John T. Taylor, BiographyPorter County biographical sketches . . . .
Transcribed biography of John T. Taylor
JOHN T. TAYLOR, merchant, was born December 28, 1844, in Philadelphia, Penn. He is one of eight children born to William and Ann (Jenkins) Taylor, both natives of Wales. The elder Taylor was a machinist by occupation. When our subject was about seven years old, they moved from Philadelphia to Cincinnati, where they remained three years. In 1855, they removed to La Porte, Ind., and the following year to Michigan City, where they remained until they came to Chesterton in 1860. John T. had the advantages of the city schools in the above-named places. At Chesterton, they engaged in farming until February of 1861, when he entered his present store as clerk. It was then owned by L. B. Osborn, afterward by the other parties. After a clerkship of nearly three years, he went to Chicago, and soon enlisted in the One Hundred and Forty-seventy Illinois; was soon promoted to the office of Second Lieutenant, and was mustered out February, 1866. On returning to Chesterton, he entered into partnership under the firm names of Taylor & Osborn, which existed one year; then Taylor & Quick, which lasted ten years. It then changed, and took the name it bears at present - Taylor Brothers - consisting of our subject and his brother, Richard O. Taylor, who was born August 18, 1856, in Michigan City. He clerked in South Chicago for a time before this firm was formed. They are the only grain dealers in the place, carrying a stock of from $10,000 to $20,000. Mr. Taylor is a member of both Masonic and Odd Fellow fraternities. In 1866, he was Postmaster. Mr. Taylor has been a Democrat, but of late years is independent, rather favoring the National principles. He was married December 28, 1866, to Mary E. Segar, a native of New York. They have two children - William A. and Mabel C.
Source: Goodspeed, Weston A., and Charles Blanchard. 1882. Counties of Porter and Lake, Indiana: Historical and Biographical, Illustrated. Chicago, Illinois: F. A. Battey & Company. 771 p.
Page(s) in Source: 312-313
This biography has been transcribed exactly as it was originally published in the source. Please note that we do not provide photocopies or digital scans of biographies appearing on this website.
Biography transcribed by Steven R. Shook