Robert Love Taylor

Robert Love Taylor
24th Governor of Tennessee
In office January 17, 1887 – January 19, 1891
Preceded by	William B. Bate
Succeeded by	John P. Buchanan
In office January 21, 1897 – January 16, 1899
Preceded by	Peter Turney
Succeeded by	Benton McMillin
United States Senator from Tennessee
In office March 4, 1907 – March 31, 1912
Preceded by	Edward W. Carmack
Succeeded by	Newell Sanders
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Tennessee's 1st district
In office March 4, 1879 – March 3, 1881
Preceded by	James H. Randolph
Succeeded by	Augustus H. Pettibone
Personal details
Born	(1850-07-31)July 31, 1850 Carter County, Tennessee, US
Died	March 31, 1912(1912-03-31) (aged 61) Washington, D.C., US
Resting place	Monte Vista Memorial Park, Johnson City, Tennessee
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Sarah Baird Alice Hill Mamie St. John
Relations	Nathaniel Green Taylor (father) Alfred A. Taylor (brother) Landon Carter Haynes (uncle) Nathaniel Edwin Harris (cousin) Peter Taylor (grandson)
Profession	Attorney, lecturer, editor
Signature

Robert Love Taylor (July 31, 1850 – March 31, 1912) was an American politician, writer, and lecturer. A member of the Democratic Party, he served three terms as the 24th governor of Tennessee, from 1887 to 1891, and again from 1897 to 1899, and subsequently served as a United States senator from 1907 until his death. He also represented Tennessee's 1st district in the United States House of Representatives from 1879 to 1881, the last Democrat to hold the district's seat.^[1]

A charismatic speaker, Taylor is remembered for defeating his older brother, Alfred A. "Alf" Taylor, in the 1886 gubernatorial campaign known as "The War of the Roses."^[2] The campaign involved storytelling, fiddle-playing, and practical jokes, standing in contrast to the state's previous gubernatorial campaigns, which typically involved fierce rhetoric and personal attacks.^[1] Though Robert Taylor won in 1886, Alfred Taylor was elected as governor in the early 1920s.

Along with politics, Taylor was a public lecturer and magazine editor. He published several collections of his lectures and short stories in the 1890s and early 1900s, and was co-editor of the Taylor-Trotwood Magazine.