Edward Robeson Taylor photo

Edward Robeson Taylor

Edward Robeson Taylor was the 28th Mayor of San Francisco serving from July 16, 1907 to January 7, 1910. Taylor was the only son of Henry West Taylor and the former Mary Thaw of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (he was descended on his mother's side from the early colonial merchant, Andrew Robeson, of Philadelphia.) He was a lawyer and a poet in California before he became mayor, publishing an 1898 book of sonnets based on the paintings of William Keith. Taylor was appointed mayor due to the resignation of Charles Boxton, after his eight-day term. When he was sworn in, he became the oldest mayor of San Francisco to be sworn in at 68 years old and still currently holds the record today. He died in San Francisco on July 5, 1923. His remains are housed at the San Francisco Columbarium.


“He viewed us, as we passed him by,With calm and yet with questioning eye,But moveless still, as though the stoneWere portion of his being's own.”
Edward Robeson Taylor
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