Taylor, Walter Frank, 1889-1977.

Walter Frank Taylor was a lawyer; member of the North Carolina Senate, 1921; member of the North Carolina House of Representatives, 1939- 1951; and member of the University of North Carolina Board of Trustees, 1915-1971.

Walter Frank Taylor was born 4 April 1889, in Duplin County, North Carolina. He was educated at the University of North Carolina, receiving a Bachelor of Arts in 1911, followed by a law degree in 1914. He was a Phi Beta Kappa graduate and a member of the Order of the Golden Fleece, Phi Society, and Tau Kappa.

Taylor began practicing law in a Goldsboro firm in 1914. Later, as a partner, Taylor built the firm into one of North Carolina's most respected firms - Taylor, Allen, Warren, and Kerr. He served on the North Carolina Board of Law Examiners and was president of the North Carolina Bar Association.

Taylor was also actively involved in North Carolina politics. In 1921, he served as a Democrat in the North Carolina State Senate, representing District 8, Wayne County. From 1933-1938 he was a member of the Goldsboro Board of Aldermen. He represented Wayne County from 1939 to 1951 in the North Carolina House of Representatives, and in 1951 he was elected speaker of the North Carolina House. Taylor was the legislative counsel to Governor William B. Umstead from 1953 to 1954.

In addition to his interest in state politics, Taylor was deeply committed to the University of North Carolina. He served on the Board of Trustees of the University from 1915 until the University was consolidated in 1931. He then served on the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees of the consolidated University until its reorganization in 1971. In 1972, he was named to the Institutional Board, an interim board of trustees of the Chapel Hill branch of the University, and served from July 1972 until July 1973. Taylor died 28 September 1977.