J. H. Tayler
Joseph Henry Tayler | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date Fort Howard, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Died | May 25, 1959 (aged 100) Green Bay, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Banker, politician |
| Years active | 1881–circa 1931 |
| Known for | Mayor of Fort Howard and Green Bay; McCartney National Bank executive; convicted of embezzlement |
Joseph Henry Tayler (February 7, 1859 – May 25, 1959) was a banker and politician affiliated with the Republican Party in Wisconsin. He held office as the 29th mayor of Green Bay, Wisconsin and previously served as the ninth mayor of Fort Howard, Wisconsin. In 1932, Tayler faced federal charges for embezzlement and fraud tied to the concealment of the McCartney National Bank of Green Bay’s financial status, resulting in a four-year prison sentence. His name is frequently abbreviated as J. H. Tayler and occasionally misspelled as Taylor.
Early life and career
Tayler was born in Fort Howard, Wisconsin on February 7, 1859, spending the majority of his life in that region, which became part of Green Bay in 1895. Early on, he dedicated ten years working as assistant postmaster under his father, who had also been city treasurer—a role Tayler himself occupied for two years.
In 1881, Tayler entered into partnership with David McCartney to establish the McCartney Exchange Bank; McCartney served as president while Tayler took on the role of comptroller. This institution was reorganized into the McCartney National Bank in 1892, maintaining the same leadership team. Tayler remained affiliated with the bank for nearly five decades and held additional roles at the Farmers' and Traders' Bank located in Wrightstown. Moreover, during the 1890s, he was a director of the Fort Howard Water Works Company, responsible for supplying water to the municipality.
Political career
Throughout his professional life, Tayler was engaged in local politics through the Republican Party of Wisconsin. He completed two terms as mayor of Fort Howard in 1889 and 1890. Following Fort Howard’s incorporation into Green Bay in 1895, Tayler won election as Green Bay’s mayor in 1902 by defeating incumbent Simon J. Murphy, Jr.. He chose not to run for a subsequent term in 1904.
Embezzlement charges
By 1931, during the economic hardships of the Great Depression, Tayler had served nearly fifty years as an officer at McCartney National Bank. He had just finished a tenure as president and was serving as chairman of the board when George A. Richardson assumed presidency in January 1931 but tragically took his own life four months later. One week after Richardson’s death, federal authorities took control following the bank’s collapse.
Subsequent investigations uncovered financial misconduct involving bank executives. Tayler faced allegations of embezzling over $600,000 for personal gain and investment purposes. He was apprehended while hospitalized in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, reportedly suffering from heart issues.
Following conviction, Tayler received a ten-year federal prison sentence but was released on parole after serving four years at Leavenworth. Upon returning to Green Bay, he worked as a bookkeeper in a grocery store until reaching age ninety-three.
Personal life and family
J. H. Tayler was the youngest among at least six siblings born to Joseph Tayler and Melissa Victorine (Template:Nee Kennan). On June 27, 1889, he married Eleanor J. Richardson; they had two children together, though their first child died during infancy. Tayler lived to be one hundred years old and passed away at his residence in Green Bay on May 25, 1959.
Green Bay Mayoral Election (1902)
| colspan="6" style="text-align:center;background-color: #e9e9e9;"| General Election, April 1, 1902