Benjamin F. Taylor (1819 - 1887)

Dr Benjamin Franklin Taylor (13 July 1819 - 24 January 1887) was an American newspaper editor, war correspondent, author and lecturer. He worked for the newspaper for about twenty years, principally as an assistant editor, and produced two books while in their employ, including a poetry collection. His newspaper articles and commentaries were carried by many other pressrooms, earning him a wide audience. After nearly twenty years, Taylor left the relative safety of the newsroom in 1863 and inserted himself as a field correspondent with the Union Army, covering the horrors and realities of the Civil War and a number of human interest stories as well. After the war and some travel, Benjamin became one of the nation’s most sought-after speakers for poetry readings and lectures at colleges, schools, social halls, political events, and military gatherings.