Archibald Alexander Edward Taylor

Background

He was born in Springfield, Ohio, the son of Edward Taylor, a physician, and Penelope Virginia (Gordon) Taylor.

Education

After attending the school of E. S. Brooks in Cincinnati, he studied seven years in Princeton, graduating from the College of New Jersey in 1854 and from the Theological Seminary in 1857.

Career

He entered the ministry of the Old School Presbyterian Church, being licensed by the Presbytery of Cincinnati on June 17, 1857, and ordained by the Presbytery of Louisville on May 6, 1858. At ordination he was installed as pastor of the church at Portland, Ky. , which he had been serving since September 1857. Subsequently, he was pastor of the First Church of Dubuque, Iowa (1859 - 65), the Bridge Street Church of Georgetown, D. C. (1865 - 69), and the Mount Auburn Church of Cincinnati (1869 - 73). In 1870-71 he was editor of Our Monthly. He was elected president of the University of Wooster, Ohio, in 1873, being the second to occupy that office. During the ten years of his incumbency he did his principal work, ably and successfully managing the affairs of the institution and holding influential relations with the students. While president he was also professor of Biblical instruction and apologetics.

After his resignation of the presidency in 1883, he was absent from Wooster for two years, but returned in 1885 to serve for three years as professor of logic and political science. He was a trustee of the university from 1873 to 1902, and president of the board of trustees during the last seven of these years.

In 1888 he became editor of The Mid-Continent, a Presbyterian weekly published in St. Louis, which position he held until 1891. For part of this time he was in charge of the Presbyterian church in Ferguson, Mo. From 1892 to 1899 he was pastor of Westminister Presbyterian Church of Columbus, Ohio. Thereafter he lived in Columbus in declining strength until his death.

He was a director of Western and McCormick theological seminaries. He wrote numerous articles for religious periodicals, and published sermons and addresses and a volume of verse entitled Claudia Procula and Other Verses (1899).

Achievements

• His contribution to the development of the University of Wooster, Ohio, was acknowledged in 1902 by the naming of a new building Taylor Hall. He had the unusual distinction of being five times moderator of his Synod, and he was four times a commissioner to the General Assembly.

Works

More photos

• book

  • Claudia Procula And Other Verses

    (This book was originally published prior to 1923, and rep...)

  • Israel against Benjamin. A sermon for the times:

    (This book was originally published prior to 1923, and rep...)

Membership

He was a member of the Presbyterian boards of education and church erection.

Personality

Taylor was an unusually interesting and attractive personality. He had a fertile mind, with a good deal of poetic imagination. He was long remembered for his kindliness, cheerfulness, and good conversation. As pastor and teacher he showed a gift for winning the confidence of all sorts of people. His humor was abundant and lively--in the view of some, to a degree beyond what befitted a minister. He had a large library and read in many fields with fine appreciation.

Interests

• He was a hunter and fisherman and lover of the woods.

Connections

On August 2, 1858, at Freehold, N. J. , he was married to Annie Vanderveer, who died in 1867; and on May 21, 1868, at Munson Hill, Va. , to Lucy Eleanor Munson.

Father:

Edward Taylor

Mother:

Penelope Virginia (Gordon) Taylor

Spouse:

Annie Vanderveer

Spouse:

Lucy Eleanor Munson