
Simon E. Taylor
Born: January 1st, 1970
Died: November 13th, 1908
Obituary
Word was received yesterday by relatives in this city of the death Friday at Beatrice, Nebraska, of S.E. Taylor, a pioneer business man of Burlington. The remains will arrive here this morning and the funeral will be held Monday afternoon at 2 o'clock from Prugh's undertaking rooms, this being the request of the deceased. The deceased is survived by the widow and three children, Edward Taylor of Beatrice, Neb., Frank Taylor of Cedar Rapids, and Mrs. Charles Reiter of Chicago. He was eighty-six years old and had lived a retired life for several years. Mr. Taylor will be remember by many of the older residents of the city. Mr. Taylor joined the First Baptist church in 1851 and remained a consistent member of that denomination throughout his life. He was a deacon and usher in the local church for many years and an active leader in the work of the Sunday school. In 1851 he was united in marriage in Burlington to Miss Mary Garrett, a sister of the late William Garrett, by who he is survived. In the year 1857 Mr. Taylor entered late partnership with T.R. Rankin, buying out the interest of S.C. Treat, The firm conducted a cracker and candy manufacturing business on Third street in the small brick structure just north of the water company office. Later the firm moved to a brick building on the sire of the present Ransom block on Jefferson street, and afterward removed to the small one-story brick structure just east of the alley. At the breaking out of the civil war in 1861 the frim supplied bread for many months to several regiments encamped on the site of the present fair grounds on Agency street, and later furnished supplies for the Thirty-fourth Iowa regiment encamped on West hill. When this regiment went to the front in November, 1862, there was a general demand on the part of officers and men that Messrs. Taylor and Rankin accompany the command and continue to furnish the soldiers with food supplies. A mule team, with wagon and steamboat stove was secured and Mr. Taylor embarked with the command for the campaign around Vicksburg until in March, when he returned to Burlington, and Mr. Rankin, who had conducted the business here, took Mr. Taylor's place with the Iowa soldiers. In 1868 Mr. Taylor was appointed United States revenue collector for this district and held the office for several years. The business of the firm meanwhile grew and later the jobbing and shipping of fruit was added. In 1870, Mr. Taylor and Mr. Rankin bought a tract of land west of the city near the fair grounds and planted a large cherry orchard. Shortly afterwards Mr. Taylor bought out Mr. Rankin's interest in the orchard and sold his interest in the manufacturing concern to Mr. Rankin. Mr. Taylor extended the fruit growing business and also conducted and insurance agency. About this time he bought a large tract of land near Beatrice, Neb., and in 1882 the family removed to that city, when Mr. Taylor engaged in the grain and milling business, while his sons conducted the large farm. The Taylor home in Burlington was located on the property on North Seventh street, where Mr. H.W. Chittenden's residence now stands. Mr. Taylor was a man of the strictest integrity and his word was as good as his bond. He was a consistent Christian, and upright in all his dealings with his fellow men.