James Fenton Taylor (1886-1933)

TAYLOR, WELLS, AYERS, HUBBARD, RASMUSSON, HOEL, FISCHER, CHAPMAN

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 7/5/2021 at 10:42:16

From Nevada Evening Journal October 5, 1933 (page 1)

NEVADA MAN IN TRAGIC DEATH LAST EVENING

JAMES TAYLOR KILLED WHEN STRUCK BY CAR ON HIGHWAY

James Taylor, 47, of 1228 Seventh street, Nevada, met a tragic death on the Lincoln highway a few miles this side of Marshalltown Wednesday evening about 9:00, when he was struck down by a car and instantly killed.

Taylor who was employed as a salesman by a motor car distribution concern in Marshalltown had spent the afternoon there and closed a deal for the sale of a car to be delivered to Story City this morning.

Mrs. Taylor was in Marshalltown during the afternoon and he returned to Nevada with her for dinner, after which she took him back to Marshalltown, it being his intention to drive the new car back as far as Nevada.

Reaching the salesroom he found that the car would not be ready until this morning and he decided to return to Nevada declining the offer of the head salesman to bring him back to Nevada, he decided to call Mrs. Taylor to return to Marshalltown after him.

He left the salesroom, and walked outa as far as the Eagle Rock station in the west edge of Marshalltown, where he phoned Mrs. Taylor, saying he would start out and walk down the highway and she would meet him.

He then left to walk west and had reached a point near the "S" curve close to the golf course grounds, when he was struck down by a car driven by Adolph Kunkel, a Marshalltown man.

According to the story of those who were nearby at the time, Taylor had evidently stepped out upon the pavement, without noting the cars approaching from the rear thinking that Mrs. Taylor's ca was one of those approaching from the west. The first car to the rear dodged around the man as he stepped onto the pavement, but the second driven by Kunkel, struck him.

As the bumper struck his legs he was thrown backwards and his head struck the car, breaking the neck and killing him instantly. The body was picked up and taken back to Marshalltown, where a coroners inquest was held today.

In the meantime Mrs. Taylor on her way after the husband drove through the crowd congregated at the scene of the accident and on into Marshalltown. There she learned that her husband had left and she started back, again passing the scene of the accident and it was until she reached State Center that she learned of tragic death of her husband.

In the absence of the county coroner from the city an informal investigation of the accident was conducted this morning by Municipal Judge L. R. Sheet, acting coroner.

According to the information brought out at the investigation of the municipal court judge, that officer ordered that coroner's inquest be held over the fatality and scheduled the inquiry for 2:00 Friday afternoon.

Mr. Kunkel, the driver of the car which struck down and killed Taylor stated that he did not see the man upon the pavement in time to avoid hitting him, owing to the car which had been driving ahead of him and glare of the lights from oncoming cars.

"Jimmy" Taylor, as he was familiarly known, was a son of Mr. and Mrs. George Taylor, was born south of Nevada and had lived in or near Nevada practically all of his life.

He had been engaged in farming and in the dairy business at various times and was for some time employed in the circulation department of the Evening Journal. For some years had been employed generally as a motor car salesman, in which vocation he had been considered successful.

He leaves his wife, Mrs. Mable Taylor, a son Everett Taylor, daughter Mrs. Pauline Wells, wife of Clifford Wells of Indianola; two grandchildren, his father George Taylor, three brothers and seven sisters. The brothers are George Taylor Jr. and Ray Taylor of near Nevada and Robert Taylor of Collins. The sisters are Mrs. Sam Ayers of Nevada, Mrs. Carl Hubbard of near Maxwell, Mrs. Raymond Rasmusson, Mrs. E. B. Ayers and Mrs. Will Hoel all of Nevada, Mrs. Fred Fischer of Salem, Oregon and Mrs. Nate Chapman of Los Angeles, California.