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| Taft Byrdwell 1906-1978 |
Taft Byrdwell (parental 3rd cousin 1x removed), lived an interesting life. He was born in Magnolia Springs, Jasper County, Texas in 1906. In 1925 he and a friend committed a robbery on a Western Pacific train in Oroville, California. The two were later arrested and charged.
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| The Sacramento Bee September 19, 1923 |
Byrdwell spent time in Leavenworth federal prison (presumably for the assault and robbery on the train). In the 1930 census he said he was a musician.
He was again in prison in the 1940 census. This time in West Virginia. He is described as a coal miner in the prison census.
According to the 1950 census, Taft was in Texas living in the Houston area and working as a “tavern manager”. His father, General Byrdwell, was also worked in the tavern. The 29 year old woman living with the two of them, Ora Brady, was listed as a maid in the tavern.
Bardwell again found himself involved in the criminal justice system In March 1960. He was charged with murdering Joe Bob in the tavern he owned.
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| Corpus Christi Times March 21, 1960 |
Taft Byrdwell died of labored pneumonia in Baytown, Texas in 1978. He is buried in Magnolia Springs, Jasper County, Texas.
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| Springhill Cenetery Magnolia Springs, Jasper County, Texas My relationship to Taft Byrdwell is through his mother, Gerry Bluett Byrdwell. |
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| Gerry Bluett Byrdwell 1884-1913 |
