East Tennessee State University
Archives of Appalachia
Box 70295
Johnson City, Tennessee 37614
E-mail: archives@etsu.edu
Telephone: (423) 439-4338
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Title: |
Benjamin Harrison Taylor Family Papers |
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Collection Number: |
Accession No. 113 |
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Physical Description: |
1 linear foot |
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Creator: |
Mrs. Ben Taylor |
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Repository: |
Archives of Appalachia, East Tennessee State University |
Provenance: The Benjamin Harrison Taylor Family Papers were donated to the archives by Mrs. Ben Taylor on May 3, 1982.
Access: The collection is open for reseach.
Processing Information: Processing was completed by Norma Myers Thomas, and the papers were opened for research in August 1987.
Benjamin Harrison Taylor was born on August 4, 1888 in Johnson City, Tennessee. He attended city schools and subsequently entered Milligan College, graduating from there in 1911. He then entered the National Law School in Washington, D.C. After graduation he returned to Johnson City, procured a Tennessee license and began his law practice. He became a partner of Thad A. Cox and remained in this partnership until he died on March 26, 1930.
Benjamin Taylor was the son of Alfred A. Taylor (August 6, 1848-November 24, 1931) and the nephew of Robert Love Taylor (1850-1912). Alfred Taylor was born in Happy Valley in Carter County, Tennessee and received education from Duffield Academy in Elizabethton; Pennington Seminary in Pennington, New Jersey; and Buffalo Institute (now Milligan College). Alfred Taylor studied law and began practicing in Jonesboro, Tennessee in 1870. He served in the Tennessee legislature in 1875-1876. In 1886, Alfred Taylor's and Robert Taylor's political careers brought about Tennessee's "War of the Roses" in which the two brothers fought for the governorship of the state. Robert Taylor served as governor for three terms; after his defeat, the Republican candidate, Alfred Taylor returned to his law practice. He was later elected to the United States Congress, serving from 1889 to 1895 and as governor of Tennessee, serving only one term.
Sources:
Alfred Alexander Taylor, Dictionary of American Biography, Volume IX. (New York: Charles Scribner's Sons) p. 313.
Other sources on the Taylors include: Bob and Alf Taylor: Their Lives and Lectures by Paul Deresco Augsburg and
"Old Limber or the Tale of the Taylors by DeLong Rice.
The Benjamin Harrison Taylor Family Papers include biographical and family histories, campaign materials, news clippings, typed scripts of speeches and writings, and memorabilia related to the political career of Alfred Taylor, and a scrapbook concerning the Taylor family. Many of the speeches are not identified by title or by date.
The papers span from 1833 to 1977. The files are arranged alphabetically by type of documents within a single series.
Non-Manuscript Materials: Memorial Addresses on Life and Character of Leonidas Campbell Houk was removed from the papers and placed in Special Collections.
Important subjects covered in the collection include:
Athletics
Baseball--Tennessee--Johnson City
Baseball--Tennessee--Kingsport
Camping--Appalachian Mountains
Clinchfield Rail. Baseball team
Columbus Powell School (Johnson City, Tenn.)
Governors--Tennessee
Hunting
Religion
Republican Party (U.S. : 1854- )
Schools--Tennessee--Johnson City
Science Hill High School (Johnson City, Tenn.)--Basketball
Sports--Tennessee--Johnson City
Taylor, Alfred Alexander, 1848-1931
Taylor, Benjamin Harrison, 1888-1930
Taylor, Robert Love, 1850-1912
Taylor family
Tennessee--Politics and government
Veterans Administration Center (Johnson City, Tenn.)
Box 1
1. Biographical/family history materials, 1888-1930.
2. Certificates, Miscellaneous, 1898-1929.
3. Correspondence, 1915-1918.
4. Correspondence, 1919.
5. Correspondence, 1920-1922.
6. Correspondence, 1924-1929, and undated.
7. Election materials, 1886-1924.
8. Election materials, Alfred Taylor, 1928.
9. Financial papers, 1919-1929.
10. League to Enforce Peace Bulletin, 1917.
11. Legal Documents, 1919-1921.
12. Memorabilia, 1911-1920.
13. Newsclippings, 1906-1920 and undated.
Box 2
1. Newsclippings, 1921-1977.
2. Republican County Committeemen Roster, 1920.
3. Scrapbook, 1833-1880.
4. Speeches and Writings, 1904-1927.
5. Speeches and Writings, undated.
6. Speeches and Writings, Collected, 1918.
7. Tennessee Handbook and Official Directory, 1920.
ITEMS REMOVED
The following items have been removed from the collection and placed in oversized storage.
1. 6 Political Broadsides - Alfred A. Taylor.
2. 1 Political Broadside - 1886. The War of the Roses
Photographs: Prints and Negatives
43 2 1/4 x 2 1/4 negatives and contact prints on 4 proof sheets. See APA card index for subjects covered by prints and negatives. See also photographic archives accession sheet.
- modified GKY 03/08/02