William S. Taylor (American politician, born 1795)

William S. Taylor (1795–1858) was an American politician that served in the

Seventh Texas Legislature

. Taylor, at 62, is the oldest person to assume the office of Speaker of the Texas House.

Taylor was born in

First Seminole War and Second Seminole War, serving as a captain in the latter. He was appointed brigadier general

From 1836 to 1842, Taylor represented

Sixth Texas Legislature for the first of two terms to the Texas House of Representatives, where he represented Cherokee and Anderson

When the Seventh Legislature convened on 2 November 1857, Taylor was the only nomination for speaker.^[3] He was elected and served until he became ill on 26 December 1857 and took leave of absence. On 18 January 1858, Taylor resigned as Speaker.^[4] Taylor died on 22 July 1858 and was buried in Larissa. One of his fifteen children with wife Elizabeth, son William S. Taylor, Jr., fought in the Battle of San Jacinto.

Notes

^ Some sources say early 1796.
^ Larissa, Texas from the Handbook of Texas Online
^ Texas. Legislature. House of Representatives (1857). Official Journal of the House of Representatives of the State of Texas. Seventh Biennial Session (PDF). Austin, Texas: John Marshall & Co. p. 5. Retrieved 2007-01-17.
^ Texas. Legislature. House of Representatives (1857). Official Journal of the House of Representatives of the State of Texas. Seventh Biennial Session (PDF). Austin, Texas: John Marshall & Co. p. 594. Retrieved 2007-01-17.

William S. Taylor from the Handbook of Texas Online
Research Division of the Texas Legislative Council (February 2002). Presiding Officers of the Texas Legislature, 1846–2002 (PDF) (Revised 2002 ed.). Austin, Texas: The Council. Retrieved 2007-01-17.

Preceded by Unknown	Member of the Texas House of Representatives 1855 – 22 July 1858	Succeeded by Unknown
Preceded by Hamilton P. Bee	Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives 2 November 1857 – 18 January 1858	Succeeded by Matthew Fielding Locke