 |
||||||||||||||
 |
||||||||||||||
|
"Uncle Joe" Taylor Sometimes an event in the “Looking Back” section of Our Town warrants more than just a line or two. That’s the case this week which marks the 75th anniversary of the death of one of O’Fallon’s greatest and most beloved early developers, Joseph Taylor, who passed away Feb. 9, 1925 in O’Fallon at the age of 86 after a lingering illness. His stature in our community was such that Mayor Ralph Kampmeyer issued a proclamation suspending all business in the city during the time of his funeral which, along with the visitation, was held at the Taylor Opera House and attended by hundreds. "Uncle Joe” Taylor, as he was called, was born in Oldham, Lancashire, England on Feb. 8, 1839 to Samuel and Ellen Spencer Taylor. He worked in English coal mines until he left for the U.S. in 1860. At first he worked in mines around Pittsburgh, Pa., but he didn’t like it there. He traveled west and worked for a time in O’Fallon area mines but soon moved on. The lure of our what were then abundant coal reserves and our “hustling” citizens drew him back here in 1866 along with his parents whom he had recently sent for. After working in the mines at Alma in present day west O’Fallon, he bought the general store and saloon operated by Charles Gartside there in 1874. He then set out to get into the coal business in a big way. He bought the Alma mine in 1877, the Taylor mine 1888 and the Ridge Prairie mine in 1898 and he opened the St. Ellen mine in 1903. He was a charter stockholder of both the First National Bank and the O’Fallon Building & Loan Assn. and he was one of the promoters of O’Fallon’s first light and power plant. He also ran a general merchandise store in O’Fallon. He was O’Fallon’s first city treasurer and was mayor for one term from 1909—11. To the benefit of all O’Fallon citizens, he built the magnificent Taylor Opera House in 1908 which still survives as the Opera House Mall. He also built more than 100 homes for his employees.
He left no children. Mary Whitehead Gartside, whom he married in 1871, died in 1909. At his death, the Progress described him as “a man that [has] done more for the upbuilding of our city than any other individual—a big-hearted man whose interest in the welfare of this city will stand as a monument in years to come.
|
 |
|
||||||||||||
 |
|
|
||||||||||||
 |
||||||||||||||
