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Waller Taylor | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Virginia House of Delegates | |
| In office 1800–1802 | |
| Indiana Territorial judge | |
| In office 1806–1816 | |
| Indiana Territorial Legislature | |
| In office 1809–1816 | |
| United States Senator fromIndiana | |
| In office December 11, 1816 – March 3, 1825 | |
| Preceded by | None |
| Succeeded by | William Hendricks |
| Personal details | |
| Born | December 7, 1775 Lunenburg County, Virginia |
| Died | August 26, 1826 (aged 50–51) Lunenburg, Virginia |
| Political party | Democratic-Republican National Republican Party |
| Military service | |
| Branch/service | United States Army |
| Rank | general |
| Battles/wars | Tecumseh's War War of 1812 |
Waller Taylor (c. 1775 – August 26, 1826)[1] was an American military commander, politician, and one of the first two senators from the state of Indiana.
Taylor was born inLunenburg County, Virginia where he spent his entire childhood. He studied law and served in theVirginia House of Delegates from 1800 to 1802.
In 1804 he moved toVincennes, Indiana and practiced law there. He was appointed chancellor of the Indiana Territory in 1807. Also in 1807, he became a major in the territorial militia.[2] He fought againstNative Americans and served as anaide-de-camp toWilliam Henry Harrison during theTecumseh's War in 1809 to 1810. He participated in theBattle of Tippecanoe.
Taylor continued in the United States Army during theWar of 1812 and rose to the rank of adjutant general.
Taylor was a strong supporter ofslavery and believed that slavery should have been allowed in Indiana. The slavery party had lost its majority status in the 1809 election and Taylor was part of the pro-slavery party trying regain power. He campaigned to become the congressional representative for Indiana in 1812 but was defeated byJonathan Jennings. He had a hot temper and during the campaign challenged Jennings to a duel; Jennings declined.
In 1816, whenIndiana became a state, he was chosen along withJames Noble to join theUnited States Senate as the first senators from Indiana. Taylor was elected to a full term in 1818 and left the Senate when that term expired in 1825.
Taylor was a member of the faction in the United States Senate that supportedJohn Quincy Adams andHenry Clay. He was also associated with the United StatesDemocratic-Republican Party and theUnited States National Republican Party.
Little else is known about the rest of Taylor's life except that he returned toLunenburg, Virginia, and died there a year after leaving the Senate, of natural causes.
Taylor was buried on his family's land inLunenburg, Virginia.
| U.S. Senate | ||
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| Preceded by None | U.S. senator (Class 3) from Indiana 1816–1825 Served alongside:James Noble | Succeeded by |
| Class 1 |  | |
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| Class 3 | ||
| International | |
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| National | |
| People | |
| Other | |
