The Chipley banner. (Chipley, Washington County, Fla.) 1893-1943, 1904-04-28
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH
FLORIDA'S JUNIOR
SENATOR.

al Orange Court House, Virginia, Sep
TENDER both, 1s47, and spent his youtt
and young manhood in his native
State.
He is a descendant of Robert Talia
ferro, who came from England about
the year 1850 and settled in Essex
county, Virginia, and who was of the
Blenheim branch of what has since
become numerous family. Mr.. Tai
iaferro's father was Edmun,' Pendle
| ton Taliaferro, a prominent physician
of Orange county, who devoted his en-
tire life to the duties of his profession
in that vicinity.
Mr.. Taliaferro was engaged in &C
curing his education in the noted
school of William Dinwiddie, at Green.
wood, when the war between the
States began, and left the school in
1864, when only IL years of age, to
enlist in the Confederate army, in
which he served until the close of the
war. Returning to his home after
the surrender, he endeavored to re.
sumo and complete his studies, but
the misfortunes of war had made such
changes in the condition OF the fami.
ly that he decided to abandon his pur.
pose and enter at once upon the. re-
sponsibilities of manhood, in the hope
Of lettering his own fortunes as we'll
as those of his family.
Removal to a more promising field
than was then offered in his native
State appeared to be imperative, and
young Taliaferro came to Florida seek.
ing such employment as might pre-.
sent itself, and finding it, as many
another adventurous youth has done,
at the very foot of the Industrial lad.
der Possessing no capital but health,
hope and a sturdy determination to
win which has ever since been one OF
his chief characteristics, he took ser
vice as lumber marker in a saw mill
Ia common laborer, wearing the
toughest of clothing and living on the
coarsest OF fare. He graduated
thence into a Baker county Logging
camp, with little Improvement in his
condition; but after some years OF
faithful service for others, he began
to look out for himself Having be.
come familiar with the lumber bust.
ness from the ground up" he ad.
dressed himself to the attainment OF
the high position therein which he
soon achieved, and which proved tn
be. the safe basis of his later success.
During the strenuous period of his
growth as a man and a citizen, Mr..
Taliaferro, while making no preten.
sions as a politician, became profound
ly interested in the political events o:
the times, and passed through the try.
ing scenes of the reconstruction pc.
Rod shoulder to shoulder with some
Of FloTida's bravest and worthiest spir.
its, helping to bear the burdens of the
trial OF Democrats charged with viola
lions Of Republican election laws; and
on one occasion was find in contempt
for cheering in open court a verdict
OF acquittal in one of those trials. He
served the Democracy with unwearied
enthusiasm and rare fidelity, without
a thought of personal reward, during
the subsequent years of Democratic
rule, and to such good purpose that he
became the choice of his fellow Dem,
ocrats as a member of the State Exec
utive Committee, of which body he
was the chairman for (Jeveral years.
In 1871 Mr.. Taliaferro was married
TO Miss Jessie Hardy, OF Norfolk, Va,
and establishing a home in the city OF /
has ever since resided
there. Success came TO him as the
due reward of intelligent effort and I'D |
right dealing with his fellow men,
and honors sought him. He became I
president Of the First National Bank
Of Tampa, a member OF the Florida
State Board of Health and vice pres |
dent Of the G. b. Rogers Co. I'm.
spoiled by prosperity, he has lived 8
life OF sobriety and selEcontrol. never
Tor the past twenty-fOur years, havina
touched intoxicating liquors.
His election to the United States
Senate In 1899 was an event OF more
han ordinary significance. In the
place OF exciting scenes OF stubborn
,ontest which had characterized simr
ar previous occasions. there was a
;alm, quiet, yet determined concentra
lon Of political forces in his direction
which resulted In his election, on the
irst ballot, taken separately in the re.
Ipective houses OF the Legislature, ON
he 18th OF April, by a large major.
", and the formal declaration OF q
re result on the following day, IN
he Joint session, when he received as
Iotes, a majority OF 20 ana a plural
" OF 22, OF those present and voting.
Commenting upon the event the
lines Union and Citizen OF April 90
ttered the following remarkable
ly fulhlled:
roDhecy, which has been so remarka
The whole past life OF James r.
'aliaferro stamDs him as the antithe-
Is OF the demagosue-a man OF ac
lon rather than speech. who will per
Orm more than he dares to promise;
air 70 his fees, loyal 10 his friends
nmoyed In defeat and equR In vic
ory--a very rock In the time OF trou-
ie. but modest and quiet when sue.