Anniversary approaches for swearing in of first West Virginia state trooper

Jul. 23—PRINCETON — More than 100 years ago this week, a World War I veteran and Mercer County native took an oath which made him the first member of a new statewide law enforcement agency which would become the West Virginia State Police.

Samuel Ivan Taylor was born on Sept. 21, 1895 in Mercer County. He served in the U.S. Army during World War I and like many young men returning from that war, he was thinking about his future.

Taylor was on a train taking him home to East Lynn, W.Va. when he encountered the new State Police Superintendent, Col. Jackson Arnold, who had been assigned by then Gov. John Jacob Cornwell to start a new statewide and independent police force, according to the West Virginia Encyclopedia.

Arnold noticed Taylor's Army uniform and gun along with his "enthusiastic spirit," and offered him a job. Taylor took the oath to become a state trooper on July 24, 1919.

While serving with the West Virginia State Police, Taylor tracked moonshiners and bootleggers, according to the West Virginia Encyclopedia. He also helped to set up new state police detachments.

During his career with the state police, Taylor was with the force that faced off with union miners during the 1921 Battle of Blair Mountain in Logan County, according to the West Virginia Encyclopedia. He was also stationed in Mingo County in the early 1920s when striking miners battled coal company detectives.

Taylor's career with the state police ended in 1927 after a motorcycle crash he had while on duty caused him to lose a leg. Later, he was Barboursville's police chief and worked for 30 years with ACF Industries in Huntington.

Taylor passed away on July 14, 1961 at his home in Barboursville.

— Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@bdtonline.com

Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@bdtonline.com