Baxter Taylor, c. 1919
Baxter Taylor in His Office
Following his term as County Judge of Atoka County, Baxter Taylor served as County Attorney and then, after moving to Oklahoma City with his young family, he was appointed by Governor Robertson as chairman of the State Industrial Commission. This would have been in 1919, about the time this photograph was taken in his office, which I assume was in the capitol building. It appears to be a huge, high-ceilinged office, furnished with plenty of desk space and a spittoon. He looks every bit the judge here--he would brook no nonsense. Yet he had a sense of humor, as evidenced by his earlier newspaper writings, in which he adopted the pseudonym of Jepha Jones and wrote satirical and comic verse. I don't remember seeing him smile, though, in late years.
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