George Taylor
George Taylor (died 1889) was an American instrument maker, merchant, and industrialist who cofounded the enterprise that grew into the Taylor Instrument Companies in Rochester, New York.<ref name="ur-d75">University of Rochester Department of Rare Books, Special Collections, and Preservation. "Biographical / Historical Note." Taylor Instrument Company Papers (D.75). Online Finding Aid.</ref>
Starting from a single rented workshop on Exchange Street in 1851, Taylor steered the business through its early transitions from Kendall & Taylor to sole proprietorship, through the partnership of Taylor & Richardson, and ultimately into the establishment of the Taylor Brothers Company, serving as its president until his death in 1889.<ref name="ur-d75" />
Founding Kendall & Taylor (1851–1853)
In November 1851, 19-year-old George Taylor joined forces with artisan David Kendall to form Kendall & Taylor in downtown Rochester.<ref name="ur-d75" /> Both men brought prior practical background in thermometer making to the enterprise. Kendall, whose father Thomas Kendall Jr. had been an early pioneer of precision American graduation, provided master craft knowledge and manufacturing tools valued at roughly $600.<ref name="ur-d75" />
The firm opened in a single rented room situated over Post’s Drug Store on Exchange Street.<ref name="ur-d75" /> There, Kendall and Taylor designed and assembled their own thermometers and barometers:
- Kendall oversaw shop fabrication, glass-blowing, mercury-filling, and calibrating temperature scales.
- George Taylor managed bookkeeping, finance, and regional sales, frequently peddling instruments from a trunk across upstate and western New York.
Sole Ownership & Expansion to Hill Street (1853–1859)
In 1853, following rapid growth in which initial assets were tripled, David Kendall sold his interest in the company to George Taylor.<ref name="ur-d75" /> Taylor succeeded him as sole owner and guided the firm’s first significant physical expansion, moving operations to 11 Hill Street. This relocation provided the room necessary to house expanding assembly work and an enlarged workforce.<ref name="ur-d75" />
George Taylor temporarily withdrew from direct active management of the shop in 1859, setting the stage for the arrival of his family from New England.<ref name="ur-d75" />
Formation of Taylor & Richardson and Taylor Brothers (1862–1872)
In 1862, George's brother Frank Taylor arrived in Rochester from New Hampshire.<ref name="ur-d75" /> Frank engaged in independent thermometer manufacturing, cofounding Taylor & Richardson in 1866 alongside Hamlet F. Richardson at 145 Buffalo Street.<ref name="ur-d75" />
When Richardson stepped down due to failing health later that year, George Taylor re-entered the picture, formally purchasing Richardson’s interest in 1870.<ref name="ur-d75" /> The brothers united their shops, officially adopting the celebrated trade name Taylor Brothers (later the Taylor Brothers Company) in 1872.<ref name="ur-d75" />
Presidency and Legacy
George Taylor served continuously as President of the Taylor Brothers Company from 1872 until his death in 1889.<ref name="ur-d75" /> During his leadership:
- The firm built national renown for household, dairy, clinical, and industrial thermometers.
- His sons, J. Merton Taylor and G. Elbert Taylor, entered the business and trained under executive management.<ref name="ur-d75" />
- Upon George’s death in 1889, his brother Frank Taylor succeeded him as president, incorporating the firm the following year with $75,000 in capital stock.<ref name="ur-d75" />
His sons would both later serve as company presidents during the transformative early decades of the twentieth century.<ref name="ur-d75" />
Archival Primary Sources
The historical and corporate milestones on this page are documented in the Taylor Instrument Company Papers (Collection D.75), preserved by the Department of Rare Books, Special Collections, and Preservation at the University of Rochester Libraries:
- Series I: General History (1851–1951) — Timelines, company incorporation records, partnership agreements, and family correspondence.
- Series III: Business Papers — Scientific specifications, sales ledgers, and early shop records from Exchange Street and Hill Street.
References
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