Z.V. Taylor Dies On Train While on Way to New York. . . S.P.U. President Suffers Attack of Indigestion. . . He and J.B. Duke, Southern Power President, Left Charlotte Last Night
Z.V. Taylor, president of the Southern Public Utilities Company, died suddenly aboard the private car of J.B. Duke, near Fredericksburg, Va., Monday morning at 10 o’clock from acute indigestion.
The death of Mr. Taylor was announced in a telegram, received by officials here of the Southern Public Utilities Company at 11 o’clock, signed by Mr. Duke. Other details than his sudden death from acute indigestion were not contained in the message.
Mr. Taylor also was president of the Piedmont and Northern Railway Lines and vice-president of the Durham and Southern Railroad.
Mr. Taylor’s wife, Mrs. Irvin Scales Taylor, dropped dead last November 18 at the home of Mrs. H.M. Wade, shortly after she had left a dinner party, given by Mrs. E.C. Marshall.
Mr. Taylor and Mr. Duke left Charlotte Sunday night over the Seaboard railway for New York on business. He had not complained of feeling ill and was expecting to remain in New York for some time.
The telegram from Mr. Duke was dated at 10:40 o’clock, indicating that the train was some distance out from Fredericksburg at the time of Mr. Taylor’s death.
The body of Mr. Taylor will be taken to Greensboro. The funeral and interment likely will take place there, though arrangements had not been made Monday. His father and mother and a sister reside in Stokesdale, near Greensboro.
Mr. Taylor has been in his normal health, in so far as his associates here knew. About a year ago he suffered an attack of appendicitis, from which he apparently recovered. Aside from this ailment no physical incapacities had been observed. He was a man of unusual vivaciousness and energy. During the last few months he had gone through unusual periods of strain and work in connection with the hearings of the Southern Power Company before the State Corporation Commission. Last Thursday he closed the case for the Southern Power Company in the hearing before the Corporation Commission in which the power company seeks a change of rates for mill power. He returned to the city Friday and was at his office as usual Saturday, clearing up several business matters in order to leave Sunday night with Mr. Duke for New York.
The news of his death came as a shock to the entire force in the offices of the Southern Public Utilities Company. It was with difficulty that the necessary duties of the company could be carried out owing to the disruption of the organization which the telegram from Mr. Duke caused.
Mr. Taylor came to Charlotte in 1910 as president of the old Charlotte Power Company. With the organization of the Southern Public Utilities Company in 1914, he assumed the presidency, and has served in that capacity since. Officials of the company declared Monday that the success of the organization has been largely due to his vision, ideals of service and management. The Southern Public Utilities Company operates the street railway systems in Charlotte, Winston-Salem, Greenville, and Anderson, and power and lighting systems in these four cities and Hickory, Thomasville, Chester, S.C., Grier, S.C., and other towns and cities including power systems in Belmont and China Grove.
The career of Mr. Taylor forms a story of a man who, without superior advantages in youth or young manhood, worked himself up to the highest level in the business of his state, occupying one of the most responsible and commanding positions which a North Carolina industry or business can offer.
Although a practicing attorney for many years, Mr. Taylor gave up his profession to become associated with the old Greensboro Electric Company, serving as its president. Coming here in 1910 as president of the Charlotte Power Company, he served at the head of this organization until it was merged into the Southern Public Utilities Company in 1914.
Mr. Taylor was one of those most instrumental in the organization and development of the Piedmont and Northern Railway Lines and at the time of his death was its president. He was also vice-president of the Durham and Southern railroad.
Born in Sparta, Tennessee, September 4, 1868, three years after the close of the war between the states, he was named after North Carolina’s famous war governor, Zebulon Vance. HIs father, Dr. H.L. Talor, had left Stokesdale in Guilford County and had removed to Sparta a short time before Mr. Taylor’s birth.
Sometime thereafter, the elder Taylor removed to Illinois to practice his profession as a physician so that much of boyhood days of Z.V. Taylor was spent in that state. The family removed to Stokesdale, however, during his youth.
He received an ordinary grammar schooling and was denied the advantages of a college education. He received prepartory training, however, at Oak Ridge Institute, from which he graduated.
In his young manhood he entered the law office of Judges John Gray Bynum and W.P. Bynum, under whom he studied for the bar. In his endeavors to better prepare himself or life, Mr. Taylor wrote the University of North Carolina and obtained its course of study. He bought the books taught in the University, and “burning the midnight oil,” delved into the deeper mysteries of education.
Completing his study of law he was taken into partnership in Greensboro with his tutors. Judge John Gray is dead. Judge W.P. Bynum is one of the state’s ablest and most prominent attorneys.
When a young man Mr. Taylor was elected mayor of Greensboro, serving his city with unusual ability and demonstrating then his intellect and vision, which distinguished him in later years. As an attorney he was actively interested in politics of the state and was on several occasions a delegate to political conventions and gatherings of like nature. He managed Congressman Stedmans’ campaign in one of his fights for election, and was active in campaigns for the election of the state’s public men.
In later years Mr. Taylor became associated with his brothers-in-law, the firm being known as Scales, Taylor and ?? (word obscured).
Throughout his life Mr. Taylor was studious and read a great deal. His constant companionship was books and his natural abilities and intellectual capacity made him a most scholarly man and an able lawyer. He was generally recognized as possessing one of the best legal minds in the state.
He was a man of culture and refinement. He traveled extensively in both this country and in Europe.
His associates among the officials of the Southern Public Utilities Company and the Southern Power Company spoke touchingly of him in commenting on his death Monday. His consideration for others, particularly those in his employ, his willingness to aid those who sought his assistance, and his unselfish nature were brought out.
Mr. Taylor was generally recognized as one of the most active men in the business life of the state. He was interested in all movements tending to better conditions in his city and state and frequently gave of his time and best efforts to foster a worthy cause.
“He was one of the ablest and most lovable men I have ever known, and he will be missed by everybody in the organization from the office boy u,” said W.S. Lee, vice-president of the Southern Power Company and an associate of Mr. Taylor for years. “He was a man of great vision and one of the most energetic men I have ever known.”
Mr. Taylor was a member of the First Presbyterian church of Charlotte. He was also a member of Phalanx Lodge of Masons. He was a member of the Southern Manufacturers Club, Country Club, Charlotte Chamber of Commerce and other clubs and organizations, and in these he was most active. He served several terms as a director of the Chamber of Commerce.
He married Miss Irvin Scales, daughter of Col. Junius Irvin Scales, and niece of the late Governor A.M. Scales. Her sudden death last November had been a heavy burden for Mr. Taylor, and duties of his office since then had been unusually strenuous. Although he had not complained it was believed that his health had been impaired by the strain of many responsibilities which had confronted him in recent months.
Mr. Taylor leaves his father and mother, Dr. And Mrs. H.L. Taylor, and a sister, who resides in Stokesdale, Guilford County.
Many friends from Charlotte and throughout the state are expected to attend the funeral services. All officials of the Southern Power company and Southern Public Utilities Company here likely will go in addition to numerous others of his many friends and acquaintances.
Funeral services for Mr. Taylor will be held at the First Presbyterian Church at Greensboro Tuesday afternoon, though the definite hour has not yet been announced.
Mr. Taylor’s home here was in Myers Park. He and Mrs. Taylor were prominent in Charlotte’s social sphere and their sudden death within a few months has cast a spirit of gloom over the entire city.
Most of the official family of the Southern Power Company and the Southern Public Utilities Company here will attend the funeral. Mr. And Mrs. W.S. Lee and Mr. And Mrs. E.C. Marshall will go to Greensboro Monday night. J.P. Lucas, W.I. Burkholder, E. Thomason, L.H. Adams, S.S. Duckett, S.W. Whitesides, D.G. Calder, S.W. Latchicorte and others will go Tuesday morning.
From the front page of The Charlotte News, Monday evening, April 18, 1921. People who died suddenly of acute indigestion most likely died of a heart attack.
