Jewell Taylor - Submitted for the USGenWeb by Richard P. Sevier June 7, 2014 USGenWeb NOTICE: All documents placed in the USGenWeb remain the property of the contributors, who retain publication rights in accordance with US Copyright Laws and Regulations. In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, these documents may be used by anyone for their personal research. They may be used by non-commercial entities, when written permission is obtained from the contributor, so long as all notices and submitter information are included. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit. Any other use, including copying files to other sites, requires permission from the contributors PRIOR to uploading to the other sites. *********************************************************************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. *********************************************************************************************** Jewell Taylor - Madison Parish, Louisiana From The Tallulah Madison Journal (LA), August 12, 1932 MOUND GIRL IS DROWNED WHEN CAUGHT IN EDDY Jewell Taylor, 16, Falls From Willow Mat Into Mississippi River Apparently sucked under by an eddy when she fell from a willow mat extending over deep water in the Mississippi river, Jewell Taylor, 16-year-old Mound girl on Yerger plantation, was drowned Wednesday afternoon, despite heroic efforts of one member of the party to save her. She was with members of her family, including her parents, Mr. and Mrs. George Taylor, on an all-day outing and fishing trip at a landing about a mile south of the Vicksburg bridge when the tragedy occurred. Members of the party who witnessed the drowning said that she had been in swimming with her sisters and was seen to walk out on the willow mat where she fell into the deep waters of the Mississippi river. She seemed to have fallen into a whirlpool and tried desperately to swim to safety only to be carried further out in the river. Abe Gould, also of Mound, on seeing her struggling against the currents that continued to endanger her life, succeeded in reaching the girl who was frantic, and when she nearly pulled him under he was forced to return to shore without her. When Gould returned to the banks of the river he was at the point of complete exhaustion after his brave efforts failed to carry the girl out of the dangerous currents. A search for the body began immediately but no trace of it was found as the search widened. The river has been dragged and the banks on both sides searched without success. The members of the party returned to their homes after efforts to find the body. Pilots and fishermen are being requested to keep a sharp lookout for the body. From The Tallulah Madison Journal (LA), August 19, 1932 JEWELL TAYLOR IS BURIED ON SUNDAY Funeral services for Jewell Taylor, 16 year old girl of Mound, were held here Sunday afternoon at 2 o'clock with the Rev. C. N. Kimberlin officiating. Her body was recovered from the Mississippi river Saturday afternoon between Vidalia and Natchez by Ike Trimble, employee of the Royal Route Company, operators of ferries across the river. The girl was drowned about a mile and a half south of Vicksburg Bridge on the Louisiana side when she was caught in an eddy as she fell from a willow mat that extended out into the river over deep water. The tragedy occurred while she and a party, including her parents Mr. and Mrs. George Taylor of Killarney plantation near Mound, were on an all-day outing. She tried to swim from the whirlpool and was frantic when her brother-in-law, Abe Gould, reached her, but he was forced to return to the bank at the point of exhaustion. Her body, when found, was turned over to Sheriff E. P. Campbell of Concordia parish and was brought to Tallulah Sunday and interred in Silver Cross cemetery.