Taylor, Celesta

• Taylor, Elva Celesta

Elva Celesta Taylor was born and lived most of her life in Quebec’s Eastern Townships. Born to Edward and Abi Oakley in Iron Hill on the 27th of June 1860, she was one of a number of children (including Gilford, Alice, Clara, Alma, and others). Edward, Celesta’s father, died while she was still young.

Around the age of twenty, Celesta married Frank D. Taylor, and they had two sons, Clifton (b. 31 July 1882) and Albion (b. 15 Jan. 1886). Frank died 21 Feb. 1897. Celesta did extra sewing and knitting, took in boarders, and even raised canaries. This was done not just to support her and her family but to ensure that both boys could both go to school.

In 1903, with both sons away, she was invited to live with her cousin, Henry Miles, a widower, and help raise his two sons (Earl H., b. 1893 and Carroll, b. 1895) and young daughter, Evelyn. Henry owned a sawmill and timber lots in New Brunswick, as well as the farm where they lived. He travelled often. For a time, Celesta and Henry seemed to be in love and discussed marriage, but over time he grew distant, finally eloping with a woman in New York in 1916. Celesta remained on the farm for another five years until Evelyn, whom she had raised since infancy, was grown. After Evelyn married (Tenney Call), Celesta moved to California to live with her sister Alice. She died in 1937.

B. Whittle, 2025.

Celesta Found documentary.
Canada Census records
1861 – 46215903, 46215904, 46215909
1871 – 39096198
1891 – 27286270
1901 – 38688072
1911 – 17401627