Fred E. Taylor & Elizabeth Taylor
1921 - 1997
Fred Taylor grew up in Oxford at the home of his maternal grandparents, Angel Dilaperriere (“A.D”) Harris and Bulah Lucinda Allen Harris. He matriculated from Palmer Stone School in 1937 and graduated from Emory at Oxford in 1940. He married Martha Elizabeth Sowell in 1941.
During World War II, Taylor served as a Corporal in the 240th Field Artillery Battalion attached to the First Army, and later, to the Third Army after the First Army’s objective was reached. He served 19 months in combat in the European Theatre, including England, France, Belgium, Holland, and Germany. During the Battle of the Bulge, his battalion was attached to the 7th Armored Division and the 82nd Airborne Division.
Taylor returned to Oxford after the war where he and his wife started a family. Their only daughter, Frieda Elizabeth Taylor, was born in 1954. Fred Taylor served his community is the Oxford Lion’s Club, the Oxford Historical Shrine Society, and as a volunteer firefighter. He also served 29 consecutive years in local government, 23 as a city councilmember and six as mayor.
During his tenure as mayor, the city joined the Municipal Electric Authority of Georgia and the substation was located in the city. He was also instrumental in obtaining a development block grant of $109,200 in 1985 to install and expand the city water and sewage system.
After his death, the City of Oxford posthumously awarded Taylor with the Citizen of the Year award and dedicated the 1997 Fourth of July Parade to him.
During World War II, Taylor served as a Corporal in the 240th Field Artillery Battalion attached to the First Army, and later, to the Third Army after the First Army’s objective was reached. He served 19 months in combat in the European Theatre, including England, France, Belgium, Holland, and Germany. During the Battle of the Bulge, his battalion was attached to the 7th Armored Division and the 82nd Airborne Division.
Taylor returned to Oxford after the war where he and his wife started a family. Their only daughter, Frieda Elizabeth Taylor, was born in 1954. Fred Taylor served his community is the Oxford Lion’s Club, the Oxford Historical Shrine Society, and as a volunteer firefighter. He also served 29 consecutive years in local government, 23 as a city councilmember and six as mayor.
During his tenure as mayor, the city joined the Municipal Electric Authority of Georgia and the substation was located in the city. He was also instrumental in obtaining a development block grant of $109,200 in 1985 to install and expand the city water and sewage system.
After his death, the City of Oxford posthumously awarded Taylor with the Citizen of the Year award and dedicated the 1997 Fourth of July Parade to him.