Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-04-15
WILLIAM H. TAYLOR
DIES AT HIS HOME
City Coroner of Richmond Passes
Away After Brief Illness at
Advanced Age.
HELD OFFICE FOR As YEARS
Widely Known as Scientist, Phi
losopher. Astronomer, Teach
cr and Writer.
HELD OFFICE FOR As YEARS

Dr. William Henry Taylor. eighty
TWO years old. CITY Coroner. scientist,
philosopher and astronomer, and one OF
tho most widely known professional
men in Richmond. died suddenly yestcr-
day afternoon at 2:3O O'Clock at his
home. Clio East Grace Street. from n
form of poisoning resulting from an
attack OF grippe after an illness Of less
than two weeks. lie was believed to
be rapidly recovering. and was planning
to return TO his office tomorrow. but
death came quietly and quickly, and as
distinct shock TO his family and un
told numbers OF friends and acuuain-
tanccs
The funeral Will be conducted to-
morrow afternoon AT $3.50 o'clock bv
Rev. W. Russell Bowie, u. d.. rector
OF ST. Paul's Episcopal Church. from
the home. In keeping with a request
made many years ago and often re-
peatcd TO relatives. the services will he
quiet. and there will be no flowers at
either the home or the cemetery. The
intcrmen, Will be In the family plot in
Hollywood Cemetery
The pallbearers. nephews Of Dr. Tay-
ior. will he
Harvey T. Taylor. Herbert V Taylor.
Edward NJ. Taylor. Richard \. Cook. AL
fred J.. Cook. X Sewell Wingheld
George r. King. Jr and Burton L.
Norris.
At HIS REQUEST. NO HONORARY
PALLBEARERS ARE NAMED
al al b,-l
that no honorary pallbearcrs for his
usually sensitive. always seemed TO he
afraid OF offending his friends. and for
this reason repeatedly requested his
brother, Captain Charles r. Taylor
should his death come first. that he see
this his wishes were carried out
Dr. Taylor suffered severe cold and
attack of grippe about two weeks ago
Because OF his age his family physi-
clan, DIR. W. L. Mathews, gave him
the closest possible attention He
seemed TO respond TO treatment. and
was improving so rapidly that lie was
planning TO return to his Office TO-
morrow. Shortly after i o'clock yestcr-
day afternoon he decided that he would
sit up in his chair for a short time
room. seated himself and told his butler
to bring him "a large dinner.
An hour later his breathing became
hard and short. and in less than ten
minutes he had passed away His
death came quickly and without suf-
fering. as he had often expressed the
wish that he might die. Ills entire
illness had been without suffering
10 holt
partly by his extreme age.
EROTHER Or FORMER
MAYOR IL. VI. TAYLOR
He is survived by three brothers. cX-
Mayor Richard NJ. Captain Charles T..
and John Q. TAYLOR. and two sisters,
Mrs. Il. y. Cook and Mrs. Mary l..
other relatives.
pr Taylor was widely known
throughout Virginia and other sections
Of the country. and WAS celebrated az
an amateur astronomer and quaint
philosopher lie had been Coroner for
the city OF Richmond for forty five
years. holding that Office longer than
any other official in the state OF Vir-
sinia. and probably in this country.
lie became prominent through his
pnlloSOpnE, ana MS WORK as Coroner OF
Richmond and was noted for his study
Of criminal poisoning. on which sub
jcct he made numerous lectures in re-
cent years. only recently he completed
the investigation of his tcn-thouSandth
case record believed TO he unsur-
passed in this country. Locally lie was
the clearing house for a scientific infor-
nation. not only for newspaper men.
who held him in the highest regard.
but also for many citizens of Rirhmord.
For the past several years detective
Sergeant John l.. Willy. of Police Head
quarters. who handles all eases the
Detective bureau is called upon TO in
vcstigatc in cooperation with the
work OF the coroner. assisted Dr. Tay-
lor greatly in his work in his advanc-
ing years. and his services were highly
appreciated by The coroner.
FAMILY WELL. KNOWN
IN RICHHONDS HISTORY
Di' Taylor was horn in Richmond
May IL. 1885, the son OF William Tay-
lor, a we'll known and highly esteemed
merchant Of that time. whose ancestors
had settled in New York State. His
mother. before her marriage. was Miss
Enclnc Pearson. The father held va
rious public Offices in the city. and at
ono time was recorder OF the city OF
Richmond, and later a member of the
City Council. of the State Legislature
and treasurer OF IIcnrico County.
Obtaining his carly education ut va
rious schools in Richmond. Dr. Tay-
lor from his earliest days showed an
aptitude for reading of a substantial
nature and experimenting along physi
cal and chemical lines. This taste led
him to adopt medicine IA his profess
sion. and lie entered the Medical Col
lege Of Virginia In 1854. graduating in
1856 with the degree of NJ. d., and then
began the practice OF medicine in Rich
njond
Al the outbreaks OF the War Between
the States he enlercl The scrNice of the