San Francisco County
Biographies
Robert
H. Taylor was born in the city of New York in the year 1822, his ancestors being
of English descent. His father was a
native of the “Empire State,” and his mother was born in Connecticut. He grew to manhood in the State of his birth,
received his literary education there, and had begun the study of law when the
discovery of gold in California began to attract the attention of the civilized
world; he determined to go to the Pacific coast, and made the journey by way of
Cape Horn on the barque “Peytona,”
name for the famous race horse. It was
expected that the voyage would be accomplished in four months, but it was
prolonged to seven months, the date of their arrival in San Francisco being
August 7, 1849.
In
March, 1850, Mr. Taylor went to Marysville, and established a newspaper there
which he conducted for three years; thence he removed to Downieville,
and was connected with the Recorder’s office, having the active management of
it. In the spring of 1854 he was
admitted to the bar, and engaged in the practice of his profession until 1859;
he was then elected District Judge of Sierra and Plumas counties, and at the
expiration of his term of office resumed the practice of law. In 1863 he went to Virginia City, and was
successfully engaged in the practice of law there for a period of eighteen
years. In 1868 he received the nomination
for Judge of the Supreme Court, but failed of the election, as the whole ticket
was defeated. In July, 1881, he removed
to San Francisco, and since that time he has given his whole attention to the
interests and practice of his profession in the courts of the city and State.
Judge
Taylor is a Republican in his politics, and active in the party counsels. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and
is prominently identified with the I. O. O. F., having been the first Noble
Grand in the State of California, namely, California Lodge No. 1, which was
instituted September 9, 1849, just one year before the admission of California
to the Union.
Transcribed by Donna L. Becker
Source: "The Bay of San Francisco," Vol. 2,
pages 97-98, Lewis Publishing Co, 1892.
© 2005 Donna L.
Becker.