On This Day: Birth of Jennie “Jen” Nell Taylor

Posted on by Susan Laney Spector
Jennie and younger sister Violet Mae Taylor

Born August 30, 1886, in Kansas City, Kansas 

Jennie Taylor Harding was my great grandmother.

Jennie Taylor Harding was one of nine children born to John McKeney Taylor, Sr., born in Massachusetts, and Meta Christina Asmussen Taylor who was born in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. Meta immigrated to Kansas with her family around 1870.

The Junction City Weekly Union – April 12, 1907

On January 1, 1907, Jennie married Reginald Harding in Junction City, Kansas. The couple spent their early years of marriage touring with various musical and theatrical troups, and in fact their first child, Gladys, was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, during a tour of the Western states.

Pencil drawing of Jenny Taylor Harding as drawn by her daughter Maxine.

Jennie and Reginald had three children–two daughters and a son: my grandfather, Clifford Lorraine Harding.

Jennie and Reginald had seven grandchildren, four of whom can be seen to the left.

BACK ROW, l-r: Jennie Taylor Harding holding my mother, Sandra Joyce Harding; Reginald Harding holding Barbara Reid;

FRONT ROW, l-r: Bill Deppish and sister Donna Deppish.

Jennie Taylor Harding with granddaughter Sandra Joyce Harding–my mother

 

FOUR GENERATIONS: Seated is Meta Asmussen Taylor; standing to her left is her daughter, Jennie Taylor Harding; daughter Jennie’s son Clifford Lorraine Harding stands on Meta’s other side; Clifford Harding’s daughter, Sandra Joyce Harding–my mother–stands in front of Clifford.
Siblings Sandra Joyce Harding and Clifford Lee Harding with both their paternal grandparents–Reginald and Jennie Taylor Harding–and their maternal grandparents–Tom and Agnes Curry Cathcart.

Jennie Taylor Harding passed away on March 2, 1953, in Junction City, Kansas. She is buried in Highland Park Cemetery in Junction City, Kansas.

Published by Susan Laney Spector

For thirty years, I have been a member of the oboe section in the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra. I am a New York Mets full season-ticket holder. My site Perfect Pitch explores the intersection of Major League Baseball and playing for my own team at the MET. On my site Talking Leaves, I profile my progenitors and genealogical pursuits.

2 thoughts on “On This Day: Birth of Jennie “Jen” Nell Taylor”

Leave a comment