Humphreys-Dickson County TN Archives Biographies.....Taylor, Samuel W. 1858 - 
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Author: Will T. Hale

   SAMUEL W. TAYLOR. Among the capitalists of McEwen, Tennessee, Mr. S. W.

Taylor stands foremost, his interests including the industries of lumber

dealing, milling, electric lighting and others, in addition to a prominent share

in the banking business of the place. Mr. Taylor represents one of the old

families of the state and county. His grandfather, Drew Taylor, a native of

North Carolina, was one of the oldest pioneers of Humphreys county, where he

owned a very large estate. His property, in District 14, was still in the hands

of his heirs until about three years ago. He was the owner of slaves and

conducted extensive agricultural operations. His large family of sons and

daughters included Andrew Jackson Taylor, who was educated in the schools of

Humphreys county, who inherited five hundred acres of his father's property and

who chose farming as his life-work. He too was a slave owner and Confederate,

but because of defective eyesight did not qualify for army service. He was,

however, an enthusiastic Democrat, supporting his party in all extremities. His

fraternally social affiliation was with the Free and Accepted Masons. He married

Miss Louisa Bibb of Dickson county and they became the parents of eleven

children, five of whom are yet living. Mrs. Monnie Adcock, of Dickson county;

Mrs. S. J. Clark, of McEwen; Mrs. N. L. Thedford, of McEwen county; and Mrs.

Betty Tidwell are the sisters of S. W. Taylor, he being fourth in order of

birth. He was born on the family homestead on Hurricane Creek, in District 14,

Humphreys county, on June 25, 1858.



   The parents of S. W. Taylor secured for him the privilege of tutelage in the

private school of Shiloh, Tennessee, taught by the well-known Prof. Charles

McHenry. Thus prepared, he devoted eight years to the profession of instructing

the young in subjects of general knowledge. At the close of his pedagogical

period he entered the business world, which has ever since been the arena of his

various endeavors.



   The first enterprise with which Mr. Taylor identified himself was the

saw-mill business, in connection with which the production of staves was a very

important feature. In this venture he combined forces in 1890 with Mr. J. A.

Turner, a record of whose life appears on other pages of this publication.

Together they own three mills of extensive capacity and in addition to these

they own several other smaller mills. In 1902 he purchased the McEwen Mill

Company plant, which still operates under its former name, but under Mr.

Taylor's management. It had formerly been the property of Judge J. M. McAdoo, H.

Thomas, E. Cowen and J. M. Choat. These gentlemen were gradually bought out by

the enterprising Mr. Taylor, who in 1892 took over Mr. Thomas' share and in 1893

purchased the remainder, thus becoming sole proprietor of the McEwen Mill

Company holdings. This mill is one of a hundred barrels' capacity, its leading-

brand of flour being the Primrose—a full fifty per cent patent flour. Mr. Taylor

also owns a grist mill with a capacity of four hundred bushels, making both

bolted and unbolted meal.



   Next to his milling interests, in industrial lines, we note Mr. Taylor's

ownership of the McEwen Bottling Company, which had been owned formerly by

himself and three partners, namely, T. H. McWilliams, M. J. Brennan and E. H.

Dick. After it had been for four years in the hands of this firm, Mr. Taylor

bought the interests of his partners. This plant prepares soft drinks, its

capacity being two hundred and fifty dozen per day. It is still successfully

operating.



   Yet another business was assumed by this capable proprietor, when in 1909

occurred the failure of L. D. Baker. The McEwen Lighting Plant, of which he had

had charge, was purchased by S. W. Taylor, who now manages it in connection with

his flour mill, thus securing an economy in the power required and furnishing

first-class light for the city streets, for institutions and for the homes of

McEwen.



   That S. W. Taylor is an important figure in financial circles of this section

goes without saying. He is both a stockholder and director in the Citizens'

National Bank of Waverly; and he holds the same important relations to the

McEwen Bank.



   Mr. Taylor is the head of an attractive family. On January 13, 1899, he was

united in marriage to Miss Florence Moody, daughter of Judge J. M. Moody, of

whom detailed account is given elsewhere in these volumes. Mr. and Mrs. Taylor

have welcomed three children into their home. The eldest is Robert Landon

Taylor; the second, little Belle Louise, was destined to eternal childhood, for

her short earthly life closed on February 28, 1910, at the age of eight years,

eight months and two days; the youngest child of the family is Jewel Moody

Taylor, who is now, at this writing, seven years old.



   The church membership of the Taylor family is in the Methodist Episcopal

church, South. Mr. Taylor is a member of the board of stewards of the McEwen

church and also of the district board of this denomination. He is connected with

numerous secret societies of mutual benefit and social recreation, including the

following: The Ancient, Free and Accepted Masons, in McEwen Lodge No. 525, and

also Chapter No. 137 of the same place; the Knights of Pythias, at McEwen; the

Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of the same place; and the Woodmen of the

World, also at McEwen. Mr. Taylor is a loyal Democrat, often active in his

party's affairs, having served on various committees, having been chairman of

the executive committee of Humphreys county and having many times served as a

delegate to political conventions. All in all, he is not only a success in every

line of activity he has attempted, but he has become one of McEwen's

indispensable men.



Additional Comments:
From:



A history of Tennessee and Tennesseans : the leaders and representative men in

commerce, industry and modern activities

by Will T. Hale

Chicago:  Lewis Pub. Co.,  1913



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