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DAVID BALDWIN TAYLOR, M. D., one of the oldest practicing physicians, in
years of service, and a leading citizen of Lake County, residing in
Millburn, was born December 26, 1827, in Kingsville, Ashtabula County,
Ohio. We have no record concerning the early history of his father's
family which was doubtless established in America during Colonial days.
His father, Philetus Taylor, was born in New York and grew to manhood in
the midst of the beautiful scenes of the Catskill Mountains. The father
of Philetus Taylor died when he was quite young and the family
separated. The son grew to manhood upon a farm in the Empire State and
when twenty-one years of age emigrated to Ohio, locating in Ashtabula
County, where he met and married Caroline C. Dibell, who was born in
Connecticut, March 20, 1809. Their union was celebrated March 9, 1826.
In 1845, they removed to Michigan and settled in the midst of a forest
near Hillsdale. Mr. Taylor cleared the land which he developed into a
fine farm, where he made his home until his death, March 9, 1876, which
was his fiftieth wedding anniversary. He was born August 28, 1800, and
hence lived to be about seventy-six years of age. His wife also died
near the old homestead in Michigan. He was a Whig and Republican in
politics and a man of influence in the community. The family numbered
nine children, the eldest of whom is the Doctor; Duran died while
visiting in Ohio, January 6, 1851; Cicero S. enlisted in the Fourth
Michigan Infantry and died during the service, on March 5, 1865; William
died in Michigan, February 25,1884; Densey is the wife of B. Carney of
Somerset, Mich.; John is living in the same place; Flora makes her home
in the Vicinity of Allegan, Mich.; Harvey served through the late war as
a member of the First Michigan Cavalry and had his horse telescoped with
a shell from under him but he escaped uninjured; Calista E. and Thomas
reside near Emporia, Kan.; and Phoebe E. makes her home in Somerset,
Mich.
Upon his father's farm in Ohio, the boyhood days of Dr. Taylor were passed. His education was acquired in the common schools and at Kingsville Academy. At the age of eighteen, he went to Michigan where be worked upon a farm and also engaged in teaching for ten years. Having determined to make the practice of medicine his life work be began reading to that end, in the office of Dr. A. F. Wheelan, at Hillsdale, His preceptor was a physician and surgeon of note in that state and subsequently became a prominent surgeon in the army during the late war and afterward was a member of the Medical Examining Board of the University of Michigan. In the winter of 1859-60, Dr. Taylor attended his first course of lectures at the University of Michigan. He began practice at Ransom, Hillsdale County, Mich., as a partner of Dr. Bates of that place and the connection continued until the fall of 1860. In the spring of 1862, be removed to Cambria Mills, Mich., where he pursued the practice of his profession alone. The following summer he assisted in raising the Eighteenth Regiment of Michigan Infantry and enlisted as one of its members on the 13th of August of that year. Prior to his enlistment the Doctor had been appointed Hospital Steward by Gov. Blair of Michigan and entered the service in that capacity. He accompanied his regiment to Kentucky, where they did garrison and guard duty for several months during which time the Doctor served as Assistant Surgeon of his regiment. In February, 1863, Dr. Taylor left the service and came to Lake County, Ill., establishing himself in practice at Antioch. Subsequently he entered the Cincinnati Eclectic Medical College, from which he was graduated in due time and in February, 1865, he recurred to Lake County, locating in Millburn, where he succeeded to the practice of Dr. J. L. Mills and where be has now made his home for a quarter of a century. The people were not long in recognizing his ability and his professional brethren also acknowledged his efficiency by frequently calling him in as counsel. His practice extended over a radius of twenty-two miles
On June 15, 1863, in Reading, Mich., Dr. Taylor married Miss Josephine Dodge, a daughter of Thomas and Melinda Dodge, the former a native of Connecticut and the latter of Vermont. Her father was also a physician. By their marriage have been born three children-Edith Ione who is at home; Ralph C. who was educated at Aurora Seminary, Ill., at Hillsdale College, Mich., and at Valparaiso, Ind., is now a teacher of the Wadsworth schools; Edward T. is attending school in Beloit. The family are members of the Congregational Church and Mrs. Taylor is one of its active and earnest workers.
Dr. Taylor is a member of the Masonic Lodge of Millburn, of Waukegan Post, G. A. R., and of the Lake County Medical Association. It was in 1848 that he proudly cast his first Presidential vote for Zachary Taylor. Later, he supported Fremont and Lincoln and has since been an advocate of Republican principles. The Doctor has ever been a warm friend to the cause of education and has done not a little in the interest and for the upbuilding of the schools of this community. His children received excellent advantages and his sons are bright and promising young men whose futures will doubtless be successful ones. In the practice of his profession, Dr. Taylor has acquired a handsome competence and is the owner of a ten-acre orange grove in Florida. Although it is twenty-eight years since he left college he is still a student of the science of medicine, keeping himself well abreast every discovery or theory connected with it. His professional life, though a hard one, has made him many lasting friends. "Court favor of no one for the sake of business but let practice depend upon its merits," has been his motto from the first; hence his contempt for the physician who depends upon expedients for success.
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