Harvey E. Taylor (1910-1957)
Pedigreed Poultry, Breeding Pen Lost In Taylor Fire
An early morning fire Saturday called volunteers from four area departments out into below-zero cold to the poultry farm of Harvey Taylor, on Route 41 south of Cook, where, despite their stubborn effort to save the property, a two-story pen and 300 pedigreed breeding chickens were destroyed. Firemen from Cedar Lake, Crown Point, Lowell and Lake Dalecarlia responded to the call, first made by Arnold Herr of Lowell, who discovered the blaze on his way home from work shortly before 1 o'clock.Razed in the fire, whose origin is not known, was a 20 by 70-foot brooder house, whose estimated value was reported at $4,000. No price, Taylor said, could be put on his White Wyandotte hens. Although they were foundation stock, representative of the national championship layers with which he has won national records and Lake county fair grand championships, he said earlier this week that their loss would have no immediate effect on his ability to deliver this season.
Total loss from the fire has been estimated at around $10,000.
A copy of the following article from a January 1957 newspaper was found in a scrapbook owned by Town Historian Richard Schmal:
1000 Chicks Burn At Taylor Farm
1000 baby chickens were destroyed by fire that swept through mounds of straw in a shed on the Harvey Taylor Poultry Farm, three miles south of Cook last Thursday night. The loss is estimated at $1200. Damage to the building was slight.Firemen from Lowell, Lake Dale, Cedar Lake and Crown Point battled the blaze for two hours. The fire was traced to straw ignited by one of two brooder stoves in the shed.
A copy of the following unidentified newspaper article was found in a scrapbook owned by Town Historian Richard Schmal:
Harvey E. Taylor Dies Today In Gary Hospital
Sorrow Spreads as Area Hears of Cedar Lake Poultryman's Death
Heard with shocked surprise and sorrow this afternoon (Thursday) was word of Harvey Taylor's death at 1 o'clock in Gary Methodist hospital, where he underwent brain surgery New Years night. Known widely and as widely liked, Harvey had gained not only national but international reputation as a breeder of Silver Wyandottes and a hybrid strain known as Taylor Crossbreds, that established winning records whenever they were entered in egg-laying contests over the county.Aged 46, he was born to Mr. and Mrs. Hamlet Taylor in their farm home west of Lowell and West Creek Township continued his homeplace for virtually all of his life. After graduation from Lowell high school he began the study, raising and breeding of chickens that continued to claim his interest and spur his resourcefulness, ambition and industry. His chicken farm and country home were on Highway 41 near Cedar Lake.
After complaining of headaches for the last few weeks Harvey entered Gary Methodist hospital Friday for extensive examination and Tuesday night the operation scheduled for this Friday was performed because of the growing seriousness of his condition.
His wife, Joyce Frame Taylor, whom he married two years ago on New Year's Day, and her three daughters survive with his father, who [is] in ill health, and Mrs. Taylor; three brothers, Milford Taylor of Cedar Lake, Leo of Chicago and Forrest of Medford, Wisconsin; and three sisters, Mrs. Bert Bruce of Lowell, Mrs. Earl Alexander of Cedar [Lake] and Mrs. Jack Hansel of Alexandria, Virginia.
The body was taken to the Eskridge funeral home in Lowell.
Another unidentified newspaper article was also found in a scrapbook owned by Town Historian Richard Schmal:
Harvey Taylor, 46, Well Known Poultryman, Passed Away Jan. 3
Deepest sympathy is extended to the family of Harvey E. Taylor, 46, whose death last Thursday afternoon, Jan. 3, brought sorrow to all of southern Lake County. He passed away at 1:00 in Gary Methodist Hospital where he had undergone brain surgery on New Year's night. He had entered the hospital the previous Friday for extensive examination, having suffered headaches for the past few weeks.Harvey, son of Hamlet and Lue Ella (Wheeler) Taylor of West Creek Township, rural route 2, Lowell, was born at the farm home April 12, 1910. He was graduated from Lowell high school in 1928 and was an alumnus of the South Bend Business College. He attended short courses at Purdue University where he studied varied fields in poultry. He established a poultry farm in West Creek Township on U.S. 41, south of Cook, and had gained international reputation as a breeder of Silver Wyandottes. He developed a hybrid strain known as Taylor Crossbreds and his hens won egg - laying contests over the nation. Taylor Cross chicks have been flown by the thousands to poultrymen in foreign lands.
The Rev. Jasper H. Cox, pastor of the Crown Point Methodist church, officiated at memorial services held at 2 p.m. Sunday, January 6, in the Eskridge Funeral Home, Lowell. Interment was made in Maplewood cemetery, Crown Point.
His wife, Joyce Frame Taylor and her three children survive with his parents and six brothers and sisters, Forrest of Medford, Wisconsin, Leo of Chicago, Milford of Cedar Lake, Mrs. Earl (Helen) Alexander of Cedar Lake, Mrs. Jack (Carrie) Hansel of Alexandria, Virginia, and Mrs. Bert (Ester) Bruce of Lowell; besides a host of other relatives and many friends.
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