TAYLOR, Honorable Shelby, Ohio County, KY., then Acadia Parish, Louisiana
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Submitted for the LA GenWeb Archives by Mike Miller, Apr. 1998
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Louisiana:  Comprising Sketches of Parishes, Towns, Events, Institutions, and
Persons, Arranged in Cyclopedic Form (volume 3), pp. 426-427.  Edited by Alc‚e
Fortier, Lit.D.  Published in 1914, by Century Historical Association.

Taylor, Hon. Shelby, attorney, ex-mayor of the city of Crowley, member and
chairman of the state railroad commission of Louisiana--residence, Crowley,
Acadia parish, La.--was born in Ohio county, Ky., July 11, 1865; son of H. B.
and Octavia (Chinn) Taylor, both of whom were natives of the state of
Kentucky, where they lived throughout their lives and died in the year 1905. 
The father followed the occupation of a farmer from  his youth until the end
of his life.  The mother was a member of the famous Chinn family of Kentucky:
and a first cousin to Col. Jack Chinn.  Shelby Taylor, the son, received his
early education in the public schools of Ohio county, Ky., following which he
attended Hartford college, Ky., where he pursued a scientific and literary
course of study.  Later he entered the National normal school, at Lebanon O.
from which he graduated in Aug., 1889, with the degree of B. S.  Following the
completion of his academic education he assisted his father about the farm
during the succeeding 4 years, and then matriculated in the law department of
the University of Louisville (Ky.), from which institution he graduated with
the degree of LL. B. in the class of 1894.  In the same year he began the
practice of law at Hartford, Ky., where he remained until 1900, in December of
which year he located at Crowley, La., and opened a law office.  He has
resided at Crowley continuously since that time, engaged in the practice of
law, except as his private practice has been interrupted by the performance of
his duties as a member of the State Railroad Commission, he making it an
inviolable rule never to allow his personal business to interfere with his
duty to the state and people.  In politics Mr. Taylor has been a staunch
democrat from the time he cast his first ballot, always upholding party
policies and time-honored democratic principles, and aiding in the selection
of the best men for the ticket.  In 1903 Gov. Blanchard appointed him
alderman-at-large for the city of Crowley, in which capacity he served 2
years.  He then became, in the year 1905, a successful candidate for the
office of mayor of the city of Crowley, and after serving his term he was in
1907 re‰lected to that office without opposition.  During his incumbency as
mayor of Crowley many notable improvements were made in that municipality. 
Among these latter may be mentioned the installation of a $100,000 sewerage
system, a $20,000 school building erected, the waterworks system extended at a
cost of $20,000, $15,000 of school indebtedness that had run 12 years paid
off, and enough resources accumulated to enable the succeeding administration
to pave the principal street of the city.  The history of his administration
of the affairs of the city during 4 years can hardly be viewed otherwise than
as one of achievement, and that under many difficulties.  In Nov., 1908, Mayor
Taylor was elected from the second railway commission district as a member of
the railroad commission of Louisiana, for a term of 6 years, and resigned from
the office of mayor of Crowley to assume the duties of his office as a member
of the railroad commission in Dec., 1908.  The State Railroad Commission has
jurisdiction over railroads, sleeping cars, express, telephone, telegraph,
steamboat and water craft generally, and is composed of 3 members.  Since
Commissioner Taylor became a member of the commission it has become very
strict in the enforcement of rules and regulations governing these service
corporations, and active in performing the duties for which it was created,
the reduction in express rates alone having saved the shippers of the state
more than $200,000 during the years 1912-13.  Block signal systems have been
installed on 2 railroads, new and more commodious depots have been built, and
changes and improvements to the advantage of the people are being constantly
inaugurated.  In 1912, Commissioner Taylor was elected chairman of the
railroad commission, and is incumbent of that executive position at this time. 
His term of office as a member of the commission expires in 1914, and he is a
candidate for re‰lection.  It would seem that so efficient a public servant
would experience no difficulty in securing re‰lection to an office in which he
has been so diligent in conserving the interests of the people, as his record
of the past years seems to clearly indicate.  Commissioner Taylor is a member
of the Methodist church, and is affiliated with the Masonic fraternity, his
membership being at Crowley.  He is also a member of Jerusalem Temple, Order
of the Mystic Shrine, at New Orleans; Crowley Lodge, No. 745, Benevolent and
Protective Order of Elks; also a Knight of Pythias, and a member of the Grand
Lodge of Louisiana, Knights of Pythias, of which he is now Grand Inner Guard. 
In 1891 Hon. Shelby Taylor was married to Miss. Minnie Lee Barnes, of Beaver
Dam, Ky., and 2 children have been born to their union, the children being 
Hugh Edwards, born in 1896, and  Kittie Lee, 1912.

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