Veterinarian, postmaster.
Born in Huron County, Ontario on 12 August 1863, son of William Taylor and Marietta Jane Plummer, he came with his family to Manitoba in 1874 and settled at Meadow Lea. He moved to Winnipeg in 1888 to attend a veterinary college. Graduating in 1891, he moved to Portage la Prairie and practiced as a veterinarian until about a year before his death. In poor health, he went to Hot Springs, Arkansas to recuperate and returned to Portage in the fall of 1912. Following the death of postmaster William White Miller, he assumed the post until his death.
He was married twice, first to Elizabeth Jane Rutledge (1875-1902) with whom he had five children: Elizabeth Taylor (1895-?), Minnie Lavinia Taylor (1896-?), Marietta Emily Taylor, Ida Lavergne Taylor (1899-?), and Ralph Rutledge Taylor (1900-?). His second wife was Minnie Brimstin (?-?) of Toronto, Ontario, who survived him. He was President of the Manitoba Veterinary Association and Grand Master of the Grand Orange Lodge (1909).
He died at Portage la Prairie on 21 March 1913 and was buried in the Hillside Cemetery.
1901 Canada census, Automated Genealogy.
Birth and death registrations, Manitoba Vital Statistics.
“W. R. Taylor, postmaster of Portage la Prairie, dies,” Winnipeg Telegram, 22 March 1913. [Manitoba Legislative Library, Biographical Scrapbook B5, page 153.
“Postmaster dead,” Manitoba Free Press, 22 March 1913, page 6.
Obituary [Reita Richardson], Winnipeg Tribune, 5 May 1970.
Obituaries and burial transcriptions, Manitoba Genealogical Society.
This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.
Page revised: 20 December 2021
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