W. M. Taylor resides in Waitsburg but is identified with farming on section 31, township 9 north, range 38 east, in Columbia county. He has resided in this state since reaching the age of eighteen years. He was born in Johnson county, Missouri, January 31, 1861, and is a son of Simon and Harriet (Burgess) Taylor, who are mentioned in connection with the sketch of his brother, Charles M. Taylor, on another page of this work. The public school system of his native county afforded him his educational privileges. He made good use of his time and opportunities in that direction and when not busy with his textbooks he was assisting in the work of the home farm and thus learning valuable lessons in the school of experience. He had reached the age of eighteen years when he came to Washington, after which he remained at home, cooperating with his father in the development and improvement of a new farm up to the time of his marriage. In the meantime, however, he and his brothers, G. B., J. W. and J. F. Taylor, bought eight hundred acres of land, which they cultivated in partnership, and they also operated one thousand acres belonging to Whitman College. This they leased and the four brothers continued their farming interests together until about 1907, when a division of their holdings was made, and W. M. Taylor acquired three hundred and sixty acres of the land that had been held conjointly before. He has since purchased two hundred and forty acres adjoining his other tract, so that his home farm now comprises six hundred acres and constitutes one of the valuable wheat ranches of Columbia county. The soil is particularly adapted to wheat raising and the crops produced are most extensive and gratifying, for the methods which Mr. Taylor follows in the development of his fields are practical. All of the work on the farm is systematically done and is guided by his sound judgment. He uses the latest improved machinery to facilitate the work of the fields and there is no equipment of the model farm property of the twentieth century that is not found upon his place.
On September 18, 1889, occurred the marriage of Mr. Taylor and Miss Flora Kinyoun, of Johnson county, Missouri, who came to Washington to teach music in 1887. By her marriage she became the mother of two children: Harriet E., the wife of R. B. McElroy, of Spokane, Washington; and Laura E., the wife of Theodore Holsey, of Spokane, this state. The wife and mother passed away in 1897 and on November 29, 1899, Mr. Taylor was again married, his second union being with Mrs. Lillian Devall, née Pinkley, who was a teacher in the public schools of Walla Walla and Columbia counties. To this marriage has been born a daughter, Florence G.
Fraternally Mr. Taylor is connected with Touchet Lodge, No. 5, I. O. O. F., and he also belongs to the Ancient Order of United Workmen. His political views are in accord with the principles of the democratic party. He and his wife are members of the Methodist church and their lives are guided by its teachings and its principles. Aside from his farming interests Mr. Taylor became one of the incorporators of the Exchange Bank of Waitsburg, of which he is still a stockholder. He has made for himself a very creditable position as a substantial farmer and representative citizen of Columbia county. After the harvests are gathered he takes up his abode in Waitsburg, where he has an attractive city home and there spends the winters. The extent and importance of his business interests have made him widely and favorably known and his life record should serve as a source of inspiration and encouragement to others, indicating what may be accomplished through persistent and honorable effort. He has aided in demonstrating the possibilities for grain farming in this section of the state and the worth of his work, both as a source of individual success and of general prosperity, is widely acknowledged.
CHRISTIAN STURM, Sr.
Christian Sturm, who one of the best known and most highly esteemed pioneers of the Walla Walla valley, was born in the kingdom of Wurttemberg, Germany, April 14, 1834. At the age of seventeen, accompanied by a brother, he came to the United States, the ocean voyage taking forty-two days.
He enjoyed telling a good joke on himself which occurred when he landed in New York with little of this world's goods. He met with a traveling Jew who said to him: "Carry these bags and suit cases for me several blocks and I'll pay you twenty-five cents." He accepted the offer and carried the luggage blocks and blocks until, finally in the heart of the city, they entered a building and climbed several flights of stairs. On one of the top floors the Jew took the luggage and asked him to wait a few minutes and he would return and pay him. He waited and waited patiently but the generous Jewish gentleman never returned. It was some little time before it dawned on him that he was "stung." It was a lesson, for the errand caused him to miss his boat and, also, his brother whom he never saw again. That night he spent sight seeing about New York, and while standing about admiring what was a most wonderful building to him he was thrown into jail where he was compelled to remain until morning and he often remarked, "his first and only time in jail was his first night in America."
CHRISTIAN STURM, Sr.