Husband Rev. William Mercer Taylor, D.D. 1 2 3
Born: 4 Mar 1834 - near Enon Valley, Lawrence Co, PA 1 2 3
Christened:
Died: 1 Jan 1903 - Mount Jackson, North Beaver Twp, Lawrence Co, PA 4
Buried:
Father: Samuel Taylor (1806-1888) 1 2 3
Mother: Charity Mercer ( - ) 1 2 3
Marriage: 24 Sep 1885 5
Other Spouse: Lorinda Packer (1836-1883) 4 5 - 24 May 1861 5
Wife Sophia Loring 4
AKA: Sophy B. Loring 5
Born:
Christened:
Died: 1921 - Georgia 4
Buried:
Father: Dr. Loring ( - ) 5
Mother:
Children
• They had no children.
General Notes: Husband - Rev. William Mercer Taylor, D.D.
At an early age he evinced a desire for a better education, and finally determined to prepare for college. This he did by attending an institution of learning founded by the late President Garfield at Hiram, Ohio, as well as an excellent private classical school near home. He entered Jefferson college, where he graduated with distinction in the year 1858, after which he graduated at the Western Theological seminary and was licensed to preach. In the year 1861 he was installed pastor of the Presbyterian church at Westfield, Pennsylvania, where for more than a third of a century he ministered to the spiritual wants of his people. As an evidence of his faithfulness the congregation largely increased in numbers as well as in spirituality, and took rank with the foremost in the presbytery.
From the district schools and academies he went to Jefferson College, from which institution he graduated with honor in 1858; he then pursued a theological course, preparatory to entering the ministry in the Western Theological Seminary of Allegheny, Pennsylvania, graduating in 1861. Before this, however, on April 19, 1860, he was licensed to preach, and he was ordained a minister and installed as the pastor of the Westfield Presbyterian Church near Mt. Jackson, June 12, 1861. His pastorate was continuous for over thirty-seven years, and he was the chosen instrument for bringing many into the fold and membership of the church. The church was very old, the date of its organization being 1803; in 1897 it had a membership of 326, a very large number for a country church, and an index of the good work that Rev. Taylor conducted. In 1862, he was instrumental in having a new church edifice built; this was destroyed by fire January 8, 1872, and was replaced by a new and elegant structure, which was dedicated January 8, 1873. Mr. Taylor was a very fluent and convincing speaker, and brought home to the hearts of his hearers the blessed truths to be found in the life of Christ, outlining their duty to God forcibly and distinctly.
He was interested in home and foreign missionary work, and went to great pains to keep himself and his people well-informed as to the needs and the progress in the various fields. In 1878, he spent six months and a half abroad, and visited Europe, Egypt, and Palestine. During 1894 and 1895, he went around the world in nine months, visiting many places of interest and note, and becoming acquainted with the habits and customs of many foreign lands. In the course of his travels he was in Japan, China, Siam, Isle of Ceylon, India, Egypt, Turkey, Germany, Holland, France, the British Isles, and was an interested spectator of the sights in Jerusalem, about the Dead Sea, at Smyrna, Constantinople, Berlin, Paris, Glasgow, and many another noted place. In addition to his foreign trips, he visited the Pacific Coast three times, and all the states of the Union with the exception of two. His travels were far from being barren in their results, as viewed from a practical standpoint, for he collected and arranged into superb collections the largest cabinet of relics, curios, and specimens that could be found in any private home in Western Pennsylvania. His collection of precious stones included rare and beautiful specimens of agate, amethyst, malachite, topaz, onyx, moonstone, and many others, odd and rich in their effects. His geological specimens, including nearly all kinds of the leading commercial ores, were among the most instructive of the treasures, and claimed the attention of those who understand their significance. He also had a Siamese palm-leaf book, a Chinese girl's copybook, an old German commentary of Galatians by Luther, dated 1534, and an old Flemish missal, the characters in which were beautifully illuminated by hand before the day of the printing press. There were gods of all kinds and descriptions, worshipped by Chinese, Japanese, Siamese, and Hindoo devotees; also a Hindoo praying machine. To the student of Egyptian history, a mummied hand, a quantity of mummy cloth, and some scarabs. Many rare horns were on exhibition, some of them coming from Aden, Arabia. Mr. Taylor had also a fine collection of Indian relics, to which he added from time to time. A large library of choice and valuable books, both secular and religious, were not the least of his possessions, for he was a deep thinker, and enjoyed the reading of a good book almost as much as anything else that he did. His home was surrounded by beautiful lawns and shrubbery arranged in an artistic manner, due to Mr. and Mrs. Taylor's own efforts.
General Notes: Wife - Sophia Loring
She volunteered when a young woman as a missionary, and was stationed for three years, until her eyes failed her, in Beirut, Syria. She was always very active in missionary work, and a decided help to her husband in his pastoral labors.