Taintor, IA

I don't know if anyone can help me, but I am trying to find out historical information about Taintor, IA. A relative of mine (Taintor is our family name) asked me to research information about Taintor, IA. As far as I can figure, it is not incorporated (?) but people do live there. And was the town named for someone? If anyone has any information, I would be grateful.

Kate from Massachusetts wrote:

I don't know if anyone can help me, but I am trying to find out historical information about Taintor, IA. A relative of mine (Taintor is our family name) asked me to research information about Taintor, IA. As far as I can figure, it is not incorporated (?) but people do live there. And was the town named for someone? If anyone has any information, I would be grateful.

Kate, I know you posted this inquiry almost two years ago, but I just discovered it for the first time today. My great grandfather, Charles Miller, was a successful farmer in the area when the town of Taintor was formed. According to information in the "History of Mahaska County" book dated 1984, "Why the name Taintor for this new town in Mahaska county. Members of the New Sharon Star editorial staff in 1938, wanted the answer. They uncovered the true story as told by old timers of Taintor who were close to the situation at the time the town was founded. Many people made suggestions for a name to use. However, since the railroad was the deciding factor for the location, the man that showed the rail company it could be, and was financed, was chosen to decide on the name. Mr Miller was then asked to name the town. He had a good friend in Boston that was quite a large stockholder, a man byb the name of Giles Taintor. So the new town was named "Taintor". Earlier in the article it had mentioned that Charles Miller was very instrumental in getting the railroad to come thru the town.

Kate,
The name Taintor was very active in business in the Newburyport, MA area. They lived in Topsfield for many years. Look for the name Charles Taintor and his wife Charlotte Sullivan. They still have relatives in the area, I believe.
Good luck, FS

Kate from Massachusetts wrote:

I don't know if anyone can help me, but I am trying to find out historical information about Taintor, IA. A relative of mine (Taintor is our family name) asked me to research information about Taintor, IA. As far as I can figure, it is not incorporated (?) but people do live there. And was the town named for someone? If anyone has any information, I would be grateful.

Below is something I "cut and pasted" from a genealogy forum website: www.genealogy.com . To see the message there, go the the "Community" link, and then go to "Message Boards", and then go to the "T" in surnames and find Taintor.
Re: Taintor, Iowa-named for Giles E. Taintor Wall Street
Posted by: Marilyn LeVeque (ID *****0121) Date: August 15, 2009 at 18:29:09
In Reply to: Taintor, Iowa by Calvin
Hello Calvin, This is the Giles Taintor you seek.....very wealthy, and went West with growth of railroads and mines.
Giles E. Taintor is the son of Charles Taintor and Catherine Elkins Musier of Buffalo, N.Y. and he was born Sept. 1838 and married Augusta H. Behm 17 APR 1867.
January 13, 1919
New York Times
Giles E. Taintor, a retired banker, died yesterday at his home, 40 West Sixty-ninth Street, after a long illness.
Mr. Taintor was born in Buffalo, N.Y.; 80 years ago and for more than 30 years was a well known figure on Wall Street as the senior member of Taintor & Holt. Interested in railroad building and public enterprises in the West. He was one of the oldest members of the Union League Club, which he joined 51 years ago.