Representative Solomon Taylor North

Solomon Taylor North (May 24, 1853 – October 19, 1917) was a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania. Commonly referred to as S. Taylor North or S. T. North, he was born in Jefferson County, Pennsylvania, where he spent the greater part of his life and from which he later drew his political support. His early years were rooted in the rural economy and community life of western Pennsylvania, experiences that informed both his business pursuits and his later public service.

North received his early education in the local schools of Jefferson County. As a young man, he entered the teaching profession and taught school for six years. His work in education extended beyond the classroom; he served as a school director for twenty years, gaining extensive experience in local educational administration and governance. This long tenure as a school director reflected both his commitment to public education and his growing prominence in community affairs.

In addition to his educational activities, North developed a varied career in business and agriculture. He worked as a lumber merchant during a period when the lumber industry was a significant component of the regional economy in Pennsylvania. He also engaged in farming, maintaining a direct connection to the agricultural interests of his district. Complementing these pursuits, he became involved in banking and served as a director of the Punxsutawney National Bank, a position that underscored his role in local financial and commercial life. He further contributed to civic affairs as a member of the board of education, reinforcing his longstanding interest in public schooling.

North also had a record of military service through his membership in the Pennsylvania National Guard. His participation in the Guard linked him to the state’s organized militia at a time when such service was an important aspect of civic responsibility and public order. This combination of educational, business, and military experience helped establish his reputation as a capable and engaged citizen, laying the groundwork for his entry into partisan politics.

A loyal Republican, North became active in party affairs at the state level. He served as a delegate to the Republican State Convention in 1898, marking his emergence on the broader political stage beyond local offices. His growing influence within the party led to his election to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, where he served multiple, nonconsecutive terms. He was a member of the Pennsylvania State House of Representatives from 1905 to 1907, and again in 1911 and 1913. In the state legislature, he represented the interests of his Jefferson County constituents while building a legislative record that would support his later bid for national office.

North’s state-level experience culminated in his election to the U.S. House of Representatives. He was elected as a Republican to the Sixty-fourth Congress, representing Pennsylvania in the national legislature. During his service in Congress, he sat at a time when the country was confronting significant domestic and international issues in the years immediately preceding American entry into World War I. Although specific committee assignments and legislative initiatives are not detailed in the surviving summaries, his background in education, banking, agriculture, and the lumber industry would have informed his approach to national policy and constituent service.

In 1916, North sought to continue his congressional career but was an unsuccessful candidate for renomination. Following his departure from Congress, he returned to private life in the Punxsutawney area, remaining associated with the community in which he had long lived and worked. Solomon Taylor North died near Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, on October 19, 1917. He was interred in Circle Hill Cemetery, leaving a legacy as an educator, businessman, state legislator, and one-term member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania.