My Family Tree

Burial Section “O”, Lot 13, Grave #3
Find A Grave Memorial# 69893024
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An article about Henry Hobart Taylor's will appeared on page 8 in the Chicago Tribune Nov. 18, 1877
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Occupation: Businessman: established an agency in Chicago for distribution of machinery manufactured by C. Aultman & Co. and Nichols, Shepard and Company; a founder of Elgin Watch Company; established and was a director of Commercial National Bank of Chicago; Director of American Insurance Company, as well as with judicious investments in Chicago real estate.
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"He had only reached the age of forty years, when men are usually at the meridian of their powers. Why men gifted with such natural endowments, and possessing so many accomplishments fitting them for years of usefulness and honor, should be cut off in their early prime is one of the inscrutable mysteries of life! It is certain that in the early death of Mr. Taylor Chicago lost a most worthy and estimable citizen and one who contributed not a little to her growth."
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Henry Hobart Taylor was born in Durhamsville near Oneida Creek, New York in the year of 1835. His father and family moved to Chicago in 1845 and engaged in merchandizing. Henry was ten years of age when the family moved to Chicago and he entered the public schools of that city. However at an early age he became a clerk in his father's store where through that experience received a business education and was initiated into the mercantile experience of the growing busy city of Chicago.

In 1854 the family moved to Freeport, Illinois. At that time Mr. Taylor was eighteen years of age and launched out for himself. He began his self-support although he had only one dollar in his pocket. He journeyed to Cincinnati, Ohio where he became employed by a druggist for the purpose of learning pharmacy. In that day it was common practice for a young man who wished to become a doctor, lawyer or a pharmacist to study, read and work with one of the older men as he practiced his profession. At the conclusion of an apprenticeship the young man was either declared competent to practice his profession or after passing an examination was licensed and accorded the right to follow his chosen profession. Mr. Taylor spent learning to become a pharmacist and mastered the art, but made no use of his knowledge of pharmacy during the rest of his life.

In 1856 he returned to Freeport, Illinois and at that time took out an agency for C. Aultman & Co. of Canton, Ohio. Thus there began an association which endured for a period of nineteen years. This could well be termed the turning point in his career for with the cultivation of the prairies his business increased rapidly.

In 1864 he became associated with Nichols, Shepard and Company of Battle Creek, Michigan and also became a stockholder in that Company. In order to handle the increase in his business he established an agency in Chicago for the distribution of machinery manufactured by C. Aultman & Co. and Nichols, Shepard and Company of which he assumed personal responsibility. His business was extended throughout the northwestern states as well as to the Pacific coast and grew to large proportions.

He was a remarkable business man being active in several business enterprises in Chicago and its environs. Typical of this interest was his connection with the Elgin National Watch Company of Elgin, Illinois. He was one of the founders of that Company and was a member of the Board of Directors from 1867 until his death on November 9, 1875. It was he who placed the Elgin watch on the London market within one month's time.

It is enlightening at this point to recall the financial and economic conditions of Chicago during the time that Henry H. Taylor was a citizen of that city. With a population of 29,000 in 1850 by 1855 it had grown to 80,000 and in 1860 it stood at 100,000. In other words this was more than a sixty percent increase in population during that ten year period. In 1860 the city was astir growing more rapidly than it could care for its needs. It became known as the city of enterprise and already had become the great railroad center of the country. The northwest was opening up and thousands of immigrants were moving in to claim the land. Hogs, cattle, corn and wheat were pouring into the city in huge quantities. Steamboats on the lakes and freight cars standing in the railroad yards were filled to overflowing with products from the farms and ranches. Chicago shipped thousands of bushels of grain in 1860. Due in part to the war between the states, prices were greatly inflated. The value of property and real estate increased seventeen percent during the four years of the war and stood at $37,063,512. By the close of the war, property values had increased seventy percent. In brief, Chicago was in the midst of unprecedented, phenomenal and rapid growth. These then were the financial and economic conditions which prevailed in the city of Chicago during the time that Henry H. Taylor was one of its prominent citizens.

Possessed as he was with unusual business acumen and foresight, there is little wonder that he made investments in real estate at comparatively low prices. With the rapid growth of the city already depicted, real estate prices skyrocketed and Mr. Taylor was able to realize enormous profits from those investments which in the end brought him a fortune. One must remember too that this was long before the day of income and inheritance taxes and so his fortune was not thereby reduced.

In still another way he allied himself with the financial interests of the community. With enlargement of his financial resources he joined in the establishment of the Commercial National Bank of which he was a Director for many years. He was one of the Directors of the American Insurance Company with offices in the city of Chicago.

Upon his death he left his only son, H.C. Chatfield Taylor, an inheritance of approximately two million dollars.

In 1864 Mr. Taylor was married to Adelaide Chatfield who was a native of Orriskany, New York. To this union was born one son, H.C. Chatfield Taylor, who became a well known literature in the city of Chicago.

Mr. Taylor did not enjoy the advantages of higher education, but he was a great reader of books and became a most versatile person in the several fields of literature and also became knowledgeable in the various fields of science of that day. Through diligent study he acquired great precision in the use of language and was extremely refined in the use of words. He was particular and meticulous in his demeanor and in every respect a modest and unassuming person. All in all he was a learned, cultured and refined gentleman without doubt influenced immeasurably by his New England heritage.

He maintained numerous interests outside of the area of business. He was a Republican in polities, although he was not a narrow partisan. He was a member of the Masonic Fraternity and had attained the rank of Knight Templar. He made several trips to Europe, doubtless for business purposes as well as for social and cultural pursuits. He was generous in his gifts to charitable organizations and his contributions were made without regard to creed. His gifts went to the Bethel Home, Chicago Relief Society, Old Ladies Home and other similar charities. His contributions were always large, but they were never made with ostentation and he never permitted his name to go before the public as a giver. His gifts were made without public recognition or acclaim which was typical of the man.

For three years prior to his death Mr. Taylor suffered from a complication of diseases and during the last month of his life became totally blind. Yet in spite of those handicaps with indomitable courage and energy he attended to his business until the day of his death. The cause of his death was due to Kidney and Bright's disease. Interment was made in the Graceland cemetery in Chicago.

Mr. Taylor's will provided that his son was to receive $50,000.00 and the remainder of his estate was to go to charities. However, the son was not satisfied with his father's will and so in the quietest and most gentlemanly manner possible importuned the other legatees that his father's disposition of his wealth was not fair. So without a lawsuit or even a vigorous protest they acceded to his request and permitted Hobart to take the entire estate.

His name was Hobart Chatfield Taylor. Upon the death of his uncle Wayne Chatfield his will provided that Hobart was to receive his fortune of $3,500,000.00 with the proviso that he would take his uncle's name. This he did and his name became Hobart Chatfield Chatfield-Taylor. He was one of the first Americans to acquire a hyphenated name. At this time he was twenty-eight years of age. He graduated from Cornell University in 1886 and later married the youngest daughter of ex-senator and millionaire, Charles B. Farwell. The two fortunes which he inherited amounted to approximately four and a half million dollars. This was exclusive of his wife's inheritance. One of the newspaper accounts stated that he was very wealthy and did not dissipate in any hurtful way.

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