| Name |
Thomas Oliver Taber |
| Birth |
25 Nov 1856 |
Center Township, Marshall, Indiana, United States  [2, 3, 4, 5, 6] |
| Christening |
Y [1, 4] |
- He was a member of the Church of God all his life, and loyal to its teachings and precepts.
|
| Gender |
Male |
| Group |
member of the Knights of Pythias [4] |
- From The History of Marshall County:
The specific and distinctive office of biography is not to give voice to a man's modest estimate of himself and his accomplishments, but rather to leave the perpetual record establishing his character by the consensus of opinion on the part of his fellowmen. Throughout Marshall county and this part of the state Mr. Taber is spoken of in terms of admiration and respect. His life was varied in its activity, honorable in its purposes and far reaching and beneficial in its effects, and when he was called to the home beyond his fellow-townsmen mourned the loss of one whom they had come to esteem and honor by reason of his sterling manhood.
Mr. Taber was a member of the Knights of Pythias and was treasurer of the lodge. From his boyhood days he was a member of the Church of God and loyal to its teachings and precepts. In politics he was a stanch Republican and in matters of citizenship was ever progressive, alert and enterprising. In no sense a man in public life, he nevertheless exerted an immeasurable influence on the communities in which he lived : In business life as a financier, in social circles by reason of a charming personality, in matters of citizenship by reason of his loyalty to the public welfare. In all of his business life he displayed an aptitude for successful management and maintained a reputation for probity and commercial integrity that was above question.
|
| Group |
Republican [4] |
| Ω Census son |
1 Jun 1860 |
Center Township, Marshall, Indiana, United States [3] |
- Witness Role: Principal: [I796] Cyrus TABER
Witness Role: head of household: [I796] Cyrus TABER
Witness Role: wife: [I797] Rachel PLAKE
Witness Role: son: [I844] Samuel Dennis TABER
Witness Role: son: [I798] Thomas Oliver TABER
Witness Role: daughter: [I846] Mary Alice TABER
Witness Role: Resident: Name: R. Wilson
Witness Role: 20 year old male, living in the house, listed as a laborer.
|
| Ω Census son |
1 Jun 1870 |
Center Township, Marshall, Indiana, United States [2] |
- Witness Role: Principal: [I796] Cyrus TABER
Witness Role: head of household: [I796] Cyrus TABER
Witness Role: wife: [I797] Rachel PLAKE
Witness Role: son: [I844] Samuel Dennis TABER
Witness Role: son: [I798] Thomas Oliver TABER
Witness Role: daughter: [I846] Mary Alice TABER
Witness Role: son: [I845] John Heenan TABER
Witness Role: brother-in-law: [I5867] George W MARSH
Witness Role: George is the husband of Cyrus' wife Rachel's sister Mary.
Witness Role: sister-in-law: [I3779] Mary A. PLAKE
Witness Role: Mary is Cyrus' wife's sister.
|
| Occupation |
From 1872 to 1875 [4] |
| teacher |
- He taught at the Shoemaker school from the time he was 16, for about 2 and a half years
|
| Occupation |
From 1875 to 1880 [4] |
| merchant |
- worked for Barnhill & Taber, merchants
|
| Ω Will Heir |
10 Oct 1877 [7, 8] |
- His will begins with a detailed description of his land holdings, and an itemization of his estate, which he estimated to be worth $16,393. He designated that $2000 was to be given to each of his children, and the property and home be given to his wife.
Witness Role: Principal: [I796] Cyrus TABER
Witness Role: Executor: [I797] Rachel PLAKE
Witness Role: Also an heir.
Witness Role: Heir: [I848] Israel S. TABER
Witness Role: Heir: [I845] John Heenan TABER
Witness Role: Heir: [I846] Mary Alice TABER
Witness Role: Heir: [I844] Samuel Dennis TABER
Witness Role: Heir: [I798] Thomas Oliver TABER
|
| Occupation |
From 1880 to 1883 [4] |
| farmer |
- Mr. Taber spent a few years farming, but it seems that was not his destiny.
|
| Census |
1 Jun 1880 |
Walnut Township, Marshall, Indiana, United States [9] |
- Witness Role: head of household: [I798] Thomas Oliver TABER
Witness Role: wife: [I799] Melissa Jane RAILSBACK
Witness Role: daughter: [I836] Lou Ethel TABER
Witness Role: daughter: [I835] Stella TABER
|
| Occupation |
From 1883 to 1884 [10] |
| shop owner |
- After spending a few years farming, he returned to Plymouth where he purchased a half interest in E. K. Barnhill's mercantile store. Later he bought out his partner and continued in the business alone until 1884 when he sold the business.
|
| Occupation |
From 1884 to 1890 [10] |
| traveling salesman |
- After selling his mercantile, he became a salesman, traveling the area selling cigars. While doing this, he also began his banking career, which was to be, at last, the job that stuck.
|
| Occupation |
From 21 Apr 1885 to 26 Dec 1905 [4, 11, 12, 13, 14] |
| banker |
- Banking - that was the career that T.O. Taber made his mission for the remainder of his life.
In 1885 he began a partnership with his father-in-law, William Railsback, opening a bank in Argos. In 1888 they expanded to Mentone, later adding T.O.'s brother John Heenan Taber to the roster. Taber opened a bank in Silver Lake with another partner, John C. Cavender. He also opened a bank in Markle with partner C.D. Chapman.
By 1893 he was running 4 banks in the Indiana area - in Argos, Mentone, Silver Lake, and Markle. That May, Columbia National Bank of Chicago failed. This was the exchange house for all 4 of T.O. Taber's banks. It seems that this brought trying times, but not disaster, as Mr. Taber's characteristic good management and conservative methods enabled him to continue his banking interests undisturbed.
In May 1902, he opened yet another bank, this one in Marion, Indiana, with his son-in-law, Harry Alimanson Ford. Harry Ford, son-in-law of T.O. Taber served as treasurer, Mr. Taber became secretary. The company was initially capitalized for $100,000, the success of the business is indicated by the fact that in 1908 there was a capital of $750,000.
At the time of his death, he was still the President of State Exchange Bank in Argos.
From The History of Marshall County:
He was one of the most successful men of this part of the state, owing not to any fortunate or adventitious circumstances, but to his keen insight, his ready discernment concerning business conditions and his recognition of possibilities for successful accomplishment
Witness Role: Business Partner: [I111] William RAILSBACK
Witness Role: Business Partner: [I845] John Heenan TABER
Witness Role: Business Partner: Name: John C. Cavender
Witness Role: Business Partner: Name: C. D. Chapman
Witness Role: Business Partner: [I935] Harry Alimanson FORD
|
| Census |
1 Jun 1900 |
Argos, Marshall, Indiana, United States [14] |
- Witness Role: head of household: [I798] Thomas Oliver TABER
Witness Role: wife: [I799] Melissa Jane RAILSBACK
Witness Role: daughter: [I835] Stella TABER
Witness Role: son: [I838] Earl Railsback TABER
Witness Role: son: [I840] Charles Cyrus TABER
Witness Role: daughter: [I800] Gladys TABER
Witness Role: daughter: [I841] Jessie TABER
Witness Role: daughter: [I842] Glenna TABER
|
| Education |
Marshall, Indiana, United States [4] |
| in the Jordan school, and the Plymouth high school |
- From The History of Marshall County:
Thomas O. Taber acquired his education in the Jordan school, in the Plymouth high school and in the schools of Valparaiso, Indiana. When sixteen years of age he became teacher of the Shoemaker school and taught in all for about two and a half years. It was subsequent to this time that he attended the Northern Indiana Normal School at Valparaiso
|
| Family Search ID |
KGCW-Y99 |
| Ω Probate Witness |
Dec 1902 |
Plymouth, Marshall, Indiana, United States [15] |
- Witness Role: Principal: [I934] Anna Elizabeth HAINES
Witness Role: Witness: [I798] Thomas Oliver TABER
|
| Burial |
Aft 26 Dec 1905 |
Oak Hill Cemetery, Plymouth, Marshall, Indiana, United States [5, 10] |
 |
gravestones\TABER Thomas Oliver d1906
|
 |
gravestones\TABER Oak Hill Cemetery Marshall IN
|
| Ω Will Heir |
22 Mar 1906 [16] |
- Original will 22 Mar 1906:
She asked to be buried in Oak Hill Cemetery, next to her daughter, Mrs. Frank Cummins. Donation of $500 was made to the Church of God and the Antioch Church, to be divided equally between them. She gave $200 to Miss Emily A. Stacy, perhaps a maid or caretaker. The residue of her estate was to be divided in 4 equal portions, 1/4 each to three of her nephews,Thomas O. Taber, Herman Taber and John H. Taber, and the remaining part split between nephew Samuel D. Taber and Frank L. Taber (son of nephew Herman Taber).
Codicil 16 Jun 1909:
In this codicil she increased the funding for gravesite care, and, most interestingly, disinherited her nephew Samuel Dennis Taber in favor of Harry L. Taber, son of her nephew Herman.
Witness Role: Principal: [I849] Mary Ann TABER
Witness Role: Heir: [I959] Frank Lawrence TABER
Witness Role: Heir: [I951] Herman TABER
Witness Role: Heir: [I845] John Heenan TABER
Witness Role: Heir: [I957] Samuel Dennis TABER
Witness Role: Removed by codicil
Witness Role: Heir: [I798] Thomas Oliver TABER
Witness Role: Heir: [I961] Harry L. TABER
Witness Role: Added by codicil
|
| Death |
26 Dec 1906 |
Plymouth, Marshall, Indiana, United States [4, 5, 6] |
| Cause: while on a train to Mentone |
- "At the time of his demise he was president of the State Exchange Bank and had extensive financial interests. He was one of the most successful men of this part of the state, owing not to any fortunate or adventitious circumstances, but to his keen insight, his ready discern ment concerning business conditions and his recognition of possibilities for successful accomplishment."
From the History of Marshall County
|
| Probate |
Feb 1911 |
Plymouth, Marshall, Indiana, United States [15] |
- Witness Role: Witness: [I799] Melissa Jane RAILSBACK
Witness Role: Witness: [I838] Earl Railsback TABER
|
| Religion |
Church of God [4] |
| _UID |
278B434641EE4A9FA6FDF82B07867797B483 |
| Person ID |
I798 |
My Genealogy |
| Last Modified |
28 Apr 2025 |
| Wife |
Melissa Jane Railsback, b. 7 Mar 1858, Argos, Marshall, Indiana, United States d. 16 Feb 1951, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States (Age 92 years) |
| Marriage |
18 Oct 1877 |
Marshall, Indiana, United States [4, 6, 12] |
| Children |
| + | 1. Stella Taber, b. 8 Apr 1878, Argos, Marshall, Indiana, United States d. 7 Jan 1959, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States (Age 80 years) |
| | 2. Lou Ethel Taber, b. 16 Apr 1880, Marshall, Indiana, United States d. 19 Jun 1881, Marshall, Indiana, United States (Age 1 year) |
| | 3. Lottie May Taber, b. 8 Feb 1882, Marshall, Indiana, United States d. 21 Dec 1882, Marshall, Indiana, United States (Age 0 years) |
| + | 4. Earl Railsback Taber, b. 30 Nov 1883, Marshall, Indiana, United States d. 18 Aug 1959, San Diego, San Diego, California, United States (Age 75 years) |
| | 5. Grace Taber, b. 19 Apr 1886, Marshall, Indiana, United States d. 3 Jun 1890, Marshall, Indiana, United States (Age 4 years) |
| > | 6. Charles Cyrus Taber, b. 5 Oct 1888, Argos, Marshall, Indiana, United States d. 26 Mar 1962, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States (Age 73 years) |
| + | 7. Gladys Taber, b. 14 Oct 1891, Argos, Marshall, Indiana, United States d. 15 Apr 1977, Cuernevaca, Morelos, Mexico (Age 85 years) |
| | 8. Jessie Taber, b. 9 Mar 1896, Argos, Marshall, Indiana, United States d. 16 Dec 1972, Laguna Hills, Orange, California, United States (Age 76 years) |
| + | 9. Glenna Taber, b. 29 Sep 1898, Marshall, Indiana, United States d. 28 Aug 1988, Orange, Orange, California, United States (Age 89 years) |
| | 10. William Paul Taber, b. 12 Apr 1904, Marshall, Indiana, United States d. 17 Mar 1987, San Diego, San Diego, California, United States (Age 82 years) |
|
| Family ID |
F274 |
Group Sheet | Family Chart |
| Last Modified |
31 May 2023 |
1856 - 1906 (50 years)
