1850 U.S. Census, Essex County, Virginia
Page 74B, Dwelling 152, Family 152
Taylor, James, 31, male, farmer $300 real estate, born in Virginia, cannot read or write
Taylor, May, 23, female, born in Virginia, cannot read or write
Taylor, Emily, 11, female, born in Virginia
Taylor, Lucinda, 9, female, born in Virginia
Taylor, Drucilla, 2, female, born in Virginia
Berkley, Noah, 4, male, born in Virginia

About 1884, Drucilla Taylor filed for divorce, “Humbly complainting sheweth unto your Honor your oratrix Drusilla Emeline Taylor wife of N. B. Taylor who sues by James H. Davis her father and next friend; that she is now 34 years of age; that at the age of 22 years she married the said N. B. Taylor and she left her father’s house and that since that time she has been to him a constant faithful and dutiful wife, and that there are three children as the issue of the said marriage to wit: George Thomas Taylor now 9 years old, Laura M. now 5 years old and Emeline now 3 years old. Her husband on the other hand has been negligent and so unsufferably abusive and offensive as to make the marriage state inpossible to be endured — Your oratrix says that during the present years that her husband has not only not provided the common necessities of life but not even food and [illegible] for herself and children, although he has had the means and your oratrix has been frugal. Your oratrix also says that she has had no opportunity or convenience in attending public worship and he has deprived her of such privileges. Not only his angry words, coarse and abusive language humiliating insults, and annoyances in all forms [illegible] malice and cruelty can suggest have as effectually endangered life and health as personal violence, but he has been violent to her frequently beating and choking her until to protect her person from violence and preserve her life, she has been compelled to fly from her residence and seek refuge in the house of her said father James H. Davis in the said County, where she is now with her two youngest children being females being unable to return to her home. That on eight several occasions since last Christmas he has severly whipped her with his fists and switches and that on the day she fled to wit: 6th September 1882 he whipped her severly with a large [plaited?] whip which he used in driving his ox cart. That when she fled and took refuge in the house of her father to wit: 6th September 1882 she carried her youngest child Emeline not being able to carry the said George Thomas and Laura M. from fear of personal violence and leaving as she did for her own immediate protection. That since that time the said George Thomas and Laura M. have ben neglected and practically without any providor as their father passes his time elsewhere in lewdness of conduct, adulterous intercourse with another and bad associations leaving at first his said two children at his house all night alone and unprotected, and now dragging them about with him and that your oratrix has spent sleepless nights hearing the cries of these cute helpless children in his house, she being afraid to approach them, or render them assistance on account of personal violence to her. That on the night of Nov. 2nd 1882 your oratrix hearing that her child Laura M. was at the house of James Davis where the said N. B. Taylor had left her that she went there and took the said child and has her now. That she did this from her motherly love and affection for the child to provide for, nurture and tenderly care for it, and that she took this method in order to prevent the matter of right to the child from being settled by violence, and where it settled by the order of this Court. Your oratrix charges that N. B. Taylor has committed adultery and had carnal intercourse on various and sundry occations with one Lucy Catherine Davis, and just before your oratrix left his roof the said N. B. Taylor [illegible] proclaimed the fact to her and having brought to his house a child he announced that it was his own and the offspring of an adulterous and carnal intercourse with the said Lucy Catherine Davis and that your oratrix after she became certain of this fact never voluntarily cohabited afterwards with the said N. B. Taylor or leved him and respected him as her husband and that as soon as she could to wit: 6th September 1882 to escape personal violence she left his roof. Your oratrix charge that the said N. B. Taylor is not a fit and proper person, socially or morally, to have the raising of the children [confided?] to him and that he is positively disqualified by his domestic habits and associations and opinions, and therefore, prays that this Court decree to her their custody and control and although the tender nursing period has passed by with two yet the time has come for moral traning and inpressions. Your oratrix further says that she has no property and that her husband owns a tract of land in said County containing 78 acres of land which was procured by the joint labor of your oratrix and her husband after their marriage — that he owned some personal property consisting of a yoke of oxen and cart — 8 hogs — 1 cow — good corn crops and cash — That since the 6 Sept. as aforesaid that he has been selling off and disposing of his said property and converting it into money as she believes…” [Essex County, Virginia, Loose Court Papers, Library of Virginia microfilm.]