BIO: James TAYLOR, Beaver County, PA
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BOOK OF BIOGRAPHIES. This Volume Contains Biographical Sketches
of Leading Citizens of Beaver County, Pennsylvania. Buffalo, N.Y.,
Chicago, Ill.: Biographical Publishing Company, 1899, pp. 93-95.
_________________________________________________________________
JAMES TAYLOR, a mechanical genius, who has brought himself into wide
prominence in the western section of Pennsylvania, is well-known as the
superintendent of the establishment of Emerson, Smith & Co., of Beaver Falls,
Beaver county, Pennsylvania. He was born in Fallston, September 9, 1851, and
is a son of Samuel and Nancy (James) Taylor, and grandson of James Taylor.
James Taylor, the grandfather, was born in Sheffield, England, in 1785, and
received his mental training in the public schools, after which he engaged in
coal mining for some time. Upon coming to America, he bought a large tract of
land in an unimproved condition in Galesburg, Illinois, and to this he added
until he had acquired some 370 acres. He began the improvement of his tract,
erected good, substantial buildings, and lived there until his demise in
1858, aged seventy-three years. He reared seven children, as follows: Joseph,
who never came to this country; Samuel, the father of the subject of this
personal history; Thomas, a successful coal operator in Washington county,
Pa., who is also interested in silver mining; Sarah (Bailey); Martha,
deceased; Jonathan, also a coal operator; and John, who now resides upon the
old homestead at Galesburg, Illinois. Politically, he was a staunch Democrat.
Religiously, he was an Episcopalian.
Samuel Taylor was born in Sheffield, England, July 4, 1821, where he was
sent to the public schools, in addition to which he took a special course in
geometry and freehand drawing, becoming an expert designer and pattern maker.
He came to this country with his parents, and in 1842 accepted a position as
cabinet maker with the Kennedy Keg Factory, designing and making patterns for
all of the machinery used in the factory. He then engaged in pattern making in
Pittsburg and New Brighton. He afterwards became superintendent for Minor &
Merrick, New Brighton. He acquired wonderful skill and was unexcelled at his
profession, some of the patterns which he made being still in existence. He
was connected with the Kennedy Keg Factory many years, but held interests in
other firms, and in the latter part of his life was engaged in business for
himself at Fallston. He formed a matrimonial alliance with Nancy James, a
daughter of Benjamin and Margery (Williams) James, coming of sturdy Quaker
stock. Benjamin James served in the War of 1812 with General
94 BOOK OF BIOGRAPHIES
Jackson, being under him at the Battle of New Orleans. He was a farmer in
early life, but later undertook mercantile pursuits, having a store at what
is now Hoytdale, Beaver county. He married Margery Williams, whose father,
Thomas Williams, was one of the very first white men to settle in Beaver
county, locating there in 1793. Besides farming he did a large distilling
business. This union resulted in seven children: Sarah A. (Craven); Joseph
J., now in Spokane, Wash.; Nancy, the mother of James Taylor; Howard;
Benjamin; Amelia (Murray); and Eliza. Nancy James was a pupil in the district
schools, and lived at home until her marriage. Samuel Taylor and his wife were
the parents of the following: Joseph, who was first a pattern maker, then a
millwright, and is now a farmer in Beaver county; Elizabeth (Bradley); James,
the subject hereof; Franklin, who died at the age of three years; John F., a
machinist who is assistant to his brother James; Jason R., station agent on
the P. & L. E. R. R. at Beaver, Pa.; Thomas \V., who died at the age of three
years; and Orrin P., a pattern maker, who died at the age of twenty-three
years. Mr. Taylor was an active Democrat in politics and filled most of the
borough offices, having been burgess, justice of the peace, a member of the
town council and president of the school board. Religiously, he was an
Episcopalian. He died in 1892, at the age of seventy-one years, and his wife
still survives him at the age of seventy-four years.
James Taylor attended the public schools of Fallston and New Brighton,
after which he learned the trade of a keg maker with M. T. & C. Kennedy, with
whom he remained until 1870, when he learned the trade of a machinist, for
which he showed great aptitude. He worked for M. & S. H. Darrah for four
years and two months, three years of this period as an apprentice, and the
remainder of the time as a journeyman. Upon being offered a position with
Emerson, Ford & Company as a journeyman, he accepted and continued for a few
months, when he went to New Castle, Pa., to work on large blast-furnace
engines. After being thus engaged for three months, he returned to Fallston
and worked for Darrah & Company for some years. In January, 1876, he
re-entered the employ of Emerson, Ford & Company. That firm dissolved
partnership and Mr. Taylor became a dye maker, and was so employed until
February of the following year. Then the firm for which he had previously
worked was reorganized under the name of Emerson, Smith & Co., and as he was
at the time possessed of many years' experience and a wide reputation, he was
offered the place of master mechanic and given charge of eighty-five men. He
has since been promoted to the office of superintendent, a position he still
fills with credit to himself and satisfaction to his employers. This firm was
the first to manufacture band-saws in this country, and in addition to this
they make cross-cut saws, shingle-saws, metal and stone saws, gang-saws, a
specialty of the inserted tooth-saw, knives and other edge tools, odd-
BEAVER COUNTY 95
shape mold cutters, and other experimental work. Besides being an exceptional
mechanic, Mr. Taylor is an inventor of no mean ability and numerous labor and
expense saving devices now used by saw manufacturers throughout the country
are products of his skill. The plant under his superintendence covers an
entire square, is two stories high, and in addition has its offices and
engine room. The firm employ 125 men, and although they are under the
constant supervision of Mr. Taylor, he still finds time to do a little of the
mechanical work himself. He has been awarded several valuable patents, one of
the most important being a saw sharpener and setter which will be invaluable
to any firm using saws. He is engaged on several other inventions which he
expects to have patented. Mr. Taylor has been decidedly successful in life in
a business way, and is one of the most substantial citizens of the borough. He
owns some real estate on Seventh avenue, in Beaver Falls.
On December 10, 1878, he was joined in wedlock with Maud Kerr, a daughter
of Mathew Kerr. She was born in Ireland, being of Scotch-Irish extraction,
and received her mental training in the public schools of her native place,
and at Butcher's Business College in Beaver Falls, having come to America in
1871. This union resulted in the birth of the following children: Roy; James,
who is a sophomore in the High School, took first honors in his class during
the year 1899, is a debater of ability, giving promise of future brilliancy,
and is preparing himself for admittance to the, bar; Stanley B.; and Olive E.
In politics, Mr. Taylor is a firm supporter of the principles of Democracy,
and for years served on the county committee. Religiously, he is a member of
the Presbyterian church. Socially, he is a member of the Royal Arcanum.