac, Mary Ann, Mary, Betsy, William, John B, George, Washington, Isaiah, and James, of whom only six are living at the present time. The father died when sixty years of age and the mother breathed her last in 1885, having attained her eighty-first year. The subject of our sketch was born September 26th, 1835, in Knowlton Township, Warren County, N. J. In 1863 he married Miss Prudence Hiles of Warren County, and their union was blessed with one child--George, who died with diphtheria a day or two after his mother's death. Mr. Baylor was married the second time, to Miss Kate Nelson, daughter of Maj. Horatio C. and Eliza (Jones) Nelson, and born in Fulton County, the 24th of June, 1846.To this marriage were born eleven children: Leonard, Ernest, Ida M., Maud, Ellsworth, Eva, Reginald, Royal, Edith, Ethel; and Elmer who died in infancy and was a twin of Ellsworth. 
    
The subject of our sketch purchased his present estate in 1866, and takes great interest in all matters of local importance. He has been Steward of the Church for the past twenty years, has also served as Class Leader, for seventeen years was Superintendent of the Sunday-school, and has done much to advance all religious causes throughout the community in which he resides. He is also interested in educational matters, having served for the last fifteen years as School Director. His political sympathies are with the Republican party, and he was appointed delegate to the County Republican Convention at Canton in 1889. Being the happy possessor of a sunny and amiable disposition, Mr. Baylor is naturally very popular, and is looked upon as a most interesting companion.