JUDGE TAYLOR PASSES AWAY/Death Comes Suddenly to One of City's Most Prominent Men..Friends throughout South Mississippi were shocked upon hearing of the death of one of Jones County's most prominent citizens, Judge James Thomas Taylor, who died suddenly at his home here on Friday evening. Judge Taylor walked home from his son's drug store about eight o'clock and when other members of the family came in about eleven o'clock and found out that he had not come in they became alarmed and began looking for him. He was found in the yard where doctors said that he had died of a heart attack shortly after eight o'clock. Judge Taylor, who was sixty-seven years old, had long been prominent in affairs of this city and surrounding communities. He was a native of Newton county and the son of R.J. and Nancy Jane Reynolds Taylor, born November 9, 1863. When he was a lad of fourteen he came wit his parents to Ellisville. On May 13, 1900, his marriage to Nancy Elizabeth Anderson took place. Since 1908, the deceased had practiced law and served his fellow men in innumerable ways. Since the organization of the Home Owners Loan Corporation, he had headed its legal staff in Mississippi and also served as local counsel for the Gulf, Mobile and Northern, the Southern and Illinois Central railroads and was a bank director. In another field of service, that of education, Judge Taylor was an active leader. He taught school for a number of years and later served as Superintendent of Education in Jones County. He was a member of the Jones County A.H.S. and Junior College school board for approximately 15 years and served as a member of the board of trustees of the State Feebleminded Institute for the same length of time. He served as mayor of Ellisville and attorney for the city for many years and on several occasions was appointed special judge for circuit court sessions. During America's participation in the World War, he served on the Ellisville Draft Board and was a member of the local home guard. He was also a veteran of the Spanish-American War. He as a charter member of the First Methodist Church of Ellisville and served as superintendent of the Sunday School for many years. At the time of his death, Mr. Taylor had served many terms as president of the Business Men's League, was a Mason and was a past president of the Ellisville Rotary Club. Funeral services were held at the Methodist Church on Sunday afternoon at three o'clock with the pastor, Rev. J.D. Slay, officiating, Rev. E.L. Storey, Presbyterian pastor and Rev. L. A . Beckman of Collins assisting. Internment was in the Ellisville Cemetery. Active pallbearers were W.H. Ellsworth, J. P. Myer, II, Jim Turner, Fred Bynum, J.M. Powell and Dr. Thomas R. Beech. Honorary pallbearers were Circuit Judge Burkitt Collins, Walter S. Welch, Ray Walker, Ellis Cooper, H.C. Carter, Henry Hilbun, I. R. Anderson, A.D. Anderson, Warner Beard Jr., C.R. Shannon, L.K. Sauls and other members of the Jones County Bar. Surviving are his widow; three sons, Thomas Taylor, Ellisville; Bert Taylor, Jackson and Robert Sidney Taylor, Newark, N.J.; one daughter Mrs. Wirt Harris, Evansville, Ind; a brother, Robert J. Taylor, Laurel; three sisters, Mrs. Sidney Freeman, Jackson; Mrs. William Murray, Ellisville; and Mrs. Donald Bynum, Laurel. Two grandchildren, Miss Jane Harris, student at Sophie Newcomb College, New Orleans; and Wirt Harris, Jr. also survive. These relatives were all present for the funeral.
(From the Ellisville Progress-Item, Thursday, November 28, 1940 - Ellen Bigbie)