An Odd Tale: The Taylors' "White House" in Marion Township, Lee County, Iowa

One of the most unusual stories of the Iowa frontier involves two gentrified couples from the East and their dream of paradise on the prairie.

According to an account published decades ago, Joseph Gazzam Taylor (1815-1853) and his wife, Elizabeth Tallmadge Taylor (1822-1882) came to Lee County, Iowa in 1841. They were accompanied by Henry Genet and Martha Taylor Genet. Henry was Elizabeth's cousin and Martha was Joseph's sister. The couples settled on a tract of 800 acres about four miles west of West Point, Iowa. They referred to their property as "The land between two Sugar Creeks," as there are indeed two Sugar Creeks in Lee County. Specifically, the property was in southern Marion Township, adjacent to the town site of Tuscarora (now a ghost town).

Joseph was the son of a notable Philadelphia attorney, and his brother aspired to be a U.S. Senator. Elizabeth's father was a colonel in the Revolutionary War, a New York State Senator, and a U.S. District Court judge. One of Elizabeth's grandfathers was George Clinton, a Revolutionary War general, the first governor of New York, and the fourth Vice-President of the United States. Henry Genet was the son of the first ambassador of France to the U.S.

The intentions of these people in traveling west, to the potentially rough life of the frontier, were a mystery to the settlers they encountered. They remain a mystery today.

For part of their journey to the Iowa Territory (Iowa was not yet a state), these couples boarded a steamboat, went down the Ohio River and up the Mississippi to Ft. Madison, Iowa. They took with them a major portion of the building materials needed for new homes, as well as laborers and mechanics.

Joseph Taylor received a graduate degree in Engineering from Rutgers. He had carefully worked out plans for a grand house on the prairie before leaving home.

After their arrival in Lee County, the work crews commenced construction. The homes and outbuildings were laid out in a square, surrounding a central court. The main building, built of wood, had nine or ten rooms, including a double parlor with a high fireplace and elegantly carved mantel piece. There were also a dining room, kitchen, library, linen closet and wardrobe room. All rooms had built-in shelves and cupboards. There was also a bathroom, practically unknown on the Iowa frontier.

The main home had a latticed porch at the front. Doors were paneled. The front door was carved, and had a brass knob, knocker, and hinges. The building was painted cream white, with green shutters, and was known by the pioneers as the "White House." Trees and shrubs were planted. The overall effect was rather ostentatious compared with the log and plank cabins of the other settlers. This would have been one of the finest homes (probably the finest) in the interior of the Iowa Territory.

No one seems to recall where Elizabeth Taylor and her one-year-old son, Augustus, stayed while their new home was being built. She may have stayed locally in West Point or Ft. Madison. Or she may have temporarily returned to New York.

The Taylors made a splash on the social scene. Elizabeth's wardrobe was said to amaze the local farm women who were allowed to look in her closet. Elizabeth had the good taste not to wear her formal gowns in her own community. While at an exclusive event in Burlington, however, Elizabeth wore a magnificent dress that caught the eyes of all in attendance. A guest from St. Louis asked "Who are those people?" In reply, one of the envious Burlingtonians was heard to reply "They are just some farmers from Sugar Creek country, down in Lee County."

To the Taylors' credit, they were said to mix easily with their neighbors and were frequent callers at their cabins. Elizabeth, in particular, was said to be a warm host and good conversationalist.

Joseph Taylor's ambition to become a successful country gentleman did not pan out, however. Henry Genet sent a letter to relatives in 1843 that indicated friction between the couples. It was apparent there were also financial squabbles. The Genets left Iowa and returned to New York. The Taylors hung on until 1845 or 1846, and then abandoned their home. Joseph died less than ten years later. It is uncertain who took ownership of their real estate, but the new landlord rented the homes—sometimes to careless tenants. The structures fell into disrepair, and eventually became havens for the homeless.

Neither couple ever returned to Iowa, and there is no longer any trace of the impressive "White House" complex.

Written by John Stuekerjuergen, Clive, Iowa, who grew up just 1.5 miles away from the site of the Taylor "White House." This story is based on the oral account of a pioneer Lee County resident, John Cruikshank, that was shared with Sarah Johnson Casey of the Ft. Madison chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. Some additional information was derived from the collection of Taylor & Genet Letters, 1796-1881, at the New York Historical Society.