John Henry Taylor

As printed in 1883

JOHN H. TAYLOR, president Joplin Mining and Smelting Company, was born in Leesbnrg, Loudoun county, Va., Jan. 26, 1837. His father, Prof. William Taylor, was a native of England, born in London, Nov. 22, 1798, and died July 11, 1861, at Independence, Mo. His mother, Mary R. (Timms) Taylor, was a native of the Old Dominion, born in Loudoun county, Nov. 15, 1809, and_died March 4, 1877, also at Independence, where both were buried. Prof. William Taylor was a well-known educator of Virginia, afterwards of Ohio, and still later of Missouri, coming to this state and locating at Hannibal in the spring of 1845; thence removed to Paris, Mo., and in 1851 located at Independence. During his boyhood our subject was chiefly under the instruction of his father. Whilst in Paris, Mo., when not attending school, he clerked in a store, and then worked at the printing business at the Paris Mercury office. Early in 1851 he went to Louisiana, Mo., and there clerked in a drug store, and was deputy postmaster under CoL Ed. Williams (formerly of Paris, Mo. After his father and family had moved to Independence he joined them there in the latter part of 1851. From that time he successively attended school, clerked in a store, and was then appointed circuit clerk and ex officio recorder of Jackson county, under General Lucas; then studied law with Chrisman & Comings, and in September, 1857, was licensed an attorney and counselor at law by the Hon. Russell Hicks, judge of the Jackson county judicial circuit. During this time he took an active part in the temperance cause, being a member of the Cadets of Temperance, an organization of boys; he was also a member of the Temperance Union, and was at one time grand secretary of the Grand Temperance Union of this state. In the spring of 1858 he was appointed city attorney for Independence, and subsequently was several times re-appointed. In 1860-61 he was county school commissioner of Jackson county. Early in 1867 he returned from the South, where the close of the war had found him, to Independence. He then resumed the practice of law and attended to real estate and insurance business. In 1871 the rich lead developments of this county attracted his attention, he having at that time an interest in land which now lies within the limits of Joplin. In the fall of that year he came to this city, then a mining camp of two or three hundred people. Being favorably impressed he at once invested in lands in this vicinity. In December, 1871, he was instrumental in organizing and incorporating the Joplin Mining and Smelting Company. In 1872 he effected

" 'jF>-f/ / -v:- the organization of the East Joplin City Mining Company, and in 1874 he organized the North Joplin Mining and Smelting Company. He is now president of these companies. Our subject was instrumental in establishing the first bank in Joplin — the Joplin Savings Bank — and was its president for several years. After a successful career the bank was voluntarily closed in 1879. In 1875 Mr. Taylor was elected a delegate from the sixteenth district, then comprising the counties of Jasper, Barton, Yernon, Dade, and Cedar, to the constitutional convention which framed our present state constitution. He has ever taken great interest in public matters, especially those pertaining to politics, and has frequently been called to complimentary positions in conventions as chairman and on committees, etc. Mr. Taylor was married at Independence, Mo., April 7, 1874, to Miss Julia, daughter of Harley T. and Mary W. (Mitchell) Smith, formerly of Bowling Green, Ky. Mrs. T. was born March 10, 1852, in Bowling Green, Ky. From this union there were four children: Mary, born June 21, 1875, and died April 29, 1876; Grace, born June 1, 1877, and died July 31, 1877; Wilkins, born July 31, 1878; John Henry, born March 31, 1881, and died Sept. 14, 1882. Mr. and Mrs. Taylor are members of the Presbyterian Church, and he is a member of the I. O. O. F. order. He is a man of excellent business qualifications, and has the respect and esteem of those with whom he is associated socially and otherwise.

As printed in The history of Jasper county, Missouri : including a condensed history of the state, a complete history of Carthage and Joplin, other towns and townships : together with numerous portraits of prominent (1883). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.