My Genealogy Hound

ZACHARY TAYLOR, of Easton, is a member of the firm of Z. Taylor & Son, who carry on a large furniture and upholstering business and are the leading undertakers in the city. Mr. Taylor is a thorough master of the upholstering business, and has given his attention to this work for over twenty years. It is now about ten years since he removed his office and storerooms to No. 524 Northampton Street, and the financial ability he has exercised has been rewarded with prosperity.

John Taylor, the paternal grandfather of our subject, came to the United States from England. He was a school teacher by profession and had followed that vocation prior to leaving his native land. His wife, a native of Germany, was in her girlhood Miss Mary Derr. Her parents, on coming from the Fatherland, where they had resided near Heidelberg, were residents of Saucon Township, Northampton County. Jacob, Alexander and George, the three eldest sons of John and Mary Taylor, went to Ohio in 1853. Their other children were Samuel, John, and Elizabeth, who became the wife of Emanuel Thume. The father of this family, who was a man of fine educational attainments, died when in his seventy-first year.

John, the father of Zachary Taylor, was born in Bethlehem Township, Northampton County. For about a quarter of a century he worked on a canal and became quite well-to-do. He was a Whig, and in religion was a member of the Reformed Church. His wife was before her marriage Mary Stametz. Their family numbered twelve children: Sabina, Mrs. Samuel Waltman; Mrs. Lucie Kidd; Malinda, Mrs. Jones; John, Salomi, Zachary, Mary, Emma; Elizabeth, whose death resulted from an accident in her eighth year; and Cornelius, Samuel Henry and Polly, all of whom died in infancy. The father died in 1874, aged sixty-eight years, while his wife, whose death occurred September 3, 1886, had attained the age of seventy-six years, eleven months and four days.

Our subject was born October 10, 1847, in Easton, and until he was about thirteen years old he pursued his studies in the public schools of South Easton. For the next seven years he worked as a tow boy on a canal. In 1862 he became a clerk in a grocery at South Easton, but for two years prior to this had been employed in Steward’s Iron Mill, of the same place. The youth next took up the trade of upholstering, and was the first to complete an apprenticeship at this business in Easton. In 1872 he formed a partnership with William Fulmer, under the firm name of Taylor & Fulmer, and thus they continued to do business until the spring of the following year, when Amos Davis was admitted as a partner. The new firm of Taylor, Fulmer & Co. operated only until the fall of 1873, when Mr. Fulmer withdrew and located on Fourth Street. The old firm name was then changed to Davis & Taylor, and the business continued until 1878 at No. 446 Northampton Street. Mr. Davis then withdrew from the partnership and Mr. Taylor succeeded to the entire business, which he carried on alone for about two years. From 1880 until 1884 Mr. Davis was once more a member of the firm, their trade being mainly in general furniture and supplies. At the date last mentioned Mr. Davis once more sold out his interest, and Mr. Taylor was alone until 1893, when his son, H. B. Taylor, became interested with him. In 1887 the undertaking business was added to their furniture trade, and in this department they have been very successful as well as in the other branch. Our subject has been at various times connected with local industries and enterprises, as a man of good business judgment, and he is well liked by all who know him.

December 14, 1869, Mr. Taylor was united in marriage with Matilda, daughter of Jacob Hawk, of Warren County, N. J. Two children bless their union, Herbert B. and Sarah Edith. The family are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, in which Mr. Taylor is now acting as Steward.

Politically our subject uses his ballot in favor of the Republican party. Socially he is a Mason and an Odd Fellow, belonging to Dallas Lodge No. 96, F. & A. M., and Lehighton Lodge No. 244, I. O. O. F.