J. P. Taylor

As printed in 1907

J. P. TAYLOR.

In the matter of progressive farming and stock-raising Guthrie county has always been in the front rank. Prominent among the men who have helped to put it there is J. P. Taylor. He is a native of England, born in Nottinghamshire, June 23, 1850, a son of Samuel Taylor, who came to the United

States in 1856 and located on a farm near Iowa City. Iowa. He and his brother John were largely engaged in freighting in early days. Our subject accompanied the family on their emigration to America and remained with his father until 1862, when he went to Colorado and spent eight years in South Park, carrying mail and mining.

Returning to Iowa in 1880. ]\Mr. Taylor settled in Panora. For many years he was in the railroad service and then turned his attention to farming. In 1881 he moved to Jamaica, where he purchased ten acres of land. Upon this he began market gardening and made so great a success of it that he later furnished garden truck for all the miners at Angus and Daw-son. Financially the enterprise was so successful that in 1890 he was able to buy one hundred and twenty acres of the Brown estate on section 2. Richland township. Here it was that Mr. Taylor feels he began life, for here he built his house and home, s.et out all the trees and lived until 1905. After adding all that was necessary to his farm he was interested in doing the same for other land. In consequence he sold his home and bought one hundred and forty acres of the Godfrey estate, on section i. Richland township, which w'as one of the first settled farms in this section. With his usual interest in adding to the value of the land he owned. Mr. Taylor began the many improvements which are to be seen today on this place. He has fenced it all, has greatly improved the land and has also engaged in raising shorthorn cattle and red hogs.

At Centerville. Iowa, in 1873, occurred the marriage of J. P. Taylor and Susannah Bowman. Eight children were born to this union: James, who is at home; John, a resident of South Dakota; Ida. who married William Pitsor. of Ames. Iowa: 'william. who is a railroad employe in Nebraska; Samuel, a section boss in the same state; George, a well known and successful farmer; and Grover and Alice, who are at home.

Politicallv Mr. Tavlor has always given his support to the republican party. His success in all his undertakings has been marked by sound business principle, by industry, economy and strict, unswerving integrity. His enterprise and progressive spirit have made him a representative agriculturist in every sense of the word and he well deserves mention in the history of Guthrie county. What he is today he has made himself, for he began in the wcjrid with nothing but his own energy to aid him.

As printed in Past and present of Guthrie County, Iowa : together with biographical sketches of many of its prominent and leading citizens and illustrious dead (1907). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.