BIOGRAPHY: Grant Bradley Taylor; Newburgh, Orange co., New York

transcribed by W. David Samuelsen for USGenWeb Archives

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Portrait and Biographical Record of Rockland and Orange Counties New York
Containing Portraits and Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative
Citizens of the Counties.
Together with Biographies and Portraits of all the Presidents of the United
States.
New York and Chicago; Chapman Publishing Co., 1895

HON. GRANT BRADLEY TAYLOR, an ex-Member of the New York Assembly, is prominent
and popular as a citizen and lawyer, as a public speaker has a wide
reputation, and as a singer is noted. He belongs to one of the old families of
Orange County, his great-grandfather, Jonathan Taylor, having removed from
Tappan, N. J., to Central Valley, this county, about 1791, and here engaged in
farming. His wife was a daughter of Aaron and Anneke Jaens Halstead. His farm
and homestead are now owned by Aaron Halstead Taylor, who is one of the
greatest breeders of trotting-horses of this century. The great-grandfather
later went to Saratoga County, and during the Revolutionary War served in
VanNest's regiment. His son, Isaac T. , the grandfather of our subject, was
born in this county, where he engaged in farming for many years, and in the
War of 1812 was one of the valiant defenders of the country.

Peter B. Taylor, the father of Grant B., was reared to agricultural pursuits,
but at the age of sixteen years went to Oxford Depot, where he opened a
general merchandise store, which he conducted until 1862, when he came to
New-burgh, and has here since made his home. For many years he served as
Justice of the Peace, and religiously is a member of the Methodist Episcopal
Church. He wedded Lavinia C. Strong, who was born in Blooming Grove, and is a
descendant of Elder John Strong, who came over in a vessel that sailed at the
same time as did the "Mayflower." The Strong family were early settlers of
Blooming Grove, the great-grandfather of our subject, Edward Strong, having
located there at an early day, where he followed the occupation of farming.
Mrs. Taylor is a daughter of Nathan and Mary E. (Marvin) Strong, the latter a
daughter of Gen: Seth Marvin, who figured in the War of 1812, and the
granddaughter of Gen. Seth Mar-vin, Sr., of Revolutionary fame. Grant Bradley,
son of William Bradley, was the great-uncle of Mrs. Strong, and for many years
was engaged in business at No 12 Dey Street, New York City. On the marriage of
his sister, Miss Temperance Bradley, to Gen. Seth Marvin, Jr., in 1793, he
presented her with a silver tea service marked G. T. B., which is now in
possession of our subject.

Grant Bradley Taylor is the second in a family of three children. Nathan S. is
a prominent professor of vocal music in Newburgh; Peter B. is also a fine
musician, and both brothers mentioned are choir-leaders in Newburgh. The birth
of our subject occurred at Oxford Depot, June 6, 1856, but from the age of six
years he was reared in Newburgh, where he graduated from the academy in 1872.
For one year he was in the employ of the United States Express Company, and
later was with John A. Wood & Co. for eighteen months. In 1874 he began the
study of law in the office of Cassedy & Brown, attorneys of Newburgh, and at
Brooklyn, in 1879, he was admitted to the Bar. In 1881 he opened an office
here.

In 1890 Mr. Taylor was elected on the Democratic ticket to the Legislature to
represent a district that had always been strongly Republican, he being the
first Democrat elected in seven years. He was appointed on four committees,
those on Revision, Codes, Villages and Soldiers' Home. Immediately after the
opening of the session he introduced a bill repealing the law of 1890
requiring statements of real-estate mortgages to be filed every twenty years.
The repeal bill was fin-ally passed, becoming a law, and is Chapter 155 of the
Laws of 1891. He has received a great many letters of inquiry and
congratulation upon his work in securing the passage of this bill. The bill of
cession of land for the public building in Newburgh was prepared by Mr.
Taylor, it ceding jurisdiction to the United States over any land that might
be selected for the site. The same day the bill was introduced it passed the
Assembly, and became a law two months later. He also introduced a bill
prohibiting the manufacture of certain articles in the state prisons and
penitentiaries, and a bill was passed by the Assembly prohibiting the
employment in state prisons of more than one hundred persons in any one
industry, but was killed by a direct vote of the Senate. He introduced a bill
to select a site for a state prison to take the place of the one at Sing Sing,
and this was killed by a deadlock in the Senate. He voted to submit the
prohibition amendment to the vote of the people; for the reduction of the rate
of interest; for the excise bill prepared by Judge Maynard and Professor
Collin of the Revision Commission; the weekly payment of wages; the freedom of
worship; the World's Fair bill; and the bill to submit contested elections to
the courts instead of to the Legislature. In the summer of 1891 he served on
the Canal Investigating Committee, and worked against the large can-al
appropriations, but very properly supported the general appropriation bill for
the proper maintenance of the canals of the state.

In Newburgh, November 19, 1878, Mr. Taylor was united in marriage with Miss
Jennie June, who was born in Piermont, N. Y., and is a daughter of Capt.
Charles F. June, a lineal descendant of John and Priscilla Alden, of Puritan
times, who are the leading characters in Long-fellow's poem of "Miles
Standish." Mrs. Taylor graduated from the Academy of Newburgh in the Class of
'74. By her marriage she has become the mother of two children, Gertrude
Culver and Franklin June.

On the 1st of December, 1894, Mr. Taylor formed a partnership with John M.
Gardner, under the firm name of Taylor & Gardner; they are now engaged in a
successful general practice in Newburgh. As a public speaker Mr. Taylor has
gained great prominence, and as a singer uses his talent for the benefit of
charities in the city. He possesses an excellent tenor voice, and for many
years was President of the Orange County Musical Association. He takes an
active part in Ma-sonic circles, was for three years Senior Deacon of Hudson
River Lodge No. 607, F. & A. M., and is .r leading member of Highland Chapter
No. 52 R. A. M.; Hudson River Commandery No. 35, K. T.; and Mecca Temple No.
1, Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, of New York City. He is a member of the City
Club and the Newburgh Canoe and Boating Association, and is connected with the
Board of Trade. He was one of the organizers and the first President of the
Alumni Association of the Newburgh Free Academy, in which he still takes an
active part. He is an earnest Christian gentleman, and since ten years of age
has been a member of Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church. In politics he is a
firm sup-porter of the Democratic party, and has ever taken a prominent and
influential part in its affairs, being County Committeeman for two years,
Chairman of the County Executive Committee one year, and in 1894 was a member
of the State Convention, and Chairman of the Committee on Credentials. His
personal integrity both in public and private life is of the highest order. He
is endowed with a clear, well balanced intellect, sharpened by a sound
education and keen powers of observation.