Thomas N. Taylor
Encyclopedia
Thomas Nicholls Taylor was a Utah businessman, politician and civic and religious leader. He was mayor of Provo, Utah
from 1900 to 1903.
Taylor was born in Provo, Utah to George Taylor, Sr. and his wife the former Eliza Nicholls. George Taylor Sr. was involved in multiple business ventures in Provo. Thomas Taylor attended Brigham Young Academy, taking classes with men such as Karl G. Maeser
. He left school in 1885 and went into business. In that year he and Julius Jensen founded a jewelry shop in Provo. They operated out of the same building as George Taylor Sr.'s Taylor Furniture Company. In 1890 Taylor became manager of the Taylor Brothers Business, the furniture business that his father had previously owned, and he was general manager of the business until his death. He also served as a member of the board of directors of the Provo Building and Loan Company, Beneficial Life Insurance Company and the Home Fire Insurance Company of Utah. He was also a director of the Provo Woolen Mills, the Mapleton Sugar Company and Farmers and Merchants Bank of Provo. He suffered significant looses in all these ventures, especially the bank when it collapsed in 1932 and he along with the other stock holders absorbed the losses to pay off the depositors. Taylor also had a 52-acre farm and orchard in what is now Orem, Utah
.
Taylor served as a bishop in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon or LDS Church), presidentng over the Provo 3rd Ward extending north-west from downtown Provo for 19 years. He was president of the Utah
Stake, consisting of the City of Provo, from 1919-1939. From 1939 until his death he was the patriarch of the Provo Stake.
Taylor ran as the Democrat candidate for Governor of Utah in 1920, losing the general election to Charles R. Mabey
. He was a member of the Brigham Young University
(BYU) Board of Trustees from 1921-1939 and chairman of the boards executive committee and vice president of the board for much of this time.
Taylor married Maud Rogers in 1889 in the Manti Temple. They were the parents of nine children.
Taylor Hall in Helaman Halls, a dormitory complex at BYU, is named for this Taylor.
Provo, Utah
Provo is the third largest city in the U.S. state of Utah, located about south of Salt Lake City along the Wasatch Front. Provo is the county seat of Utah County and lies between the cities of Orem to the north and Springville to the south...
from 1900 to 1903.
Taylor was born in Provo, Utah to George Taylor, Sr. and his wife the former Eliza Nicholls. George Taylor Sr. was involved in multiple business ventures in Provo. Thomas Taylor attended Brigham Young Academy, taking classes with men such as Karl G. Maeser
Karl G. Maeser
-Brigham Young Academy:When Maeser arrived at Brigham Young Academy in 1876 it was dying. Enrollment had declined since Warren N. Dusenberry had started the school a few months before. There were only 29 students at the time of Maeser's arrival....
. He left school in 1885 and went into business. In that year he and Julius Jensen founded a jewelry shop in Provo. They operated out of the same building as George Taylor Sr.'s Taylor Furniture Company. In 1890 Taylor became manager of the Taylor Brothers Business, the furniture business that his father had previously owned, and he was general manager of the business until his death. He also served as a member of the board of directors of the Provo Building and Loan Company, Beneficial Life Insurance Company and the Home Fire Insurance Company of Utah. He was also a director of the Provo Woolen Mills, the Mapleton Sugar Company and Farmers and Merchants Bank of Provo. He suffered significant looses in all these ventures, especially the bank when it collapsed in 1932 and he along with the other stock holders absorbed the losses to pay off the depositors. Taylor also had a 52-acre farm and orchard in what is now Orem, Utah
Orem, Utah
Orem is a city in Utah County, Utah, United States, in the north-central part of the state. It is adjacent to Provo, Lindon, and Vineyard and is about south of Salt Lake City. Orem is one of the principal cities of the Provo-Orem, Utah Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Utah and...
.
Taylor served as a bishop in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon or LDS Church), presidentng over the Provo 3rd Ward extending north-west from downtown Provo for 19 years. He was president of the Utah
Utah County, Utah
Utah County is a county located in the U.S. state of Utah. As of 2000, the population was 368,536 and by 2008 was estimated at 530,837. It was named for the Spanish name for the Ute Indians. The county seat and largest city is Provo...
Stake, consisting of the City of Provo, from 1919-1939. From 1939 until his death he was the patriarch of the Provo Stake.
Taylor ran as the Democrat candidate for Governor of Utah in 1920, losing the general election to Charles R. Mabey
Charles R. Mabey
Charles Rendell Mabey was an American politician and the fifth Governor of Utah. He served as governor from 1921 to 1925. He was a Republican.Mabey was born in Bountiful, Utah...
. He was a member of the Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...
(BYU) Board of Trustees from 1921-1939 and chairman of the boards executive committee and vice president of the board for much of this time.
Taylor married Maud Rogers in 1889 in the Manti Temple. They were the parents of nine children.
Taylor Hall in Helaman Halls, a dormitory complex at BYU, is named for this Taylor.
Sources
- Biography of Taylor
- BY High alumni site bio of Taylor
- Ernest L. WilkinsonErnest L. WilkinsonErnest Leroy Wilkinson was an American academic administrator and prominent figure in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . He was president of Brigham Young University from 1951 to 1971 and also oversaw the entire LDS Church Educational System. Prior to this, Wilkinson was a lawyer...
, ed., Brigham Young Univeristy: The First 100 Years (Provo: BYU Press, 1975) Vol. 2 p. 358, 738, 774.