Edmund Richard "Dick" Taylor, Father of the Greenback, businessman, politician, and soldier from Illinois.

Edmund Richard "Dick" Taylor

Born Edmund Richard Taylor (1804-1891) in Lunenburg County, Virginia, son of Giles Y Taylor (1766–1830) and Francine "Sina" Stokes. In later years, he preferred to use his middle name rather than his first name, and used it in its short form. Thus he became known as "Dick" Taylor, and his middle initial was written "D" in formal documents.

Dick Taylor was an Indian trader in his youth. In the fall of 1823, he began general merchandising with Colonel John Taylor in Springfield, Illinois. On September 18, 1829, he married Margaret Taylor (born December 28, 1813 in Kentucky), the daughter of Col. John Taylor and Elizabeth (Burkhead) Taylor.

In 1830, he was elected to the Illinois State Legislature, representing Sangamon County. In 1832 he was re-elected, defeating several challengers including Abraham Lincoln. Taylor was the only man to defeat Lincoln in a direct election. In 1834 he was elected to the Illinois Senate from Sangamon County.

In 1835, he was appointed by President Andrew Jackson as Receiver of Public Moneys in Chicago, where he was in charge of substantial sales of federal land. After holding this position for four years, he returned to the private sector. He continued to play a leading role in Democratic Party politics in Illinois.

Excerpt from "Herndon's Lincoln: The True Story of a Great Life.
"Among the Democratic orators who stumped the county in the late1830s was one Taylor commonly known as Col. Dick Taylor. He was a showy, bombastic man, with a weakness for fine clothes and other personal . adornments. Frequently he was pitted against Lincoln, and indulged in many bitter flings at the lordly ways and aristocratic pretensions of the Whigs. He had a way of appealing to "his horny-handed neighbors," and resorted to many other artful tricks of a demagogue. When he was one day expatiating in his accustomed style, Lincoln, in a spirit of mischief and, as he expressed it, "to take the wind out of his sails," slipped up to the speaker's side, and catching his vest by the lower edge gave it a sharp pull. The latter instantly opened and revealed to his astonished hearers a ruffled shirt-front glittering with watch-chain, seals, and other golden jewels. The effect was startling. The speaker stood confused and dumbfounded, while the audience roared with laughter. When it came Lincoln's turn to answer he covered the gallant colonel over in this style:

"While Colonel Taylor was making these charges against the Whigs over the country, riding in fine carriages, wearing ruffled shirts, kid-gloves, massive gold watch-chains with large gold-seals, and flourishing a heavy gold-headed cane, I was a poor boy, hired on a flat-boat at eight dollars a month, and had only one pair of breeches to my back, and they were buckskin. Now if you know the nature of buckskin when wet and dried by the sun, it will shrink; and my breeches kept shrinking until they left several inches of my legs bare between the tops of my socks and the lower part of my breeches; and whilst I was growing taller they were becoming shorter, and so much tighter that they left a blue streak around my legs that can be seen to this day. If you call this aristocracy I plead guilty to the charge."

Taylor was a pioneer of the coal industry in Illinois. In 1823 he took an interest in coal and opened the West End Shaft, also known as West End Coal Mine. In 1856, he sank a shaft in La Salle County, Illinois, operating as the Northern Illinois Coal and Iron Company. He also owned other mines in that area. On February 18, 1863, at a convention in Chicago of the coal operators in Illinois, Edmund was appointed Chairman.

Taylor played an important role in Illinois in promoting and bringing about "internal improvements" (canals, railroads, and other transportation infrastructure). General Usher F. Linder stated "If any man deserves more credit than another for the completion of the Illinois and Michigan Canal, it is Col. Edmund D. Taylor." When the Galena and Chicago Union Railroad was incorporated on January 16, 1836, Taylor was appointed commissioner and director. On January 18, 1837, at Russell's Saloon in Chicago, supporters of internal improvements held a mass meeting. William H. Brown was called to the chair and William Stuart appointed Secretary, Francis Payton stated the objects of the meeting. A committee of five was appointed namely: Edmund D. Taylor, Captain J. B. F. Russell, Francis Payton, John Harris Kinzie (eldest son of John Kinzie), and Joseph N. Balestier. The meeting declared in favor of the immediate construction of the Illinois Central Railroad and general system of improvement.

On February 5, 1857, the Chicago Merchants' Exchange company was incorporated by: Edmund D. Taylor, Thomas Hall, George Armour, James Peck, John P. Chapin, Walter S. Gurnee, Edward Kendall Rogers, Thomas Richmond, Julian Sidney Rumsey, Samuel B. Pomeroy, Elisha Wadsworth, Walter Loomis Newberry, Hiram Wheeler and George Steele.

Taylor had several tours of military service. During the Winnebago War of 1827, he enlisted as a private in Captain Bowling Green's Company of the militia on July 20, 1827, and was honorably discharged on August 27th. During the Black Hawk War of 1832 he was commissioned as a colonel in the state militia on June13th by governor John Reynolds. He was also Aide-de-camp to Brigadier General Joseph Duncan of the Brigade of Mounted Volunteers, in service of the United States. During the Civil War (1861-1865), Taylor was again commissioned a colonel. He did not serve in the field, but was employed very extensively by President Lincoln as a confidential messenger.

By late 1861, it was clear that the Civil War was going to be much more costly than anyone had expected, and that the Union would have to raise or find or borrow vast amounts of money. Taylor had the idea that the Union could pay its expenses with newly created money in the form of paper currency ("greenbacks").

Image of a one dollar "Greenback," first issued in 1862.

Taylor mentioned his idea for greenbacks at General Ulysses S. Grant's headquarters in Cairo, Illinois. On January 16, 1862, Taylor met privately with President Abraham Lincoln at his request. Taylor suggested the issuance of treasury notes bearing no interest and printed on the best banking paper. Taylor said "Just get Congress to pass a bill authorizing the printing of full legal tender treasury notes... and pay your soldiers with them and go ahead and win your war with them also. If you make them full legal tender... they will have the full sanction of the government and be just as good as any money; as Congress is given the express right by the Constitution." In a letter dated December 16, 1864, President Lincoln named Col. Edmund D. Taylor as "the father of the present greenback." Taylor cited his suggestion of the greenback in his 1887 petition to Congress for reimbursement of his out-of-pocket expenses and he included the 1864 letter from Abraham Lincoln. In February of 1888, he added a more recent letter from General John McClernand, who had been at Cairo at the time, and confirmed Taylor's account.

My dear Colonel Dick:
I have long determined to make public the origin of the greenback and tell the world that it was Dick Taylor’s creation. You had always been friendly to me. and when troublous times fell on us, and my shoulders, though broad and willing, were weak, and myself surrounded by such circumstances and such people that I knew not whom to trust, then I said in my extremity, ‘I will send for Colonel Taylor — he will know what to do.' I think it was in January 1862, on or about the 16th, that I did so. Said you: ‘Why, issue treasury notes bearing no interest, printed on the best banking paper. Issue enough to pay off the army expenses and declare it legal tender.' Chase thought it a hazardous thing, but we finally accomplished it, and gave the people of this Republic the greatest blessing they ever had — their own paper to pay their debts. It is due to you, the father of the present greenback, that the people should know it and I take great pleasure in making it known. How many times have I laughed at you telling me, plainly, that I was too lazy to be anything but a lawyer. 

Yours Truly,
A. Lincoln

During the Civil War, Taylor had spent considerable sums from his own pocket for travel on government business and in raising and equipping Union troops. At the time, he asked for no reimbursement. But in 1887, he applied to Congress to be repaid $15,000 of his expenses. Taylor retained considerable standing in Chicago's business community. His petition included a supporting memorial signed by 56 prominent men of Chicago and Illinois. Taylor's petition was considered by the Committee on War Claims, but it was rejected for want of documentation. Taylor renewed his petition in 1890, but it was again rejected.

Taylor was ruined by the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, which destroyed 14 stores owned by him. He had insurance, but it was with Chicago firms that were overwhelmed by the disaster.

Worn Head Stones for Edmund D. Taylor and his wife Margaret Taylor.

Taylor died in Chicago, Illinois, on December 4, 1891. He is buried at Oak Ridge Cemetery in Springfield, Sangamon County, Illinois.

Compiled by Neil Gale, Ph.D.

Philip Maxwell, M.D. was the eleventh and last surgeon of Fort Dearborn.

Philip Maxwell was born in Guilford, Vermont on April 3, 1799. Maxwell moved to Sackett's Harbor, New York, where he became a physician. He was a member of the New York State Assembly (Jefferson County) in 1832. 

The wedding portrait of Philip Maxwell, married in 1822.

He was commissioned as a physician for the United States Army and was assigned to Fort Dearborn in Chicago as an Assistant Surgeon, arriving on February 3, 1833 and served until the fort was abandoned on December 29th, 1836.

While in Wisconsin, Dr. Maxwell was so impressed with the beauty of the country surrounding Lake Geneva he paid $1,600 ($37,000 today) to plat Lake Geneva in 1833, and is acknowledged as the "Father of Lake Geneva" for having done so.

Plat of Lake Geneva, Wisconsin.

He was listed among the “500 Chicagoans” on the census prior to the incorporation of Chicago as a town on August 12, 1833. On September 26, 1833 he signed the Chicago Treaty document with the Indians as a witness and received $35 ($920 today) for a claim he made at this treaty.

He was promoted to a full surgeon in 1838 and served with General Zachary Taylor at Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He decided to make his home in Chicago after resigning from the service. From 1844 to 1847, he ran a doctors office at the corner of Lake and Clark Streets. 

A rotund gentleman of about 280 pounds, he was known for his jolly demeanor and a flair for horsemanship with a reputation for galloping "hell-for-leather" through town.

In 1845 he served as Chicago's City physician and sat on the Chicago Board of Health. In 1848, he joined the practice of Dr. Brockholst McVickar at Lake and Clark Streets, near the popular Tremont House, where he resumed his role as a physician. His spirited discussions at the billiard table of the Tremont House with Dr. Egan, a like large man of wit and overflowing humor, have become legend.

His name was mentioned among the attendants at the meetings that resulted in the organization of the Chicago Medical Society in 1850. In 1853 he became the State Treasurer of Illinois. 

In the Spring of 1855 he bought land there and began building a large summer house in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, moving in the following spring. Tall windows, broad entrances, elaborate ornamental wood moldings, marble fireplaces and grand staircase gave testimony to Dr. Maxwell’s position as a community leader.

Having relocated to Wisconsin, Philip’s office in Springfield was declared vacant by reason of his non-residence in the state of Illinois. He announced his permanent move to his new house in Wisconsin. 

Regarded as one of Lake Geneva’s finest landmarks, the building predates all of the area’s notable summer mansions and served as a summer residence for a line of several prominent Chicago industrialists who entertained both political and social dignitaries. General Ulysses S. Grant once stayed here. It was also the site of an early courtship of Nancy Davis, who later became the wife of President Ronald Reagan.

Dr. Philip Maxwell's summer house, built in 1855, in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin.

The property was rescued from total dereliction in the late 1970′s by Ruth Ann and Christopher Brown who made it their home and established it as a five room bed and breakfast for more than two decades .

In 2002 Nancy Golden Waspi followed her heart and purchased the property to create a charming Inn and Restaurant named the “Golden Oaks” in honor of her Family and respect to the original name “The Oaks.” She further Improved the property and filled the home with love and great energy for the next decade creating beautiful and memorable experiences from all who visited.

In 2012 Andrew Fritz of Lake Geneva’s Baker House (built in 1885), adopted the home from Nancy and began to put his creative twist on things. This became a detailed three year renovation project which included acquiring the adjacent land and buildings, which were originally part of the five acre 1856 Maxwell Estate. The completed boutique resort encompasses three acres of gardens, lounges, outdoor fireplaces, a heated pool, croquet and bocce ball amusement and 30 luxury hotel rooms steeped in history and renewed with dramatic Gilded Age grandeur.

Maxwell's book, "Doctor Maxwell’s Prescription and Diet Book of the Sick and Wounded at Fort Dearborn, 1832-1836," is preserved at the (Chicago Historical Society) now the Chicago History Museum.

Philip died on November 5, 1859, aged 60 years, at his home in Lake Geneva. Hundreds of mourners travelled by train from Chicago for his funeral. Philip was buried in Pioneer Cemetery in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. His beloved wife, Jerutha, died from breast cancer complications at home in Lake Geneva on March 27, 1875.

Chicago's famous Maxwell Street is named for Philip Maxwell.

Compiled by Neil Gale, Ph.D.

Dr. Jacob Bolotin (1888-1924); The world's first totally blind physician licensed to practice medicine.

Jacob Bolotin (1904)

Bolotin's parents were Jewish immigrants from Poland. Chicago born Jacob was the seventh child in the family and the third of those seven to be born blind. 

It took time after Jacob's birth for his parents to recognize that he had no sight. His eyes looked normal, and he had the innate ability to make perfect eye contact. However, just as his blind siblings Fred and Sarah had done at his age, Jacob crashed into the walls and furniture constantly as he began to crawl. It became obvious that the baby could not see.

When his mother went to enroll six-year-old Fred in public school, Jacob, now age four, wanted to go, too. The blind brothers had always done everything together. Upon hearing that Fred and Jacob were blind, the principal told their mother there was no place in the public schools for blind children.

Since the public school system could not educate the children, the Bolotins applied to the local Jewish Training School for admission. The school's principal was willing to give Fred a chance, but he indicated that Jacob was too young. The precocious child immediately stated he already knew as much as his brother. To prove it, Jacob recited his A B C's and then breathlessly counted all the way up to one hundred. Charmed by Jacob's enthusiasm for learning, the principal decided to give the little scholar a chance.

Soon realizing that his school did not have the necessary tools to teach blind children, the principal advised the parents to send the boys to a school for the blind. Here, they would have the opportunity for a better education. Shortly thereafter, the principal boarded a train with the two little boys and escorted them to the distant Illinois School for the Blind.

The Bolotin family was so poor that the parents could not afford to visit the children. They did not see one another until graduation--nine years later. Although graduation from the school was usually at age 16, 14-year-old Jacob became valedictorian of his class.

Despite his excellent education and superb blind skills, on returning home, Jacob could not find work. Accompanied only by a wooden cane, he searched the city of Chicago. No one would hire him. After many months of tramping about the city, Jacob became an excellent traveler. Designing a mental map of the various neighborhoods, memorizing route hazards, and learning all the streetcar destinations, he rarely became lost. Jacob's orientation and mobility techniques proved to be invaluable when he finally found a job as a door-to-door salesman.

First pedaling matches at four cents a box, the young entrepreneur moved on to selling a variety of brushes, from which he could make more money. Although he disliked what he was doing, Jacob needed the money--both to help support the Bolotin family and to further his education. Working twelve hours a day, he finally had enough money to attend a brief training program of what appears to have been massage therapy. Jacob had thought this training would lead to a career in the healing arts. Recognizing that the poorly taught course was inadequate, he set his sights on going to medical school instead. In order to pay for medical school, Jacob had to find a better way to earn money. Hearing about a company that needed salesman to sell newly-designed typewriters in commercial settings, Jacob applied for a job. He had excellent typing skills, which would enable him to show potential customers how to use a typewriter. The owner of the company was ready to hire him. Then, noticing Jacob's cane, he realized that he was blind. Jacob persuaded the boss to hire him on a trial basis, and he worked for one month without pay. His ability to demonstrate the benefits of using a typewriter, his smooth sales pitches, and his knowledge of the city gave Jacob an advantage that put him on a par with his sighted competitors. Eventually, the president offered Jacob one of the highest salaries ever paid at the typewriter company.

Jacob found a medical school that taught courses from 7 to 10 at night. By working during the day and attending school at night, he would have enough money to pay for the first year. After some initial hassles from the administration, he was allowed to enroll. Toward the end of his first year, the state withdrew accreditation, and the medical school closed its doors. It took Jacob another four years to earn enough money to begin his medical education again.

Returning to the typewriter company, Jacob renegotiated with its president. His contract gave him sole rights to sell typewriters in areas outside of Chicago. At the end of four years, Jacob had sold typewriters in every state of the Union. At last, earning enough money to pay for his tuition, Jacob, now 20, became a full-time student at a prestigious medical school in Chicago.

At medical school, Jacob developed new techniques to access information. For example, in his anatomy course, the class mascot, Elmo the skeleton, taught the young medical student everything he needed to know about human bones. While the other students were dissecting cadavers, Jacob molded clay parts of internal organs--placing them accurately into a clay human body. He received an "A" for the course.

However, Jacob began falling behind. He could not find appropriate readers to help him access the necessary medical information from the print textbooks. A fellow student, named Hermie, approached him. He too was having trouble with his courses. A recent immigrant from Poland, Hermie, although he could read English, could not comprehend the difficult medical terms. He proposed that they help each other. Jacob agreed. After classes, the two students retired to the back room of a saloon owned by Hermie. Here, they studied for many hours every night. While Jacob interpreted the medical terms, Hermie read the text aloud. They worked together for four years, became best friends, and graduated from medical school with honors.

Upon graduation he had to fight again to take the exam to become a licensed physician. He endured months in an office where no patients came.

His talents were proven during his internship at Frances E. Willard National Termperance Hospital, 710 S. Lincoln (now Wolcott) Street, Chicago, Illinois. 

A young woman's illness was misdiagnosed by at least three other physicians -- who thought it was psychologically based -- when Jacob Bolotin examined her and immediately recognized a serious heart condition. When Jacob examined the girl, he was stunned to hear the distinct murmur of an obstructed heart valve. Could he be wrong? Slowly he ran his fingers over her chest. Her skin was sweaty and clammy. Again he pressed his ear to her heart and listened intently. There was no doubt. It was not simple neurasthenia, but the dull unmistakable murmur of mitral stenosis. Alarmed, he hurried to the office of his immediate supervisor, Dr. Maxmillian Kuznik, professor of clinical diagnosis.

His brilliance as a physician, however, was recognized by patients and other physicians long before he took his rightful place in the medical community. Even after working for months as a volunteer physician in a facility for tuberculosis patients, he was not hired by that institution. Patients loved him, and doctors frequently called upon him for consultation, but his blindness was repeatedly waved as an excuse for not paying him for his services.

Eventually, however, Dr. Bolotin grew to be a renowned heart and lung specialist, not only throughout Chicago, he became the foremost heart and lung specialists in the country. When he addressed a medical convention as a favor to a friend, his talent for speaking also became legendary. Reading excerpts from his speeches is astonishing. The philosophy and sentiments are in complete accord with the words of leaders in the blindness movement almost a century later. Listen, for instance, to his comments as quoted in the Chicago Tribune, when that newspaper ran a sensational article about the blind man about to become a licensed physician:

"Well, is there anything so remarkable about it? Because a man has no eyes, is it any sign that he hasn't any brains? That is the trouble with the world and the blind man. All the blind man asks is fair play. Give him an equal chance without prejudice, and he generally manages to hold his own with his more fortunate colleagues."

Dr. Bolotin died in 1924, at the young age of 36. He seems to have literally worked himself to death -- maintaining such a rigorous schedule of seeing patients and giving speeches that his body wore out. Five thousand people came to his funeral.

Compiled by Neil Gale, Ph.D.