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: |
Alfred Alexander Taylor Family Papers |
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Collection Number: |
Accession No. 404 |
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Physical Description: |
4 Boxes (including photographs and oversize material) |
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Creator: |
Alfred Alexander Taylor |
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Repository: |
Archives of Appalachia, East Tennessee State University |
ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION
Provenance: The papers of Alfred Alexander Taylor were donated to the Archives of Appalachia on May 26, 1992 by Mrs. Sandra Graf Green, granddaughter of Alfred Alexander Taylor.
Access: The papers are open for research.
Processing Information: Processing of collection was completed in October 1995 by William Drumright.
BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE
Alfred Alexander Taylor was born August 6, 1848 in Happy Valley, Carter County, Tennessee. His parents were Nathaniel Greene Taylor and Emeline (Haynes) Taylor, and he was brother of James Patton, Robert Love, Hugh Lawson, Nathaniel G., Rhoda Emma and Mary Eva.
The Taylor's came from a distinguished family and political background. His paternal great-grandfather, Brig. Gen. Nathaniel Taylor, served in the Tennessee legislature and fought under Andrew Jackson during the Creek Indian wars. Alfred's father, Nathaniel G., was a farmer, Methodist minister and staunch Unionist, who served in the state legislature and in the United States Congress. Alfred Taylor's ancestors on his mother's side were among the founders of the Watauga settlement in 1769, and were leaders in the establishment of the Watauga Association and in the government of the State of Franklin. Alfred Taylor's uncle, Landon Carter Haynes, was an attorney and renowned orator, who became a Confederate senator from Tennessee during the Civil War.
Alfred Taylor was educated at Duffield Academy in Elizabethton, Tennessee, Pennington Seminary in Pennington, New Jersey, and at Buffalo Institute in Tennessee, later known as Milligan College. He was admitted to the Tennessee bar in 1870 and served in the legislature from 1875-1877. Among his accomplishments was securing passage of a bill forming present-day Unicoi County. He married Jennie Anderson of Carter County on June 22, 1881. They had ten children: John, Benjamin H., Nathaniel G., David H., J. Blaine, Alfred Alexander, Jr., Robert Love, Frank, Mary, and Catherine.
Taylor ran for Congress in 1878 but lost in the Republican primary to Augustus Pettibone. In 1886, the Republicans nominated Alfred Taylor for governor, and the Democrats countered by nominating Robert Love Taylor. This led to the campaign known as the "War of the Roses." The brothers campaigned and debated each other throughout the state-- "Our Alf" wearing a red rose and "Our Bob" wearing a white rose. The campaign was short on issues but long on entertainment as the brothers attracted nationwide attention with their ability as entertainers; both were masters of the "fiddle" as well as satire and rural humor. Robert Taylor won the first of his two terms as governor, defeating his brother by a vote of 126,628 to 109,837.
Alfred resumed his law practice and served three terms in Congress from 1889-1895. During the 1890s he joined Robert Taylor on a nationwide lyceum lecture tour. Later, Alfred Taylor divided his time between his law practice and lecture engagements.
In 1920, the Republicans again nominated Taylor for governor. The 72-year-old Taylor faced incumbent Democrat Albert H. Roberts. Large crowds came to hear "Uncle Alf," who was often joined on the platform by his prized foxhound, "Old Limber," and a quartet composed of three sons and a friend who sang mountain ballads and religious songs. Taylor defeated Roberts by a vote of 229,143 to 185,890.
"Uncle Alf's" tenure as governor, however, was frustrating. The Democrat-controlled legislature and factionalism within the Republican Party effectively thwarted Taylor's ability to implement his legislative program. The Democrats capitalized on his vulnerability in 1922 when Austin Peay defeated Taylor by nearly 39,000 votes.
After the election, Taylor returned to his home in Johnson City and retired from public life. He died on November 25, 1931 and was buried in Monte Vista Cemetery. In 1938 the remains of Robert Love Taylor were moved from Knoxville and interred in a grave beside his brother. Jennie Anderson Taylor died in February 1943.
SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE
The Alfred Alexander Taylor Family papers contain advertisements, correspondence, copies of campaign memorabilia, family photographs, newsclippings, speeches, and published tributes reflecting Taylor's political career and family life. Most of the papers were created through coverage of Taylor's political responsibilities. Some material concerning his wife, Jennie, and son, Benjamin H. Taylor, are included in the collection.
Organization: The collection is divided into four series: Series I, General Correspondence, 1815 and 1906-1937; Series II, Photographs (undated); Series III, Publications and Speeches, 1886-1930; and Series IV, Newsclippings and Scrapbooks, 1890, 1920-1962. Series IV contains an oversize folder of broadsheet newsclippings, dated 1920-1961, that is stored by accession number in the map cabinets. An index to the papers follows the Box and Folder List.
Ford, Henry, 1863-1947
Governors--Tennessee--Election--1886
Governors--Tennessee--Election--1922
Graf, Catherine Taylor
Harding, Warren G. (Warren Gamaliel), 1865-1923
Haynes, Landon Carter, 1815-1875
Labor disputes
Peay, Austin, 1876-1927
Reeves, Rhoda Taylor, 1855-1943
Taxation
Taylor, Benjamin Harrison, 1888-1930
Taylor, Hugh Lawton, 1859-1935
Taylor, Jennie Anderson
Taylor, Mamie St. John
Taylor, Robert Love, 1850-1912
Tennessee. General Assembly
*Click on the link to go to that series or subseries in the Box and Folder List.
This series consists of receipts, family letters, and correspondence with friends concerning Alfred Taylor's political career and personal life. Series I contains receipts from the plantation of Alfred Taylor's great-grandfather, Brig. Gen. Nathaniel G. Taylor, and letters of condolence to Jennie Anderson Taylor and Catherine (Taylor) Graf following Alfred Taylor's death in November 1931. Materials are arranged chronologically.
This series consists of photographs of Alfred Taylor and family members, along with negatives and contacts made when some of the original photographs were copied in June 1992. The subjects include his son, Robert Love Taylor, who was named to a federal judgeship in 1949. Photos of individuals have been placed before group photos.
This series contains various speeches, tributes, and campaign memorabilia pertaining to the Taylor family. Series III contains campaign posters and ribbons from the 1886 governor's race; a poster of Robert Love Taylor during his 1906 primary race for the U.S. Senate; Alfred Taylor's message to the Tennessee legislature on January 2, 1923; and a memorial tribute to Alfred Taylor's son, Benjamin H. Taylor, who died in March 1930. Materials are arranged chronologically.
This series contains various newsclippings covering Alfred Taylor's political career. Series IV contains an 1890 clipping about his wife, Jennie Anderson Taylor; various articles about members of Alfred Taylor's family; and three scrapbooks covering Alfred Taylor's term as governor from 1921-1923. Materials are arranged chronologically.
This folder contains broadsheet-size newsclippings that were removed from Series IV. The folder is stored in the map cabinets by accession number.
*Click on the link to go that series or subseries in the Series Description.
1. Correspondence, 1815; 1906-1937
2. Photographs (copies), undated
3. Negatives and contacts of copied photographs, June 1992
4. Publications and Speeches, 1886-1906; 1909-1930
5. Newsclipping, 1890
6. Newsclippings, 1930-62
Scrapbook a, 1921-22
Box 3 - Scrapbook b, 1921-22
Box 4 - Scrapbook c, "Campaign," 1922
MTC 06/01 - modified GKY 03/08/02