Later on she made the acquaintance of D. S. Taylor, who at the age of
18 became her husband. The marriage was blessed with one child, who
died in a few days. Her husband died in a little over two years. Then
it was that Annie realized the imperfections of her education and the
folly of a too early marriage. In a few months she entered the Normal
State School at Albany and became an indefatigable student, and at the
close of three years graduated, taking her vacation with a married
sister near Auburn. Among the many schoolmates to whom Annie became
attached were two lovely Southern girls, the Misses Kate and Mary
Kingsbury. The latter was of Annie’s age, and most intimate friend.
Annie was invited to spend a year at their Southern home.
But, in the meantime, Miss Kate Kingsbury had contracted a most
brilliant marriage with her cousin, and had gone to the faraway city
of San Antonio, Texas. Annie concluded to go there for a year. After
much opposition from her family and friends, one stormy day in October,
1880, she took ship from New York for Cuba, and after a month’s stay
went from there to Galveston, and from Galveston by rail to Austin,
the capital; thence by stage through to San Antonio. After meeting
her friends, the Kingsburys, Annie took a position as teacher in the
High School. During vacation she went to New Mexico with a party of
officers and their families, taking the overland route, where Capt.
Nolan had a detail of soldiers guarding the building of railroads
in the Shasta Mountains, and where every day the lives of the party
were in jeopardy from Indians. On return to Texas, while rooming in
Kingsbury Street, one night was chloroformed and her room searched
for $3,000, which had been taken in for rents by Mrs. Taylor, who was
acting as agent for the Kingsburys (who at that time were away).